Return To Fall 2021 Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview

• Guiding Principles.....................................................................2 • Return to Fall Phase 4 and Timeline...........................................2

Health and Safety Practices • Face Masks..............................................................................4 • COVID-19 Vaccine.....................................................................4 • Testing.....................................................................................5 • Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines for Faculty and Staff.............5 • Positive Test (with or without symptoms).....................................5 • Unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19.....6 • Vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19........6 • Response Procedure Overview...................................................6 • COVID-19 Self-Monitoring...........................................................7 • Temperature-taking Resources...................................................7 • Coughing/Sneezing Hygiene. .....................................................8 • Handwashing............................................................................8 • Hand Sanitizer..........................................................................8 • Mental and Emotional Wellbeing. ...............................................8 • Travel.......................................................................................9 • New Employees........................................................................9 • International Students...............................................................9 Facilities • Residence Halls. ......................................................................10 • Recreational Facilities...............................................................10 • Events. ....................................................................................10 • Cleaning and Disinfecting..........................................................10 • Classroom Sanitation................................................................11 • Clear Barriers/Shields (Sneeze Guards). ....................................11 • Signage Plan............................................................................11 Academic Procedures • Attendance...............................................................................12 • Instructor-Student and Student-Instructor Communications..........12 • Course Modality. ......................................................................13 Expectations and Guidelines .....................................................................................................13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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OVERVIEW Guiding Principles

The health and safety of our faculty, staff, students, and the public is UW-Stout’s top priority for developing protocols to respond to COVID-19.

Our health and safety protocols are aligned with guidance from the federal government, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WI Department of Health Services, American College Health Association, UW System, and the UW-Stout Recovery Planning Team.

OVERVIEW

As we have done since spring 2020, we will continue to update our plans as conditions evolve and information becomes available.

Please visit our website: uwstout.edu/coronavirus for the latest updates. Questions can be sent to covid19update@uwstout.edu.

Return to Fall Phase 4 and Plan Timeline This plan is effective August 23, 2021 and will be updated as new information emerges and the fall semester progresses.

Stout entered its Phase 4 of operations on August 1.

PHASE 4

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Phase Four – When a vaccination is commonly available, or the risk of COVID-19 has substantially diminished • Employees return to work. • Face masks and continued sanitizing as appropriate. • Virtual meetings may continue and telecommuting, due to COVID-19, may no longer be necessary.

On August 1, employees who had been on a temporary COVID-19 telecommuting arrangement due to an accommodation, childcare needs, or a Return to Work plan began returning to campus, with our on-campus employee population fully returning by the start of the academic year, August 23, 2021. Departments may determine the schedule of their employees’ return based on operational need, as long as the August 23 deadline is met. Employees with existing medical accommodations due to COVID, who feel the accommodation may need to be extended, should discuss their request with their supervisor and the Human Resources office. Our telecommuting policy that existed prior to COVID will also resume August 23.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES Face Masks Face masks or face coverings will be worn by all students, employees, and visitors when indoors on campus. Masks are not required when an individual is alone in their office with the door shut or residence hall room; however, they are required when in the presence of others and in common areas (this includes common workspaces, meeting rooms, hallways, restrooms, elevators, and classrooms). All face coverings, whether disposable or reusable, must: • Fully cover the nose and mouth; • Either cover the chin or secure under the chin (open chin bandanas are not acceptable); and • Be free of any holes (macrame’, crocheted and knitted masks are prohibited). Mask Accommodations: • Faculty, staff, and students will provide documentation via a formal accommodation request to be considered for an exception to wearing masks. • Students will request the accommodation via Disability Services. • Employees will request the accommodation via Human Resources. • For additional information, please review the Chancellor’s mask order online. Food & Beverages in Class: Because masks must be removed and food spillage also makes cleaning and disinfection less efficient, no eating should occur during classes. Although drinking also requires masks to be removed, due to the importance of hydration, it is allowed. Use good judgment and re-mask immediately after taking a drink. COVID-19 Vaccine The best protection from COVID-19 is a combination of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, wearing a mask when appropriate, monitoring for symptoms, staying home when sick, and washing your hands often. Learn about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination online. Faculty, staff, and supervisors are prohibited from discriminating against individuals regarding vaccination status. Employees who are fully vaccinated, defined as two weeks after receiving a final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, are encouraged to upload proof of vaccination status here. Students who are fully vaccinated are encouraged to upload proof of vaccination. Information about the UW System 70 for 70 Program and the UW-Stout “Do Your Part” Vaccination Incentive Program is available online.

