Together -- The Delaware State University Fall 2020 Reopening Plan

TOGETHER The Delaware State University Fall 2020 Reopening Plan

Together

Together The Delaware State University Fall 2020 Reopening Plan

Summary of contents

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A Message from Tony Executive Summary Measures to Protect Our Community Health COVID-19 Testing Program / Testing for America Partnership Teaching & Research: A Flexible, Hybrid Approach Campus Life University Employees Disability Services Athletics Facilities Management Early College High School University Funding Opportunities Together Task Force Appendix

A Message from Tony Delaware State University plans to reopen campus to residential students for the Fall 2020 Semester. Whether you are a student, parent, or University employee, you have heard me say repeatedly that the safety of our campus community is paramount. In the midst of COVID-19, this could never be more abundantly clear. Yet we cannot lose sight of our historic mission to provide educational excellence and equity for ALL, which keeps Delaware State University so clearly focused on student success.

We have partnered with Testing for America (TFA) to develop a reopening plan that meets the challenges of the moment, but still reflects the culture and character of our institution and the students we serve. TFA has engaged with the University as the “lighthouse” demonstration leader in a nationwide plan to eventually support all HBCUs in operating safely in a COVID-19 environment. You will be reading about this plan in depth, but it is imperative to emphasize two points at the outset: • The plan’s primary designer is Dr. Blythe Adamson, an epidemiologist and economist who formerly served on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Also on the TFA Advisory Committee are Dr. Neil Hockstein, the highly respected Head & Neck Surgeon from Christiana Care, and his associate, Dr. Joan Coker, an Otolaryngologist and Tuskegee University alumna.

• By late August, when faculty and students return to school, TFA will be conducting weekly COVID-19 tests for everyone on campus, with the capacity to test individuals considered “high risk” biweekly. COVID-19 positives will be followed up through rigorous contract tracing, isolation, and quarantine.

The heart of our plan is YOU. This testing plan places us among the first rank of institutions nationwide. We are confident about our other safety measures because our team has devoted thousands of hours to research and consulting with experts in the field. We have developed tremendous learning capability that has expanded our digital footprint and significantly increased our ability to be supportive wherever our students are. But the key to success this year will be a University community that takes care of each other. That means YOU. There will be times when the measures we put in place feel burdensome and uncomfortable, but what we do now, and how well we do it, will determine how much more we can do in the future.

COVID-19 is not the only event occurring in America today with the potential to change our society and culture. The movement to end systemic racism and endemic violence against Black Americans (especially Black males) has defied expectations that it would burn out in a few weeks or months. There is mounting evidence that George Floyd’s murder created a tipping point in our history that will one day be recognized as having sparked the greatest civil rights movement of the 21st century.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities should be the training ground for a new generation of leaders from every field of human endeavor, and those leaders should always be standing up for others despite where they come from, what they look like, or who they love. This moment compels us to be together too, responsibly, and to continue to reimagine “a more perfect union.”

This moment—and this movement—requires YOU.

Tony Allen, Ph.D. President, Delaware State University

Executive Summary In the face of COVID-19, Delaware State University has developed its comprehensive reopening plan in conjunction with Testing for America; the best public health information available from the Centers for Disease Control and the Delaware Division of Public Health; and directives from Federal, State, and local governments. This guidance has been integrated into a single, comprehensive plan that employs a robust testing protocol, established best practices and the most up-to-date research to mitigate the risk of infection and control the spread of the virus on campus.

Input from the campus community has also been an integral component of the Fall 2020 plan. The COVID-19 Task Force mobilized over 50 employees to staff various subcommittees to develop reopening recommendations. Faculty and students have been surveyed regarding their academic preferences for Fall 2020. Over 1,100 student responses demonstrated overwhelming support for hybrid learning options, and faculty responses also revealed support for a remote learning format. President Allen met directly with the leadership of the Student Government Association. This input is reflected in the academic plans in this report.

