The College of Charleston will conclude in-person instruction for the fall 2020 semester on Nov. 24, 2020. Classes will resume on Nov. 30 with online instruction for the remainder of the semester.
Here’s what you need to know regarding COVID-19 protocols for students, tips for holiday travel and key dates for the remainder of the semester:
Recommendations for those who plan to leave the campus community for Thanksgiving break
• If you are leaving to complete the semester in a location away from campus, the College recommends getting a COVID-19 PCR test or rapid antigen test before departure. Do not travel if you test positive.
• Reduce participation in any potentially high-risk activities (such as social gatherings or time spent in crowds) and spending time with high-risk individuals (people who engage in high-risk activities) before you plan to leave campus. Stay home as much as possible.
• Determine if you will encounter someone at your destination who is at risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Find out if there are restrictions at your destination. If using public transportation this season (plane, train, bus), be sure to check with the carrier as some require proof of recent testing to board the vehicle.
• If students are planning to travel for Thanksgiving and then return to Charleston for the end of semester, the College asks that these students reconsider those plans and either stay with family or stay here in Charleston until the end of the semester.
• Please take note of the CDC Thanksgiving guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html
COVID-19 testing requirements for residential students returning to live in on-campus housing after Thanksgiving
• All students who plan to live in on-campus housing following Thanksgiving break will be required to provide a COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test conducted during the week of Nov. 30. This requirement includes students who remain in campus housing through the Thanksgiving break as well as those who are returning to campus housing following the break.
• Testing events will be offered by the College on Tuesday, Dec. 1, and Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Glebe Street next to the Stern Student Center. Schedule an appointment at the following link (please allot 20-30 min. to register and receive the test): https://square.site/book/LXRET9AD52B30/college-of-charleston-covid-testing-charleston-sc
• Students living in on-campus housing who are obtaining tests from off-campus providers will be required to upload the test results to the Medicat portal no later than Dec. 5. Any tests from off-campus providers must be conducted on or after Nov. 30.
• Students not providing a test demonstrating COVID-19 status will not be permitted to remain in campus housing and must arrange for their own housing elsewhere as well as transportation to that location.
Quarantine and isolation protocols
• The College’s quarantine and isolation protocols for students who are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19 will remain in effect. For students in campus housing who have the virus or have been exposed to a positive case and are unable to travel home, the College will provide isolation and quarantine space, meals and other support. Students off campus will get daily check-ins by Student Health Services staff.
• Students who have the virus and are in isolation, or have been exposed and are in quarantine, and wish to travel home, must do so by car. Before choosing to travel, please consider whether someone at your destination is at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Travel via public transportation (bus, plane, train, rideshare) is forbidden by CDC and the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) if a person is in isolation or quarantine.
Campus facilities open through Dec. 15
• Campus housing will remain open through Thanksgiving until noon on Dec. 15, 2020. Residence halls will begin reopening on Jan. 7, 2021. All students will need to schedule a checkout appointment via the MyHousing/Dining portal. The residence halls and houses will be secured during the winter break. Students will not need to take all their belongings, unless they will not be returning to on-campus housing in the spring or anticipate moving to a new room in the spring.
• Meal plans are active through breakfast on Dec. 15. Service adjustments may be made after Thanksgiving break based on usage during the remote learning period. For a list of location hours and menus, please visit charleston.campusdish.com.
• Addlestone Library will remain open through Dec. 14. The library will offer virtual services Dec. 15–22 before closing for winter break. Visit library.cofc.edu for up-to-date hours at Addlestone Library.
Visit the Back on the Bricks website for Frequently Asked Questions and the latest information regarding the conclusion of the fall 2020 semester.
