Spring 2021 Plan
Southwestern College opened the 2020-2021 academic year committed to a high-quality education, a transformative student experience, and the health and safety of everyone in our community. Enduring principles, current best-practices, and a commitment to respond and adapt to evolving circumstances; all will position our college for success this upcoming semester and beyond.
- Guiding Principles
- Builder Community Health Pledge
- Pre-Semester Quarantine
- Spring 2021 Semester Procedures, Practices, Policies
- Quarantine vs. Isolation
Guiding Principles
The intent of this plan is to prepare, implement and maintain strategies for the opening of Southwestern College for education, activities, operations, and services while mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 virus and addressing hazards for individuals on campus.
This plan will be developed, implemented, and carried out on an on-going basis, and regularly adapted according to evolving public health, public policy, and campus/local community developments and understandings.
We will be guided by the following broad and important considerations: Public health, individual health, mission fulfillment, business continuity, public policy guidance and regulations, available capacities.
We acknowledge that we are a mission-based college and that our method is our mission, in many respects: the student experience and student services are paramount; individualized and responsive attention is our value-proposition; in-person instruction, campus life, athletics, and activities are foundational components of the Southwestern experience. We realize that our mission depends upon these methods, that our students learn best and are most successful in this environment.
Spring 2021 Semester Plan
Southwestern College hereby implements and will carry out the following practices, policies, expectations, and actions – all employees and offices of the College are expected to follow these instructions and do their part in complying with these expectations and practices.
As it was during the fall semester, shared responsibility remains the bedrock principle of our plan moving forward for the spring semester.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic and risk cannot be eliminated. We cannot rely, yet, on vaccines or “herd immunity.” We are dependent upon everybody, upon each other. We have a shared responsibility to keep ourselves healthy and to provide for the health and safety of others. As such, every member of our campus community campus will operate according to the Builder Community Health Pledge.
Builder Community Health Pledge
Our Pledge to Shared Responsibility and Community Health:
- I will know and check for COVID-19 symptoms daily
- I will stay in my residence when I have a temperature above 100° F or am showing other symptoms of illness
- I will practice frequent hand-washing
- I will maintain 6-feet of social distance wherever possible
- I will wear a mask in buildings when outside of my residence room or individual office
- I will avoid large social gatherings
- I will limit my personal travel as possible and necessary
- I will follow and abide by directions and guidelines of college and Public Health officials related to the need to identify and contact trace any possible COVID-19 cases or exposures
I understand that the health of everyone in the Builder community is dependent upon shared responsibility, and I will do my part to help protect our community. I will demonstrate care and respect for others. This is the Builder Way.
Pre-Semester Quarantine
In order to return to campus and begin the spring semester as safely as possible, all students, faculty, and staff are expected to complete a 14-day Pre-Semester Quarantine as we did in the fall.
For all students who return to campus early to complete their Pre-Semester Quarantine, the college will provide housing and meals at no additional cost to the student. All students who would like to complete their quarantine on campus are welcome to do so and should be in communication with Residence Life to make arrangements for their return to campus.
What is Pre-Semester Quarantine?
Pre-Semester Quarantine effectively helps prevent the spread of disease by limiting social interactions, avoiding social gatherings, and restricting nonessential travel.
Why complete a Pre-Semester Quarantine?
As the Builder Family comes together, we are expecting all students, faculty, staff, and coaches to quarantine for a period of 14-days before participating in activities on campus. By completing quarantine together we can eliminate potential pathways for the virus and are better able to protect each other and mitigate the risk of community spread of COVID-19.
When does Pre-Semester Quarantine begin for me?
Pre-Semester Quarantine should look the same for students, faculty, and staff as it did in the fall semester. Pre-semester Quarantine begins 14-days before you intend to interact with others on campus. Students may conduct Pre-Semester Quarantine at home or on campus.
For staff and faculty not currently on campus, they will conduct their pre-semester quarantine as well. Those staff who are currently working in their offices on campus will continue their work during their two-week quarantine. However, those staff members will limit their interactions with employees outside their office, will wear masks and maintain social distance, and will practice all good hygiene and health measures.
What does Pre-Semester Quarantine mean for my daily life?
Limit your social interactions, avoid social gatherings.
Restrict travel – avoid leaving your residence for nonessential activity except to go outdoors.
Closely monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever/chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Muscle/body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Nausea/vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Redness/swelling on fingers or toes
If you develop any symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
Practice disciplined hygiene, wash your hands with soap frequently, and avoid physical contact with others.