Protecting our campus community’s health and safety while maintaining the integrity of our academic programs are our priorities. At the outset of this pandemic, the President established a COVID-19 Task Force, including representatives from all University departments. The task force partnered strategically with Testing for America, other consultants, and government health experts for additional guidance regarding crisis response and pandemic management. This empowered the University to provide rapid, flexible and coordinated responses from the beginning to the present day. Moving forward, the task force continues to be the coordinating hub for our COVID-19 mitigation efforts – monitoring the most up-to-date guidance and adjusting protocols to maintain the health and wellness of our campus community. The following multi-layered approach will be implemented in Fall 2020.

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MEASURES TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY’S HEALTH GENERAL SAFETY MEASURES • Face coverings are required on campus – including, but not limited to, common areas, residence halls, classrooms, laboratories, work spaces, and outdoors where social distancing is not possible.

• Campus Facilities will install barriers in high-traffic areas and/or where social distancing may be impractical.

• Campus Facilities staff will implement an enhanced sanitizing and cleaning schedule for buildings throughout campus, and ensure that adequate hand sanitizer is available in all common spaces (e.g., lobbies, lounges, academic and administrative buildings).

• Workplaces, meeting rooms and research laboratories will have modified occupancy.

• Signs will be posted in highly visible locations (e.g., building entrances, restrooms, dining areas) that promote everyday protective measures and describe how to stop the spread of germs (e.g., by properly washing hands and properly wearing a cloth face covering).

WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GREATER GOOD • Students, staff, and faculty will be required to sign a DSU Health and Safety Agreement which outlines their obligations to comply with social distancing and other public health practices.

• Students, staff, and faculty will be required to participate in COVID-19 safety training which will include instruction regarding their role in protecting the health and safety of others, and how to do so.

MANDATORY DAILY SCREENING • Students, faculty, and staff will complete a symptom monitoring questionnaire daily before coming to campus or leaving their residence hall.

• All students, faculty, and staff must be symptom-free in order to be on campus or participate in campus activities.

CONTACT TRACING • To determine the risk of potential exposure to others on campus and in the community, the University will conduct contact tracing with any student, faculty or staff person who has tested positive for COVID-19.

PUBLIC EVENTS • The University remains committed to ensuring the health and safety of the campus community and is primarily focused on a successful transition to operations which include our students, staff and faculty; therefore, the University will significantly limit public events on campus in the Fall. Each event request must be approved by the University. We will continue to monitor data from the Division of Public Health and State of Emergency Declarations and modify this policy when appropriate.

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COVID-19 TESTING PROGRAM/TESTING FOR AMERICA PARTNERSHIP The CDC has made various recommendations for institutions of higher education, specifically in regard to diagnostic testing, and to meet those standards Delaware State University has formed a strategic partnership with Testing for America (TFA), a nonprofit established by leading academics, engineers and entrepreneurs to solve the COVID-19 testing crisis.

TFA’s mission, goals, and engagement strategy include: In a world without a reliable vaccine, mass access to accurate and affordable molecular tests is the necessary next step in returning our society to normal. Our goal is to make low-cost, highly reliable testing abundant and empower Americans with the information they need to make public health decisions and safely reopen schools, businesses and society.

MISSION • Communicate the scale of the problem and provide solutions in an open source way.

• Support the most likely paths to success with our team, capital and other resources.

• Inform, consult/support rapid deployments of these novel approaches as a social good.

• Promote best practices to safely reopen workplaces, schools and all of society.

ENGAGEMENT • Supply Side TFA is actively supporting projects that can help add net new testing capacity that is accurate, affordable and rapid. It is funding technologies such as SwabSeq, a leading-edge COVID-19 testing technology, and several other identified projects include scaling existing infrastructure and empowering other new technologies.

• Demand Side It is engaged in a number of pilots to demonstrate how abundant testing can safely reopen schools, counties, states and employers. TFA is engaged as an Advisor on confidential pilots with County and State governments, schools and universities.

• Public Messaging TFA is also aligned with and supports other thought leaders on public messaging around the critical need for testing including the Rockefeller Foundation and the Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy.

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REAL-WORLD TESTING TO SAFELY REOPEN SOCIETY TFA’S Dr. Blythe Adamson, epidemiologist and White House Coronavirus Task Force Member, has been actively engaged in designing comprehensive reopening plans centered around abundant Covid-19 testing to safely reopen schools and businesses. For example, one university program includes: • • • •

A full stack care approach from population identification to testing to care management.

