fscares · indeed, we will persevere in our quest to achieve the college’s mission of preparing...
TRANSCRIPT
FSCaresFlorida Southern College’s guide to reopening campus safely, successfully, and together.
Introduction: We Are in This Together Of the many policies and procedures outlined in this document, the most important
principle is that all members of the Florida Southern College community must
embrace a shared responsibility to reduce coronavirus transmission on campus and
in our community.
The College’s ability to meet the goals outlined in this plan depends on the FSC
community recognizing that taking steps to reduce virus transmission is a shared
responsibility. Students, faculty, and staff must take personal and collective
responsibility for ensuring that each element of this plan is faithfully executed.
This means that many activities that have been taken for granted in years past will be
changed. It also will mean that new habits and ways of relating to one other will be
consciously cultivated and new traditions born.
How to Use This Plan
In the sections that follow, you will see key actions the College is taking and details
that support those actions. Some sections contain information for the entire College
community; others are designed specifically for students, parents, faculty, and/or staff.
Each section focuses on the most important new and updated policies and procedures
that will help Florida Southern create a healthy and safe campus environment.
The College is committed to following the procedures described in this document
to ensure the safest living-learning environment for our community. Doing so will
allow FSC to achieve its vitally important mission: helping students make positive and
consequential impacts on society through excellent academic preparation.
The Florida Southern community will continue to thrive in the months ahead thanks to a
shared commitment to protect each other by adherence to this plan’s guiding principles.
Updates
Conditions will continue to change, and the College is ready to adapt. FSC’s executive
leadership team meets weekly to review campus conditions, consider the latest medical
and scientific advice, and assess operations. The plan will be updated regularly to
reflect changes in local, state, and national conditions.
Questions?
The College has created a special email address to answer your COVID-19 questions.
Please email [email protected] and a staff member will respond within 24 hours.
6 ft
Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length)
from other people.
Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched
objects and surfaces.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the
trash and wash your hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Stop the Spread of Germs
cdc.gov/coronavirus316917-A May 13, 2020 11:00 AM
Help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19.
Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.
When in public, wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth.
Letter from President Kerr
1 Executive Summary
4 Important Dates
5 Personal Hygiene
8 Masks on Campus
11 Physical Distancing on Campus
14 How Campus Will be Cleaned
18 Academics: Guidelines for Teaching and Learning
30 Remote Learning After Thanksgiving
32 Changes to the Student Move-in Experience
36 Campus Life: COVID-19 Testing, Dining, Clubs, Activities, and Athletics
41 What Happens When a Student Tests Positive for COVID-19
46 Working on Campus: Keeping Faculty and Staff Safe
49 What Happens When Faculty or Staff Test Positive for COVID-19
54 Sharing Information Quickly and Transparently
Index
Dear College Community:
Since our founding in 1883, the history of Florida Southern College has been filled with periods of great challenge, including building a new campus after burning to the ground in 1922; recovering from flu epidemics and other diseases; surviving war conditions with limited supplies and financial resources; roaring back in the aftermath of hurricanes and tornadoes; and making steady progress in the wake of periods of distressing conditions of many types.
Florida Southern College has proven throughout the decades that it is resilient and is unwavering in its commitment to educational excellence and delivery of a world-class living/learning experience for students.
The FSC community has worked diligently to create a fall semester opening plan that is designed to keep students, faculty, and staff as safe as possible. In the pages that follow, you will discover a comprehensive plan that requires the participation of every individual in our community.
All students, staff members, and professors have roles and sets of guidelines to follow to help protect themselves and each other. This partnership is essential as we begin fall semester.
Because global and local conditions may change, this plan may also be revised, and subsequent alterations will be shared accordingly. Please visit our website, www.flsouthern.edu/FSCares and follow the College on social media for news and updates. For any questions, please email [email protected].
This semester will be different from any other time in our history. However, our commitment to provide students with world-class educations and superb student life experiences that perpetuate our enviable community pride will continue. Indeed, we will persevere in our quest to achieve the College’s mission of preparing our students to make positive and consequential impacts on society through excellent educational programs even in these uncertain times.
I send my best wishes for health and safety to you and your families and look forward to seeing you on campus very soon.
A letter from President Kerr
Warmly,
Anne B. Kerr, Ph.D. President
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Executive Summary
This plan is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
expert medical consultants at Lakeland Regional Health, medical advice from Watson
Clinic, and the College’s experiences managing campus operations in this pandemic
environment.
Four guiding principles have informed every aspect of this plan:
• Protecting the health of our campus and community
• Delivering excellent academics
• Creating outstanding campus experiences
• Embracing flexibility, resiliency, and community
The campus leadership team — with input from faculty and staff and guidance from
the Board of Trustees — has worked diligently to create the guidelines and protocols
contained in this plan, which is designed to engage every member of our community to
prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Plan highlights include:
• On August 10, FSC announced that the fall semester will feature both face-to-face
and remote instruction for students. Only certain groups of students will be eligible
to live on campus during the fall semester. All other students will not live in College
housing. Commuter students who live off-campus will be eligible to attend face-to-
face classes.
ᴏ More information can be found here about updates to the College’s plan.
• To maximize healthy outcomes, the College will end undergraduate face-to-face
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classes on November 24 of Thanksgiving week and begin remote instruction on
November 30, which will continue through the end of the semester. This means most
students will return home to complete the fall semester remotely. (Details in “Remote
Learning After Thanksgiving”).
ᴏ No on-campus undergraduate classes will be conducted for students after
Thanksgiving break, except for international students (Information will be sent
directly to international students).
ᴏ Some graduate programs will continue face-to-face classes after Thanksgiving.
Graduate students should check with their dean for more information.
• The College is providing reusable masks to all members of the campus community.
ᴏ As part of a COVID-19 kit, students will receive five reusable, washable cloth
masks, a thermometer, hand sanitizer, and instructions about how to stay healthy
during the pandemic.
• The College is committed to providing safe, well-rounded living-learning experiences
for students while implementing changes to address the pandemic, including:
ᴏ Reduced density in residence halls (single rooms only)
ᴏ A new move-in process that requires appointments and a negative COVID test
result within seven days prior to move-in for residential students and within seven
days prior to the first class for commuter students.
ᴏ Changes to on-campus dining.
ᴏ Safety adaptations for clubs, organizations, intramural sports, and more.
ᴏ New protocols for classrooms, labs, and other campus learning spaces.
ᴏ Changes in counseling appointments, as well as academic advising, and
assistance in the Student Solutions Center (virtual appointments).
• When COVID-19 cases and possible cases develop on campus, the College will
respond quickly and transparently to protect the health and safety of the campus
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community. This includes enacting quarantine and testing protocols, communications
to affected individuals and more. (Details in “Responding to Student COVID-19
Cases” and “Responding to Faculty and Staff COVID-19 Cases”)
• Non-College events (speakers, performances, weddings, special events, etc.) will
not be scheduled on campus, except for possible athletic events if approved by the
Sunshine State Conference and Florida Southern Board of Trustees.
ᴏ The Frank Lloyd Wright Center remains closed. Tours will resume when it is
determined that conditions have reached an acceptably safe level.
ᴏ Campus tours for prospective students and their families will continue with
groups no larger than 10 people. Visitors will be given a COVID-19 survey and will
be required to follow FSC policies for masks and physical distancing.
ᴏ No tours will go into residence halls and apartments.
All members of the FSC community must embrace a shared responsibility to reduce
virus transmission on campus and in our community. Everyone must commit to the
actions outlined in this plan and hold each other accountable.
