Living and Learning During COVID-19

Students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 may not attend class, and should instead remain in/return to their room or home and immediately contact Health Services by email at Covid@lycoming.edu. Students will then receive further evaluative instructions on notifying their professors and initiating remote instruction. Call 570.321.4052 during regular business hours for answers to specific questions or with additional needs.

This document is intended to communicate a summary of the health and safety protocols that are being implemented by Lycoming College in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This work has been informed by recommendations, guidelines, or requirements enacted by the Department of Education (PDE) and the Department of Health (DOH) of the state of Pennsylvania, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We have also benefitted from the expertise of Infectious Disease Services at UPMC located in Williamsport.

Members of the faculty and administration have spent many hours this summer planning for the resumption of residential education in the fall semester. The purpose of this work has been reimagining our residential campus so that we can resume in-person instruction in a manner that also prioritizes the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff.

This work has been approached with great urgency because we are deeply committed to the residential model of a liberal arts education. We know that bringing different kinds of people together in this unique setting opens students up to “discoveries about themselves and the world.” Ending the 2020 spring semester remotely has reinforced our sense that we do our best work when we are together as a learning community. It has reminded us that we best prepare our students to be critical thinkers, ethical citizens and compassionate beings when we can provide the complete residential experience. The residential setting of the Lycoming College campus is the place where we fulfill our mission and do the noble work of transforming lives.

While Lycoming County remains a comparatively safe environment, it will be vitally important that we all approach this fall semester committed to engaging in socially responsible behaviors. Research has now confirmed that wearing face coverings, physically distancing and practicing good hygiene significantly reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Accordingly, the College will expect that all members of our campus community will express their willingness to adhere to the Lycoming College Commitment to Social Responsibility found in our plan.

This fall semester will require that we all adapt our normal behaviors in order to benefit from the highly impactful learning environment that is created when we gather together as a community. Our ability to complete the fall semester with students in residence will depend upon the behaviors of each member of the community and the individual and collective will that we bring to adhering to the protocols, guidance and procedures outline in this document.

Lycoming College reserves the right to update and amend these policies and procedures without prior notice in response to changes in federal or state policies, health recommendations, or institutional guidance.

• Arriving on Campus

  Repopulation: A Strategy To Resume In-person Instruction

  The CDC and the PDE have recommended that institutions of higher education develop an approach to resuming residential education or repopulating the campus that brings students back to campus in phases. Lycoming College has adopted this approach because it will allow the College to screen students effectively and orient them to the “COVID” social compact and associated protocols that have been established to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

  Lycoming College has consulted with the Infectious Disease Services at UPMC to devise the screening methodology to reduce the risk that an infected returning student will transmit the virus to other community members.

  Lycoming College plans to bring students back to campus in phases that begin with international students and students from states where Pennsylvania has recommended a quarantine. The arrival sequence continues with Lycoming Summer Academy participants, residential assistants and student orientation staff, the Class of 2024, and concludes with returning students.

  Questions or concerns regarding these protocols and related policies should be directed to the following offices: Vice President and Dean of Students, Associate Dean of Students, Health Services and Human Resources.

  1. The timing and the number of students in each phase have been structured so as to allow effective temperature screening, and collection and evaluation of responses to questions concerning exposure to COVID-19, including the status of the pandemic in the state from which the student begins travel to return to campus.
  2. A series of short educational videos is being developed to address issues of social responsibility, health and hygiene, and campus COVID-19 norms. Some videos will be sent to students prior to arrival – including information on packing at least 5-7 washable face coverings – while other videos will be part of the check-in/move-in process.
  3. The temperature and exposure history screening process will take place upon arrival to campus to identify students who will be required to take a diagnostic test and quarantine.
     • Students with an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals or who have been exposed to COVID-19 will be referred to a medical provider with subsequent quarantine protocols enacted.
     • Arriving students will be welcome to bring up to three guests who can assist with moving their belongings to their residential hall.
     • All guests accompanying the student to assist with move-in will be temperature and symptom screened. Guests with an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals or who have been exposed to COVID-19 will not be allowed to assist the student with move-in. The family member or friend will be isolated in a “hospitality” suite set-up in the Welch Theater Lobby. Clear messaging about the temperature and contact history will be sent to students prior to their arrival so as to reduce the possibility of a guest or student arriving who does not successfully meet the screening measures.
  4. The phases of repopulation include the following:
     • The College will take all reasonable steps to assist international students to return on either July 31 or August 1.
       • Following current CDC guidance, students arriving from outside the United States will enter quarantine in designated College properties for a period of 14 days.
       • The College will arrange for food service and other essential needs during the quarantine period.
     • Students returning to campus from states that have been designated by the Commonwealth as requiring a 14-day quarantine have been advised to return to campus early. See point 5 below for more detail.
     • First year students not a member of one of the groups above will come to campus over the weekend of August 15 and 16.
       • The Office of the Dean of First-Year Students is responsible for coordinating arrival and orientation of the Class of 2024.
     • Arrival of upper-class students not in one of the groups above will take place from August 16 through August 19.
       • Upper-class students will be assigned an arrival date.
       • Residential Life will send upper-class students their arrival date and time.

  5. Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued guidance stating that persons who have traveled, or plan to travel, to an area where there are high amounts of COVID-19 cases will need to quarantine for 14 days upon their return to Pennsylvania. The Department of Health identifies specific states to which this expectation of quarantining applies: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx

     The College recognizes that this quarantine has social and financial implications for students and their families. While in quarantine, the College will assume the cost of housing, food, and access to the internet. Activities will be planned by the College, but students are encouraged to offer their own suggestions and ideas for activities while in quarantine. Activities will be expected to adhere to public health guidance concerning the reduction of the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

     • The following are specific guidelines that apply to students required to quarantine prior to the semester. Students in quarantine:
       • are required to follow directions of College officials;
       • will have the support of Public Safety and Health Services;
       • will have the option of food delivery prepared by dining services or items from the College’s food pantry;
       • will be allowed outside for recreational or well-being purposes. While outside students are to adhere to physical distancing (six feet) and if unable to do so are to wear a face covering;
       • will remain in quarantine for fourteen days, a period which is subject to change based on the onset of symptoms or exposure to a person either presumed to have COVID-19 or a person who tested positive for COVID-19;
       • will avoid direct physical contact with others. Adhere to physical distancing (six feet) and wear a face covering when in the company of others;
       • will receive no outside visitors;
       • for medical attention, will contact Public Safety at (570) 321-4064;
       • will wash hands frequently and properly with soap and sanitizers to maintain proper hygiene;
       • will not share household or personal items;
       • will wash and sanitize an item if it is used by more than one person, prior to use by another person.
       • will participate in daily temperature screenings and will be monitored daily for symptoms associated with COVID-19;
       • will contact Public Safety at (570) 321-4064 if they are experiencing symptoms, and that Office will arrange for a College official or health professional to contact the student.
• Health & Safety Protocols

  Hygiene, Sanitation, Face Coverings, Physical Distancing, Personal Protective Equipment

  The CDC and the PDE have advised that institutions of higher education (IHEs) consider implementing certain practices relating to hygiene, sanitation, face coverings, physical distancing and personal protective equipment. These measures are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Lycoming College has adopted and will communicate broadly the following guidelines and expectations.

  Hygiene and Disinfecting

  Guidance from the CDC and the PDE states that certain hygienic and disinfecting practices reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols to promote good hygiene and regular disinfecting.