Protocols to test all students, faculty and staff.

Tiered frequency of testing based on high vs. low transmission.

Dynamic modeling based on prevalence and targeted testing to suppress outbreaks.

Abundant, accurate, low-cost and fast turnaround testing is the best tool we have to protect our students and safely reopen schools and the economy.

As the University opens in the fall, testing will be the priority: • Frequent testing and population screenings will be conducted to identify infected students, staff, and faculty. The screening protocol will include testing prior to reporting to campus. Test collection kits will be mailed to students, faculty, and staff.

• On-campus testing will be done based on individuals’ risk of transmission due to their activities (e.g. athletic activities, residential students). The TFA protocol is for the University to be conducting weekly COVID-19 tests for everyone on campus, with the capacity to test individuals considered “high risk” biweekly.

• Real-time testing and screening data will enable the University to quickly respond to and control potential outbreaks by implementing interventions including treatment, contact tracing, quarantine, isolation, and cleaning.

See Appendix A for more detail.

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TEACHING & RESEARCH: A FLEXIBLE, HYBRID APPROACH The University’s priority is to provide our students with the highest-quality education with minimal delays and disruptions.

We are committed to providing a hybrid learning environment with a robust curriculum that is complemented by academic supports to ensure students’ academic success.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR • The Academic Calendar will begin on August 25 and conclude on December 11. Students are strongly encouraged to remain near or on campus until the Thanksgiving break, after which time they will not return. After Thanksgiving break, teaching and final exams will be conducted remotely.

COURSE FORMAT TRADITIONAL COURSES AND COURSES WITH LABS • All scheduled traditional courses will be offered in a hybrid format. With this course format, students complete coursework primarily in a digital learning environment, but they may also, at times, meet face-to-face with students and professors. Social distancing and masks will be in force during all face-to-face activities.

ONLINE PROGRAMS (DSU ONLINE COURSES) • These courses will be offered in their usual format. Students will complete work on their own schedule within the established expectations of the course. Students and faculty do not meet face-to-face in the course, nor do they have scheduled class periods.

HYBRID TEACHING INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR FALL 2020 SEMESTER • If international students cannot return to campus, they will be offered hybrid courses to take from their respective home countries. The teaching platforms can be a combination of the following applications: Blackboard, Zoom, WeChat, and WebEx. Instructors will do real-time teaching with recorded lectures for the students to review after classes, digital discussion for questions and answers, digital office hours and digital advising.

ADVISING AND STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES • The University will continue to provide our students with academic advising and student support services primarily in a virtual format. The University strongly encourages that these activities occur by phone or using digital programs such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx. Social distancing and masks will be in force during all face-to-face activities.

CAMPUS LIFE UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND SAFETY AGREEMENT: • All students reporting to campus for classes and/or residing on campus will be required to sign the DSU Health and Safety Agreement. The agreement emphasizes the importance of each student’s role in protecting the health and safety of every member of our campus and local community.

• Students residing on campus are strongly encouraged to limit their travel to the local area. Any student who travels outside of the State of Delaware will be required to report their travel and possibly quarantine upon return to campus.

THE MOVE-IN PROCESS • The residence hall move-in process will be staggered for each residence hall beginning in early August to avoid a high-traffic move-in experience. Each student will be assigned a time slot to which he/she must adhere.

• Students may be accompanied by only one person (“visitor") in addition to themselves to complete the move-in process. Each student and visitor is required to complete a health screening form prior to entering campus.

• Students and visitors must wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and avoid congregating in common areas.

• The University will not provide bins to assist students with movein activities; students must utilize personal supplies to transport belongings to their rooms.

LIVING IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS • The on-campus residential experience will look and feel differently than in the past as we continue to navigate a “new normal.”

Our Housing and Residence Education staff remain dedicated to providing programs, services, and opportunities to build community between students, staff, and faculty, whether this engagement occurs virtually or in-person. In order to manage the “new normal,” the following health and safety measures will be implemented: • COVID-19 educational information will be shared and posted throughout all residential facilities.

