Return to campus procedures - Jan Term and Spring 2021
Based on new guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health regarding return-to-school guidance, the Cabinet has agreed to the following plan, effective January 4, 2021.
1. All persons directly exposed to COVID-positive individuals MUST be quarantined and excluded from the college setting and all extracurricular activities, regardless of students, professors, or staff wearing masks or the use of physical barriers (e.g., plexiglass).
2. These quarantine guidelines for persons exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID or someone who is suspected of having COVID must be followed.
Symptomatic individuals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can return to campus after:
- 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND
- At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
- A physician has cleared the individual to return to work AND
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Note: the day of exposure counts as day 0.
Asymptomatic persons with known exposure, may return if after 10 full days:
- The individual does not experience any COVID symptoms during the quarantine period and must maintain a self-monitoring record
- Persons who return to work after 10 days should continue to self-monitor an additional 4 days for COVID symptoms. If any symptoms are experienced once returning to campus, the individual is to quarantine immediately and follow the symptomatic guidelines
Note: the day of exposure counts as day 0.
3. Testing upon Jan Term return
All students must obtain a negative PCR test to return to campus.
Tests must be administered within 5 days of returning to campus. For example,
- For persons returning to campus on January 4th, a PCR test must be performed on December 30 or later.
- For students moving back on campus Sunday, January 31, a PCR test must be performed on January 26.
- Test results from faculty and staff must be sent to Lucinda Muncy (lmuncy@lagrange.edu) prior to returning to work.
- Failure to return test results, may require the employee to take vacation until the results are received.
4. During the first two weeks in the office (January 4-15), employees are required to:
- Maintain strict adherence to campus COVID policies in classrooms. Classes will be held as usual because social distancing and mask wearing occur uniformly.
- No in-person meetings—utilize Teams to meet with students and colleagues.
- Keep office door shut.
- Limit 1 person in shared spaces (copy room, breakroom)
- Monitor symptoms daily, including a temperature check before arriving to campus.
*Plan developed from the Department of Public Health guidance from December 10, 2020 for schools and colleges.
Return-to-campus procedures - Fall 2020
Student Engagement has been tirelessly preparing for your return to campus. Below you will find information about new college policies, commuter student return to campus, residential student return to campus, COVID-19 test requirements and much more.
Please pay careful attention to this information. All of these plans are designed to protect you in the classroom, dining hall, residence halls and other student spaces.
COVID-19 Policies
1. Masks – All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear masks in public spaces and in classrooms. Masks will not be required to be worn in residence hall rooms. As mentioned in previous emails, the college will provide all students with two cloth masks. Commuter students may pick up their masks in the Student Engagement Office on the first floor of Smith Hall. Residential students will be provided with masks at move-in.
2. COVID-19 Negative Test – All students are required to submit a negative COVID test result before returning to campus. The specimen collection date of your COVID test must be on or after July 22, 2020. Keep in mind that test results take time to receive, so you should schedule your test early. If you live in Georgia, visit https://covid19.dph.ga.gov/ for free testing site options. CVS is also offering testing nationally - https://cvshealth.com/covid-19/testing-locations. Additionally, you may contact your family physician or local urgent care centers for testing options in your community.
a. Commuting Students – Commuting students must submit their COVID negative test result to housing@lagrange.edu prior to the first day of classes on August 24, 2020. You can also submit your test results in person at commuter student check-in [see below for details] before attending the first day of classes.
b. Residential Students – Below you will find information about staggered move-in dates for residential students. Once you identify your move-in date, it is important for you to schedule your COVID test with enough time for you to get your results. You must submit your test results to housing@lagrange.edu or in person on the day of your move-in. We strongly suggest submitting all materials in advance of move-in.
Students will not be allowed to attend classes in-person without a COVID negative test. Moreover, residential students may have their move-in delayed if their test results have not been received.
3. Guests – All guests to the college will be required to check in at Banks Hall for screening. Students living in residence will not be allowed to have off-campus guests in their residence hall at any time. Additionally, commuting students will not be allowed in any on-campus housing facilities. These policies will be strictly enforced, and students found responsible for violating these policies may be removed from on-campus housing.
More important details are nested under the headings below:
Commuting Students
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The college will host a Commuter Student Check-In on Saturday, August 22, 2020, from 9 a.m. – noon in front of Turner Hall. New students can pick up their PantherCard (see below) and submit required health forms and COVID test results that day. If you prefer to submit your health forms and COIVD test results electronically, please send those to housing@lagrange.edu.
Returning commuting students can submit their COVID test results electronically, or in person during Commuter Student Check-In. If you plan to check-in in person, simply enter the college by vehicle at the service road off of Broad Street and pull in front of Turner Hall. You will not need to exit the vehicle. Our goal is to keep traffic moving, so come prepared with your documents, and submit your photo online in advance.
Campus Mailbox
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Mailboxes are available for all students (residential and commuter). Please use this form to sign up for a Mailbox in the Campus Post Office.
