Date: August 3, 2020
Subject: New State Guidance for Faculty
From: Nicole Stanton
Dear colleagues,
In response to Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s recent Executive Order/Travel Advisory, Wesleyan has been advised to make further changes to our opening plans for the fall semester. The University is thus updating information we previously provided, and it is possible we will need to make further changes as the public health context or state guidelines evolve.
The state has indicated that college students coming to Connecticut from affected states (those with high levels of Covid activity) or from other countries are not eligible to “test out” of the state’s required two-week quarantine. In an effort to have an effective quarantine on campus, Wesleyan has determined that all students on campus will be expected to quarantine for two weeks—from August 24 until September 7. To be clear: Students coming from affected states or from outside of the U.S. who arrive in Connecticut after August 24 will still need to meet the state’s 14-day quarantine; thus, their quarantine may extend beyond September 7. Those students coming from Connecticut and other states not on the list of affected states will only need to quarantine from when they move in to campus until September 7.
This will mean that all classes will be delivered remotely for the first week, beginning August 31. For those courses being taught in-person or in a hybrid mode, face-to-face instruction can begin on September 7. Some students may remain in quarantine beyond September 7 and faculty will need to make accommodations for them in their courses.
For the period of quarantine, all students will be expected to remain in their residence except to pick up to-go meals and to get a Covid-19 test at the testing site. Students will not be permitted to leave campus at all during these two weeks. Students will be tested two times per week, with the first test taking place upon arrival to campus. Once a student receives two negative test results, students living in residence halls will be permitted to expand the remaining time of their quarantine to interactions with others living on their residence hall floor or to similar sized groups of “neighbors” who have also received two negative test results (these expanded groups will be designated by the Office of Residential Life). During the entire quarantine, students will still be expected to wear face coverings and practice physical distancing, except when in their rooms.
Though students may not “test out” of the state’s quarantine requirement, in order to reduce the likelihood of a student who is Covid+ coming to campus, Wesleyan is strongly recommending that all students get tested for Covid prior to leaving home. The state is recommending this test be performed within 72 hours before arriving on campus. Because Wesleyan will be testing all students upon arrival, those students who are not able to get a test in their home state will have their first test upon arrival to campus.
Faculty traveling to campus from affected states and countries will also need to follow the two-week quarantine procedure. However, New York and Massachusetts are not currently on the list so faculty are free to commute from those locations. Testing for faculty will begin the week of August 17 with the goal of have all faculty who will teaching in person tested by August 31.
All testing will occur in an outdoor tent on Andrus Field. We will provide information about signing up for testing slots in the next two weeks.
The situation continues to change and we will provide faculty and the whole Wesleyan community with regular updates. The Academic Deans will be in touch with chairs to help all faculty in making this adjustment. Please also feel free to contact us in Academic Affairs with any additional questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Nicole Stanton
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of Dance