• Student kits (complimentary face coverings, resources, and hand sanitizer) will be supplied. On-campus residents will receive their kits during check-in.

• Quarantined/isolated individuals will be restricted from residence halls that are not assigned.

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LIVING IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS (cont.)

• Housing will create an addendum to the Housing Agreement that will include conduct violations to address any student’s failure to follow the University’s COVID-19 related protocols and practices.

• Students will be required to wear face coverings in the common areas, if spaces are not restricted, but not in the privacy of their rooms or suites.

• Students should bring face masks/cloth face coverings to campus, as well as cleaning and disinfecting supplies to maintain cleanliness in personal living.

• Each member of the Hornet residential community will be responsible for maintaining a clean and healthy living environment.

• Frequent cleaning and sanitization of common and high-traffic areas will be implemented by our partners in Facilities.

• Students moving into residence halls will be required to undergo COVID-19 testing immediately upon returning to campus and may be expected to isolate after arriving on campus.

• Residents will be required to adhere to public health practices including hand hygiene, physical distancing, proper cough/sneeze etiquette, symptom assessment, and possible temperature checks.

• Access to residence halls will be restricted. Nonresidents, including outside guests, nonresidential staff, etc., will not be not permitted to enter residence halls.

• University Housing will continue to leverage technology (YouTube Live, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to communicate with our on-campus living community.

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CAMPUS LIFE ISOLATION & QUARANTINE • Students living in on-campus housing who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 will be moved to a housing unit reserved for those who meet this diagnosis. Warren Franklin East & West is the housing unit identified to house these students until medically cleared to return to their housing assignment.

• Student Health Services will provide access to telehealth services for ongoing care and support during the period of quarantine/isolation. Mental health services will also be accessible via tele-mental health.

• A list of professional staff members from Student Affairs who are able to drop off food to their rooms will be created.

• Refrigerators and microwaves will be purchased for those designated rooms as well.

• The Division of Academic Affairs will support quarantined or isolated students to ensure minimal disruption to their academic progress.

RESIDENCE HALL OCCUPANCY The Department of Housing and Residential Education has developed a plan to safely accommodate as many students as possible. A thorough review of each residence hall’s capacity and room type has been completed, and each hall will be housed as follows: Total Beds

COVID-19 Capacity

Percentage of Occupancy

Purpose

Village Apartments

582

582

100%

Well student living

Courtyard Apartments

360

360

100%

Well student living

Tubman Laws Hall

620

620

100%

Well student living

Living & Learning Commons

242

133

55%

Well student living

Wynder Towers

82

44

54%

Well student living

Evers Hall

237

126

53%

Well student living

Jenkins Hall

246

125

51 %

Well student living

Warren Franklin East & West

310

310

Varies

Quarantine housing

Facility

DINING SERVICES • On-campus dining will include dine-in and take-out options. All dine-in activities will be conducted in accordance with the current State Declaration of Emergency maximum occupancy standards and mandates related to food and drink establishments.

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UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES In March 2020, the University successfully transitioned over 700 employees to remote work. This strategy has proved effective as the University has had no on-campus transmissions of COVID-19 and very few reported positive cases among employees.

The University will continue to limit employee reports to campus as it reopens in Fall 2020. This strategy is in line with Governor John Carney’s State of Emergency Declarations which encourage employers to continue teleworking: “Employees who have been working from home throughout this crisis should continue working from home unless there is a substantive change to business operations.” The University will, in fact, experience a substantive change to its operations as it reopens in the Fall. As foot traffic and activities on campus increase, there will be an increased need for employees to report; however, employees will only report to work if their physical presence is necessary and/or their duties cannot be performed remotely.

This determination will be made on a case-by-case basis by each department head.

The following other Human Resources processes will be implemented: • Staff and faculty will continue to be required to complete the Essential Business Screening form prior to reporting to campus each day. This form asks a series of questions that screen employees for COVID-19 symptoms, positives or potential exposure.

• Staff and faculty will be required to complete COVID-19 testing.