The pages that follow provide more details about the fall semester. Please carefully
review the information so you are ready for a successful semester.
While many aspects of College life will be different this fall, much will stay the same,
including FSC’s commitment to providing a world-class education to students and a
dynamic workplace for faculty and staff.
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Important Dates
August 28 - 31 Move-in for students
September 1 Classes start (traditional undergraduate students)
November 24 Last day of face-to-face instruction
November 25 - 29 Thanksgiving break
November 30 Remote instruction begins (traditional undergraduate students)
December 11 Last day of classes (traditional undergraduate students)
December 14-16 Final exams (traditional undergraduate students)
December 19 Commencement
January 12 Start of spring semester
March 8-12 Spring break
April 30 Last day of classes
May 3-5 Final exams
May 8 Commencement
* Dates may vary depending on special programs (MBA, Doctor of Physical Therapy, etc.) Please check with your program.
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Personal Hygiene
What You Need to Know
Local, state, and federal guidelines will inform how the College reopens campus. All
members of the campus community should be familiar with COVID-19 information from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including:
o COVID-19 Symptoms
o How to Protect Yourself and Others
o What to Do If You Are Sick
o People Who Need to Take Extra Precautions
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the CDC advises regular hand washing with soap
and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a
hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
More Information
• Washing your hands is easy and one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• It is especially important to wash your hands:
ᴏ Before eating or preparing food
ᴏ Before touching your face
ᴏ After using the restroom
ᴏ After leaving a public place
ᴏ After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
ᴏ After handling your cloth face covering
ᴏ After changing a diaper
ᴏ After caring for someone sick
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ᴏ After touching animals or pets
• When washing your hands, follow these five steps:
ᴏ Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and
apply soap.
ᴏ Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of
your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
ᴏ Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy
Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
ᴏ Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
ᴏ Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Use Hand Sanitizer When You Cannot Use Soap
• You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol
if soap and water are not available.
• Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations.
However:
ᴏ Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
ᴏ Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
CLEAN HANDS KEEP
YOU HEALTHY.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least
20 SECONDS.
LIFE IS BETTER WITH
www.cdc.gov/handwashing
This material was developed by CDC. The Life is Better with Clean Hands Campaign is made possible by a partnership between the CDC Foundation, GOJO, and Staples. HHS/CDC does not endorse commercial products, services, or companies.
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Masks on Campus
What You Need to Know
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the CDC recommends “wearing cloth face coverings
in public settings when around people … especially when other social distancing
measures are difficult to maintain.” The College is requiring that masks be worn on
campus, in classrooms, academic and administrative buildings, office settings, and
wherever physical distancing is not possible. Masks must be worn according to the CDC
guidelines below.
More Information
When to Wear a Mask on Campus• Masks are required for personal interactions, indoors and outdoors.
• Masks are always required of faculty and students in all classrooms.
• Masks must be worn in common areas, indoors or outdoors.
ᴏ Examples: hallways, stairs, restrooms, Library, lobbies, classrooms, physical
meetings with multiple people, dining facilities, administrative buildings, kitchens,
etc.
• Masks must be worn outside while in trafficked areas and outdoor seating areas in
proximity to others (less than six feet).
• It is only in a private office within a building, when someone is alone, that masks are
not required.
ᴏ Students are not required to wear masks in their residence hall rooms, but are
free to do so. Students are encouraged to follow physical distancing policies in
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their rooms.
• The College is providing reusable, washable masks to all members of the campus
community.
ᴏ If personal masks are worn, any decorations or messages should be consistent
with the College’s Cornerstone values.
Wear Your Mask Correctly• Wash your hands before putting on your face covering.
• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Write your name on the inside of your mask so you don’t confuse it with someone
else’s.
• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face.
• Make sure you can breathe easily.
• Masks should be washed regularly, inspected for damage, and discarded and
replaced when damaged.
• Masks should be stored in a clean, dry location, and they should never be shared.
• Do not put the face covering around your neck or up on your forehead
• Do not touch the face covering, and, if you do, wash your hands, or use hand
sanitizer to disinfect.
How to Safely Wear and Take Off a Cloth Face Covering
cdc.gov/coronavirusCS 316488A 06/10/2020
PHARMACY
CLOTH B
ARR
IER
For instructions on making a cloth face covering, see:
Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, both of which should be saved for health care workers and other medical first responders.
WEAR YOUR FACE COVERING CORRECTLY
USE THE FACE COVERING TO HELP PROTECT OTHERS
FOLLOW EVERYDAY HEALTH HABITS
TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTH FACE COVERING CAREFULLY, WHEN YOU’RE HOME
• Wash your hands before putting on your face covering• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face • Make sure you can breathe easily• Do not place a mask on a child younger than 2
• Wear a face covering to help protect others in case you’re infected but don’t have symptoms• Keep the covering on your face the entire time you’re in public• Don’t put the covering around your neck or up on your forehead• Don’t touch the face covering, and, if you do, clean your hands
• Stay at least 6 feet away from others• Avoid contact with people who are sick• Wash your hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds each time• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
• Untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops• Handle only by the ear loops or ties• Fold outside corners together• Place covering in the washing machine• Wash your hands with soap and water
Accessible: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
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Physical Distancing on Campus
What You Need to Know
The College will adhere to all local, state, and federal guidelines and updated protocols
for physical distancing. The CDC reports that “COVID-19 spreads mainly among people
who are in close contact (within about six feet) for a prolonged period.”
Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to
stay at least six feet away from others when possible. Therefore, physical distancing (a
minimum of six feet between individuals) must be maintained in all spaces throughout
campus.
More Information
• Facilities have been measured and configured so that classes and meetings can take
place with proper physical distancing.
ᴏ Faculty must conduct all office hours and advising remotely. Faculty are not to
conduct meetings in their office.
ᴏ Staff must maintain physical distance with anyone they are meeting in their
offices.
• Classroom and lab spaces have been reconfigured to maintain physical distancing
among students and to establish a “teaching zone” to ensure that the instructor
remains distanced as well.
ᴏ This has significantly reduced the capacity of each classroom and lab.
• Wherever possible, Plexiglas shields will be installed on lecterns and between
computer stations in classrooms and labs.
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• Use of elevators is limited to individuals with mobility needs only.
• All tables, desks, and seating in the classroom must be maintained to ensure physical
distancing configurations and to avoid having students facing one another. Students
cannot rearrange classroom furniture once it has been moved to meet physical
distancing requirements.
• Large gatherings outside of classroom settings should be avoided until CDC
guidelines specify otherwise. It also is recommended that large gatherings be
avoided when off campus.
• When it is not possible to control ingress and egress in certain academic areas,
students and faculty will be directed to maintain social distancing and wear masks
when leaving or entering classes.
• Visual cues, including signage, colored tape, floor markings, and other indicators, will
be placed throughout campus to help people maintain appropriate distancing and to
remind them of other key safety measures.
• Phones, Internet, or video technology will substitute for in-person meetings
whenever possible.
• The College added two treatment rooms and an additional lobby to the Student
Health Center. It is now split into a respiratory side and a non-respiratory side.
ᴏ A staff member will screen students at the door and direct them to the
appropriate lobby for treatment, enhancing health and safety protocols.
Help Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19
Practice Social Distancing
Stay 6 feet (2 arm’s lengths) from other people.
And Wear a Cloth Face Covering
Be sure it covers your nose and mouth to help protect others. You could be infected and not have symptoms.
cdc.gov/coronavirus
Logos: HHS and CDC
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How Campus Will be Cleaned
What You Need to Know
The CDC reports that “it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching
a surface or object that has the virus on it … however, this is not thought to be the main
way the virus spreads.”