  1. Lycoming College will engage in frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas on campus and regular cleaning of all other areas.
     • Lycoming College has purchased contactless or hands-free door openers and will distribute them to all faculty, staff and students as part of the Warrior Wellness Kit.
  2. Lycoming College also expects faculty, staff and students to observe the following hygienic practices.
     • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available.
     • Avoid touching your face.
     • Use hand sanitizer frequently. To facilitate this practice, Lycoming College has installed hand sanitizer stations in various locations on campus and also encourages faculty, staff and students to keep hand sanitizer in their possession for use throughout the day.
     • Wipe down surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, keyboards, and other frequently touched items. To facilitate this practice, Lycoming College will provide disinfectants where feasible. Disinfectant supplies will be available in all shared facilities for wiping down surfaces touched before and after every use.
     • Employees who utilize computers or other equipment shared or used by other employees (microwaves, kitchen handles, coffee-makers, water fountains, sinks, toilets, paper towel dispensers, campus vehicles, lawn mowers, carpentry equipment, radios, etc.) should use a disinfectant wipe on the equipment prior to use and again after use.
  3. Following PDE guidance, Lycoming College will provide students with hygiene information and post clear information in places that have high student traffic on campus.
     • Signs will be placed in key areas and reminders in restroom facilities to encourage handwashing.
  4. Additional protocols regarding disinfecting frequently used and shared surfaces in classrooms are included in Section Three: Curricular Life.

  Face Coverings and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  According to the CDC, the primary mode of COVID-19 transmission is infectious droplets in the air. The CDC and the PDE also note that face coverings and other personal protective equipment limit this mode of transmission. Lycoming College has adopted the following policies and guidelines requiring face coverings and personal protective equipment.

  1. All employees, students, and visitors to campus are expected to follow the following requirements by the PA Department of Health:

     • Indoor Use of Face Coverings:
       • Wear an approved face covering at all times when in public or shared portions of a building, regardless of the presence of another person or physical distance.  This includes lobbies, restrooms, kitchens, hallways, etc. 
       • If an individual is working alone in their office, a face covering is not required.  However, if someone enters the office or stands in the doorway to the office, both parties are required to wear a face covering.
       • Employees working in shared offices are required to wear a face covering at all times unless the other individual who shares the office is not present.
       • Employees working in open or semi-open spaces, including cubicles, are required to wear a face covering at all times regardless of whether or not others are present in the space.
     • Outdoor Use of Face Coverings:
       • Wear an approved face covering outdoors when unable to maintain 6 feet of distance from others or if attending an outdoor gathering or event regardless of physical distance between individuals.
     • ADA Accommodations for Alternate Face Coverings:
       • If you believe that you require a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding face covering usage, you are required to communicate such a need to Kacy Hagan, Director of Human Resources & Risk Management.  An ADA assessment will be conducted, and approval to use an alternative form of face covering will be granted if appropriate.
  2. Employees may wear their own masks or pick up one in the Office of Public Safety on campus.
  3. The College will take reasonable steps to provide students with face coverings as part of the Warrior Wellness Kit, but following PDE guidance, students will be advised to secure and bring face coverings to campus.
  4. Faculty and staff may wear face shields when teaching or presenting to groups.
     • The College will purchase and provide face shields to faculty and staff requesting to use one.
  5. The following guidelines regarding the use of face coverings should also be followed.
     • The face covering should be sufficiently large enough to cover your face from your nose to your chin.
     • Avoid touching your face covering. When removing it, handle it primarily by the elastic or ties rather than by touching the outside of the cloth. If you do touch it, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
     • Take care not to leave a used face covering on counters or other areas where it might contaminate surfaces.
     • Store the face covering in a paper bag when not in use.
     • Launder or hand-wash your face covering frequently.
  6. Additional protocols regarding face coverings and classrooms are included in Section Three: Curricular Life.

  Physical Distancing

  According to the CDC and the PDE, the risk of COVID-19 transmission is reduced by maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet. Lycoming College has adopted the following guidelines regarding physical distancing.

  1. Lycoming College expects faculty, staff, students and visitors to campus to maintain a physical distance of six feet from others.
  2. To assist with maintaining six feet of distance, the College has taken the following steps.
     • Implemented furniture layouts, where feasible, in classrooms, lounges, and dining areas that are separated by six feet.
     • Placed markings on floors where lines are likely to form. The purpose of the floor markings is to indicate six feet of separation and encourage community members to maintain distance.
     • Reduced the capacity of elevators and installed floor markings indicating appropriate physical distancing.
     • Installed spatial indicators and signage in restrooms and laundry rooms indicating occupancy limits.
     • Installed plastic partitions or barriers into places where social distancing cannot be observed (e.g., student service counters, cash registers, etc.).
  3. Lycoming College will not mandate one-way hallways in its buildings as Infectious Disease Services at UPMC have advised that the risk of transmission is low when individuals pass one another in hallways while wearing face coverings.
  4. The College strongly discourages faculty, staff and students from congregating in areas where six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
  5. The College also encourages faculty, staff and students to hold meetings virtually whenever feasible.

  Monitoring Health Conditions in the Campus Community

  Guidelines developed by the CDC and the PDE require colleges and universities to adopt protocols for the purpose of monitoring health conditions in the campus community. In developing these protocols, Lycoming College has also consulted with Infectious Disease Services at UPMC. Temperature, exposure and symptom screenings have been identified by the CDC and UPMC as an effective way to reduce potential exposure of other members of the campus community to COVID-19. Following this advice, Lycoming College will employ daily temperature, symptom and exposure screening.

  It is important to recognize, however, that temperature, exposure and symptom screenings do not completely mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission, as some infected and contagious persons do not have a fever or other symptoms. Face coverings and physical distancing are practices, however, that reduce the risk of transmission by infected and contagious persons.

  All students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus are required to participate in daily temperature screenings, and processes have been established for daily symptom and exposure reporting.

  This section of the Reopening Plan and related policies have been designed to be compliant with applicable guidelines and regulations of the CDC, OSHA, EEOC, FERPA, and ADA.

  Temperature Screening Protocols

  Employees

  1. Upon arrival to campus, the employee will complete a temperature screening in the building where the employee first arrives (regardless of the building tin which the employee works) prior to going to their offices or other places on campus
  2. Screening stations will be distributed throughout campus at convenient locations near the entrances to buildings (approximately 30 stations across campus)
  3. Signs delineating COVID-19 screening questions will be posted near the scanning device.
  4. Signs posted near the scanning device will inform the employee of steps to take in the event of a high temperature or other symptoms.
  5. Scanners will be equipped with small privacy screens on either side of the devices
  6. The employee approaches the scanning device, removes their face covering and positions herself/himself so that employee’s face shows up in the square that will come on the screen.
  7. The employee’s temperature will show up on a bar on the bottom of the scanning device:
     • Green = cleared temperature screening for the day
     • Red = did not clear temperature screening
       • Instructions informing the employee whom to contact will also show up on the screen.
       • Employees who do not clear the temperature screening are expected to leave campus immediately and contact HR.
  8. If an employee registers an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals, an email and/or text notification will go to designated offices on campus.
     • The notification will include the location of the device, the time, date, and a photo of the individual. The photo will assist the appropriate office in conducting follow-up.
     • If the identified person is an employee, the employee will receive a call from Human Resources (unless the employee has already contacted HR).

  Visitors

  1. Community members receiving a visitor will be expected to meet the visitors upon arrival on campus and escort the visitor to the temperature scanning device.
  2. Signs delineating COVID-19 screening questions will be posted near the scanning device.
  3. Signs posted near the scanning device will inform the visitors of steps to take in the event of a high temperature or other symptoms.
  4. Scanners will be equipped with small privacy screens on either side of the devices.
  5. The visitor approaches the scanning device, removes their face covering and positions herself/himself so that visitor’s face shows up in the square that will come on the screen.
  6. The visitor’s temperature will show up on a bar on the bottom of the scanning device:
     • Green = cleared temperature screening for the day
     • Red = did not clear temperature screening
       • Instructions informing the visitor whom to contact will also show up on the screen.
       • Visitors who are not cleared through the temperature screening are expected to leave campus immediately and contact HR.
  7. If the visitor registers an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals, an email and/or text notification will go to designated offices on campus.
     • The notification will include the location of the device, the time, date, and a photo of the individual. The photo will assist the appropriate office in conducting follow-up.
     • If the identified person is a visitor, the host will receive a call to remind the host that the visitor must leave campus.
  8. The host is responsible for ensuring the visitor leaves campus immediately and reporting the high temperature to one of the individuals who will receive the notification.