• Labor Relations will continue to manage employee grievances, disciplinary hearings, labor management meetings and internal investigations. All meetings will be held virtually. Face-to-face sessions will be held on an emergency basis.

• New Onboarding processes will include electronic and FedEx transmission of pre-employment documents, notarized copies of U.S. identifiable documents, online consent for background screenings, health screenings and virtual new hire orientations.

• All new hires must obtain a COVID-19 screening and provide proof of negative results prior to reporting to duty on campus.

DISABILITY SERVICES As Delaware State University continues to take every precaution in order to create an on-campus environment that is as safe as possible for all students, faculty, and staff, we realize that some of our community members with disabilities and medical conditions may be at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and/or may be adversely affected by some of the in-person safety requirements. To learn more about the types of conditions that may place a person at higher risk, please review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Statement: People of Any Age with Underlying Medical Conditions, June 25, 2020 update. Please see also the CDC Statement: Other Populations.

Rest assured that the University already has a clear process in place for any person who would like to request reasonable accommodations related to COVID-19 to ensure that they continue to experience equal and equitable access.

• Any student interested in requesting medical or disability-related accommodations due to COVID-19 can do so by contacting the Student Accessibility Services Office (SAS) run by Dr. Ann Knettler. She can be reached at aknettler@ desu.edu.

• Any faculty member, staff person, or administrator interested in requesting medical or disability-related accommodations due to COVID-19 (or for any other reason) can do so by contacting the Office of Human Resources. The main contact for accommodation requests is Ms. Vernice Oney, Benefits Coordinator. Ms. Oney can be reached at voney@desu.edu.

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ATHLETICS

Table 1: Participant summary The Department of Athletics has established a Phase 2 transitional reopening plan for Delaware State University Athletics beginning July 23. State, University, NCAA and MEAC guidelines will supersede any guidelines established within the Department’s plan. Phase 2 plans are developed from July 23, 2020 - November 21, 2020 in two parts: Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Dates

Students

Coaches

Support

Phase 2A (Priority #1-Fall Sports in season)

July 23 – November 21, 2020

~190

~17

26

~451

~38

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Phase 2B (Priority #2- Preseason practice for Winter and August 31 – May 15, 2021 Spring Sports)

• All personnel working with student-athletes are required to wear face masks while interacting, as well as adhere to social distancing and sanitation measures.

• Following CDC guidelines, staff members over the age of 60 or with existing health conditions will be asked to take extra precautions at all times.

• All athletic training and strength & conditioning will be conducted based on pre-scheduled hours of operation to limit the number of personnel in these areas.

• All team meetings will be conducted virtually, unless held at an outside venue where social distancing can be observed.

• Actual practice interaction will be limited to no more than 3 hours. During training, personnel must wear a face mask or appropriate face covering following CDC best practice guidelines at all times and follow other sanitation measures.

• Under the guidelines of the State of Delaware, fans will not be permitted to attend events during Phase 2.

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Cleaning and disinfection is a critical part of reopening as it reduces the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Facilities Management has developed a cleaning schedule which complies with the guidance from the CDC. The department will maintain the cleanliness of the campus, paying particular attention to high-traffic areas, frequently touched surfaces, and common areas.

The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed by using the proper products; therefore, Facilities uses disinfectant products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The cleaning and disinfecting schedule will be modified as necessary to ensure the needs of the campus community are met.

EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL Early College High School (“ECHS”) has developed a plan that does not anticipate its students attending any high-school courses on campus during Fall 2020. It anticipates keeping the 9th and 10th Grade classes at the Living and Learning Commons, and having the 11th and 12th Grade classes working from home, except when specifically required on campus.

This has the following implications: • ECHS will not be utilizing Grossley Hall during Fall 2020, but does expect to return in the Spring.

• Space will be at a premium in the Living and Learning Commons, and ECHS will be granted the use of the room currently occupied by the DTTC for use during Fall 2020.

• We will be converting the ECHS students to iPads during Fall 2020 to integrate them better into our Digital Learning Initiative; they will have to be planned into the distribution.

