Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

Lycoming College Fall 2022 COVID-19 Protocols

All students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 may not attend class and should instead remain in/return to their room or home. During regular business hours immediately contact Health Services at health@lycoming.edu and after business hours contact Public Safety at security@lycoming.edu or call (570) 321-4064.

Contents

Statement of Principles Guiding Decision-Making

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Lycoming College has aligned its policies with guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC has recently issued the following statement that will inform College policies as the Fall 2022 semester begins:

The COVID-19 pandemic has now shifted to a new phase, due to the widespread uptake of highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, the availability of effective therapeutics, and the accrual of high rates of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity at the population level in the United States. Each of these measures has contributed to lower risk of severe disease and death across the United States.

The Fall 2022 protocols seek to cultivate and support a culture of respect in which members of the campus community are asked to balance personal autonomy with the responsibility to help maintain a healthy community.

The College continues to encourage all members of the community to consult with their health care professional about getting a COVID vaccination and/or booster shots.1 This approach follows the recommendation of the CDC and their conclusion that available evidence demonstrates that the approved vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe symptoms and hospitalization. Following the most recent CDC guidance, the College also recognizes that infection-induced immunity also lowers the risk of severe disease and hospitalization.

The College is also committed to resuming a robust campus life filled with active classrooms, volunteer service, off-campus internships, events, lectures, athletic contests, concerts, performances and more. At the same time, the College understands that a COVID outbreak remains a risk and could disrupt our normal operations. Consequently, the College will monitor internal and external conditions, scientific data, and public health guidance throughout the 2022-23 academic year. The College is also prepared to modify protocols and implement measures such as mandatory surveillance testing and/or indoor masking that may be required to control an outbreak.

1 To determine if an individual up-to-date on COVID vaccinations, please consult the CDC at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Campus Communication

The College will create and maintain a weekly COVID-19 dashboard. The purpose of this dashboard is to provide community members with information to make informed personal decisions and to assist faculty and staff with deciding whether to require masking in their classrooms and/or offices. Decisions about changes in campus protocols will be communicated to the community by email.

Fall 2022 Protocols for Students

Campus Events and Activities

  • Student clubs and organizations are permitted and encouraged to host events.
  • Students are permitted and encouraged to participate in off-campus events and activities, including FYS Passport opportunities, internships, volunteer or community engagement experiences, and student teaching among others.
    • The student is responsible for consulting the site supervisor and educating themselves about COVID-19 regulations and policies that may be in place at the site.

Athletics

  • Lycoming College will follow the guidance issued by the NCAA Sports Science Institute and comply with guidelines adopted by the Middle Athletic Conference.
    • The NCAA is currently not recommending surveillance screening, and following this guidance, Lycoming College will not require student athletes to participate in surveillance screening. As with all protocols, the College could resume surveillance testing of student athletes if circumstances warrant.
  • The Department of Athletics is responsible for informing student athletes of specific policies and practices that relate to sport participation.
  • Attendance at Lycoming athletic contests is encouraged and open to all Warrior fans.
  • Masking will not be required of persons attending athletic events hosted by Lycoming College.

Music and Theatre

  • The Music and Theatre Departments may choose to follow normal or regular procedures for practice, rehearsal and performances.
  • Lycoming College will not require music and theatre students to participate in surveillance screening. As with all protocols, the College could resume surveillance testing of music and theatre students if circumstances warrant.

Residential Facilities

Student Travel

  • Student travel is not restricted.

Campus Dining Locations

  • All campus dining facilities will operate at full capacity and be open to all community members.

Masking

  • Masks are not required in indoor or outdoor campus settings.
  • Faculty and staff may require surgical quality masks in classrooms and offices.

Surveillance Testing

  • Students and employees will not be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing.

Expectations of Students Experiencing Symptoms Consistent with COVID 19

  • Students experiencing congestion, runny nose, headache, cough, fever, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath call Health Services at (570) 321-4052 to arrange an appointment.

Testing Positive and Isolation

  • Students testing positive at an off-campus location or using a home test must notify:
    • During weekday business hours of 8:00am - 4:30pm — Health Services, (570) 321-4052 or health@lycoming.edu
    • After business hours and on weekends — Public Safety, (570) 321-4064
  • Students who test positive (medical provider or home-test) for COVID-19 must isolate for five days. If a student is asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours) after five days, the student may cease isolation but will be required to wear N95 or KN95 mask around others for five days.
    • Students who test positive will be required to isolate at home.
      • Students required to isolate at home must communicate their plan to travel home and isolate.
    • If it is not possible to isolate at home (e.g., due to extensive travel distance and/or immunocompromised household member), students will isolate in spaces designated by the Vice President for Student Life or designee.
    • Isolation location for students approved for on-campus isolation will be determined by the residential setting as follows:
      • Students living in community bath style housing will be moved to College designated isolation spaces.
      • Students living in suite or apartment style housing may isolate in-place, (suited room or apartment) with the approval of the Vice President for Student Life or designee.
        • If a student is approved to isolate in-place, residents are expected to wear a surgical quality mask when in the presence of the infected person and maintain physical distance when one or more of the occupants is present.
  • Access to meals: Students isolating on campus may utilize the To-Go option in Wertz Dining Hall while properly wearing an N95 or KN95 mask.
    • Students in isolation may also ask a friend to pick up meals at the Wertz Dining Hall, Café 1812, or Jack’s Place.
    • Off-campus delivery options are at student expense.
  • Health Services will notify faculty if a student is required to isolate.
  • As noted below, faculty are not required to provide Short Term Remote Access (STRA), and students should consult course syllabus policies with respect to attendance and STRA.
  • Students in isolation are encouraged to contact Counseling Services during regular business hours or access tele-counseling services at any time.
  • No refunds or adjustments to room and board charges are provided for absences from campus related to COVID-19 related isolation and quarantine.

