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Augustana Strong COVID-19 information

September 19, 2023

COVID-19 plans for Fall 2023

As we enter the fall season, we want to continue being mindful of COVID-19. 

While the national emergency declaration ended in May, it's important for us to continue responding to COVID with an abundance of personal care and responsibility.  

Augustana College will continue to seek guidance and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). In alignment with that guidance, we strongly encourage students, faculty and staff to remain current with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, although not required. The College will also expect anyone who tests positive to isolate for the CDC-required 5 days. As an isolating COVID-positive member of our community, this means that person should not be attending classes, working on campus, or engaging in any student activities. Contact with others should be non-existent to the greatest extent possible. Following that isolation period, if the person is fever-free for 24 hours without use of medication, they may resume all college activities but must be masked for an additional 5 days. 

For students living in campus housing, the college is not providing isolation spaces on campus for the 2023-24 academic year. When possible, students are encouraged to travel home or isolate elsewhere off-campus at their own expense. Students planning to isolate on campus need to visit with their roommate(s) to establish guidelines and a common understanding of the isolation approach. Meal pick-up can be arranged through students contacting Dining Services directly at 309-794-7250.

If you test positive

As was the case during the 2022-2023 academic year, continue reporting positive COVID-19 test results. Students who receive a positive COVID-19 test result must be reported to Public Safety at 309-794-7711. Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 should contact the Human Resources office to report their illness and receive information about next steps.

Class absences

Students who will be missing classes should correspond directly with their instructors. If an absence becomes 5 consecutive days or longer, the Dean of Students Office will assist students in verifying absences and communicating with faculty. Short of 5 consecutive days, the Dean of Students Office does not share absence verifications and students should communicate with instructors on their own. 

Plans today indicate 2023-24 will be much like 2022-23

Augustana’s approach to masking, contract tracing, surveillance testing, and community notices will remain the same as what was done during the 2022-23 academic year. Masking is welcome for anyone in the Augustana community choosing to do so but is only required when returning from isolation. Contract tracing and surveillance testing remain inactive. And the college will not automatically send campus notices if a student or employee is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Please know many of the college’s webpages covering COVID-19 will be archived at this time.

The college leadership team will pay close attention to the impact of COVID-19 on our campus, as well as risk levels in the surrounding community. Augustana's response to COVID-19 and our mitigations may be adjusted as things evolve.

Have a terrific 2023-24 academic year.

We are Augustana Strong.