HEALTH & SAFETY

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Testing Free, on-campus testing is currently available through September 30 for students, employees, and community members. Please visit this website for additional information. Employees who are symptomatic or have been identified as a close contact must follow CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, and should pursue testing through their medical provider or other testing provider. Unvaccinated employees will be required to be tested the weeks of August 30, September 13, and 27. Unvaccinated residence hall students will be required to be tested the weeks of September 6 and 19. Unvaccinated students who live off-campus will be required to be tested the weeks of September 13 and 27. This requirement applies to any student or employee who is on campus at any time for any reason and who is not fully vaccinated (two weeks following their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine). Testing availability and requirements following September 30 will be announced at a later date and will depend on COVID-19 conditions. For additional information, please review the Chancellor’s mask and testing order. Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines for Faculty and Staff Faculty and staff who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home and seek testing, whether vaccinated or not. Additionally, the following guidance should be followed if a faculty or staff member has tested positive or had close contact with someone positive for COVID-19. Positive Test (with or without symptoms) • An individual who tests positive and has COVID-19 symptoms will stay home until the following is met (based on the direction of a health care provider or public health): at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND at least 24 hours have passed with no fever without fever-reducing medication AND symptoms have improved. • An individual who tests positive and has no COVID symptoms can return, based on the direction of their health care provider or public health, once 10 days have passed since the positive test. • Due to congregate living, residence hall students quarantine and isolation requirements may differ. Residence Hall students must follow any quarantine and isolation instructions provided. • Additional information on the timing of close contact with an individual who tested positive can be found on CDC Public Health Recommendations.

HEALTH & SAFETY

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Unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 • If you are not fully vaccinated, stay home and away from others for 10 days after a close contact with a person with COVID-19. Continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after a close contact. Students and employees may return to class and/or work on day 11, if they remain asymptomatic. Individuals are strongly encouraged to receive a negative test on days 6-8 prior to returning to class or work on day 11. Stay home as much as possible. Contact your supervisor regarding any necessary leave. • Due to congregate living, residence hall students quarantine and isolation requirements may differ. Residence Hall students must follow any quarantine and isolation instructions provided. • Avoid travel. Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares. • If you live with someone with COVID-19, stay separate from sick members in the household as much as possible. Avoid sharing the same space within the home, including being in the same room. Use a different bedroom or bathroom if you can. • Wear a mask if you have to be around others. Please visit the CDC website for guidance on isolation and quarantine. • Additional information on the timing of close contact with an individual who tested positive can be found on CDC Public Health Recommendations. Vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 • Fully vaccinated people should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. • Due to congregate living, residence hall students quarantine and isolation requirements may differ. Residence Hall students must follow any quarantine and isolation instructions provided. Response Procedure Overview If an individual receives notification of a positive test result for COVID-19 or is required to quarantine as a result of COVID-19, the following process will be followed: 1. Employee notifies supervisor or HR of positive test result, or quarantine requirement for the employee or a member of their household. 2. Supervisor notifies Human Resources office. 3. Student notifies Student Health Services or Dean of Students of a positive test result or quarantine requirement. 4. COVID-19 Response Team assembles to initiate COVID response plan. 5. Area(s) requiring cleaning are identified and closed with signage. 6. Contact tracing may begin, dependent on the availability of contact tracers and current COVID-19 cases. Those testing positive may be required to notify their own close contacts. 7. Individuals identified via contact tracing process will be advised on next steps, restrictions, and resources. 8. Coordination efforts begin for relocation and rescheduling, if necessary. 9. Cleaning occurs per CDC cleaning guidelines, if applicable. 10. The area(s) will be reopened. •

HEALTH & SAFETY

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COVID-19 Self-Monitoring Individuals are encouraged to self-monitor for the following COVID-19 symptoms:

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

Chills

Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Muscle aches/ Body aches

Fever or feeling feverish

Fatigue

Loss of taste or smell

Other respiratory symptoms

Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

Headache

Sore Throat

Cough

*Evaluate these symptoms compared with how they are different from, or similar to, your baseline health (e.g. worse than normal, allergies, etc.).

If you begin to feel ill while at work or during class: • Inform your supervisor or instructor (for students) of your symptoms; • Leave campus and go home; • Faculty/Staff contact your healthcare provider for guidance; and • Students contact Student Health Services by phone or secure messaging. If after hours, contact the local clinic. Temperature-taking Resources The absence of a fever, which is defined as a temperature below 100.4, will continue to be an important public health issue for both COVID and influenza prevention. Risk Management has secured several no-touch infrared thermometers that are stationed across campus locations where individuals have also received training on their use. Students, employees, and visitors may request to have their temperatures taken at any of these locations during normal business hours.

