The College of Charleston shared the following message with students on Monday, Feb. 22, regarding COVID-19 policies for CofC events:ย
Dear Campus Community,
Thank you for all you are doing to keep our campus safe while working to offer engaging activities for our community. As our number of active COVID-19 cases has declined, we are re-instating our previous indoor and outdoor gathering numbers, effective for on and off-campus events beginning on Monday, March 1, 2021. Please review the updated policies and guidelines below. Please note, if our cases begin to rise, this guidance may change.
Note:ย These policies do not apply to scheduled academic classes.
These policies will be in effect beginning on Monday, March 1, 2021, until it is safe for us to make modifications. For any events that are already scheduled, please alter your plans to meet these criteria or request an exemption using the form below.
Indoor College-Sponsored Gatherings On or Off Campus:
- For indoor gatherings, the maximum attendance is 30 people or the COVID-19 capacity of the space, whichever is less.ย
- Face coverings and a distance of 6 feet must be maintained at all times between participants.
- Seats or spaces to stand that are at least six feet apart should be clearly marked for attendees.
- A non-student employee of the College needs to be present to manage the event. Those managing the event are responsible for managing social distancing and the face covering requirements.
- Eating and drinking should be very limited. Food should be pre-packaged, and we encourage providing food and drink in a โto-goโ format as guests are leaving the event.
- Events/gatherings should not include mingling or reception activities as it is difficult to maintain social distancing.
- Please maintain a list of attendees in case follow-up is needed for contact-tracing purposes.
Outdoor College-Sponsored Gatherings On or Off Campus:
- For outdoor gatherings, the maximum attendance is 50 people or the COVID-19 capacity of the space, whichever is less.
- Face coverings and a distance of 6 feet must be maintained at all times between participants.
- Seats or spaces to stand that are at least six feet apart should be clearly marked for attendees.
- A non-student employee of the College needs to be present to manage the event. Those managing the event are responsible for managing social distancing and the face covering requirements.
- Eating and drinking should be very limited. Food should be pre-packaged, and we encourage providing food and drink in a โto-goโ format as guests are leaving the event.
- Events/gatherings should not include mingling or reception activities, as it is difficult to maintain appropriate social distancing.
- Please maintain a list of attendees in case follow-up is needed for contact-tracing purposes.
Requesting Exceptions to COVID-19 Gathering Policies:
- Exceptions may be granted on a limited basis.
- Exceptions are requested using this form:ย https://go.cofc.edu/covid-meet-exemption
- To request an exception, the requestor needs to have approval for the exception request from his/her/their division head (vice president or executive vice president. Students requesting exceptions will have their forms reviewed by the EVP for Student Affairs.
- The form will be routed to the appropriate VP/EVP for this review and approval.
- Final review of exemption requests will be completed by Alicia Caudill, EVP for Student Affairs, and Bridget McLernon Sykes, COVID-19 Lead.
- Those who approve space requests should not approve any exemptions to these policies without notification from Bridget McLernon Sykes or Alicia Caudill.
Information that must be included in the Exemption Request Form:
- Rationale for the request.
- An outline including details of the event, such as check-in procedures and run of show.
- Specific plans for enforcing face covering and social distancing, including those who are responsible for doing this.
- If food or drink will be provided, details of the plans for distributing those items.
More information can be found in the FAQ section of the Back on the Bricks website: https://cofc.edu/back-on-the-bricks/frequently-asked-questions/campus-life.php
If you have questions or need further information, please let us know. We appreciate your partnership in helping to keep our campus community safe.
Sincerely,
Alicia Caudill, Executive Vice President for Student Affairs
Bridget McLernon Sykes, COVID Lead