The College will undertake enhanced cleaning of campus facilities, including academic
buildings, residence halls, and offices, with a focus on common areas and high-touch
locations.
More Information
Academic Areas
• Classrooms will be deep cleaned daily. Additionally, all horizontal surfaces and high
contact points such as door handles, chair arms, etc., will be disinfected at this time.
• High contact points will also be disinfected midday and again in the late afternoon.
• All classrooms will have cleaning supplies available for the cleaning of personal
spaces. While custodial staff will clean on a regular basis, faculty and students will
clean their personal areas (for example: desk, chair) at the start of class.
• In academic buildings, hand sanitizer will be easily accessible from each classroom,
either in common areas near a group of classrooms or within individual classrooms.
• Academic buildings will receive a full coverage cleaning from electrostatic sprayers
at least biweekly.
• Antibacterial air filters will be installed in academic buildings.
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Residence Halls
• Common spaces such as bathrooms, lobbies, and halls will be deep cleaned in the
early morning. Additionally, all horizontal surfaces and high contact points such as
door handles, faucets, light switches, etc. in the common areas will be disinfected at
this time.
• High contact points will also be disinfected midday and again in the late afternoon.
• Residence halls will have hand sanitizer placed in lobbies, bathrooms, and by
stairway entryways and elevators on each floor.
• The College will install antibacterial air filters in residence halls and apartments.
Administrative Buildings
• Administration Buildings will be deep cleaned daily. Additionally, all horizontal
surfaces and high contact points such as door handles, shared office equipment, etc.,
will be disinfected at this time.
• High contact points will be disinfected a second time each day.
• Disinfectant spray will be available upon request.
• Administrative buildings will have hand sanitizer placed in high traffic areas such as
lobbies, foyers, and entryways.
Open Areas (Auditoriums, Theatres, Fitness Rooms, Cafeterias, etc.)
• These areas will be disinfected using the Sterymax 360 Electrostatic Disinfectant
Sprayer. Each area will be disinfected on a schedule determined by the needs of the
specific space:
ᴏ The cafeteria will be disinfected daily with a special disinfectant sprayer.
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Surfaces will be regularly wiped down throughout the day.
ᴏ Areas in the Wellness Center will be sanitized outside of the hours of
operation.
ᴏ Areas such as auditoriums and theatres will be disinfected based on the use of
the space.
• Locations will have hand sanitizer placed in high traffic areas such as lobbies, foyers,
and entryways.
Campus Shuttles and Fleet Vehicles
• All shuttles will be cleaned with sanitizer between runs and will be disinfected daily
using the Sterymax 360 Electrostatic Disinfectant Sprayer.
• All fleet vehicles will be sanitized prior to reservation time and after use.
• The number of riders will be reduced on the shuttles. Students will need to plan
accordingly.
Types of Sanitizers Used
• Virex 256 is a surface sanitizer spray and is a disinfectant approved by the CDC and EPA.
• Virex Tb, the ready-to-use version of Virex 256, is also approved by the CDC
and EPA. It is used locally by the Polk County School system, local hospital, and
emergency services.
• Sterymax 360 Electrostatic Disinfectant Sprayers will be used for selective
disbursement of sanitizing products.
• 70 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which exceed the CDC recommendations,
have been purchased to disperse across campus for easy access.
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
cdc.gov/coronavirus317142-A May 20, 2020 10:44 AM
Know the symptoms of COVID-19, which can include the following:
*Seek medical care immediately if someone has emergency warning signs of COVID-19.
• Trouble breathing• Persistent pain or pressure
in the chest• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face
Cough Chills Muscle pain
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing*
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Symptoms can range from mild to severe illness, and appear 2-14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.
This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Fever
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Academics: Guidelines for Teaching and Learning
Context for Academic GuidelinesWhen the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the United States in the spring of 2020,
Florida Southern College quickly transitioned to a remote learning environment. This
unprecedented action responded to what we knew about the SARS-CoV-2 virus at that
time. We knew that it was being transmitted easily and rapidly through personal contact,
that it had the potential for serious morbidity and mortality, and that there was essentially
no native immunity to it. Given this knowledge, as well as directives from state and local
officials, the transition to remote learning was necessary for us to continue to fulfill our
core purpose of educating students during the final weeks of the spring 2020 semester.
As we head into the fall 2020 semester, the pandemic continues to disrupt our daily
lives, forcing us to rethink and reimagine how we will carry out our work as teachers, as
scholars, and as members of the campus community. The transition to remote learning
in the spring 2020 semester was a stopgap measure. In that specific context, the
move to remote learning served its purpose; it made it possible for students to wrap up
successfully the final weeks of a semester already well under way. There is no doubt that
the tenacity and resiliency of our faculty and students played a key role in that success,
but there is also no gainsaying the fact that remote learning plays a very minor role in the
educational traditions of Florida Southern. This is not to say that certain forms of remote
learning have no place at the College. They do, even under normal circumstances. It
simply acknowledges that experiential, engaged learning is the hallmark of the Florida
Southern experience and that planning for a successful fall 2020 semester will require us
to draw upon the lessons that we learned in spring 2020, to adapt our best educational
traditions to pandemic circumstances, and to prepare ourselves for maximum flexibility in
the context of conditions that can change suddenly.
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Until an effective vaccine or anti-viral therapeutics are in place, campus life cannot
return to its pre-pandemic patterns and rhythms. There is still much to be learned about
SARS-CoV-2, and we must acknowledge that no plan can guarantee a COVID-19 free
environment. The guidelines for teaching and learning, both individually and collectively,
are grounded in what we know at the moment. They have been developed by the Deans
Council, and they are based on a review of current literature, input from various campus
constituencies, discussions with peer institutions and infectious disease experts, and the
advice of the CDC and local community leaders. The overall aim of these guidelines is
to create an environment that mitigates virus transmission, while maintaining the high-
quality learning experiences that make Florida Southern a special place to live and learn.
In the context of this overall purpose, the guidelines for teaching and learning seek to
achieve three major goals:
1. To ensure that students make appropriate academic progress in the 2020 – 2021
academic year.
2. To maintain campus and classroom environments that significantly reduce
opportunities for virus transmission.
3. To provide students with a variety of well-designed approaches to learning in the
fall 2020 semester, including face-to-face, online, and hybrid formats, with an emphasis
on conducting face-to-face learning to the greatest extent possible.
Our ability to meet these goals will depend on all members of our community
understanding that taking steps to reduce virus transmission is a shared responsibility.
Members of the Deans Council recognize that enacting these guidelines will be
challenging, and they have done their best to balance the tradeoffs inherent in
such a situation with our shared goal of educating students to make a positive and
consequential impact on society. While we are still learning about the SARS-CoV-2 virus,
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we do know that these guidelines, when combined with the measures outlined in the
overall institutional plan, can substantially reduce the likelihood of virus transmission.
For this reason, academic guidelines rely on social distancing, wearing masks during
personal interactions, following hygiene and cleaning practices recommended by the
CDC, isolating individuals who test positive or have known exposure, avoiding high-risk
situations, and remaining open to modifying elements of the overall plan if conditions
change. Neither the institutional plan nor these guidelines respond to every conceivable
scenario — nor could they be expected to do so — but they do provide a framework
for reactivating campus life that is grounded in the best knowledge of our scientific and
medical communities. As such, Deans Council believes that these guidelines and the
overall institutional plan will allow us to continue to fulfill our mission in the safest ways
possible during this global pandemic. Each of its members stands ready to guide the
academic enterprise in the context of the institutional plan, and each sees it as a living
plan, which means that they are committed to listening to and working with faculty and
students to ensure that the plan is serving our community well and being adjusted when
necessary.
