Policies for the start of January term 2022

Dec. 20, 2021

Dear campus community,

The start of January term is just 14 days away and I write to inform you of our policies for the beginning of J-term.

Several colleges have seen spikes in the number of Delta variant cases and colleges are monitoring the progress of the Omicron variant. While there were relatively few cases of COVID-19 at Augustana since the beginning of December, the Augustana administration and Augie Strong Task Force will continue to assess the situation and make any changes necessary to our policies consistent with public health guidelines.

As we look ahead to J-term and a large number of students returning to Augustana’s campus in the first couple of days of January, we want to offer assurance, guidance and plans.

Assurance

Please be assured that the principles that have guided Augustana College since the first days of the pandemic will continue to guide our next steps. The safety of students, employees and visitors is our primary consideration in living responsibly with COVID. We rely on information from public health leaders and scientific findings. We will not act out of fear or jump to conclusions prematurely. We have been and will be guided by the recommendations of public health officials.

Guidance

Please be mindful during the break of the ongoing COVID-19 precautions – allow for social distancing, wear a mask in public and practice good hand hygiene. 

Boost over break. Take time over break to get your booster shot. In November, the CDC strengthened its recommendation on booster doses for individuals 18 years and older.

From the CDC: "Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after their initial J&J vaccine." Vaccination providers near you can be located using the CDC’s website.

We anticipate that public health officials will soon define “fully vaccinated” as having a booster, at which time Augustana will require students and employees to have the booster or commit to weekly surveillance testing.

As further public health information becomes available on booster expectations, Augustana College will respond accordingly and share community expectations at that time. To be proactive, boost over break.

Test before returning to campus. Unvaccinated students are required to complete COVID-19 testing prior to returning to the classroom on Jan. 3, 2022. Unvaccinated employees are required to complete COVID-19 testing prior to returning to work on Jan. 3, 2022. These tests can occur prior to returning to campus or the morning of Jan. 3, 2022.

All students and employees who are vaccinated are encouraged to test prior to returning to campus. 

Those who are unvaccinated and choose to complete testing prior to returning to campus will be required to provide written proof of test completion and results by 7 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2022. Students must share those test results via email to medicalservices@augustana.edu, and employees will share test results with Kelly Brooks, testing coordinator. Proof of testing and results must be official documentation from a health care provider or recognized testing center (Walgreens, CVS, Convenient Care clinic), etc., indicating completion date, time, location and positive/negative result. If unvaccinated students or employees provide documentation that is not official or is questionable, they will be expected to test on Monday, Jan. 3. At-home tests are not verifiable and do not meet the expectations for pre-return testing.

According to CDC guidelines, any community members who plan to complete testing prior to returning to campus must do so within three days of arrival on Jan. 2, so students and employees could test on Dec. 30, 31 or Jan. 1, before returning to campus.

Fully vaccinated students and employees

Unvaccinated students and employees

Plans

Unvaccinated members of our campus community (both employees and students) will be required to test before resuming their normal activities on Monday, Jan. 3. 

A testing clinic will be open in the PepsiCo Recreation Center, starting at 6:30 a.m., on Monday, Jan. 3, so that unvaccinated students and employees can be tested before entering the classroom or their workspace. Therefore, students with 8:30 a.m. class or employees working on Monday should plan to test before class or work begins. 

Additionally, the PepsiCo testing clinic will be open to vaccinated individuals (both employees and students) starting at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 3 and will run through 3 p.m. Those who are experiencing any flu-like symptoms are highly encouraged to test. Testing will also be available for those who are well and would like to test for peace of mind and the safety of the campus community.

Professors will receive notice prior to the start of their class on Monday, Jan. 3, if a student should not be in the classroom. This communication will come through Starfish. For privacy reasons, details will not be shared as to why the student is not in class. The student will be notified that they cannot attend class until they have tested. Instructors should ask students who are restricted from class to leave if any arrive in class Jan. 3. The instructor will receive a follow-up communication through Starfish when the student is eligible to attend class. 

Testing compliance is important for numerous reasons. First, testing is a key mitigation strategy to responsibly co-existing with COVID-19. Testing is a way to show care for our fellow students and employees which is a community principle. And, testing allows unvaccinated students to participate in classes. If a student is unable to attend classes by Jan. 5, in accordance with college policy, their J-term class registration will be automatically dropped. If a student is dropped for non-compliance of COVID policies, they will not be allowed to remain in campus housing for J-term. Let’s avoid that and test either prior to returning or during the morning of Jan. 3. 

Register to be tested on campus. For vaccinated individuals to have a voluntary COVID-19 test on Jan. 3, you must register online now. Registration is required to ensure the proper number of tests are available on that day. Registration will close at midnight on Dec. 27. Testing on campus is provided free of charge. Registration required

Unvaccinated community members do not need to register for testing as they are required to test. Further details about the testing process and assigned times (if necessary, based on volume) will be communicated directly through the testing coordinator.   

We recognize news about COVID-19, and especially Omicron, changes day to day. The president of the college and the cabinet will meet throughout break. If the plans above (or any plans) are adjusted, we will communicate updates as quickly as possible, using email and social media. 

Our campus community has weathered the many challenges of COVID-19 because people have made selfless, caring decisions about their own health in order to protect the health of others. It’s time for us to ensure we meet the continuing challenges of COVID-19, and to once again demonstrate what it means to be #AugustanaStrong.

Sincerely,

Dr. Wes Brooks
Dean of Students