PORT Announcements announce-port@fandm.edu
Wed, Nov 18, 3:31 PM
Dear students, faculty and professional staff,
As we announced earlier this afternoon, 21 additional students have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two days. There are currently 44 active cases of COVID-19 among F&M students who have been on campus. The F&M COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated as soon as possible with the latest numbers.
Exit testing will be available for asymptomatic, walk-in appointments today (Wednesday, Nov. 18) until 6:15 p.m. in the AFSC. Students who present symptoms must immediately notify the Student Wellness Center. We strongly encourage all students to be tested before going home. It is also imperative that we all take good care to follow safety protocols, including wearing masks, handwashing, and physical distancing.
F&M’s COVID-19 Dashboard alert level status remains at the high alert level. We are now taking additional steps to slow the spread and help protect the health of our campus and local community. Effective tonight at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 18, ALL students living in on-campus and off-campus housing must be in modified quarantine in their rooms until further notice.
- In a modified quarantine, students are permitted to leave their room only to go to the restroom, or to get “grab-and-go” food from a campus dining facility, or to receive other urgent medical services (like testing) or medical supplies.
- Students must participate in their classes and campus activities remotely. All classes for the remainder of Module 2 will be virtual-only. All in-person social activities and events, including athletic practices, are canceled or need to be moved online.
- Students who are off campus, including commuters and those who live in off-campus housing, are not permitted on campus after 8 p.m. tonight. Students living off campus who have a meal plan are permitted to come on campus to pick up a grab-and-go meal.
- After 8 p.m. tonight, students will only have access to their residence hall, the dining hall, Blue Line Cafe, and the Steinman College Center for grab-and-go meals. There will be no card access changes for faculty and staff.
- After dinner this evening, all dining hall meals will be grab-and-go. Students must eat their meals in their rooms, and they must strictly adhere to physical distancing and mask-wearing when going to and from dining facilities. Following are the hours of operation through Saturday. (All campus dining facilities will be closed on Sunday.):
- Blue Line: Thursday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Steinman: Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 8 p.m.
- DHall: Thursday and Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Students staying until Sunday can pick up a breakfast meal as they leave Saturday after dinner.
- Student employees should be in touch with their supervisors.
- Faculty and professional staff working on campus or remotely should check in with their supervisor, as individual offices may modify present work arrangements as appropriate for campus operations.
We will continue with the current move-out plan for students in campus-owned housing to the greatest extent possible. All students in campus-owned housing must move out of their residences by noon on Sunday, Nov. 22.
We cannot require that students in off-campus housing go home because they have leases with independent landlords, but we strongly recommend that students living in off-campus housing consider going home for the full duration of winter break, if possible, and that they obtain a COVID-19 test before leaving.
We are prepared to accommodate students in quarantine / isolation in Schnader who cannot return home after campus has closed on Sunday, Nov. 22 until they are released from their quarantine / isolation.
We also recognize that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has announced a travel mitigation order that is effective Friday, Nov. 20, which impacts those traveling into or returning to Pennsylvania; the College is currently seeking clarity as to the impact of that order, and will update students and families as necessary. We ask that students and families seek out and understand any travel restrictions relevant to their place of residence as well.
We are taking these measures, in accordance with current guidance and best practices, out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of our community as we approach student move-out. We are grateful for all the ways you have risen to the challenges of teaching, learning, and working amid a pandemic.
Be safe,
The Pandemic Operations Response Team