Healthy Campus Environment
Physical Distancing
• Social distancing measures (a minimum of six feet of distance between individuals)
must be maintained in all public spaces throughout the campus.
• To the extent possible, all academic buildings will control when and how students
can enter and exit. Signage and other mechanisms will be put in place to direct one-
way traffic patterns and to indicate when students should enter a building for the
next class meeting. Students should wait outside of academic buildings and maintain
social distancing until the time indicated for entering the building for a particular
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class period. At that time, they should follow the traffic pattern. These measures are
designed to reduce crowding in hallways and stairwells.
• When it is not possible to control ingress and egress in certain academic areas,
such as Ordway, students and faculty are asked to ensure that they maintain social
distancing and wear masks when leaving or entering classes.
• For those academic buildings that can control ingress and egress, entry/exit and
traffic pattern plans, as well as timetables, will be posted conspicuously.
• All advising will be conducted remotely through such means as video or phone
conferencing.
• All office hours will be held remotely using means similar to those for advising.
• Masks must be worn in all academic buildings, unless individuals are alone in their
offices, and whenever social distancing cannot be maintained outside.
Personal Protection and Hygiene
• Masks are required of faculty, staff, and students in all classrooms and labs. Besides
classrooms and labs, masks must be worn throughout academic buildings, including
the library and archives. The only exception to this requirement is when members
of the faculty or staff are alone in a private office. Masks must be worn in restrooms,
hallways, stairwells, break rooms, common areas, and anywhere that social
distancing cannot be guaranteed.
• Residential and commuter students required to submit negative COVID tests to FSC.
• Frequent hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer, dispensers of which will be placed
conspicuously throughout campus, are strongly encouraged.
• Faculty, staff, and students should self-evaluate daily for symptoms, including
temperature checks. Any individual who has a fever of 100.3 Fahrenheit or higher, or
who is experiencing any other symptoms identified by the CDC, should immediately
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self-quarantine.”. Students should immediately contact their healthcare provider and/
or the Student Health Center at 863.680.4292.
ᴏ After hours, students should contact 863.680.4305 for assistance and
information about next steps.
• While all areas of campus will be cleaned regularly and thoroughly by custodial staff,
individuals must take responsibility for cleaning their spaces and personal effects
(laptops, cell phones, bags, etc.) on a regular basis as well.
• All academic areas will be provided with resources and directions for maintaining
personal protection and other safety measures.
• Per a provost’s message on June 18, 2020, faculty were asked to report to their
deans any concerns that they may have about conducting face-to-face classes and to
include any requests for appropriate accommodations in that communication. Those
were due to deans by June 25, 2020, and they have now all been compiled. Each
of those communications will be reviewed by Academic Affairs in consultation with
Human Resources. Faculty will receive a response to their requests no later than July
17, 2020.
• Students may request remote learning accommodations. Such requests will be
reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Student Development and Academic Affairs.
Students will receive a response to their requests within three business days.
Students should email [email protected].
• International students may face additional restrictions, and they will be
accommodated on a case-by-case basis if there are health or travel restrictions that
necessitate remote participation.
Healthy Classroom Environment
• Classroom and lab spaces have been reconfigured to maintain social distancing
among students and to establish a “teaching zone” to ensure that the instructor
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remains distanced as well. This has significantly reduced the capacity of each
classroom and lab.
• All tables, desks, and seating in the classroom must be maintained to ensure
social distancing configurations and to avoid having students facing one another.
Classroom furniture cannot be rearranged for any class meeting.
• Masks are always required of faculty and students in all classrooms and labs.
• Plexiglas shields will be installed throughout classrooms and labs wherever possible.
• All classrooms will have cleaning supplies available for the cleaning of personal
spaces. While custodial staff will clean on a regular basis, faculty and students will
clean their personal areas (e.g., desk) at the start of each class.
• Antibacterial air filters will be installed in academic buildings.
• All lab areas, regardless of their nature, must provide a written plan for cleaning
and disinfecting and follow that plan. That plan will be submitted to the appropriate
academic dean and posted conspicuously in the lab.
• Attendance must be taken daily, and every class must establish assigned seating (a
seating chart) in order to facilitate contact tracing if necessary.
• At times, outdoor venues may be used for classes that require increased social
distancing beyond six feet. Those arrangements must be made through the
appropriate academic dean.
• Eating is not permitted in any classroom or lab.
• Drinks may be allowed in classrooms and labs at the discretion of the instructor. If
allowed, they must have a lid. No open containers will be allowed.
COVID-19 Monitoring
• Temperatures will be taken randomly across campus, including in academic
buildings.
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• All members of our community must take personal responsibility to do temperature
checks and self-evaluate their health on a daily basis. Faculty and students who
believe that they are ill or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive
for SARS-CoV-2 should not go into any classroom or academic building until they are
able to confirm through a healthcare provider that they have not been infected with
the virus.
• Students are advised to immediately contact their healthcare providers and/or the
Student Health Center at 863.680.4292 if exposure has occurred, even if they are
asymptomatic for COVID-19.
ᴏ A student who has close contact with someone who tests positive for
COVID-19 should immediately contact 863.680.4305 for quarantine assistance
and information about next steps.
• Faculty who believe that they are ill or have been exposed to someone who has
tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 should report it to the appropriate dean and Human
Resources. Human Resources will provide directions on next steps to take.
How is the College conducting contact tracing for positive COVID-19 tests?
• To help limit the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and ensure the safety of
our community, the College has partnered with Rapid-Trace, a local firm aiding
businesses and institutions with contact tracing following positive COVID-19 tests.
ᴏ Rapid-Trace contact tracers will work for the College as contracted employees
of the Health Center and will notify you in the event you have had close contact
with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
ᴏ With Rapid-Trace, we will be able to identify and inform people who have
contracted the virus and those in contact with confirmed cases, so they can take
the necessary steps to prevent further spread. Please cooperate with our contact
tracing efforts and Rapid-Trace personnel.
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Academic Program Delivery
Pedagogy
• From August 11, 2020, until the start of classes on September 1, 2020, a series of
required and optional professional development sessions will be provided to faculty.
These sessions will replace the traditional one-day Faculty Forum that typically kicks
off a semester. The schedule of these sessions will be shared with faculty in early
August. Faculty can anticipate topics like using Canvas, selecting video-conferencing
tools, responding to students not following guidelines, and a host of other topics still
to be determined to be included in these sessions.
• Faculty must post all syllabi, assignments, and grades on the LMS.
• Courses may use multiple delivery formats—including but not limited to face-to-face
teaching, hybrid/staggered instruction, and synchronous and asynchronous online
delivery—as determined by class size, room capacities, and instructor needs. Face-
to-face instruction, however, is the desired method and should be seen as the default
delivery mode unless circumstances dictate otherwise.
• Graded assignments should be distributed thoughtfully across the semester, with
“frontloading” of assignments offered to the extent possible. In particular, faculty
should ensure that high percentages of high-stakes grading do not occur only at the
end of the semester. This is good practice under normal circumstances, but all the
more important under pandemic circumstances, which can change suddenly.
• Faculty should provide maximum flexibility for student absences and late submission
of assignments. While participation can reasonably be calculated into final grades,
faculty are strongly encouraged not to calculate absences into them (e.g., three
unexcused absences result in the reduction of a letter grade) during the fall 2020
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semester.
