COVID-19 Pandemic Return-to-Campus - Elizabethtown College

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COVID-19 Pandemic Response

At Elizabethtown College, the top priority is the overall safety and wellbeing of our campus community. We continue to closely monitor developments with the COVID-19 virus and we are prepared to make adjustments to our protocols based on state and federal mandates.

The College's COVID-19 Task Force contintues to work toward preventative measures both on and off our campus in a proactive effort to protect our community from the spread of COVID-19. Etown’s plans are aligned and consistent with county orders, Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

COVID-19 Protocols

Mask-Optional Policy

Based on The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s most recent updates to its tracking and guidance, Elizabethtown College has updated our COVID-19 guidelines to make mask wearing optional on campus for students, employees, and all guests.

It is important to note that masks remain optional and acknowledge that wearing a mask is a personal choice. The College fully supports anyone who chooses to wear a mask and expects all members of the campus community to be respectful of this choice. We encourage civility and understanding around this matter.

It is also important to keep in mind that students and employees engaging in College-related experiences off-campus will need to comply with the requirements of external facilities when it comes to masking.

Should COVID-19 cases on our campus rise to significant levels or our county move into the CDC's high transmission categories, the College may reinstate the indoor masking mandate and will communicate that immediately. Visit this page for the most up-to-date information.

Spring 2023 Quarantine and Isolation Procedures

Students who test positive for COVID-19 are required to isolate for at least five days, starting from the day their symptoms began, or starting from the day they tested if the student is not having symptoms. Isolation can occur in the student’s family home, another off-campus location, or in the student’s room on campus if all roommates agree to this option.

On-Campus Isolation Procedures

Students who choose to isolate on campus will do so in their rooms and follow these guidelines until they are cleared:

The student who is isolating, and any roommates, will wear masks while awake and stay six feet apart as much as possible. No other guests should be in the room.
The student who is isolating will wear a mask when going to the Marketplace or Jays Nest to pick up food and promptly take it back to their room to eat.
The student who is isolating and their roommates will avoid eating at the same time so mask wearing can continue when they are together in the room.
Be mindful of any shared spaces such as restrooms and kitchens and practice good sanitizing after each use.
The student who is isolating will wear a mask when going down the hall to use the shared Residence Life bathroom.
The student who is isolating will not attend class or campus activities in person.
An individual is cleared to leave isolation:
- After five days since symptoms began.
- After five days since they test positive and have had no symptoms.
- Symptoms have significantly improved and have not had a fever for 24 hours.

Contact Tracing Procedures

Notifying Student Health

Students who test positive are expected to notify Student Health (717-588-1059 or 717-361-1405). Student Health is also available to help students with managing symptoms. If students have after-hours concerns, please call Campus Safety at (717) 361-1264.

Notifying Faculty
Students who test positive are expected to contact their faculty members to discuss how to stay connected with their academic work and assignments while missing class due to isolation. Students are under no obligation, however, to tell faculty members they tested positive or disclose any medical information to them. In addition, students have the option to request through Student Health for a generally worded courtesy notification to be sent, informing their faculty members that the student will not be attending classes for the next few days.

Notifying Close Contacts
Students who test positive are responsible for notifying Etown students and employees who meet the definition of a Close Contact. As an alternative to the student communicating directly with their Close Contacts, the student can stay anonymous by asking Student Health staff to notify their Close Contacts. A Close Contact is someone who you have been within 6 feet of for a combined total of at least 15 minutes (cumulative, not consecutive) over a 24-hour period during the two-day period before you first had symptoms or, if you do not have symptoms, two days before you were tested for COVID-19, through to the time you started isolation.

Sample Notification Messaging

You have been identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID. The date of your last contact was (lnsert Date). You do not need to quarantine unless you have symptoms or if you are awaiting test results. It is recommended that you wear a mask for 10 days after the date of your last contact. If you have symptoms or begin to have symptoms, you should be tested for COVID right away. It is also recommended that close contacts without symptoms (asymptomatic) be tested after 5 days from their last date of contact regardless of vaccination status. You can use a rapid antigen test (home COVID test) or PCR test (Medical Provider test) for testing needs. Please call Etown College Student Health (717-588-1059, or 717-361-1405) between the hours of 8:30 a.m - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, if you develop symptoms, need help arranging testing, or have any questions. For after-hours concerns, please call Campus Safety at (717-361-1264). Thanks for your help keeping our campus community safe!

Vaccine Guidelines

Elizabethtown College is currently not requiring the COVID-19 vaccine, although it is highly recommended. Vaccinations may be required to participate in some activities such as study abroad, clinicals, internships or other off-campus programs.

Guest Policies

Guests are allowed and encourage to visit campus but must follow our policies and procedures. For more information on the Student Guest and Visitor Policy, view our Student Handbook.

Overnight Guests

Policies:

Overnight guests must be registered and approved by Housing & Residence Life through the JayWeb form before their overnight stay(s).

Overnight means staying after midnight with the intent to remain until the next day.
Failure to register a guest could result in a loss of guest privileges.

Overnight guests must be at least 16 years old.
Overnight guests are only permitted up to 2 nights per month.
Overnight guests must be with their host at all times.
Overnight guests are not permitted during break periods (Fall Break, November Break, Winter Break, Spring Break, April Break, or over the summer).
Hosts are responsible for their guests and their guest’s behavior.
Hosts must have approval for their guest from all roommate(s).

Housing & Residence Life will verify roommate approval.

Hosts with guests who violate policy are subject to the code of conduct and may lose their guest privileges.

Procedures:

Hosts request approval from Housing & Residence Life for an overnight guest using the JayWeb form.
Once the form is submitted, Housing & Residence Life will work with the host and their guest to be fully registered.
Guests will check in at Campus safety upon their arrival and check out at the end of their visit.
If a guest does not check out with Campus Safety, the host will be contacted.

Resources

COVID-19 Task Force

The College's COVID-19 Task Force is a dedicated group of employees from representative units across campus who closely monitor the effectiveness of COVID-19 mitigation plans and report regularly to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on progress and issues. This group meets weekly and is tasked with reviewing and implementing safety measures and health guidelines so our community can live, learn, and interact in a secure environment.

Rich Caloiero, Assistant Director of Human Resources
Jennifer Crowder, Associate Dean of Students for Community Living
Austin Crull, Director of Marketing
Brian Helm, Senior Director of Information & Technology Services
Joe Hudzick, Senior Director of Events Management, Partnerships
Bruce Lynch, Associate Dean of Students for Student Counseling and Health Needs
Chris Morgan, Director of Athletics
Matt Skillen, Dean of Faculty & Associate Provost for Student Learning

If you have any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 and Elizabethtown College’s pandemic plans, please email the COVID-19 Task Force at covidtaskforce@etown.edu.

Elizabethtown College

717-361-1000

1 Alpha Drive
Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Elizabethtown College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, possession of a general education development certificate as compared to a high school diploma, or any other legally protected status. This commitment applies but is not limited to decisions made with respect to hiring and promotion, the administration of educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other College administered programs. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is strictly forbidden.