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UNIVERSITY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES The University’s administration recognizes that outside funding will be necessary to support our COVID-19 mitigation efforts. We have identified various funding opportunities through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), Campus Improvement, Excellence Through Technology, and various other state and local funds. These resources will be leveraged to meet the following immediate needs: • FEMA will reimburse up to 75% of expenses paid from the University’s operating funds; • Campus Improvement funds will be used for COVID-19 related expenses that range from traffic barriers to temporary safety structures; and • Excellence Through Technology funds will cover costs associated with upgraded technology and operating systems for students, staff, and faculty.

Discussions and research regarding funding opportunities will continue as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and assess the need for additional resources to support the University.

Resources:

Delaware State of Emergency Declarations: https://governor.delaware.gov/health-soe/ State of Delaware Phase 2 Plan: https://governor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2020/06/Delaware-EconomicReopening-PHASE-2-Revised-6.19.20.pdf State of Delaware Division of Public Health Response to COVID-19: https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/ CDC Considerations for Institutions of Higher Education: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/collegesuniversities/considerations.html American College Health Association’s (ACHA) Consideration for Reopening Instructions of Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era: https://www.acha.org/documents/resources/guidelines/ACHA_Considerations_for_Reopening_IHEs_in_ the_COVID-19_Era_May2020.pdf

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Together Taskforce This team of leaders drove the thinking, development and the eventual execution of the Together Plan. They are just a sample of a University Community that genuinely cares about our legacy, our future, and each other. In addition to the team below, it is worth noting that the newly elected Student Government Association was also very helpful in developing the final thinking on the plan. Those exceptional students include Tess Aguiar, Semaj Hazzard, Devonte Brown, Emily Campanelli, and Essence Kellman.

Chairwomen LaKresha Moultrie, Esquire General Counsel & Chief Enterprise Risk Officer

Saundra DeLauder, Ph.D. Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Steering Committee Committee Members Dr. Irene Hawkins Mr. Kevin Noriega Chief Administrative Officer Opportunities Scholar Program Mr. Cleon Cauley, Esquire Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Jasmine Buxton Student Affairs

Mr. Antonio Boyle Dean Michael Casson Vice President / Strategic Enrollment Management College of Business Chief Harry Downes Asst. Vice President / Student Affairs / Chief of Police

Ms. Lori Crawford AAUP

Dr. Stacy Downing Dr. Akash Dania Vice President / Student Affairs College of Business Dr. Scott Gines Mr. Al Dorsett Athletic Director Financial Aid Ms. Jackie Griffith Special Assistant to the President

Dr. Michelle Fisher Student Health Services

Mr. Darrell McMillon Chief Information Officer

Dean Francine Edwards College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences

Dr. Steve Newton Presidential Fellow & Director of Media Relations

Ms. Pamela Gresham, Esquire Labor Relations / Diversity and Inclusion

Dr. Vita Pickrum Mr. Paul M. Bernat Vice President / Institutional Advancement University Police Ms. Tamara Stoner Mr. Roberto Brito Director of Risk Management & University Secretary University Police

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Together Taskforce Ms. Jane Towers Mr. Keith Coleman University Controller Residence Life Mr. Herman Wood Mr. Zafar Chaudry Associate Vice President / Facilities Management Procurements, Contracts and Data Administration Ms. Aleasha Dorsett Dr. Venugopal Kalavacharla Institutional Advancement College of Agriculture, Science & Technology Ms. Arynn Forgan, RN Student Health Services

Ms. Ann Knettler Student Accessibility Services

Dean Patrice Gilliam-Johnson School of Graduate Adult & Continuing Ed. Studies

Dr. Fengshan Liu International Affairs

Ms. Sandra Golson Ms. Tiffany Lomax Human Resources Student Affairs Mr. Kenneth Gruebr Dean Dyremple Marsh Aramark College of Agriculture, Science & Technology Ms. Monica Hall Office of the General Counsel

Mr. Kareem McLemore Admissions

Mrs. Michelle Handy Division of Compliance & Research

Ms. Vanessa Nesbit Office of the President

Dr. Melissa Harrington Ms. Angenette Oliver Research Strategic Enrollment Management Mr. Dennis Hawkins Athletics

