August 3: Vital Preparation for Students Returning to Campus This Fall

Dear LC Student,

Faculty and staff are looking forward to welcoming to campus those of you who are taking in-person classes and living in the residence halls. We have devoted our summer to preparing for a safe and productive fall semester. We cannot, however, do this alone. We need your help to ensure the Lewis & Clark community remains healthy.

Our Fall 2020 Reopening plan is designed to safeguard our entire campus community. The policies and expectations we have put in place are mandatory and apply to all students who will be taking classes with an in-person component, whether you live on campus or off. Not adhering to our COVID-19 plan could result in the loss of privileges to be on campus and even suspension.

Before Your Arrival

You need to observe a mandatory two-week period of self-isolation prior to arrival on campus. Please consider your move-in date or planned arrival from campus and make sure you have self-isolated for a full 14 days before coming to campus. Note that flying will not invalidate your 14-day self-isolation; please follow the recommended CDC guidelines when travelling in order to reduce your risk of exposure. If you anticipate not being able to complete the two-week self-isolation, please contact Student Life at vpsl@lclark.edu.

We define self-isolation as

• staying in your place of residence to the fullest extent possible;
• limiting contacts with those outside your immediate household, and if others in your household are not self-isolating, avoiding situations where you have face-to-face contact with them closer than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes;
• minimizing any travel from home, except for essential trips (e.g., work, doctor’s appointments, trips to the grocery store); this includes avoiding large gatherings or social hotspots, especially where social distancing cannot be maintained and face coverings are optional or not effectively used (e.g, bars, parties, gyms, etc.);
• always wearing a mask and adhering closely to social distancing protocols if you do need to leave your home.

In addition, before coming to campus you will need to complete our specially designed COVID educational module. The link for the module will be live by the end of the business day tomorrow, August 4.

When You Arrive on Campus

Upon arriving on campus, you will be asked to attest with your signature that you have completed the mandatory 2-week self-isolation. If you have not completed the 2-week self-isolation and the educational module, you will not be able to attend any classes in person or move into your residence hall until we have your signed attestation.

If you are moving into the residence halls, you (and your guest who is helping you move in) will need to fill out a symptom checklist and have your temperatures taken.

Life on Campus During the Pandemic: We B4 Me @LC

We B4 Me @LC means prioritizing the community impact of your decisions rather than your personal preferences or beliefs. This means that you must

• per Multnomah County Phase 1 guidelines, refrain from hosting or attending gatherings of more than 10 people while indoors; we plan to have some covered, outdoor spaces available for small groups of students to gather for connection and socialization;
• as mandated by the college and the state of Oregon, wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces and all outdoor spaces where social distancing isn’t possible;
• socialize with only 4–6 friends who you know are observing safe practices;
• if you live on campus, stay on campus with the exception of emergencies or essential services such as going to the doctor, pharmacy, or grocery store;
• not bring any visitors to campus; only members of the Lewis & Clark community are allowed on campus;
• self-monitor daily for any symptoms of COVID before leaving your residence;
• self-isolate and seek medical consultation at the first sign of any COVID-related symptoms;
• respect any reminders members of our community give you about safe health practices, such as putting on a mask, washing your hands, or maintaining social distance.

Testing

COVID-19 testing is a part of our health and safety plan. Our community-level plan for assessing nonsymptomatic presence of COVID is based on testing wastewater (sewage) from residence halls for evidence of infection. If we see evidence of infection, we will test residents of the affected halls. In addition, we are working on a plan for regular, comprehensive testing of all undergraduates during the course of the semester.

If any community members present with COVID-19 symptoms, they can be tested with one of the two rapid-testing machines that we expect to receive before New Student Orientation. We will also be contact tracing. These efforts, when combined with our self-isolation policy prior to arrival on campus will help us minimize COVID-19 infection and spread.

Special Information for Residential Students

Those of you living on campus have been asked to sign a housing addendum prior to returning to campus. If you have not done so, please complete this as soon as possible.

If you have questions about life on campus that have not been answered here, check out the FAQ that Campus Living has put together, or contact them directly at living@lclark.edu.

Our ability to remain open for the fall semester rests with you and your decisions. I know we can all do this, together.

Sincerely,

Robin H. Holmes-Sullivan
Vice President and Dean of Students
Lewis & Clark College