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Coughing/Sneezing Hygiene If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that is effective against COVID-19. Handwashing Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that is effective against COVID-19. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash your hands after touching your face. Hand Sanitizer Generally, most individuals will be able to maintain hand hygiene by properly washing their hands with soap and water from restroom and department sinks. In situations where access to soap and water is not feasible, business managers may request hand sanitizer through the University Stores site. When ordering hand sanitizer from University Stores, please save and return any empty hand sanitizer bottles you have, as our supply of gel hand sanitizer is in bulk, and we can refill and reuse them. Hand sanitizing stations are positioned at building entrances and some other high-traffic areas. If you identify a hand sanitizer station that is inoperable, please submit a work order or contact the Facilities Management office at x2200. Mental and Emotional Wellbeing UW-Stout has contracted with an external vendor for an Employee Assistance Program. Please see the Human Resources website for additional information. The Counseling Center provides support to students in a confidential setting. Students are encouraged to contact the Counseling Center to schedule an appointment by calling (715) 232-2468. SilverCloud is an additional online resource for student, faculty and staff for confidential help for mental health issues and stress management 24 hours a day. Please visit the SilverCloud website for additional information.

SANITATION

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Travel For fall 2021, travel will continue to require the Interim Travel Authorization form. International travel will continue to require additional consultation and coordination via the Office of International Education, as well as special approval from institutional leadership. The following new measures will be required for all faculty/staff international travel: • Registration of the trip with the Office of International Education; • Enrollment in the UW System-approved International Medical, Travel, and Security Insurance plan (CISI) covering the duration of the trip; and • Enrollment in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). • Contact the Office of International Education or visit the Travel Registration website for additional information. All travelers should familiarize themselves with and follow Centers for Disease Control guidance and protocols for domestic and international travel for Fall. These guidelines currently include recommendations to delay travel until travelers are fully vaccinated as well as protocols for travelers who are unvaccinated. All members of the Stout community (students, faculty and staff) are expected to follow university guidance on masking and other COVID safety precautions whether on campus or while traveling on behalf of Stout. Upon returning from travel, employees should self-monitor for symptoms. If an employee is concerned about potential exposure to COVID-19, they should notify their supervisor and follow appropriate isolation, quarantine, and testing guidance. New Employees New employees starting at Stout and joining us from states outside of Wisconsin should review the CDC and WI Department of Health Services guidance regarding travel and restrictions. At this time, self-quarantine is not required, unless you are unvaccinated and traveling from an international location. Individuals from other states are encouraged to self- monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. International Students Newly admitted international students should plan to arrive on August 30 or 31, 2021, and will continue to receive information regarding arrival and orientation. Unvaccinated continuing international students returning to Menomonie from overseas may be required to complete a quarantine period before attending classes and should check their Stout email regularly for updates. International students may contact the Office of International Education at globaled@uwstout.edu with questions or concerns.

TRAVEL

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FACILITIES

Residence Halls All residence hall students will be expected to abide by residence hall community standards which have been designed to support a healthy living environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will be expected to maintain a basic level of cleanliness in their residence hall rooms. Proper and frequent handwashing is expected. Sanitizing stations will be placed at various entry and exit locations and students are asked to “tap in” and “tap out” by using hand sanitizer when they enter and exit a building. Recreational Facilities Recreational facilities will return to pre-pandemic functionality. Individuals will remain responsible for sanitizing their equipment after use. Events Dunn County Public Health currently recommends limiting events to 100 attendees for indoor events and 250 attendees for outdoor events. For events that exceed the existing Dunn County limits, organizers must complete the event exemption form, which includes an event safety plan. Student organizations will continue to use the existing student organization event registration form. All university events shall be entered into the university calendar. This ensures that campus event coordinators can be notified of any changes, should the need arise. Cleaning and Disinfecting UW-Stout understands that proper cleaning and disinfection is important to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19. Our custodial teams are following recommendations published by the CDC and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for products used for cleaning and disinfecting. These products are approved for use against COVID-19 and are applied per the manufacturers’ recommendations. Disinfectant products in spray bottles and wiping materials are available from Facilities Management by submitting a work order. To allow for uniformity across campus, products supplied are consistent with products currently used by custodial services. Prior to use, written procedures and the safety data sheet (SDS) must be reviewed. Procedure and SDS information will be distributed with each spray bottle and will also be available on the Facilities Management Custodial Services website. Custodial staff will fill empty disinfectant bottles during daily cleaning routines as necessary. 1. For general assignment classrooms a. Labeled bottles of disinfectant and wiping cloths will be available in each general assignment classroom. b. A procedure and SDS information will be posted in each room and should be reviewed prior to use.