  Students

  1. Residential students should complete their temperature screening prior to exiting the residence hall for the first time that day.
     • If a student is unable to complete a screening at the residence hall exit, the student should complete the temperature scan upon arrival at the first building entered that day.
  2. Commuter students and residential students who live in the Commons are required to complete a temperature scan upon arrival in the first other building entered that day.
  3. Signs delineating COVID-19 screening questions will be posted near the scanning device.
  4. Signs posted near the scanning device will inform the student of steps to take in the event of a high temperature or other symptoms.
  5. Scanners will be equipped with small privacy screens on either side of the devices.
  6. The student approaches the scanning device, removes their face covering and positions herself/himself so that student’s face shows up in the square that will come on the screen.
  7. The student’s temperature will show up on a bar on the bottom of the scanning device:
     • Green = cleared temperature screening for the day
     • Red = did not clear temperature screening
     • Instructions will also appear on the screen telling the student to return to their room/home and contact Health Services
  8. If a student registers an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals, an email and/or text notification will go to designated offices on campus.
     • The notification will include the location of the device, the time, date, and a photo of the individual. The photo will assist the appropriate office in conducting follow-up.
     • If the identified person is a student, the student will be contacted by Health Services or Residence Life.

  Symptom Screening

  1. Students will receive a daily push notification to complete a screening questionnaire, including entering their temperature for the day. Student Life will receive reports enabling monitoring of compliance.
  2. Students are required to complete this daily screening questionnaire.
  3. The Office of the Vice President of Student Life will receive reports enabling monitoring of compliance.

  Clinical Health Services

  The PDE has offered guidance regarding protocols that should be established regarding clinical health services and mental health services at institutions of higher education. Informed by that guidance, Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols and guidelines.

  Clinical Health Services General Guidelines

  1. Lycoming College has an arrangement with UPMC located in Williamsport to provide certain health services to its students. The College and UPMC have agreed that the terms of this arrangement will include health services related to COVID-19.
  2. The Department of Health Services has established protocols for working with UPMC to coordinate health care, isolation, and quarantining of students exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19.
  3. The Department of Health Services has established protocols for reporting exposures, cases and outbreaks to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
  4. The Department of Health Services has established COVID-19 specific protocols, which are detailed below.
  5. The Department of Health Services has established protocols for limiting in-person visits and transitioning to telehealth when possible.
  6. As has been the case, faculty and staff are expected to access health services with a health care provider outside the College.
  7. Where ordered based on symptoms, diagnostic tests for students are available through the College’s agreement with UPMC to provide medical services. Employees should contact a physician of their choice when consultation with a health professional and/or a test is recommended or required under these protocols.

  Specific Protocols

  The Office of Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students will coordinate assistance from the remainder of Student Affairs staff in activating Lycoming College's response to COVID-19.

  1. Resource Agencies
     • Decisions regarding appropriate care for students related to COVID-19 will be coordinated with the College Medical Provider, the local healthcare system, the PA Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control.
  2. As outlined in the Curricular Life section, students may not attend class if any of the following conditions (significant and persistent) are present.
     • An elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals
     • Chills
     • Cough
     • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
     • Fatigue
     • Muscle or body aches
     • Headache
     • New loss of taste or smell
     • Sore throat
     • Congestion or runny nose
     • Nausea or vomiting
     • Diarrhea
  3. Students experiencing symptoms are required to contact the Health Center via phone or email COVID-19@lycoming.edu.
     • Student should use thermal scanner to take their temperature.
     • Student should remain residence hall room until contacted by Health Services.
     • Other offices may be notified to support the student while waiting for follow-up by Health Services.
     • Following regular protocols, staff from Health Services will notify the appropriate academic dean that a student is unable to attend class and the academic dean will notify the student’s faculty that the student is unable to attend class and make arrangements for remote participation should the medical absence be anticipated to be an extended period of time.
  4. Diagnosis
     • The College Medical Provider will be responsible for ordering testing based on current medical criteria for diagnosing suspected COVID-19 cases, using procedures outlined by the PA Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control.
       • Students should call Health Services to arrange an appointment.
       • The College Medical Provider will meet with the student via telemedicine – a phone call or TEAMS.
       • The Medical Provider will determine whether the student should be tested.
     • If the College Medical Provider cannot be contacted, suspected cases of COVID-19 will be referred by the Health Services nursing staff to the local Emergency Department or a comparable outpatient clinic.
       • The referral agency will be notified of the suspected case.
       • The student will be required to wear a face covering while in transit to off campus care.
         1. Students who do not have personal transportation will be transported to the ER by Public Safety in one of the College owned vans as a primary mode.
         2. If a van is not available, students will be transported in the Public Safety vehicle.
         3. Both the student and the Public Safety officer are required to wear a face covering.
       • Students will be required to move into a designated isolation location until test results have been received.
  5. Reporting
     • All positive results will be reported to the PA Department of Health.
  6. Procedures to Respond to Positive COVID-19 Test Result Received by a Student
     • The student receiving the positive COVID-19 test result will be isolated from the campus population for a period of time to be determined by the PA Department of Health based on the clinical course of the illness but no less than 10 days.
       • The College will typically require 14 days.
       • Students requiring isolation will generally be housed in a designated space on campus.
       • Students will be required to take their temperature daily and report the temperature to staff in the Health Center (need to determine how to do this)
       • During regular business hours, Health Center personnel will conduct a medical check-up on the condition of the student.
       • Outside regular business hours, the residential life coordinator will contact the student remotely to check on the student’s overall wellbeing.
       • Campus Dining will provide contactless delivery of food. Residence Life Coordinators may assist dining services.
       • For academic support, see section on Curricular Life.
       • The PA Department of Health will also be monitoring the student’s condition.
  7. Contact Tracing
     • College staff will assist the PA. Department of Health in establishing a list of case contacts that may have been exposed to COVID-19.
     • Individuals meeting the contact definition of exposure of less than six feet for greater than 15 minutes will be expected to self-quarantine for 14 days.
       • Students will be relocated to facilities identified by the College.
       • This decision will be made by trained contact tracers and coordinated by Health Services in consultation with the PA Department of Health.
  8. Quarantining
     • The College has arranged for several quarantining options and the Office of the Vice President for Student Life in consultation with the PA Department of Health will determine the appropriate quarantining options for a student.
     • When a student is in quarantine, the following procedures will be followed:
       • During regular business hours, Health Services will conduct a remote check on the student’s condition.
       • Outside regular business hours, the Residence Life Coordinator will check on the student’s overall wellbeing daily.
       • Campus Dining will provide contactless delivery of meals to the quarantine location.
       • For information on academic support for students in quarantine, see the section on Curricular Life.
       • The PA Department of Health will also be monitoring the student’s condition.
  9. Notification
     • The Office of Vice President for Student Life Dean of Student Affairs will be notified of a suspected case of COVID-19.
       • This office is responsible for notifying the President of the College.
     • The campus community will be notified of a positive case of COVID-19.
       • The communication will include messaging reinforcing education information on the transmission, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and course of illness of COVID-19.
  10. Media
      • All media contacts will be handled through the office of Marketing and Communications.
      • The college website will be kept updated with pertinent information regarding the College’s response.
  11. Parents and Family
      • Contacts with parents and family will be handled by the Office of the Vice President for Student Life.
• Attendance/what to do if you are sick

  Student Illness and Attendance At Class

  Students may not attend class if experiencing any of the below symptoms. They should remain in/return to their room or home, then contact Health Services at Covid@lycoming.edu. This email address is continually monitored. If you have any specific questions or additional needs, call 570.321.4052 during regular business hours. Students will receive further evaluative instructions on notifying their professors and initiating remote instruction.