Dr. Donna Patterson College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences

Mr. Harold Hazzard  Office of Sponsored Programs

Mr. Robert Pfiester Athletics

Dr. Terrell Holmes Mr. Dennis Jones Strategic Enrollment Management Athletics Dean Marsha Horton College of Health & Behavioral Services

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Mr. Bernard Pratt Facilities Management

Mr. Jeffrey Revel Student Affairs

Dr. Charity Shockley Institutional Advancement

Ms. Terri Jeffries Distance Learning

Dr. Alexa Silver Faculty Senate

Mr. LaShawne Pryor Institutional Advancement

Lt. Joi Simmons University Police

Ms. Pam Jenkins Athletics

Lt. Russell Smith University Police

Ms. Kortney Rhoades Athletics

Dr. Marcia Taylor Alumni Relations

Ms. Candy Young Title IX

Ms. Rhonda Thompson Strategic Enrollment Management

Mr. Todd Riedel Athletics

Mr. Russell Weaver Information Technology

Dr. Lorene Robinson Institutional Advancement

Ms. Toshia Williams Student Accounts

Dr. Shelly Rouser College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences

Mr. Bob Wurzburg Operations

Ms. Jarso Saygbe Academic Advising & Student Success

Mr. Matthew Fortune Athletics

Dr. Gwen Scott-Jones College of Health and Behavioral Services

Ms. Charmaine Babb Information Technology

Ms. Alecia Shields-Gadson Athletics

Dr. Clytrice Watson Academic and Student Services

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APPENDIX Summary of contents 21 21 22 22 24 24 24 25

Overview Background Objective Strategy for Testing Contact Tracing and Isolation Outcome Measures Demonstration Leader References

APPENDIX

Overview

The protocol enables high quality, in-person educational experiences for next-generation leaders at all Historically Black Colleges and Universities by increasing confidence and safety through massive coronavirus testing when there is risk of transmission. This protocol describes an approach for strategic testing using Delaware State University as a demonstration leader.

Background

HBCUs play a major role in the economic success of their graduates by enhancing their education, training and leadership skills. In fact, 50,000-plus HBCU graduates this year can expect total earnings of $130 billion over their lifetimes—that’s 56 percent more than they could expect to earn without their college credentials.

School closures in response to the pandemic have been a challenge for students, staff, athletic programs, academic institutions, and the economy. Robust testing capabilities at scale are needed for students and staff to feel safe returning to school. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education includes diagnostic testing of students, faculty, and staff that shows symptoms of COVID-19 as : • • • • •

Staying home and self-isolating when appropriate Handwashing Cloth face coverings Cleaning and disinfection Ventilation

• • • • •

Physical barriers and guides Modified food service Limited gathering sizes Telework and virtual meetings Preparation for when someone is sick

People are infectious before they have symptoms, so they may be infecting others and not even know it. Some people never develop symptoms and are likely to infect other people without knowing that they, themselves, are infected. Based on age, we expect that only 20-30% of infected students will show any symptoms (Davies 2020).

FIGURE 1. Timeline of COVID disease progression and possible transmission

Frequent asymptomatic population screening will be essential to identify infected students, faculty, and staff for the opportunity to isolate and stop further spread of the virus.

The scope of this protocol is limited to implementation of COVID-19 screening and diagnostic testing. It is designed to complement other campus initiatives, such as the administrative policies and engineering mechanisms to reduce the risk of transmission developed based on CDC recommendations.

APPENDIX

Objective Enable high quality, in-person educational experiences for next-generation leaders at all Historically Black Colleges and Universities with confidence and safety through massive coronavirus testing when there is risk of transmission.

Strategy for Testing By detecting people who have the virus, but no symptoms, testing can help contain coronavirus spread on campus through early intervention, self-isolation, and medical treatment.

BEFORE RETURNING TO CAMPUS • Home testing collection kits will be mailed to all students, faculty, and staff several weeks before the planned return date to campus. Everyone planning to return to campus will self-collect a specimen and complete a survey to report any recent history of illness. Specimens will be mailed directly to the lab and negative results must be received before travel back to campus begins.