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2. For other instructional spaces and office areas a. Labeled bottles of disinfectant and wiping materials may be requested by submitting a work order to Facilities Management. Please coordinate within your department to consolidate requests. b. A procedure and SDS information will be provided with each bottle. c. Requester will be contacted to verify requested quantities, coordinate delivery, and confirm refill process. The custodial services team has assembled a comprehensive custodial cleaning plan to provide additional information and guidance on cleaning and disinfecting efforts and expectations. The comprehensive custodial cleaning plan can be found on the custodial services website and will continue to be updated as necessary. Classroom Sanitation Cleaning and disinfecting supplies, procedures, and safety data information will be made available for instructors and students to use in each classroom as desired. Clear Barriers/Shields (Sneeze Guards) Clear barriers/sneeze guards have been installed in many locations across campus to provide additional separation between employee and patron. Examples of such locations include, but are not limited to, highly visited/traffic areas such as service counters, reception desks, and cash registers. Signage Plan UW-Stout has implemented a new signage guide to assist the campus, building supervisors, and unit/department leaders with signage updates. It provides guidance on which signs are to remain in place, which signs are to be removed, and which signs are optional. Additional signs can be acquired by placing orders through University Stores. If additional guidance for signage layout and planning is required, contact the Safety/Risk office. For assistance or questions about removal of installed signage, please contact the Facilities Management office. For any customized sign needs, submit a design/print request to MarCom.

FACILITIES

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ACADEMIC PROCEDURES

Attendance Students are expected to communicate directly with their faculty member regarding all absences. The attendance policy of each instructor is to be submitted in writing to each student at the beginning of the course. Medical documentation may not be available to a student for absences related to COVID-19. Therefore, the current university policy requiring that a student submit medical documentation for absences longer than three days to the Dean of Students is suspended. The Dean of Students (DOS) office will notify instructors for absences related to personal or family situations where a student has submitted documentation to the DOS for a medical absence, typically non-COVID-19 related. Students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to stay home and contact their medical provider for medical advice. On-campus students can contact Student Health Services by phone, 715-232-1314, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CST. Depending on symptoms and vaccination status, students may be asked to self-isolate until they are symptom-free or have been advised to take further action. Students are expected to follow through on all missed coursework in a timely manner and should return to class when they are advised to do so by a contact tracer or when they have been symptom free for the appropriate number of days under current CDC guidance. Instructor-Student and Student-Instructor Communications Instructor-Student and Student-Instructor communications remain critical to foster academic success. Instructors should be prepared to provide continuity of instruction for students who are ill, quarantined, or required to isolate. This may involve recording class sessions or providing content in some other way. Please contact techdesk@uwstout.edu with any questions regarding the technology available to assist in instructional delivery. Instructors should continue to provide office hours for students and have the option to provide these remotely. Students should check email the week before classes begin and communicate with instructors, advisors or other mentors as concerns arise.

ACADEMIC PROCEDURES

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Course Modality UW-Stout strives to prioritize the health and safety of its employees, while balancing the learning environment that fosters student success. With this in mind, every attempt should be made not to alter the instructional schedule after students have registered for courses or during the term. Changes in course offerings directly impact student schedules and could impact their commitments to live and/or work locally. Some students are not comfortable with online learning and this feedback has been received in multiple venues. If a course modality change is initiated as a result of an approved medical accommodation, the department chair will route that request to the college dean for approval and coordinate implementation via Registration and Records. The chair will coordinate respective student communications regarding this change in consultation with the instructor. If student attendance concerns due to isolation or quarantine periods impact the learning environment, instructors may reach out to COVID19update@uwstout.edu. The communication will be routed to additional stakeholders (department chair and/or college dean and/ or provost) to collaboratively discuss approaches to foster a productive learning environment. EXPECTATIONS AND GUIDELINES All employees and students are expected to fully comply with the protocols and guidelines outlined in this document. Failure to do so may result in corrective action. Every reasonable effort will be made to gain voluntary cooperation before engaging in the formal disciplinary process. Instructors (faculty and instructional academic staff) requesting a medical accommodation to teach remotely should do so via Human Resources.

EXPECTATIONS & GUIDELINES

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