  1. An elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals
  2. Chills
  3. Cough
  4. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  5. Fatigue
  6. Muscle or body aches
  7. Headache
  8. New loss of taste or smell
  9. Sore throat
  10. Congestion or runny nose
  11. Nausea or vomiting
  12. Diarrhea
• Voluntary Reporting & Handling a Confirmed Case

  Protocols for Voluntary Reporting and Handling a Confirmed Case on Campus

  The PDE has advised that, as colleges resume operations by bringing faculty and staff back to campus, colleges must remain vigilant regarding the presence of COVID-19 and the potential for a resurgence of the virus in the future. It is important that campuses continue to monitor the spread of the virus; and should someone on campus become infected, it is essential to have protocols in place contain and minimize the effects to others. Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols as recommended by the PDE.

  Services Provided by UPMC

  Lycoming College has an arrangement with UPMC located in Williamsport to provide certain health services to its students. The College and UPMC have agreed that the terms of this arrangement will include health services related to COVID-19, including assistance with contact tracing.

  Reporting and Diagnosis Protocols for Residential Student Case or Potential Case of COVID-19

  The protocols applying to residential students are outlined in SECTION ELEVEN.

  Reporting and Diagnosis Protocols for an Employee or Visitor

  1. If any of the following conditions apply, employees, commuter students and visitors should not come to campus.
     • The person has tested positive for COVID-19.
     • The person has been experiencing any of the common symptoms of COVID-19 but has not been tested or is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.
     • The person has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is being tested for COVID-19 but has not yet received the results.
     • The person has traveled within the last 14 days internationally or to any U.S. state that the Pennsylvania Department of Health has identified as having a high amount of COVID-19 cases and has recommended that returning travelers quarantine.
  2. An employee is also expected to report this information to Director of Human Resources & Risk Management Kacy Hagan immediately.
     • As a preventive measure, the employee will be required to stay home (working remotely if possible) for 14 days or until the employee has been otherwise cleared to return to working on campus based on CDC guidance or by the employee’s health care provider.
     • Applicable paid leaves will apply.

  Reporting and Contact Tracing

  The CDC and the PDE recommend that colleges and universities establish a contact tracing strategy as part of the reopening plan. Consistent with this recommendation, Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols.

  Students

  1. College staff will assist the PA Department of Health in establishing a list of case contacts that may have been exposed to COVID-19.
  2. Individuals meeting the contact definition of exposure of less than six feet for greater than 15 minutes will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
     • Students will be relocated to facilities identified by the College.
  3. The decision whether an individual will be required to self-quarantine will be made by trained contact tracers and coordinated by Health Services in consultation with the PA Department of Health

  Employees

  1. College staff will assist the PA. Department of Health in establishing a list of case contacts that may have been exposed to COVID-19.
  2. Individuals meeting the contact definition of exposure of less than six feet for greater than 15 minutes will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
  3. The decision whether an individual will be required to quarantine will be made by trained contact tracers and coordinated by Health Services in consultation with the PA Department of Health
• Academics & Classrooms

  Curricular Life

  The CDC and the PDE have suggested taking steps to modify the academic calendar and create classroom environments that reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. This guidance encourages consideration of maintaining physical distance in the classroom, implementing disinfecting protocols, and improving ventilation. Lycoming College has implemented the following protocols regarding curricular life.

  Changes to Daily Class Schedule

  1. The daily class schedule has been altered to allow for 15 minutes between classes rather than the 10 minutes that has historically been the practice.
  2. This step will help reduce congestion in hallways, facilitate cleaning of classrooms and technology adaptations for teaching, and accommodate students and faculty who need to walk farther due to the use of non-traditional classroom spaces.

  Classroom, Labs, & Studio Spaces — Setup & Protocols for Social Distancing

  1. All classrooms have been set up to ensure social distancing consistent with CDC recommendations for social distancing of six feet.
     • Rooms with fixed seating will have clear indicators on seats that are available for use and those that are not.
     • Rooms with movable seats will have furniture placed on appropriate floor markings where they must remain at all times.
     • Rearrangement of classroom spaces will not be allowed.
     • The College has strongly recommended the use of assigned seating for the full semester to allow for better contact tracing if needed.
     • While students should generally be encouraged to maintain their seats during class they may come to the front of the room where sufficient social distance is available should the instructor feel it has a pedagogical value. In laboratory or studio settings, students and faculty should be cognizant of social distancing when moving about.
  2. Lab and studio capacities have been reduced to meet the social distancing guidelines of maintaining six feet between individuals occupying the room.
     • Departments have been, and will continue to be, consulted in order to also attend to particular pedagogical and instrumental concerns.
  3. The College has purchased touchless door opener tools that will be distributed to all faculty, staff and students to use in opening classrooms doors.

  Room Cleaning & Hygiene Protocol

  1. The College has adopted a protocol for room cleaning and hygiene that encourages faculty and students to take responsibility for the spaces they occupy in the classroom.
     • Each room will be provided with 5 or more spray bottles of the 409-cleaning product (or its equivalent), standard brown paper towels, and appropriate receptacles.
     • All parties will be instructed to spray the desk and chairs they will be occupying, allow the mixture to sit for three minutes, and then wipe down.

  Faculty will also be provided with commercial wipes to clean all electronics in their class work stations. As part of the Warrior Wellness Kit, faculty will be given private classroom supplies to minimize contact with high-touch surfaces.

  Personal Protective Equipment

  1. Consistent with College policy, all faculty and students must wear face coverings in the classroom.
     • If students are not wearing face coverings, faculty have the authority to ask them to leave the classroom. Security may be called if a student does not comply.

  Instructional Protocol

  1. The College has recommended that classroom protocol for this semester not include activities that require a student to come into contact with another student’s work product.
     • Most notably, faculty should not ask students to “pass forward” their assignments. Any assignment or materials collection should, instead, be done in such a way that requires only the faculty to handle them.
     • When a physical copy of work product must be collected, the College recommends that faculty dedicate a drop-off location in the classroom.
  2. In-class group work should require students to remain in the location they sanitized at the beginning of class.
     • Students should not be asked to move themselves or their desks for in-class group work.
  3. Given that our campus is a residential one where students gather for a variety of other purposes, group work (which has a strong pedagogical grounding) should not pose any additional risk. Thus, group assignments outside of the classroom will be permitted.
     • Faculty should remind students of responsible practices they should observe (maintaining social distance, meeting outside when possible, wearing face coverings) when completing group assignments outside the classroom.

  Classroom Technology for Instructional Flexibility

  All classrooms will be equipped with camera technology, document cameras, microphones, and the technology required to screen share via TEAMS or Zoom. This technology will allow for instructional flexibility as needed and approved. A transition to remote learning, such as last spring, will also be easier with this technology in place.

  Exams

  1. Consistent with past policy, exams are prohibited in the last five days of scheduled instruction (Wed through Tuesday) in order to ensure the semester is not effectively “shortened by” a week.
  2. ALL course assignments requiring campus-based academic equipment and facilities (e.g. labs, studios, performance spaces and discipline-specific software) must be due by no later than the start of the Thanksgiving holiday, Tuesday, November 24 at 9:00 p.m.
  3. Students do NOT need to be present on campus for the reading days and the administering of final exams; however, students will need a reliable computer, internet connection, and webcam during the appointed final exam period for individual courses.

  Office Hours & Faculty/Student Meetings Protocol

  1. Faculty may choose to have office hours and one-on-one meetings with students either in-person or remotely.
  2. Faculty choosing in-person office hours should only do so if they can maintain the recommended six feet of social distance in their office.
  3. Office hours in either form should maintain their fixed, “open access” form where students do not have to make an appointment.

  Remote Instruction for Pedagogical Purposes

  Faculty were able to write to the provost to request reduced in-class time of up to 1/3 of class meetings. Requests for more than 1/3 were reviewed by a faculty committee comprised of members from Faculty Executive Council and Faculty Personnel Committee.