Student Exposure to COVID 19

  • According to CDC guidelines issued on August 11, 2022, persons exposed to someone testing positive for a COVID-19 infection are no longer required to quarantine.  See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/if-you-were-exposed.html.
  • Accordingly, Lycoming College will no longer require quarantining by any student who is exposed to COVID-19.
    • Students who have been exposed to COVID-19 are required to wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask when in the presence of others for 10 days (Note that Day 1 is the day after the last exposure) and to monitor for symptoms.  If symptoms develop, the student who has been exposed must call Health Services at (570) 321-4052 to arrange an appointment.
    • On Day 6 after the exposure, students who have been exposed are required to obtain a COVID test from Health Services, self-administer and report the result to Health Services.
    • Please note that a student who was exposed must continue to wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask for 10 days even if the test on Day 6 is negative.
  • Students testing positive for a COVID-19 infection are now required to notify other student and members of the college community who may have been exposed. 
    • Health Services will provide information on how to determine persons who may have been exposed as well as guidance on messaging those who have been exposed.
  • Health Services will contact roommates and other persons who may have had extended exposure to a student testing positive for COVID-19.
    • Students contacted by Health Services are required to wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask when in the presence of others for 10 days (Note Day 1 is the day after the last day of exposure) and to monitor for symptoms.
    • Students who have been contacted by Health Services will be scheduled for an antigen test on Day 6.
    • Please note that a student who was exposed must continue to wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask for 10 days even if the test on Day 6 is negative.

Classroom Remote Access

  • Faculty are not required to provide Short-Term Remote Access (STRA) to courses for students who are unable to attend for any reason, include isolation and quarantine COVID protocols.
  • Students should consult individual course syllabi for the specific course policies pertaining to STRA and attendance policies.
  • As with all class absences, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the faculty member to make up missed classroom work.

Student Return to Campus

  • Students who are experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms are expected to test prior to departing for campus. Students who test positive are required to delay their return to campus and email Dr. Dan Miller, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, millerda@lycoming.edu, for additional instructions.
  • Upon return to campus, all students will be asked the following two questions:
    1. Are you experiencing COVID symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, headache, cough, fever, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath?
      • Students exhibiting symptoms will be administered a test prior to completing arrival.
      • If the test is positive, the student will be required to isolate following the protocols on isolation above.
    2. To your knowledge, have you recently been exposed to a person who has tested positive?
      • Students acknowledging exposure will be expected to follow the protocols for quarantining above.
      • Students not required to quarantine will be provided a home test and instructed to test if symptoms arise and/or on day five after the exposure.

Employee COVID Protocols

Updated August 22, 2022

Lycoming College follows the CDC guidance regarding quarantine and isolation protocols.  For the most up to date CDC guidance, please reference:

If you test positive for COVID:

  • Leave campus or avoid coming to campus and notify the Office of Human Resources (hr@lycoming.edu);
  • Notify any close contacts (people you have been within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more consecutively or cumulatively over a 24 hour period) of the exposure and instruct them to follow CDC guidance regarding exposure to COVID, which is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/if-you-were-exposed.html;
  • Isolate for a minimum of 5 days.  Day zero is the day of symptom onset or the day you were tested if you have no symptoms;
  • If after 5 full days of isolation you are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications and your symptoms are improving, or you had tested positive but never developed symptoms, you may return to campus and wear an N-95, KN-95 or other similarly effective mask through day 10;
  • If you still have a fever or symptoms have not improved after 5 days, continue to remain out until symptoms have improved;
  • Keep HR and your supervisor updated on your return to campus or need to remain out.

If you are exposed to a positive case of COVID:

Quarantine is no longer required for individuals who are not up to date on the COVID vaccinations/boosters.  All employees are expected the follow the following protocol regardless of vaccination status:

  • Wear an N-95, KN-95 or other similarly effective mask through day 10 after the exposure.  Day zero is the day of last exposure to someone with COVID;
  • Monitor for symptoms for a minimum of 10 days after the exposure.  If you develop symptoms: isolate, get a COVID test, and notify HR;
  • Get a COVID test 5 days after the exposure even if you don’t develop symptoms.

Please exercise good judgment on whether or not to come to campus if you are feeling sick but have not tested positive for COVID.  At-home COVID tests and rapid tests are convenient and accessible but are not as sensitive in detecting COVID as PCR tests, so it is possible to be positive and pass the virus along to others even with a negative test.  If you are feeling ill, please take reasonable precautions such as testing periodically, wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with others, and working remotely or taking time off.