College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu shared the following message with the campus community on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021:ย 

Dear Faculty and Staff,ย 

I apologize in advance for the length of this email, but I want toย update you on the latest COVID-19 protocols and procedures for campus as we near the official beginning of the fall 2021 semester.ย 

I know we all hoped that the COVID-19 pandemic would factor in less this semester than the past few, but, unfortunately, that is not the case.ย The risk posed by the virus is still very much among us, and we have to continue to follow mitigation protocols in order to best minimize the risks and keep our campusย asย safe and healthy as possible.ย 

Let me start with some very simple guidance:ย 

  • If you have not already done so, talk to your doctor and get vaccinated.ย 
  • If you are indoors and around others, join me andย mask up!ย 
  • Take advantage ofย the free and frequent testing events on campus, and if you feel sick, stay home and get tested.ย 

Joining together and following these stepsย out of respect for our community and each other, we can and we will have a safe and productive semester. Below are more specific updates on our Fall 2021 COVID-19 mitigation plan.ย 

Vaccinations for Students and Employeesย 

  • Everyone in our campus community (students andย employees) is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Note: per state law, the College of Charleston is NOT allowed to require COVID-19 vaccination.ย 
  • Freeย vaccination clinics will be made available to students twice a week once classes start through Student Health Services (181 Calhoun Street).ย 
  • Employeesย can find any number ofย free clinics around campus and throughout the Charleston region.ย 
  • The Collegeย will begin collecting employee vaccination status on aย voluntary basis.ย ย ย 
  • The College will announce incentive campaigns for both vaccinated students and employees.ย Incentives will range from scholarships for students to professional development funds for staff.ย Details on these programs will be coming out soon.ย 
    • Only thoseย who have submitted proof of vaccination will be eligible for these incentives.ย 
  • Vaccination statisticsย 
    • Employees: Based on a previous anonymous survey of faculty and staffย this summer, we can estimate about 93% of the employee population is fully vaccinated. The manner of the survey does present some potential bias, but it does show that, given the sample size, an overwhelming majority of our employees are vaccinated. The College will continue to encourage employees to voluntarily report their vaccination statusย here.ย 
    • Students:ย Students continue to upload their vaccination documentation before the start of classes, and, at this time, nearly 60 percent of the entire student body has indicated that they have received a COVID-19 vaccine.ย 

Face Masks

  • The College strongly encourages the wearing of face masks while around others, indoors.ย Note: per state law, the College is NOT allowed to require masks on campus.ย 
  • While not required, faculty and staff can ask others around them to pleaseย voluntarily wear a mask while interacting with them.ย 
    • For example, it is reasonable forย faculty members who have young children at home who cannot be vaccinated to share that circumstance with the students in their class and ask that out of respect for their family/circumstances that students please voluntarily wear a face mask while in their class. ย 
  • The College has a supply ofย maroon, clothย face masks available at Central Stores. If you need face coverings, please contact Central Stores about scheduling a delivery.ย 
  • Procurement is currently working to source N-95 face masks for faculty to use in the classroom, if they so choose. Once those N-95 masks are available, they will be supplied to the various deansโ€™ offices.ย 
  • Signage encouraging face mask usage will be displayed around campus to remind students, employees and visitors to mask up.ย ย 

Student Testing

Employee Testing

  • Employees are welcome to participate inย theย weekly testing clinics.ย 
  • Inย addition, the College is exploring rapid-testing options for employees.ย 
    • This testing option can be used as frequently asย desired by faculty and staff.ย 
    • Additionalย details regarding this effort will be forthcoming.ย 

Quarantine and Isolation Protocol for Students

  • Vaccinated students who have close contact with a COVID-19 positiveย individual will not have to quarantine automatically.ย 
    • They will be asked to closely monitorย symptoms; should symptoms develop, they will need to notify Student Health Services and beย tested.ย 
  • Non-vaccinated students who have close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual will have to quarantine for 10 days and beย tested.ย 
    • If they become symptomatic or test positive, they will isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test.ย 

Classroom Instruction

  • Classesย that were not initially created as fully online will be conducted in a face-to-face manner at their scheduled time and location.ย 
  • In classes where there are a series of COVID-19 absences, faculty may elect to move the section toย a fully online mode for the duration of the time the students are in quarantine.ย 
  • Students inย quarantine orย isolationย should make arrangements with their professors to keep up on their coursework.ย ย 

Employee Accommodations

  • The College is no longer permitted to offer COVID-19 specific accommodations as it did last academic year.ย 
  • However, the College still offers accommodations as required by ADA and FMLA. If you think your circumstances qualify for either of these two, please work with your supervisor and coordinate with Human Resources.ย 
  • More information about employee-related matters can be found in theย Employee Information FAQ on Back on the Bricks website.ย 

Non-Academic and Student Events and Activities

  • In general, indoor events or activities are limited to no more than 50 people or the capacity of the room, whichever is less.ย 
  • Outdoor events should be limited to a size appropriate for the space that allows for proper social distancing.ย 
  • All events should stronglyย encourage social distancing and the wearing of face masks.ย 
  • Food should be pre-packaged and served asย โ€œgrab-and-go” as appropriate.ย 
  • Sottileย Theater, Athletics and Dining Services will continue to follow their respective COVID-19 protocols and are, therefore, exempt from the above event restrictions.ย 

Office Space and Meeting Protocol

  • All offices should remain open, butย in smaller offices and lobbies,ย it is permissible to postย signage that asks people not to congregate and, within reason, to limit the number of people in a space.ย 
  • Employeesย are encouraged to ask visitors to wear a face mask in their office, if that makes them more comfortable.
  • Virtualย meetings are encouraged to continue, as appropriate.ย ย ย 

As always, please refer to theย Back on the Bricks websiteย for the Collegeโ€™s latest updates on our COVID-19 procedures and protocols.ย 

Best,

Andrew

Andrew T.ย Hsu,ย Ph.D.
President
College of Charleston