  Ventilation in Classrooms and Other Instructional Areas

  The College consulted with ventilation experts about how to improve ventilation in all its buildings. In classroom buildings that have systems where air circulates, the College has upgraded its filters to the same standard as the local health system patient rooms in order to reduce the risk of transmission through droplets in the air. (See Modifications to Facilities section for more detail on ventilation modifications.)

  Internships and Practicum Courses

  1. In-person off-campus internships, including those as a component for a practicum course, are permitted during the fall 2020 semester provided that:
     • the internship placement is made in coordination with the appropriate career advisor for the CEAE so that the CEAE can assist in rapid deployment of contact tracing;
     • the sponsoring site has provided appropriate advanced guidance on file with the CEAE as to the protective measures in place for the location’s employees and interns;
     • the faculty member overseeing the internship can created a back-up plan of course content should the College need to move to a remote educational setting and the internship cannot be continued within a remote format; and
     • the College is in a non-remote work environment (student interns are to follow the same practices as our institution’s non-essential employees).
  2. Any internship scheduled to take place within a high-risk population (e.g. correctional facilities and medical facilities) must be approved by the Containment/Monitoring/Shutdown Working Group of the COVID-19 Task Force.
  3. Should the College move to a remote educational environment, students can continue in-person internships if the following four conditions are met:
     • the College does NOT move to remote work environment;
     • the student is local or already staying on campus for another reason (e.g. international student who cannot travel home due to travel restrictions);
     • the internship organization wants the student to stay on in person; and
     • the student is comfortable continuing the internship in person.
  4. Students enrolled in an individual internship or practicum course for fall 2020 who receive a passing grade for the course will be able to count the experience as an enhanced academic experience regardless of the in-person hours completed.
• Residence Halls

  Residential Life

  The CDC and the PDE have recommended that colleges and universities adopt certain protocols and guidelines to be followed by students and others when engaged in life outside the classroom. Lycoming College has adopted the following guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in residence halls, during athletic competition, and during meetings and activities sponsored by clubs and organizations.

  1. Lycoming College will utilize the residential building structure to promote supportive student “units.”
     • A unit is a room, suite, or apartment – a “Lyco family.”
       • Members of the unit will take responsibility to support the emotional wellbeing, physical health and social needs of the other members of the unit.
     • The Office of Residential Life will cultivate the unit as a support network for each resident at the College.
     • Residents of campus housing are not required to wear face covering/masks while in their own unit.
  2. Students, employees and visitors are expected to wear a face covering in all common areas of Lycoming College housing.
     • Face coverings and masks are not a substitute for physical distancing.
  3. Residents of campus housing are not required to wear a face covering while in their own units.
  4. Students, employees and visitors are expecting to maintain a physical distance of six feet whenever possible in all common areas of traditional residence halls, including kitchens, elevators, restrooms and hallways.
     • When entering a shared space, such as a kitchen, elevator, restroom, etc., where a minimum distance of six feet cannot be maintained between occupants, wait to enter the space until it has been vacated by the current occupant. If multiple people are waiting to use the space, ensure a minimum distance of six feet is maintained between individuals at all times.
     • To promote physical distancing floor markings have been applied where lines may form to indicate six feet of separation.
     • Capacity in residence hall elevators has been reduced and physical distancing floor indicators have been installed.
     • Spatial indicators and signage in restrooms and laundry rooms indicate occupancy limits.
  5. The following protocols apply to bathrooms in the residence halls:
     • Where possible, students have been assigned bathrooms to use in order to limit cross contamination and to control traffic flow.
       • When students use bathrooms other than their assigned one, the user should be mindful of others and take special care to wipe surfaces with disinfectants made available in the bathroom.
     • All showers and toilets in residence halls and other facilities have been separated by physical dividers which will be cleaned in accordance with CDC guidance.
     • Any existing sinks and urinals that cannot be physically divided to meet appropriate social distancing requirements will be removed from service and labeled with appropriate signage.
     • All bathrooms will be cleaned regularly using EPA-registered disinfectants, at least twice per day.
       • Bathrooms in heavy use areas will be cleaned more frequently.
       • Bathrooms will be continuously stocked with soap and paper towels.
       • Hand sanitizer will also be available either inside or nearby bathrooms in public spaces.
       • Additional trash cans have been added and will be emptied.
       • Bathrooms will include signage instructing on proper hand washing.
       • Signage will note that sinks could be an infection source.
  6. Seating in lounge areas in residence halls have been placed six feet apart.
  7. Furniture in rooms, in particular beds and desks, have been configured to promote physical distancing.
     • Furniture should remain in original positioning.
  8. To comply with physical distancing guidelines and established policies, residential life programming has been altered.
     • Alterations in Residence Life programming will be posted by Resident Assistants, to comply with physical distancing guidelines and established policies.
     • Reduced maximum number of persons permitted in a residence hall room or residence hall apartment - https://www.lycoming.edu/residential-life/residence-hall-policies.aspx
       • No social gatherings/parties. Social gathering/party is defined as the number of people in the unit exceeds fall 2020 maximum number of persons permitted in the unit.
       1.  
  9. Residence halls will be cleaned consistent with CDC guidance.
  10. Lycoming College has adopted the following guidelines concerning student guests in the residence halls.
      • Residential students are strongly discouraged from having a guest on campus.
      • Overnight guests are prohibited without special permission from the Office of Residential Life.
      • Residents are prohibited from hosting minors (i.e., under eighteen) as guests.
      • For purposes of this policy, a guest is defined as a non-student (e.g., friend, sibling, parent, guardian) who is on campus at the invitation of the student resident and enters any building on campus, including but not limited to, residence halls.
      • Consistent with the idea of social responsibility, students will be expected to incorporate an understanding about guests into their roommate and floor agreements.
      • If a student hosts a guest in consultation with a shared agreement between roommates and floor mates, the following guidelines must be followed:
        • All guests, regardless of the length of time on campus, must be registered with the Department of Public Safety by the host student.
        • All guests are required to participate in the College’s COVID-19 temperature and symptom screening process immediately upon arrival.
        • Guests who have special permission to stay overnight will be expected to observe daily temperature and symptom screening protocols.
      • All guests will be issued a wrist band indicating temperature and symptom screening is complete and they have been registered to be on campus. The band will indicate the number of days the guest will be on campus.
        • Residents are accountable for the actions of their guests at all times and are expected to inform their guests of College and residence hall policies, and also of any standards of behavior specific to their floor.
        • As noted in the campus visitor policy, guests are required to comply with all College policies related to COVID-19, including but not limited to face coverings, physical distancing, and hygiene.
        • Any guest not observing these policies, guidelines or protocols will be required to leave campus immediately.
      • Residents must accompany their guests at all times while the guest is on campus.
      • Residents who are uncomfortable with a guest presence in the residence hall should contact a resident assistant or any member of the Residential Life staff.
• Athletics

  Intercollegiate Athletics

  This section is intended to outline the health and safety protocols that have been developed by the Lycoming College Athletic Department for the varsity athletic programs. As in the College’s plan, these protocols are subject to change at the discretion of Lycoming College as needed to comply with the recommendations, guidelines or requirements enacted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

  As a member of the NCAA and Middle Atlantic Conference, Lycoming College has suspended all intercollegiate competitions for the fall semester. Despite this change, the College plans to allow coaches to engage in meaningful interactions with student-athletes during the fall semester. We are hopeful that these activities may include training with strength and conditioning coaches, skill development and on field practice opportunities. The College and Athletic Department have worked closely with the Conference Office and other member institutions to establish a resocialization plan based on two key priorities:

  1. Health and Safety: We want to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, athletic department staff and larger campus communities.
  2. Student-Athlete Experience: We believe that creating opportunities for student-athletes to engage in their sports will reinforce the College’s commitment to recruited student-athletes, support retention, and empower student-athletes as leaders on campus to promote good hygiene, physical distancing and face coverings (i.e. model good behavior for the greater good of the campus community).