ON CAMPUS TESTING • There are some living conditions that dramatically increase the risk for transmission, such as a school dormitory. These places are all high risk for very quick spread of the infection, because people are living close together and sharing spaces.

Population Risk of COVID-19 Transmission Description of risk group

Low Risk

Moderate Risk

High Risk

Faculty and students engage in virtual-only learning options, activities, and events

Small in-person classes, activities, and events.

Individuals remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and do not share objects (e.g., hybrid virtual and in-person class structures or staggered/ rotated scheduling to accommodate smaller class sizes)

Full-sized in-person classes, activities, and events. Students are not spaced apart, share classroom materials or supplies, and mix between classes and activities.

On-campus residential students, athletes, Greek life members, medically vulnerable students, or other known student populations with frequent close contact

Residence halls open at lower capacity with shared spaces are closed (e.g., kitchens, common areas).

Frequency of population screening

Once per month testing

Once per week testing

Testing 2-3 times per week

TABLE 1. COVID-19 transmission risk groups and recommended frequency of testing

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Strategy for Testing (cont.)

FIGURE 2. Testing volume for college with ~5,000 students, faculty, and staff Having this real-time data will allow the school to act quickly to control potential outbreaks by implementing quarantine, isolation, cleaning, and contact tracing protocols. Isolated dorm space for recovery of positive cases with food delivery available and heightened bathroom cleaning with extra PPE for cleaners.

Actively encourage students, faculty, and staff who are sick or have recently had a close contact with a person with covid-19 to stay home or in their living quarters (e.g., dorm room) until tested again and a negative result is confirmed. Develop policies that encourage sick individuals to stay at home without fear of reprisals, and ensure students, faculty, and staff are aware of these policies. Offer virtual learning and telework options, if feasible.

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APPENDIX

Contact Tracing and Isolation Every case of COVID-19 that’s diagnosed requires action. We have to act, and there are a number of ways that we have to act. First, we need to support the person who is infected. It’s important that we act to ensure that they have access to medical care and any social services they may need.

We also need to act to be sure that those cases are limiting their contact with other people. Close contacts are defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious case for 15 minutes or more. This is important, because someone who is infected can infect others. And part of our goal as public health practitioners is to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

When we diagnose a case, we need to find them, offer them medical support if symptomatic, and also make sure they’re changing their behavior to limit their contact with other people to reduce the risk of transmission. Next, we have to also identify all the people that they may have infected. We have to notify them about their exposure and offer them some social services that they may need. If they develop signs and symptoms, we also need to make sure they have access to medical care and offer them treatment.

And importantly, we need to limit their contact with other people. So once we find people who’ve been exposed, those people could become infectious and then infect other people. So if we can get them to change their behavior, we can limit transmission onward.

Outcome Measures Effectiveness of the COVID-19 testing program will be evaluated using the following outcome measures: The number of new cases per week, change in incidence rate over time, and cumulative number of positive tests.

• Number hospitalized with COVID-19 each month • Percent of all tests that are positive • Percent of students Outcome measures will be stratified by role (student, faculty, or staff) and risk group (low, moderate, or high).

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Demonstration Leader Delaware State University will serve as the “Lighthouse” demonstration leader for robust reopening in fall 2020.

The timeline for arrival of students, faculty, and staff on campus needing testing is presented in Table 2.

Step

Description

Date

Number to test

Step 1

Begin with aviation program students and staff on campus now.

Now

30

Step 2

Athletes and coaches begin training on campus

July 15

310

Step 3

Early arrival of some faculty, students, and staff

August 5

1,160

Step 4

School begins

August 31

4,850

TABLE 2. Timeline for Scaling Delaware State University

FIGURE 3. Number of COVID-19 screening tests at Delaware State University completed each week (left) and cumulative total over time

References • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education • Davies, N.G., Klepac, P., Liu, Y. et al. Age-dependent effects in the transmission and control of COVID-19 epidemics.Nat Med (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0962-9 • Gurley N. COVID-19 Contact Tracing. Johns Hopkins University, Coursera Course.

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