• Faculty must prepare to transition to remote instruction at any point in the fall
2020 semester and into the foreseeable future. Planning each course with this
contingency in mind is essential.
• For every class meeting that any student is absent, faculty must activate a video
conferencing application (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.) and record the class
session so that students can participate remotely should they have health reasons to
do so.
• While faculty will be provided with the instructional tools and materials necessary to
conduct each class, they are responsible for bringing them to each class session and
maintaining them when not in class. IT can help faculty troubleshoot any problems,
but faculty should not assume that they will be able to secure quick replacements if
they forget to bring these tools and materials to class.
• In lab settings that require partners, faculty are encouraged to establish lab
partnerships that will be maintained throughout the entire semester. Lab partners
should only be changed when absolutely necessary.
• Faculty are encouraged to explore a variety of methods for engaging students
across the potential teaching modalities. For classes with first-year students, it is
very important to help them connect to our community of scholarship and learning.
It will be an especially challenging semester for them, and it is important that we be
conscious of this. Doing all that we can to help them feel as if they belong will go a
long way in establishing the foundation that they will need to be successful this year
and beyond.
• Faculty also are encouraged to use creative and innovative methods for engaging
students in scholarly and creative activities, such as streaming performances that
might have been delivered to a live audience under normal circumstances or
conducting research through electronic databases in lieu of a field trip to learn about
an industry.
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Scheduling
• Unless a specific program has scheduled otherwise, such as the Doctor of Physical
Therapy program, fall semester classes begin September 1, 2020, and will be
conducted on campus until November 24, 2020.
a. Graduate students should consult with their dean.
• Thanksgiving break begins on November 25, 2020, and all classes, with the
exception of those in some graduate programs, will shift to remote instruction
beginning on November 30, 2020.
• It is very important that faculty hold all classes through November 24, 2020. The
Monday (11/23) and Tuesday (11/24) classes before Thanksgiving break must be in
session. If there is a legitimate reason that a class on one of these days has to be
cancelled, such as illness, then the faculty member must notify their dean and Human
Resources prior to that class meeting and prepare an alternative assignment that can
be documented as meeting the seat time missed.
• There will be no fall break in the fall 2020 semester.
• Commencement will be held on December 19, 2020.
• All other dates in the published academic calendar should be adhered to when
planning for and conducting classes in the fall 2020 semester.
• All advising and office hours must be conducted remotely.
• Meetings of schools, departments, committees, and any other academic working
groups should be conducted remotely.
• General faculty meetings will be conducted remotely.
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Clinical and Off-campus Experiences
• Faculty must pre-determine any necessary adjustments for any off-campus
experiences in the fall 2020 semester, including but not limited to ensuring that
appropriate CDC recommendations can be followed during the experience, and
clearly communicate those to students before they engage in those experiences.
• If reasonably safe conditions cannot be secured for an off-campus experience, then
faculty should design an alternative experience that can achieve similar outcomes to
the off-campus experience.
• All students participating in off-campus experiences must first sign the Florida
Southern College Student Internship Insurance Coverage, Personal Conduct,
Assumption of Risk, Waiver of Liability, Covenant not to Sue, Indemnification and
Hold Harmless Agreement, or an approved alternative agreement as established by
a particular program.
• Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from clinical and off-
campus experiences.
Instructional Technology
• Faculty are encouraged to align instructional technologies carefully with the goals
of their courses. As with remote instruction in spring 2020, a minimalist approach to
technology is recommended. It is important that the technologies selected clearly
relate to the learning goals and that both faculty and students minimize the need to
learn new technologies “on the fly.”
• Professional development and online resources will be provided before and during
the fall 2020 semester to support the various pedagogies that will be used during
this period.
• Classroom technology tools will be provided to deliver instruction. Any requests
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should be directed to the appropriate academic dean.
• Faculty must use the LMS for all assignments and grades.
• To the extent possible, faculty should have students submit work electronically.
Library Services
• Librarians will continue to meet with classes via videoconference, provide remote
consultations and reference assistance, and develop research guides for courses
and academic programs. Until further notice, librarians will not visit classrooms in
person for information literacy instruction.
• In addition to in-building services, the library will offer front door pickup for physical
items. Text 863-274-2039 to schedule a pickup.
• Circulating items will be quarantined for a period of four days upon return, and they
may remain checked out to individual accounts until that quarantine has ended.
• Materials on course reserve will be shelved with the regular collection and will
circulate for a predetermined length of time.
• Study space in Roux Library and in the McKay Archives has been reduced to support
social distancing. Tables and seating may not be rearranged.
• Use of the library classroom is restricted until further notice.
• Scheduled events held in the library and archives will be limited to small academic
gatherings such as dissertation defenses. These events will be restricted to
members of the campus community.
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Remote Learning After Thanksgiving
What You Need to Know
To maximize healthy outcomes, the College will end undergraduate face-to-face classes
on November 24 of Thanksgiving Week and begin remote instruction on November
30, which will continue through the end of the semester. This means most students will
return home to complete the fall semester remotely.
Some graduate programs, such as the Doctor of Physical Therapy, will continue face-to-
face meetings after Thanksgiving. Graduate students should consult with their dean.
More Information
• The final day of undergraduate face-to-face classes will be November 24 (Tuesday).
ᴏ Thanksgiving break begins November 25 (Wednesday), and all undergraduate
classes will shift to remote instruction beginning on November 30 (Monday).
ᴏ No on-campus undergraduate classes will be conducted for students after
Thanksgiving break, except for international students (Information will be sent
directly to international students).
• Most students will be required to return home to finish the semester and not allowed
to remain on campus, excepting circumstances approved by the College.
• A pro-rata credit for room charges and meal plans will be applied toward the spring
semester for the portion of the semester finished by remote instruction.
ᴏ This credit will be calculated using the full costs of room charges, meal plans,
and applicable financial aid as of the November 30 start of remote instruction.
ᴏ No tuition adjustments will be made for the transition to remote learning after
Thanksgiving.
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• Should the College be required to end face-to-face instruction on campus before
November 24, FSC will transition to robust remote learning so students can complete
the semester.
ᴏ As they were in the spring 2020 semester, faculty and staff will be prepared
to transition to remote-learning plans that challenge and engage students
academically.
ᴏ A pro-rata credit for room charges and meal plans will be applied toward the
spring semester for the portion of the semester finished by remote instruction.
ᴏ In the event such a transition is required, the College will not offer tuition
refunds or credits.
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Changes to the Student Move-in Experience
What You Need to Know
The College move-in experience is being redesigned to support physical distancing, and
will require masks, temperature checks via new technology, and assigned move-in times.
The Student Life team is looking forward to welcoming new and returning students to
campus with fun and engaging activities that will support community building.
More Information
• Starting July 15, students are encouraged to ship personal items for their rooms to
Florida Southern. The College will ensure items are in students’ rooms on move-in
day.
ᴏ Items, which will be stored in a climate-controlled warehouse, should be sent
to: Student name | c/o Florida Southern College | 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. |
Lakeland, FL 33801
ᴏ Boldly write your room assignment on the boxes; if sending multiple boxes,
please include 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc.
• To avoid delays moving in and starting classes, students must submit all medical
forms by August 1. This includes the new COVID-19 health screening form.
ᴏ Students and parents are also required to read our Student Health Center’s
notice of privacy practices, which outlines student medical information disclosure.
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First-year students
• Details about scheduling move-in appointments and activities will be shared by Friday,
July 24.
• The scheduling process will help space out move-ins throughout two days and the
College’s five first-year halls.