  Lycoming College’s athletics plan will adhere to the NCAA’s Sports Science Institute’s (SSI) Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Sport. Lycoming athletics will continue to monitor and follow SSI updates to inform the potential resumption of collegiate competition in the spring 2021 semester as found here: http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/core-principles-resocialization-collegiate-sport.

  In addition to the protocols and guidelines from the MAC and NCAA, Lycoming College student athletes, coaches and trainers will follow all protocols outlined in the Lycoming College COVID-19 Reopening Plan. All athletic department employees and student-athletes will follow the College’s health screening protocol when they return to campus. Finally, per the Lycoming College COVID-19 Reopening Plan and the NCAA’s Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Sport, all members of the athletic department should practice the following:

  1. All student-athletes, athletics health care providers, coaches and athletics personnel should practice good hygiene.
  2. All student-athletes, athletics health care providers, coaches and athletics personnel should be leaders on campus and help establish the new expectations of mask wearing and physical distancing.
  3. All student-athletes, athletics health care providers, coaches and athletics personnel will follow daily temperature, symptom and exposure screening throughout the duration of their season.
  4. All student-athletes, athletics health care providers, coaches and athletics personnel should stay home if they feel sick.
• Campus Dining

  Dining Protocols

  Lycoming College has reviewed its dining service protocols in light of guidance from the CDC and the PDE and implemented the following steps to encourage users to observe social distancing and face covering guidelines.

  1. All dining facilities have been adjusted to include the following:
     • protective barriers between guest and service personnel
     • signage, floor markings and stanchion use designating points of service and traffic flow
     • a policy requiring all dining staff to wear face coverings at all times;
     • all offerings will be served to guests
     • all offerings served on paper service ware
     • seating options inside the dining hall have been reduced and guests will be seated at least six feet apart
     • high touch surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized continuously
  2. To assist in reducing density of dining guests, outside eating areas have been established around the campus: Penny’s Plaza, the Freet Patio outside the Krapf Gateway Center, East Hall patio and the Fultz Quad.
  3. The Wertz Dining Room will serve students only.
  4. Café 1812, the Gateway Café and Jack’s Corner will serve all employees, guests, and students.

  Wertz Dining Room

  1. The Wertz Dining Room will serve students only.
  2. Guests will enter at Fultz Quad side register or the front entrance by Drum House/Bookstore side of Wertz
     • Students/diners proceed to dish-room/main register by proceeding down Warrior Way side of dining room.
     • Fultz Quad side line will go directly past the Pizza Station towards the main serving line.
     • Warrior Way side line will go directly along the beverage counter to the Main Serving Line.
     • Cashier will supply open bag w/ silverware, napkin, salt and pepper packet preloaded.
  3. Guests will maintain six feet of distance and move towards main serving line.
     • Both sides of the main serving line will offer mirrored menu selections:
       • Entrée
       • Lotus
       • Vegetable
       • Starch
       • V2 Entree
       • Two Types of Pizza
       • Premixed Pasta with Sauce
       • Grill Feature
       • French Fries
  4. Guests stay six feet apart and go around the outer edge of each salad bar station:
     • The first salad bar station will offer three pre-made salads:
       • Tossed greens salad
       • Caesar salad
       • Fresh fruit salad
         1. All dressings are added to salad on request
         2. Grilled chicken always available for pickup here
     • The second salad bar station will offer the following:
       • Market fresh composed salad
       • Pre-made deli sandwich feature
       • Two soup options
       • Toaster items: bagels, breads, toppings
       • Desserts
  5. Guests may leave these lines and go to beverages or stay in line and go to the allergen station.
     • Allergen station will provide the following:
       • Gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and vegan selections
       • Assorted cereals with milk
       • Pre-dipped hard ice cream and/or soft serve ice cream
  6. Beverage station will offer the following:
     • Water
     • Soda
     • Milk
     • Juice
     • Coffee
  7. Guests remaining in the dining room may enter the seconds line served at the existing By Design Station.
     • Seconds Line will offer the following of the same menu being served that day.
       • Entrée, Starch, Vegetable
       • Pizza, Pasta
       • Lotus Entrée, V2 Entrée
       • Grill Feature, Fries
  8. All guests may use any of the 3 exit only doors:
     • Elevator door
     • Quad side back door
     • Warrior Way dish-room exit door (previously the entrance by cashier & dish-room)
  9. Personal Chef Pre-Ordered Meals will have defined pick up times.
     • Meals will be brought to quad cashier stand for pick up
     • Additional offerings will require waiting in line

  Jack’s Corner

  1. Students, employees and guests may use Jack’s Corner.
  2. Guests will line up maintaining six feet of distance at either one of the two kiosks.
     • Guests will be able to order hot entrée and offerings and fountain drink and pay for it at each kiosk.
       • During the fall semester, menu selections cannot be personalized.
     • Guests paying cash or credit will have the option of printing a receipt and paying at the register.
  3. Name or number for each order will be displayed or called so guests know when order is ready.
     • Guest then line up along the front of the main line for hot entrée pickup
  4. Guests may also enter queue at register for the following selections:
     • Bottled beverages, snacks, chips, on-the-go item
     • Guests will pay at the register for these items
     • Guest getting hot food ordered at the kiosk will need to get in separate line ending at the register for snacks etc.

  Café 1812

  1. Students, employees and visitors may use Cafe 1812.
  2. Guests will be queued up in two separate lines with the first line located on the Bell Lobby side with the following selections:
     • No slips will be present for placing orders; orders to be taken verbally by server
     • Soup
     • Two composed salads built to order on-site along the existing salad bar station
     • Three sandwich selections with one featured sandwich
     • Fountain soda
     • Bakery items
  3. Guests will pay at the Bell Lobby side register.
  4. Second Line is located on the Pennington Lounge side with the following selections:
     • Soup
     • Bottled beverages
     • Fountain soda
     • On-the-go selections in the display case
     • Pre-made sandwich selections
     • Limited espresso drinks menu on demand
  5. Guests may order coffee at both registers.
     • Coffee will be traditional offerings
     • Coffee MAY BE SELF-SERVE pending purchase of retro fitting levers on coffee shuttles
     • Cream and sugars handed out with order when presented to guests at the pickup stations

  Gateway Café

  1. Students, employees and guests may use the Gateway Café.
  2. Guests will be queued up in one line along the front of the CEAE/Office of Academic Services Deans hallway.
  3. Menu offerings will be the following;
     • Snacks and on-the-go Items will be on display and asked for by the guests
     • Soup du jour
     • Fountain soda
     • Bottled water
     • Limited espresso drinks menu on demand.
  4. Guests will pay at the register.
  5. Pickup area will be on the countertop.
• Facilities/Cleaning

  Modifications To Facilities
  Bathrooms, Entrances and Occupancy Limits

  The CDC and the PDE have recommended that IHEs review entrances to buildings, ventilation, bathroom facilities, and occupancy limits in buildings and adopt protocols that reduce the risk of transmission.

  Building Entrances

  1. The College has purchased touchless door opener tools for use in entering most buildings and to reduce risk of transmission from frequently touched surfaces.
  2. Hand sanitizers have been placed near all building entrances and signage will encourage everyone who touches entries to use the sanitizer and refrain from touching their face prior to using the sanitizer.

  Ventilation

  1. The College consulted with ventilation experts about how to improve ventilation in all its buildings.
     • In classroom buildings that have systems where air circulates, the College has upgraded its filters to the same standard as the local health system patient rooms in order to reduce the risk of transmission through droplets in the air.
     • In most other buildings where these filters could not be used, the College will install Tri Kleen Portable Air Filtration units.
       • The units contain a pre-filter, a HEPA air filter and a UV-C light providing a 99.97% efficiency rate of removing bacteria and viruses from the air.
       • These units will be installed in the follow locations: Long Hall lobby, Health Services exam rooms, Admissions, and other locations to be determined, e.g. choir/band rehearsal space, Academic Center D Wing-faculty offices, etc.)