Maintain safe practices in your residence; disinfect shared spaces, such as the bathroom before and after use.
Avoid settings where you are unable to maintain 6-feet of distance from those who you do not reside with.
Clean all of your "high-touch" surfaces (doorknobs, tabletops, phones, keyboards) every day.
What does my Pre-Semester Quarantine look like on campus?
Spring 2021 Semester Procedures, Practices, Policies
Southwestern College implements and will carry out the following practices, policies, and actions. All employees and offices, all students and groups, of the college are expected to follow these instructions and do their part in complying with these expectations and practices.
Remote learning, remote work
Any individual who is instructed to isolate themselves, or who is showing any signs of illness must stay home or return home.
Employees will work with their supervisor to determine any short-term remote work responsibilities or to arrange for the usage of sick and personal days.
Students will attend scheduled classes remotely during this period and will be prohibited from social, athletic, or other activity attendance until they are cleared to return to the campus community.
Students who are immunocompromised should contact the college to discuss accommodations.
COVID-19 Symptom Education
Education and information will be shared online.
Postings will be hung on campus.
Handouts to each student will be placed in residence halls.
Personal Hygiene
Hand washing instructions will be posted.
Public health guidance will be posted across campus.
Social Distancing
Classroom seats and desks will be arranged for spacing purposes.
Dining hall seating will be spaced and capacity limits established.
In high-traffic buildings, exterior doors will be designated as either entrances or exits.
Campus-wide expectation to maintain 6-feet of distance from others wherever possible.
Monitoring Health / Screenings
Daily Health Screenings by each faculty, staff, and student.
Thermometers and instructions for use will be distributed to each student.
Stay home/go home when sick expectations of everyone
Masks
All students, faculty, staff will receive cloth masks.
Disposable masks will be available at offices and events.
Masks will be worn in indoor spaces and appropriate local and state health guidelines.
PPE / Protection
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for all staff.
Plexiglass shields at all point-of-service areas (classrooms, offices, etc.).
Absentee policies / Sick leave
Increased availability of sick-days for employees.
More lenient absentee policies for students will be employed.
All hourly employees (professional or student) will have opportunities to make-up hours missed due to COVID-19 symptoms or illness.
Travel
All non-essential college travel is prohibited.
Essential college travel (recruitment, fund-raising, student competitions) with modifications.
All non-essential personal travel out of state by students, faculty, and staff is strongly discouraged.
All students, faculty, staff are expected to report out-of-state travel.
All students, faculty, staff who travel to high-risk states are expected to quarantine upon return as required by the State of Kansas.
Events / Visitors
All large public events are canceled.
Non-college guests and visitors are welcome on campus, however will not be allowed inside any student housing facility after move-in day.
All college events will be re-considered, and only held according to modified guidelines, always in full accordance with public health guidelines.
Alumni Homecoming events and Hall of Fame ceremonies will be postponed.
Performing Arts events will be live-streamed, and in-person attendance will comply with all public health guidelines.
Athletic event attendance will comply with all public health guidelines.
Return-to-work Policy
Faculty, staff, and coaches are expected to return to work in accordance with our educational mission as a residential college, and in compliance with the safety guidelines and expectations in this document and subsequent updates.
All employees with needs for special or temporary accommodations/modifications in their employment arrangements will have access to two pathways for these requests: The established Disability Accommodation Procedure
A new Temporary Alternate Workplace Modification process
Facility Cleaning and Disinfecting
Sodexo will perform enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of all spaces on campus
Additional cleaning/disinfecting supplies will be located in every classroom, office, residence hall.
Dining
Reduced and spaced seating capacity in the Dining Hall.
Dining Hall capacity limits established.
Increased grab-and-go food options will be available.
Faculty, staff, and guests will be welcome at Java Jinx and Stir & Bustle for dining this year, but will not have access to the Dining Hall.
Performing Arts
Modified program and physical arrangements for rehearsals and classes, allowing for appropriate distancing.
Performances modified for both audience and artists, outside when possible, and always allowing for distancing.
All Performing Arts events will be live-streamed, and in-person attendance will comply with all public health guidelines.
Performing Arts events will comply with all public health guidelines.
Athletics
All procedures and policies will be modified in accordance with NAIA and KCAC guidelines.
National Athletic training guidelines will also inform our process.
PPE will be provided for Athletic Training staff, as well as all athletic staff who need/desire PPE.
Athletic event attendance will comply with all public health guidelines.
Modified travel protocol – temperature checks on and off buses, and all other KCAC travel guidelines followed.