ᴏ Students will be allowed two people to assist with move-in. These persons will
need to have temperature checks as outlined below.
ᴏ Students and their guests will have two hours to complete the move-in
process.
• All those entering residence halls will have temperature checks provided by a Safe
Check temperature device. This allows a person to place their wrist in front of a
sensor and be provided with an immediate result.
ᴏ Those who are cleared will receive wrist bands indicating approval to enter the
buildings.
ᴏ Anyone with a fever of more than 100.3 will be not be allowed to enter.
• Face masks will be required when inside the building and outside in trafficked areas.
• Clear directional signage will be in place in each building to ensure a proper traffic
flow and physical distancing.
Transfer Students
• Check-in will take place August 30 on campus and at the Mocs Express at Holiday
Inn.
ᴏ Transfer students assigned to on-campus housing will complete check-in on
campus. More details will be provided no later than July 31.
• Students will be allowed two people to assist with move-in. Students and their guests
will have two hours to complete the move-in process.
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• Clear directional signage will be in place in each building to ensure a proper traffic
flow and physical distancing.
Returning Students
• Students will move in by appointment on August 30 and 31. Assigned times will be
posted on the Student Portal no later than July 31.
• Student IDs will not be activated until students agree to comply with the return to
campus requirements.
• Students will be allowed to have two people to assist with their move-in. Students
and their guests will have two hours to complete the move-in process.
• All those entering the buildings will have temperature checks provided by a Safe
Check temperature device. This allows a person to place their wrist in front of a
sensor and be provided with an immediate result.
ᴏ Those who are cleared will receive wrist bands indicating approval to enter the
buildings.
ᴏ Anyone with a fever of more than 100.3 will be not be allowed to enter.
• Clear directional signage will be in place in each building to ensure a proper traffic
flow and physical distancing.
Campus Orientation
• Students who move in on August 28 will be engaged in orientation programming on
August 29 so the next round of move-ins can occur with low density.
• Activities will be scheduled in outdoor spaces with virtual options available if weather
becomes an issue.
ᴏ The College will not host an in-person worship service on the Sunday of move-
in, but a virtual service will take place. Details will be shared closer to move-in.
Feeling Sick?Stay home when you are sick!
cdc.gov/CORONAVIRUSCS 316129-A March 22, 2020 5:14 PM
DO NOT ENTER if you have:
If you feel unwell or have the following symptoms please leave the building and contact your health care provider.
Then follow-up with your supervisor.
COUGH FEVER SHORTNESS OF BREATH
STOP
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Campus Life: COVID-19 Testing, Dining, Clubs, Activities, and Athletics
What You Need to Know
Campus traditions, events, athletics, dining, organizations, and activities are fundamental
elements of the Florida Southern experience. The College will monitor local, state, and
federal guidelines regarding group gatherings to ensure gatherings, when they occur,
are safe for all involved.
While traditional large gatherings are not possible right now, the College has developed
a phased plan to adjust operations as campus and community conditions change.
Please contact Student Life at [email protected] with questions.
More Information
Testing on Campus
• The College will conduct random temperature checks at various locations daily on
campus; the College is also exploring quick-response random COVID-19 testing
options.
• Students with a temperature of 100.3 Fahrenheit or higher will be asked to contact
their healthcare provider and/or the Student Health Center at 863.680.4292.
• Students should self-evaluate daily for symptoms, including temperature checks.
Students with a fever of 100.3 Fahrenheit or higher, or who are experiencing
symptoms identified by the CDC should immediately contact their healthcare provider
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and/or the Student Health Center at 863.680.4292.
ᴏ After hours, students should contact 863.680.4305 for assistance and
information about next steps.
• If students are concerned about another student exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms,
please email [email protected] to inform the College.
Dining and Common Areas
• Most food service will be “grab and go” style during the fall. The College has removed
most seating so only a limited number of guests will be able to eat inside while
maintaining proper social distancing.
ᴏ Menu options will be posted weekly.
ᴏ Travel patterns will be marked so that traffic flows in one direction.
ᴏ Additional seating will be available outside, with proper physical distancing, for
student dining.
• Guidelines about the use of gathering spaces and common spaces on campus will be
shared before the start of the fall semester.
Clubs and Activities
The Cornerstone calls on us to promote engagement and student success while
supporting positive relationships to connect students to each other, the campus
community, and the Lakeland community. Florida Southern will provide highly engaging
student life experiences while following local, state, and federal health guidelines.
Student involvement events, along with clubs and organizations, will be required to
follow campus COVID-19 requirements.A four-phase plan has been developed to provide
guidelines for student clubs, organizations, and activities. The College will progress
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through phases based on information from the CDC and the Florida and Polk County
Departments of Health.
ᴏ Virtual: All activities are remote.
ᴏ Hybrid: Most activities are remote, with some in-person interactions following
mask, physical distancing, and attendee requirements.
ᴏ Hybrid 2: Most activities conducted in person while following mask, physical
distancing, and attendee requirements. Some virtual meetings when larger
audiences are necessary.In person: The College will enter this phase when
COVID-19 requirements are relaxed and mask, physical distancing and attendee
requirements have been adjusted.
• Student organizations and the fraternity and sorority community will be permitted
to operate following guidance from the Center for Student Involvement and Florida
Southern College.
ᴏ The Center for Student Involvement will notify student organizations and
the fraternity and sorority community about which phase to adhere to based
on recommendations from the CDC. Additionally, Engage will be updated to
represent the current phase.
• Professionals in the Simmons Multicultural Center will offer programming, support, and
connections based on the plan.
• Counseling Center staff are prepared to support and encourage students primarily
through telehealth appointments and other virtual programming.
• Student Solutions Center staff are ready to provide academic and transition support
primarily through virtual meetings.
• A Virtual Family Weekend plan is being offered to celebrate the best of Florida
Southern.
• The College will monitor local pandemic conditions and evaluate how to safely
conduct intramural activities, including regular sports, e-sports, and special events
designed around maintaining physical distancing.
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• In-person: The College will enter this phase when COVID-19 requirements are relaxed
and mask, physical distancing and attendee requirements have been adjusted.
Community Living
• Because of the uniqueness of each of our residential communities, individual health
and safety plans have been developed for each area and will be posted on Engage.
• No non-FSC guests will be allowed in the residential halls for visits.
• Students will be required to follow all guidelines to remain a member of our residential
community.
Athletics
• Athletics will follow all College COVID-19 policies and procedures; Athletics continues
to work with the Sunshine State Conference and NCAA about how to safely conduct
fall and winter sports.
• Strict cleaning protocols of equipment and facilities will be in effect, including limited
access to the athletic training room, weight room, meeting, and locker rooms based
on national best practices.
• Fan attendance at competitions will be determined by College, local, state, and
federal guidelines in place at that time.
• COVID-19 Checks: All student-athletes will be checked when they return to campus
and prior to attending team activities. The check will include taking temperatures and
health questionnaires.
ᴏ Once on campus, student-athletes will use a software program and perform a
daily self-check. The athletic training staff will monitor the daily results.
ᴏ The Sunshine State Conference is requiring a wellness check prior to all
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competition.
• Recruits on Campus: Recruits will undergo wellness checks and be restricted where
they can go on campus. If a workout is part of the visit, equipment will be sanitized pre-
and post-workout. The recruit will not be able to use FSC locker rooms and other facilities.
• Athletic Training: Access will be limited. Appointments will be scheduled to help
manage group sizes. A table with supplies will be set up outside the athletic training
room with basic supplies and ice. Everyone entering the training room will use hand
sanitizer and face masks will be required.