  Public Bathroom Facilities

  1. All showers and toilets in residence halls and other facilities have been separated by physical dividers which will be cleaned in accordance with CDC guidance.
  2. Any existing sinks and urinals that cannot be physically divided to meet appropriate social distancing requirements will be removed from service and labeled with appropriate signage.
  3. All bathrooms will be cleaned regularly using EPA-registered disinfectants, at least twice per day.
     • Bathrooms in heavy use areas will be cleaned more frequently.
     • Bathrooms will be continuously stocked with soap and paper towels.
     • Hand sanitizer will also be available either inside or nearby bathrooms in public spaces.
     • Additional trash cans have been added and will be emptied.
     • Bathrooms will include signage instructing on proper hand washing.
     • Signage will note that sinks could be an infection source.

  Occupancy Limits

  1. Occupancy limits in all public buildings have been reduced by fifty percent
     • The buildings impacted include but are not limited to the Keiper Recreation Center, Lamade Gymnasium, Snowden Library, the walking track, and public lounges.

  ADA Laws and Space Accommodations

  1. In making adjustments to buildings and facilities, the College has not made access to buildings more difficult for students, faculty or staff with physical limitations or other disability needs.
• Events & Gatherings

  Non-instructional Gatherings and Congregation in Communal Spaces

  The CDC and the PDE have advised colleges and universities to consider limiting large non-instructional gatherings and discourage congregation in indoor communal spaces. Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols to implement this guidance.

  1. No events, including instructional, during the semester will be open to the public. Events that include individuals who are not faculty, staff or student must be private events and receive the approval of the Office of the President.
  2. Following guidance from the state of Pennsylvania, the College will limit outdoor gatherings to no more than 250 persons. This limit could be revised if guidance from the state government changes.
  3. At all gatherings, inside or outside, participants are expected to wear masks and maintain six feet of physical distance.
  4. The College has reduced common seating in classroom buildings, the library, dining facilities and other areas of common seating.
  5. To reduce the risk of transmission, the College has established tented outdoor eating and gathering areas.
  6. No spectators will be permitted at athletic events.
  7. No large social gatherings, parades, or festivals will be permitted on college property.
  8. Student groups -
     • Student groups are to conduct their business and programming remotely in order to allow students to focus on academic modifications and develop the practice of face coverings, physical distancing, and good hygiene. As we progress through the first few weeks of the semester, consideration will be given to moving to a hybrid model – remote and in person – of club and organization meetings and programming.
     • Student groups may make special request to hold hybrid meetings and programming. Requests are to be sent to the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.
  9. Protocols for the use of the Keiper Recreation Center and the fitness facilities have been established that restrict occupancy numbers, promote social distancing, and require observance of cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
  10. Consistent with current guidance from the state of Pennsylvania, non-instructional indoor gatherings may only take place if attendance is by invitation and no more than 25 persons have been invited.
      • Proposals for indoor gatherings should be submitted to the Office of the President.
      • This policy may be revisited if the state guidance is changed.
      • This policy applies but is not limited to the following: the CEAE Fair, graduate school fair, Art Gallery openings, theater and music events, and research fairs.
• Health & Counseling Services

  Mental Health Services

  1. The College provides regular mental health services to students and Counseling Services has developed protocols specific to working with students who are impacted by circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Counseling Services has established and publicized provisions for walk-in emergency situations, especially associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. Training for counseling staff, residence life professional and resident assistants has been updated to include COVID-19 specific impacts.

  Community Supports

  1. The Office of Human Resources will provide regular reminders concerning the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits for faculty and staff.
  2. The College will continue to promote wellness strategies to encourage all community members to access opportunities to support their physical, emotional, and mental health, including eating healthy, exercising, getting sleep, and finding time to unwind and relax.
  3. The College will encourage community members to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media, when they are feeling overwhelmed.
• Social Responsibility

  Compliance With Protocols

  Lycoming College has carefully considered the most effective means of achieving compliance with its protocols. We have adopted the following commitment to social responsibility and expect all community members to agree to it.

  Lycoming College Commitment to Social Responsibility

  The fall 2020 semester will be unique because of the continuing presence of the COVID-19 virus. The College expects all community members to make a commitment to the principle of social responsibility.

  As a member of the Lycoming College Community I agree that living with COVID-19 will require me to make sacrifices and adopt behaviors that recognize the mutual obligations to care for self, for others and for the whole community.

  To this end, I commit to:

  Protecting myself through conscientious habits of personal hygiene and being cognizant of my own health e.g., fever, loss of taste or smell, chills, etc.

  Protecting others by wearing a face covering in accord with College and CDC guidance, maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, accepting a role in the cleaning and disinfecting of places and surfaces throughout campus and adhering to all signs and directions related to COVID-19.

  Protecting the Lycoming College Community by acknowledging individual commitments can collectively benefit the well-being of all. I understand that guidance to stop the transmission of COVID-19 is subject to change. I will do my part to stay informed of and support College, federal and state efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

• Travel Policy

  Travel Policy

  During recent months, COVID-19 incidence rates have varied across the United States and the world. In an effort to contain transmission of the virus, some states have adopted policies requiring travelers arriving from areas with high incidence rates to quarantine. Lycoming College will monitor recommendations from the CDC and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and reserves the right to impose restrictions on College-funded travel and to require quarantining by faculty, staff or students who engage in personal travel to regions or places that have been identified by the CDC or the Commonwealth as ones where quarantining upon return is recommended or required.

  College Funded Travel

  1. Faculty, staff and students are advised to limit requests for College funded travel as part of our institutional strategy to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
  2. Review of requests for funding will be conducted in light of travel risk advisories from the CDC or Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  3. During Academic Year 2020-21, the faculty-led travel course program will be suspended.
  4. The President of the College must approve all College-funded travel.

  Curricular and Student Programs Travel to Local Sites

  1. Local travel for curricular reasons or as part of co-curricular programs is permitted.
     • Faculty planning such travel should notify the Office of the Provost no less than 30 days in advance to enable proper planning to observe physical distancing requirements during the travel.
     • Staff and students planning such travel should notify the Office of the Vice President for Student Life no less than 30 days in advance to enable proper planning to observe physical distancing requirements during the travel.
     • The College reserves the right to deny the request if transportation enabling physical distancing cannot be provided at a reasonable cost.

  Personal Travel

  1. The College does not intend to restrict personal travel by employees, but encourages employees to avoid or minimize travel to areas that have high rates of positive cases of COVID-19, both within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and without, to mitigate the risk of transmitting COVID on campus and to avoid negative impacts to the employee’s ability to perform his or her duties upon return to the state.
  2. In the event an employee chooses to travel outside of Pennsylvania, the employee will be required to do the following: 
     • Notify Human Resources and their supervisor of the dates of travel outside of the Commonwealth
     • Quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania or provide Human Resources with proof of a negative COVID test that was administered within the 72 hours prior to reentering Pennsylvania
     • If quarantining for travel:
       • Employees who can complete their work remotely will be allowed to do
       • Employees who cannot complete their work remotely will be expected to use accrued PTO and/or LPTO during the period of travel quarantine.  If leave is exhausted, the travel quarantine will be unpaid
  3. An employee who has a household member who has traveled out of state and is quarantining related to that travel is not required to quarantine unless that household member develops any signs or symptoms consistent with COVID or tests positive for COVID.
  4.  Official College travel and college-funded travel will continue to require advanced approval from the Office of the President.