Register prior to arrival, and we will include your mailbox key during check-in to campus! All of your mail and packages will be delivered to the mail room under Pitts Dining Hall. You have access to your mailbox 24/7, and packages too large to fit in your box can be picked up during normal business hours.
Post Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m – 5 p.m.
Residential Students
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Residential Move-In will happen over the course of several weekends to maximize social distancing and keep resident and family traffic limited. Residents will only be allowed to have two other individuals accompany them in the building. First year students and returning students will have separate move-in days to help reduce overall traffic on campus.
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- August 7-9: Move-In for Fall Athletes (men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, footbal, and cheer) leading up to the August 10th start of practices
- August 17th-19th: Special programs will Move-In with approval. You’ll be contacted if this applies to your family.
- August 20-23: General residential student Move-In will occur August 20-23.
On Monday, July 20th, students will receive their housing placement along with links to sign-up for a move-in date and time window. Returners, we will use the same software (Signup Genius) that was utilized to help you register for checkout times in the spring semester. There will be six (6) allotted times per day (8 a.m.–10 a.m., 10–12, 12–2, 2–4, 4–6, 6 p.m.–8 p.m.). Each family will be allotted two hours to move into their space, with limited allotments in each two-hour window per building.
Dates and times will be strictly enforced and people arriving outside of their time will be rescheduled – please plan your travel accordingly. We suggest arriving 30 minutes prior to your window due to the centralized check-in process. Families will be asked to leave after their time window expires to keep the traffic moving and allow staff to sanitize high traffic areas.
Centralizing Check-In will allow us to be as efficient as possible with families, while confirming that students have completed all of their necessary paperwork. We plan to operate this Check-In at Callaway Auditorium and surrounding drives. After you register for a move-in time, we will provide further details in an email confirmation including “Day of Move-In” instructions.
At this checkpoint you’ll need to present any documentation that you have not turned in already. We will have a remote office staffed by administrators to assist with any unfinished business items that you may still need to complete. Some of these items cannot be completed in one day, (ex: the TB test required as part of your completed Health Form) so make sure to plan ahead. You will not be permitted to move-in until each of these items are completed. If you have completed all of the required documents, you’ll be directed toward your building to receive keys and move-in your items. The list of required items prior to entry are listed below:
Financial
- Accept Charges
- Make a Payment/ Set up a Payment Plan
Housing
- Housing Forms (on or off campus form received and approved)
- Health Form (all students – including commuters)
COVID-19 - Negative
- Confirmed negative test for the student
Dining Hall Operations
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The Dining Hall will look a little different this year. In a traditional year, we have seating capacity for 275 individuals. Under new COVID dining guidelines, we will have space for approximately 130. More information about The Grill will be forthcoming, but students should expect very limited or no seating in The Grill. To-go meals will likely be the option for The Grill, and we are actively investigating apps to enable advance ordering.
Historically, the dining hall has been a social hub for students, faculty and staff. In order to provide service to all students, time spent in the dining hall will be limited. Guests in the dining hall will be asked to complete their meal within 30 minutes in order to open space for others. Students will be able to choose from dining-in options or a to-go option; students will not be permitted to dine-in and take food to-go. Students are encouraged to develop their “college family cluster” and spend time dining together with those individuals you trust are complying with CDC and Department of Public Health guidelines.
Dining Hall hours will shift this year to provide more time for students to get a hot meal. Students will no longer have access to the dining hall between hot meal service. If your class schedule prohibits you from attending hot meal service, please reach out to the Director of Dining Services, Juanita Jackson, at jjackson@lagrange.edu to make food arrangements. No student will go without food!
• Monday – Thursday, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m., Breakfast
• Monday – Thursday, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., Closed for cleaning
• Monday – Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lunch
• Monday – Thursday, 1:30 – 5 p.m., Closed for cleaning
• Monday – Thursday, 5 – 8 p.m., Dinner
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Brunch
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., Dinner
Student Gathering Spaces
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For the fall semester, hours of The 24 will be changed to mirror those of the Library. Students will enter The 24 through the main entrance of the Library, and they will exit through the side of The 24, into the library lobby and back out the front door. Expect lines at The 24 to be long, due to social distancing requirements. Custom drinks orders will be taken one at a time and delivered to the customer before moving to the next order.
Since The 24 and the Dining Hall will reduce social gathering space, the Cabinet has approved the conversion of the bottom floor of Turner Hall to study and social space. The meeting rooms on both ends of the bottom floor will be outfitted with seating to comply with Department of Public Health guidelines. Moreover, additional tables and chairs will be added to the Boopie to provide more space for studying.
We hope these changes will continue to provide safe spaces for students to study and socialize.
Quarantine Procedures
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The college, in consultation with the WeCare clinic and the Department of Public Health, is finalizing our isolation and quarantine procedures. Final details will be shared with you shortly.
We will continue to share information as other details are finalized. We look forward to seeing you on the Hill!
Brian A. Carlisle, J.D.
Vice President and Dean of Students