• Weight Room: Access will be limited. The weight room will schedule groups; groups
that are waiting must observe physical distancing policies. Staff will ensure equipment
is cleaned after each group uses it. Everyone will need to use hand sanitizer entering
and leaving.
• 6th Man Room: Access will be limited. Everyone will use hand sanitizer and wear
masks. Coaches are responsible for sanitizing the tables after the meetings.
• Meeting Room: Access will be limited. Coaches are responsible for sanitizing the
tables after meetings.
• Practices and Games: Depending on the team, FSC will discontinue using water
bottles and bench towels. Small teams can use water bottles and they will be marked
for each player.
ᴏ Disposable cups or “Waterboy” tanks and coolers will be used for practice
and games. FSC will purchase hand towels or bar towels to be used once by the
student-athlete and then collected and washed.
ᴏ Visiting teams will be sent information regarding FSC procedures.
ᴏ All student-athletes for both teams will be wellness checked on the day of the
event and/or before entering our facilities.
ᴏ Fan attendance will be determined by College, local, state, and federal
guidelines in place at that time.
ᴏ Large halftime and timeout activities are currently cancelled. Individual
activities will need to meet social distancing guidelines.
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What Happens When a Student Tests Positive for COVID-19
What You Need to Know
Students should understand that despite their and the College’s best efforts, there is
no guarantee that FSC’s on-campus experience will be free of COVID-19. As are higher
education institutions across the country, FSC is likely to see COVID-19 cases on campus.
Returning to campus for the fall semester is a student acknowledgment that this risk
exists.
When COVID-19 cases and possible cases develop on campus, the College will respond
quickly and transparently to protect the health and safety of the campus community.
This includes enacting quarantine and testing protocols, communications to affected
individuals, contact tracing, and more.
Students who become symptomatic for COVID-19 or receive positive tests must
immediately contact 863.680.4305 for quarantine assistance and information about
next steps.
More Information
• Students must quarantine when they:
ᴏ Test positive for COVID-19.
ᴏ Become symptomatic for COVID-19.
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Students with Positive Tests
• Students who receive positive tests must immediately contact 863.680.4305 for
assistance and information about next steps.
• Students who test positive for COVID-19 must quarantine until cleared by a medical
professional to return to normal campus activity.
ᴏ Students living in residence halls will not be allowed to remain in their regular
campus residence during quarantine.
• The College expects that in-state students who need to quarantine will return home to
do so, as FSC will have limited facilities to house quarantined students.
ᴏ Out-of-state students who can return home are encouraged to do so, but the
College understands the travel challenges associated with doing so.
ᴏ The College has currently reserved quarantine spaces both on- and off-
campus.
ᴏ Students who quarantine will not be able to bring emotional support animals
with them and must arrange to house them separately when quarantining in
College-supervised accommodations.
• Students who test positive will identify all areas where they were physically present
within three days prior to the onset of symptoms.
ᴏ If there are no symptoms, the student will identify where they were present
from the known or estimated exposure date.
ᴏ The College will sanitize those areas immediately.
• Students in College-supervised quarantines will be provided food, medical checks,
counseling, and other services as needed.
ᴏ College staff members will be assigned to monitor students who are in
quarantine.
• The College will follow local, state, and federal guidelines for contact tracing and
notifying individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 positive students.
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ᴏ In accordance with privacy laws, the College cannot personally identify
infected persons.
• Faculty will work with students who must quarantine to ensure academic progress
continues.
Students Exposed to a Positive Case
• Students who have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual may be required
to quarantine until cleared to return to campus.
ᴏ Students are advised to immediately contact their healthcare providers and/or
the Student Health Center at 863.680.4292 if exposure has occurred, even if they
are asymptomatic for COVID-19.
• A student who has close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19
should immediately contact 863.680.4305 for quarantine assistance and
information about next steps.
• The College expects that in-state students who need to quarantine will return home to
do so, as FSC will have limited facilities to house quarantined students.
ᴏ Out-of-state students who can return home are encouraged to do so, but the
College understands the travel challenges associated with doing so.
ᴏ The College has currently reserved quarantine spaces both on- and off-
campus.
ᴏ Students who quarantine will not be able to bring emotional support animals
with them and must arrange to house them separately when quarantining in
College-supervised accommodations.
• Students in College-supervised quarantines will be provided food, medical checks,
counseling, and other services as needed.
ᴏ College staff members will be assigned to monitor students who are in
quarantine.
• Faculty will work with students who must quarantine to ensure academic progress continues.
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Contact Tracing
To help limit the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and ensure the safety of our
community, the College has partnered with Rapid-Trace, a local firm aiding businesses
and institutions with contact tracing following positive COVID-19 tests.
Rapid-Trace contact tracers will work for the College as contracted employees of the
Health Center and will notify you in the event you have had close contact with someone
with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
With Rapid-Trace, we will be able to identify and inform people who have contracted the
virus and those in contact with confirmed cases, so they can take the necessary steps to
prevent further spread. Please cooperate with our contact tracing efforts and Rapid-Trace
personnel.
TAKE OFF
PUT ON
Wear a Cloth Face Covering to Protect You and Your Friends
cdc.gov/coronavirus
CS 318104-A 07/08/2020
WASH YOUR HANDS PLACE OVER NOSE AND MOUTH
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN, WEAR A MASK, ANDSTAY 6 FEET FROM OTHERS.
MAKE SURE YOU CANBREATHE EASILY
TAKE OFF YOUR FACE COVERING FOLD OUTSIDE CORNERS TOGETHER
PUT ASIDE FOR WASHING WASH YOUR HANDS
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Working on Campus: Keeping Faculty and Staff Safe
What You Need to Know
The College will support faculty and staff by creating the safest, healthiest possible
campus environment. As detailed previously in the plan, the College will proceed with
enhanced cleaning of campus facilities, including academic and administrative buildings,
with a focus on common areas and high-touch locations. Faculty and staff will be
provided cloth facemasks. Physical distancing and other CDC guidelines will be practiced
on campus.
The College will provide guidance to those faculty and staff with special circumstances
regarding possible remote-work plans and flexible schedules.
More Information
Testing on Campus
• The College will conduct random temperature checks at various locations daily on
campus; the College is also exploring quick-response random COVID-19 testing
options.
ᴏ Faculty and staff with a temperature of 100.3 Fahrenheit or higher will be asked
to self-isolate and contact their healthcare provider.
• Faculty and staff should self-evaluate daily for symptoms identified by the CDC,
including temperature checks. Employees with a fever of 100.3 Fahrenheit or higher,
or who are experiencing any other symptoms such as cough, body aches, headache,
loss of smell, etc., should immediately self-isolate and contact their healthcare provider.
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Best Practices for a Healthy Work Environment
• Place mail in-boxes outside the office door to eliminate people entering your
workspace.
• Use tape on the floor to identify how far a person can walk into your office.
• Place a sign on the office door reminding visitors that face masks are required.
• If your office is large enough for multiple visitors who can maintain the six-foot rule,
place chairs in designated areas identified by tape to show where visitors can sit.
• Pause at hall corners and entry areas to determine if others are nearby so you avoid
bumping into each other.
• Minimize attendance in break areas. If a break room is full, wait outside until it clears.
• Talk with coworkers at office doorways rather than entering their workspace.
• When attending off-campus events, avoid riding together in the same vehicle.
• Use conference calling or video conference over in-person meetings when appropriate.
• Use a lanyard to keep a mask handy.