Regular antigen testing of in-season athletes will be conducted (as supplies available) – immediate testing for symptomatic individuals and coordination with public health officials.
Testing
Population-level COVID-19 testing will be conducted upon entry for the semester.
Regular testing of in-season athletes, performing arts students, and students staffing the Southwestern College Learning Center will be conducted.
Immediate testing and isolation of symptomatic individuals (fever plus one symptom).
In ALL CASES we will work with the County Health Department upon the first sign of symptoms and/or positive test.
COVID-19 Symptoms / Exposure
All guidelines and procedures are subject to modification and change in partnership with/as guided by county public health officials.
Symptomatic individuals will stay isolated, contact their health care provider and college officials, and will be tested for COVID-19 if they present two or more symptoms.
The college will work with the County Health Department in all COVID-19 cases and exposures.
Individuals with a temperature above 100° F as the only symptom will self-isolate until they are fever-free for a period of 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
Those individuals with a fever and other symptoms, but who test negative for COVID-19, may return to activities after 72 hours with no fever present – unless alternative guidance is given by a physician.
Individuals with known contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after exposure and self-monitor for symptoms.
COVID-19 Positive Cases
All residential students who test positive for COVID-19 will be isolated in a separate on-campus housing unit.
All faculty, staff, and students residing off-campus who test positive will isolate in their residence.
All active COVID-19 patients will follow directions and instructions of their health care provider and local health officials.
Those who test positive for COVID-19 can be with others once released to do so by county health officials. For the purposes of disease investigation and controlling the spread of COVID-19, if a student/faculty/staff member is identified as a close contact to a case some limited information including the contact’s name and phone number will be shared with Public Health for follow-up. Students who want to opt opt out of this sharing of info should contact the Student Affairs Office.
In the event of COVID-19 positive cases, the college will coordinate with county health officials for purposes of contact tracing and isolation; treatment, cleaning, and disinfecting of facility spaces; and determinations regarding short-term cancellations of events; and short-term remote instruction and operations.
Unless it is an extremely severe case (which requires professional medical attention) students completing their proper quarantine are released from isolation after either a 10 or 14 day period as guided by Public Health.
The college’s COVID-19 Spring 2021 Semester Plan, including the Builder Community Health Pledge and the Spring 2021 Semester Procedures, Practices, Policies set the expectations and requirements of students, faculty, and staff to engage collectively in health and safety measures that may help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and protect our community members. Your commitment to comply with these community standards – and to lead by example – is important to help create a healthy and safe campus community.
Your compliance with these standards and guidelines is a condition of your enrollment and/or employment, your access to on-campus facilities and services, and your continued presence on campus. Any repeated and/or willful failure to comply with these standards may, under certain circumstances, subject you to disciplinary proceedings under the college’s policies.
Quarantine vs. Isolation - Expectations and Differences
Quarantine
For those of us on campus who come into close/prolonged/unmasked personal contact with a person who has either tested positive with COVID-19 or who is presumed to have COVID-19 – will be asked to quarantine for a period of days before being retested for the virus. OR knowing of such exposure, we may choose to self-quarantine – notifying student affairs and requesting to be retested.
When in quarantine we are asked to severely limit personal interactions, this means attending class remotely from our residence, picking up meals-to-go, not attending practices or rehearsals, avoiding social gatherings of any size, and maintaining strict adherence to mask-wearing and room cleanliness. Quarantine means staying in our residence as much as possible – until we can be sure that we do not have the virus and are not at risk for spreading the virus to our friends and loved ones. Adhering to quarantine restrictions and holding each other accountable to do so, better protects our campus community from the spread of COVID-19.
Isolation
A person who tests positive for COVID-19 or is presumed to be positive for the virus due to an onset of symptoms will be asked to isolate by both the City Cowley Health Department and by the college.
For students who live on campus that isolation will be completed in designated housing. For students living off-campus, there is an option to complete isolation on-campus or off-campus at their residence (assuming they have a care plan and don’t put others at risk). Faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19 will complete their isolation at their residence.
Isolation means no personal contact. Necessary belongings will be moved (with the help of student affairs staff) to isolation housing for the period of isolation and meals/sustenance will be delivered to their doorstep. Individuals in isolation should not receive visitors and should not leave their isolation unit until they have been cleared to do so. Violating the parameters of isolation puts our campus community -- our ability to attend classes in-person, to rehearse and perform, to practice and compete, and to engage in all modified campus activities -- at risk.
Testing, quarantine, and isolation are all included in the Spring 2021 Semester Plan to keep our campus community healthy.