   

  Student Travel

  1. Student non-essential travel outside of Lycoming County is prohibited including travel to or presence on other colleges and universities regardless of the location of the institution.
     • Non-essential travel outside of Lycoming County does not apply to commuter students from nearby counties. Traveling to or presence on other colleges’ and universities’ campuses does apply to commuter students.
  2. Students who engage in essential travel are required to notify the office of the Vice President for Student Life twenty four (24) hours before leaving campus and on the day of return to campus. An assessment of risk of exposure will be conducted considering destination zip code, duration of visit, mode of travel, purpose of the essential travel and planned interactions with others. If traveling to a location identified as one requiring quarantining by the CDC or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania students are required to quarantine for 14 days.
     • During the period of self-quarantining, students may be able to participate in courses remotely.
     • When off campus in Williamsport/Lycoming County students are expected to wear a face covering, to use physical distancing protocols, wash hands thoroughly or use hand sanitizer before departure and upon return. When possible avoid unnecessary trips; select delivery, curbside, or take-out.
     • Students are prohibited from attending indoor gatherings of more than 25 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 250 people. Examples of these include, but are not limited to: festivals, concerts, performances, athletic events (as an observer), lectures, and movies.

  While the College will be monitoring restrictions or advisories regarding travel issued by the CDC or the Commonwealth of PA, it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the regions that may require self-quarantining.

• Guests

  Campus Visitors and Guests

  As part of its protocols to reduce the risk of transmission, Lycoming College has adopted the following protocols and guidelines pertaining to campus visitors and guests.

  1. All campus visitors and guests will be expected to participate in temperature screening protocol and affirm that they know of no recent exposure to COVID-19 or have no symptoms consistent with COVID-19. See Section Ten.
  2. All campus visitors and guests are expected to follow all College protocols and guidelines related to COVID-19, including but not limited to face coverings, physical distancing and hygiene.
  3. Neither admission nor athletic recruitment overnight guests will be permitted during the Fall 2020 semester. This policy will be revisited for the spring.
  4. The College will not host events open to the public during the fall semester.
  5. Faculty, students or staff desiring to hold small private events must submit a proposal to the Office of the President.
  6. Private events are defined as one where a guest list of persons not faculty, students nor staff is submitted and persons not on the guest list are not admitted.
  7. Attendance at private events is limited to 25 persons, including those performing, presenting or competing, as well as faculty, staff and students.
  8. As with all campus visitors, guests at private events are required to follow the temperature, exposure and symptom screening protocols in place.
  9. Guest policies for students can be found in the Residential Life section.
  10. Policies concerning guest speakers can be found in the Curricular Life section.

   

  VISITORS

  1. Community members receiving a visitor will be expected to meet the visitors upon arrival on campus and escort the visitor to the temperature scanning device.
  2. Signs delineating COVID-19 screening questions will be posted near the scanning device.
  3. Signs posted near the scanning device will inform the visitors of steps to take in the event of a high temperature or other symptoms.
  4. Scanners will be equipped with small privacy screens on either side of the devices.
  5. The visitor approaches the scanning device, removes their face covering and positions herself/himself so that visitor’s face shows up in the square that will come on the screen.
  6. The visitor’s temperature will show up on a bar on the bottom of the scanning device:
     • Green = cleared temperature screening for the day
     • Red = did not clear temperature screening
       • Instructions informing the visitor whom to contact will also show up on the screen.
       • Visitors who are not cleared through the temperature screening are expected to leave campus immediately and contact HR.
  7. If the visitor registers an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals, an email and/or text notification will go to designated offices on campus.
     • The notification will include the location of the device, the time, date, and a photo of the individual. The photo will assist the appropriate office in conducting follow-up.
     • If the identified person is a visitor, the host will receive a call to remind the host that the visitor must leave campus.
  8. The host is responsible for ensuring the visitor leaves campus immediately and reporting the high temperature to one of the individuals who will receive the notification.

   

  Student Guests in the Residence Halls

  1. Lycoming College has adopted the following guidelines concerning student guests in the residence halls.
     • Residential students are strongly discouraged from having a guest on campus.
     • Overnight guests are prohibited without special permission from the Office of Residential Life.
     • Residents are prohibited from hosting minors (i.e., under eighteen) as guests.
     • For purposes of this policy, a guest is defined as a non-student (e.g., friend, sibling, parent, guardian) who is on campus at the invitation of the student resident and enters any building on campus, including but not limited to, residence halls.
     • Consistent with the idea of social responsibility, students will be expected to incorporate an understanding about guests into their roommate and floor agreements.
     • If a student chooses to have a guest and agreement has been reached with roommates and floor mates, the following guidelines must be followed:
       • All guests, regardless of the length of time on campus, must be registered with the Department of Public Safety by the host student.
       • All guests are required to participate in the College’s COVID-19 temperature and symptom screening process immediately upon arrival.
       • Guests who have special permission to stay overnight will be expected to observe daily temperature and symptom screening protocols.
     • All guests will be issued a wrist band indicating temperature and symptom screening is complete and they have been registered to be on campus. The band will indicate the number of days the guest will be on campus.
       • Residents are accountable for the actions of their guests at all times and are expected to inform their guests of College and residence hall policies, and also of any standards of behavior specific to their floor.
       • As noted in the campus visitor policy, guests are required to comply with all College policies related to COVID-19, including but not limited to face coverings, physical distancing, and hygiene.
       • Any guest not observing these policies, guidelines or protocols will be required to leave campus immediately.
     • Residents must accompany their guests at all times while the guest is on campus.
     • Residents who are uncomfortable with a guest presence in the residence hall should contact a resident assistant or any member of the Residential Life staff.

  Guest Speakers

  Lycoming College recognizes that guest speakers and lecturers enrich and augment the intellectual life of the institution. During the COVID pandemic, the following guidelines will apply to the practice of inviting guest speakers to campus.

  1. All guest speakers or lecturers must be recorded in the Fall 2020 Guest Registry. This expectation includes guest speakers or lecturers to a class meeting at the regular time and in the regular location as well as guest speakers or lecturers for an event meeting outside the daily academic schedule.
     • The Guest Registry can be found at: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=UVeqmZol00mpjBiyj01EXpWZF1fxNNtIss6IaJ5R5OVURElZVU84VzZSS1FOTjNHUFBKQ0pHNU1aTCQlQCN0PWcu.
  2. Prior to issuing an invitation to a guest speaker for an event that would be outside the regular class meeting time and in a different location, faculty should consult with the Office of the Provost to review the options for locations that could accommodate the speaker while maintaining the College’s physical distancing guidelines. Staff or students should consult with the Office of the Vice President for Student Life.
     • The room reservation process will designate the number of persons permitted to attend the lecture as determined by COVID-19 capacity limits that have been established as well as the prevailing guidance from the State Department of Health.
     • The sponsor of a lecture is required to collaborate with College administration to establish a plan to ensure that attendance does not exceed capacity.
  3. Regular classes using guests and events involving guest speakers are expected to follow all the protocols detailed in the Curricular Life section of these protocols, including Room Setup and Protocol, Room Cleaning and Hygiene Protocol, Personal Protective Equipment and Instruction Protocols. See Curricular Life.
     • Providing remote options for participating in a lecture or presentation is strongly encouraged so as to promote physical distancing and to allow for greater participation of the campus community.
  4. Sponsors of guest lectures or similar events are strongly discouraged from scheduling gatherings prior to or after the event.
     • Sponsors seeking to schedule this type of gathering should consult with the Office of the Provost or the Office of the Vice President for Student Life.
  5. The College may choose not to approve guest lecturers or speakers whose travel to campus begins in regions with higher rates of virus transmission.
  6. Sponsors of guest lecturers and speakers are strongly encouraged to contact visitors prior to their departure for campus to inform them that the College’s protocols do not permit visitors manifesting symptoms of COVID-19 and that the College does not permit visitors with an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals.
  7. Upon arriving on campus, all guests, including speakers and lecturers, are required to participate in temperature screening and respond to symptom screening questions.
     • Guests who register an elevated temperature as set by the College in consultation with health professionals, or who have been in close contact with a person with COVID-19 will not be permitted on campus.
  8. Guest speakers and lecturers will be required to follow the College’s protocols regarding hygiene, sanitation, face coverings and physical distancing. See Section II of the Reopening Plan.
  9. Any individuals accompanying guest speakers will be expected to go through the same protocol as the guest speaker.