Remote-Work Protocols
• Staff and faculty who believe they fall in the group of higher-risk individuals and who
wish to seek a temporary reasonable accommodation for the fall semester under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), should contact the Office of Human Resources
to discuss available options.
ᴏ Office of Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079).
• To be considered for a temporary remote-work plan, a faculty or staff member must:
ᴏ Have a job that has been shown to be productive and effective when
performed away from the office.
ᴏ Faculty must make a request to their Dean to work remotely.
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ᴏ Staff must make a request to the Director of Human Resources to work
remotely.
ᴏ Work with HR and their physician to determine if the accommodation request is
reasonable to include physician documentation to support the request.
• All College policies as found in the Employee Handbook located on the Portal,
including those relating to scheduling vacation and other time off, continue to apply.
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What Happens When Faculty and Staff Test Positive for COVID-19
What You Need to Know
Despite the best precautionary measures, risk of workplace exposure to communicable
diseases does exist. Faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must quarantine
until cleared by a medical professional to return to work.
Faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must immediately alert their dean/
supervisor and the Office of Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079).
The College is committed to supporting faculty and staff who test positive for, or are
exposed to, COVID-19. These procedures outline the College’s response should a faculty
or staff member contract COVID-19.
More Information
• Faculty and staff who become symptomatic for COVID-19, or who believe that they
have been exposed to someone who may be positive, must take a COVID-19 test and
quarantine if the test is positive.
Faculty and Staff with Positive Tests
• Faculty or staff members who show symptoms identified by the CDC should not come
to work and should immediately contact their healthcare provider.
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ᴏ Faculty and staff must immediately alert their dean/supervisor and the Office of
Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079).
• Fulltime faculty and staff who must quarantine pending COVID-19 test results will be
granted up to an extra 80 hours of sick time for the 2020-21 fiscal year. This additional
leave will help ensure continued pay for those who must quarantine.
ᴏ A valid document confirming testing date is required.
ᴏ The 80 hours must be used for COVID-19 illness leave only and is a one-time
benefit. Any portion of the 80 hours not used will be forfeited. The COVID-19 sick
leave does not roll over into the next year.
• The COVID-19 positive faculty or staff member will identify all work areas where they
were present three days prior to the onset of symptoms.
ᴏ If symptoms were not present, the faculty or staff member will identify all work
areas where they were present from the known or estimated exposure date.
ᴏ The College will sanitize those areas immediately.
• The affected faculty or staff member will identify individuals they encountered within
the workplace in the three days prior to the onset of symptoms.
ᴏ If symptoms were not present, the faculty or staff member will identify
individuals they contacted with from the known or estimated exposure date
ᴏ The College will immediately inform all faculty and staff members who may
have been exposed using CDC guidance on contact tracing.
ᴏ In accordance with privacy laws, the College cannot personally identify
infected persons.
• If tested positive for COVID-19, faculty or staff members will be asked to provide a
release to return to work from their physician.
ᴏ The letter to return to work must be in writing and provided to the Office of
Human Resources.
ᴏ If a faculty or staff member is unable to obtain a return-to-work release, the
College will follow CDC guidelines on when the employee can be around others.
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Faculty and Staff Exposed to a Positive Case • Those who have been potentially exposed to a positive COVID-19 case may be sent
home to quarantine.
ᴏ Faculty and staff must immediately alert their dean/supervisor and the Office
of Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079).
ᴏ Human Resources and the dean/supervisor will determine if remote work is
appropriate.
ᴏ Impacted faculty and staff members should contact a qualified healthcare
provider to seek advice as to what additional steps, if any, should be taken.
• If required to quarantine, fulltime faculty and staff will be granted up to an extra 80
hours of sick time for the 2020-21 fiscal year. This additional leave will help ensure
continued pay for those who must quarantine.
ᴏ A valid document confirming testing date is required.
ᴏ The 80 hours must be used for COVID-19 illness leave only and is a one-time
benefit. Any portion of the 80 hours not used will be forfeited. The COVID-19 sick
leave does not roll over into the next year.
• If required to quarantine, faculty or staff members who have been exposed to a
positive COVID-19 case may return to work 14 days after exposure if the faculty or
staff member did not get sick.
ᴏ If the faculty or staff member developed symptoms during the quarantine, he/
she should get tested and may not return to work until after three days with no
fever, and 10 days since symptoms first appeared, and respiratory symptoms
have improved.
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Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and the Workplace
What should I do if I have close contact with someone with a confirmed case of
COVID-19 outside of work while they were ill, but I am not showing symptoms?
Faculty and staff must immediately alert their dean/supervisor and the Office
of Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079). This is considered a possible
self-quarantine situation.
What should I do if I am in close contact with someone who is self-
quarantining or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, but I
am not showing symptoms?
Faculty and staff must immediately alert their dean/supervisor and the Office
of Human Resources (email | 863.680.5079). Although this is considered
a possible self-quarantine situation, faculty and staff may be permitted to
continue working, as long as they remain symptom-free and take additional
precautions to protect themselves and others.
Employees in this situation who are allowed to continue working must
monitor their health by doing at-home self-checks for COVID-19 symptoms
and must wear a face mask at all times for 14 days after last exposure or until
confirmation is received that the person they were in close contact with is not
positive for COVID-19.
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What if a co-worker is exhibiting symptoms that may be COVID-19?
Contact your dean/supervisor, as faculty and staff members who are ill
should not come to work. Those exhibiting symptoms will be sent home and
subject to the process outlined above. Deans/supervisors must notify the
Office of Human Resources if anyone is sent home sick or calls in sick when
related to COVID-19.
Contact Tracing
To help limit the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and ensure the safety of our
community, the College has partnered with Rapid-Trace, a local firm aiding businesses
and institutions with contact tracing following positive COVID-19 tests.
Rapid-Trace contact tracers will work for the College as contracted employees of the
Health Center and will notify you in the event you have had close contact with someone
with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
With Rapid-Trace, we will be able to identify and inform people who have contracted the
virus and those in contact with confirmed cases, so they can take the necessary steps to
prevent further spread. Please cooperate with our contact tracing efforts and Rapid-Trace
personnel.
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Sharing Information Quickly and Transparently
What You Need to Know
The College is dedicated to sharing this reopening plan, and updates to it, with
students, parents, faculty, staff, and all those who are involved with and support the
College. FSC will regularly share plan updates, changes to campus activities, and how
the College is adapting to local conditions.
A special FSCares website will be the primary source of news and updates regarding
the College’s pandemic plans. FSC social media accounts will also be used to share
important and timely news.
More Information
• Communicate relevant, timely information about COVID-19 through the College’s
social media channels.
ᴏ Content should inform about key policies and procedures; updates about news
and changes; current local conditions; and best practices from the CDC
regarding mask wearing, physical distancing, personal hygiene, and more.
ᴏ Use social media to listen to the campus community and share those thoughts
with College leadership.
ᴏ Be intentional about working with student leaders to ensure messages to
students are timely, relevant, and impactful.
1. Listen to the feedback, ideas, and concerns of the campus community and ensure
those are provided to College leadership to promote effective, inclusive decision
making.
• Launch and maintain the College’s COVID-19 website as the primary source of news
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and updates regarding the College’s pandemic plans.
ᴏ Locate links to the site in prominent positions across the flsouthern.edu web
domain.
• Work with campus partners to ensure appropriate signage is placed in key locations
(academic and administrative buildings and offices, lab spaces, residence halls, and
more) to share important COVID-19 information and best practices.
KEEPCALM
ANDWASH YOUR
HANDS
CS243041B