Wednesday, Sep 1, 2021
Dear Faculty,
We recognize there are many logistics to navigate with our return to normal operations in the classroom while also dealing with COVID-19. This communication serves to outline our process for contact tracing in the event of a positive case among your students, as well as to share information with you regarding exempted, unvaccinated students.
Contact tracing
Regarding contract tracing, it is very important that you read, understand and follow our process. Your timely response, if contacted, is critical to preventing any further spread arising from a COVID-19 positive case.
Please note that the contact tracing process allows us to identify close contacts as defined by the CDC. Just because one student in a class or choir has tested positive does not mean that the entire class or choir will have to quarantine or be tested. Only close contacts will be contacted and need to abide by the instructions provided.
We also ask that you make sure that any student who indicates that they are COVID-19 positive has contacted the Student Health Center at 609-896-5060 or at [email protected]. That allows us to keep track of cases and students and begin the contact tracing process.
When a student tests positive, the following steps will be taken:
- The Student Health Center reports a positive case to Chris Botti, COVID-19 Case Manager, (609-895-5589; [email protected])
- Chris Botti reaches out to the COVID-19 positive student and makes any necessary accommodations for that student (moving to a different residence hall, coordinating absence with the Dean of Students Office so that faculty are informed of any absences related to COVID-19 quarantine or isolation, etc.)
- As part of this process, the student is asked about potential close contacts
- Close Contacts are identified as follows:
- Anyone within 6 feet of the person for 15+ minutes, masked or unmasked
- Anyone who has had physical contact with the person
- Anyone who has had contact with any bodily fluids of that person
- Anyone that lives with the person
- The COVID-19 positive student is asked about people who were sitting within 6 feet of them in classes, rehearsals, etc. This might require help from the faculty member to help identify who those close contacts are. In this case, Chris Botti will directly reach out to the faculty member asking about where students are seated or arranged. A timely response (ideally, same day) is key to the contact tracing process to prevent further spread of COVID among close contacts. During this time, assigned seating and/or seating charts may greatly assist in this process and faculty are encouraged to consider this approach for the semester’s classes.
- Close Contacts are identified as follows:
- As part of this process, the student is asked about potential close contacts
- Once the list of contacts has been developed, Chris or another designated contact tracer will call each individual to let them know that they were identified as a close contact as well as next steps based on their vaccination status.
- Vaccinated Individuals
- Do not have to quarantine
- Will need to wear a mask for the next 14 days when around other people
- Will need to test 3-5 days after exposure
- Unvaccinated Individuals
- Must quarantine for 10 -14 days
- Must test 5-7 days after exposure, if they are negative they can end quarantine on day 10 as long as they are symptom free.
- Vaccinated Individuals
- Students can end quarantine or isolation only when cleared to do so by the Student Health Center.
Exempted, unvaccinated students
Before classes begin, there will be a confidential list of those students who are taking in-person classes/living on campus who received an approved medical or religious exemption from the COVID vaccination requirement. They are required to comply with the masking and testing protocols for the duration of the semester. The rest of our students who are taking in-person classes/living on campus are vaccinated - a total of 96%. This list will be sent to department chairs; faculty who wish to review this information should contact their chair beginning Friday, September 3rd. As a reminder, information about a student’s vaccination status should not be disclosed to anyone or discussed with any student.
As you know, Rider has temporarily established an indoor mask requirement for everyone, regardless of vaccination status. When the local transmission and infection rates improve, we hope that this universal masking requirement will be revisited for fully vaccinated students, faculty, and staff. Those who have received an approved exemption from vaccination and remain unvaccinated will continue to be required to wear masks indoors throughout the entire semester and will be tested weekly.
Vaccine exemptions
Student requests for exemptions were evaluated through a formal application, review, and approval process managed by the Student Health Center. To date, approximately 150 students have been approved for a vaccine exemption.
Students not yet fully vaccinated
Some students will start the semester partially vaccinated (with one of two shots) and will complete their vaccine sequence after a short period of time. These students will also be tested weekly until such time as they are considered fully vaccinated (2 weeks after final dose).
A few final points
Faculty should ensure the safety of their classrooms by enforcing masking by all students in their classes and requiring that they complete Campus Clear on a daily basis. If and when the masking requirement for vaccinated students is lifted, please ensure those unvaccinated students on your list remain compliant with masking. At no point should faculty confront or identify unvaccinated students.
Faculty who encounter resistance by any student, vaccinated or unvaccinated, who refuses to adhere to masking should ask the student to leave class and then report the event to the Dean of Students office. If a situation becomes confrontational, please call Public Safety immediately at 609-896-5029.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Please reach out if you have any questions at [email protected].
The COVID-19 Implementation Team