Centenary University Pandemic Policy

Centenary University prides itself on its sense of community and responsibility to each student.  In Centenary’s response to the pandemic, security is front and center starting with the protective measures that have been put in place to the training that students, faculty, and staff will receive.  As a member of this community, it is the responsibility of the students to adhere to policies and procedures that have been put in place for social distancing.  We all must do our part to keep our campus safe.  The procedures in this policy are subject to change as more information is provided from the CDC along with state and national directives.  For some students, you will have to follow this policy along with more stringent policies that are set for your participation in activities, on and off campus. If you have questions about compliance or you are seeking clarification about our pandemic policies, please contact the Office of Residence Life by email or call 908-852-1400 ext. 3950.

Personal Responsibility Vaccination Statuses: Up-to-Date, Fully vaccinated, Exempt vaccination student status

At Centenary University, there is a distinction between being Up to date, fully vaccinated, and exempt vaccination student status.  A student is considered “Up–to-Date” if they have received their primary vaccination series (one dose of Johnsons and Johnson OR two doses of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines) and are at least two weeks past receiving any eligible booster vaccines.  A student is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of Moderna / Pfizer or two weeks after the one shot of Johnson and Johnson.  Students who have an approved exemption are considered exempt vaccination student status.  There are different policies for Up–to-Date, fully vaccinated, and exempt vaccination student status pertaining to wearing masks, guests, weekly testing, and quarantining on campus.  All students are asked to upload a copy of their Covid-19 vaccination card or exemption to the student Health Portal. The Health Portal can be found at https://centenary.studenthealthportal.com)   

Personal Responsibility

You are responsible for your own safety and well-being at all times. To reduce the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19, it is imperative that you practice good hygiene and safety protocols.

You are required to comply with this policy by: 

• All exempt vaccination status students must wear a well-fitting face covering inside unless you are in your residence hall room. 
• Social distancing provisions inside of buildings and outside on campus. 
• Frequent washing of hands for 20 seconds or more and using the hand sanitizer stations located around campus 
• Sanitizing communal spaces before and after use, such as desks, computers, and bathrooms.
• Wiping down items daily in your residential spaces, whether on or off campus.

Social Distancing and Common Space usage

Except for your own residential bedroom, exempt vaccination status students should socially distance, whether inside or outside. Kitchen spaces and lounges will be opened, and you must abide by all posted signs and policies for use. The cafeteria and food spaces on campus will operate under pandemic policies.  You must follow these along with all occupancy limits. 

Face Coverings

As members of the university community, all exempt vaccination status students must wear a well-fitting face covering in all buildings and indoor spaces, at all times. In the cafeteria, face coverings may be removed when eating but must be placed back on when traveling in and out of the cafeteria. Face coverings do not have to be worn by exempted vaccination student status resident of the room in the residence hall unless they have a guest and social distancing cannot be maintained. 

Campus Visitors

No outside visitors are permitted to enter campus, with the limited exception of daytime visits for University business and staff or faculty needs and emergency family visits to campus.  All visitors must check in at the Welcome Center and sign the contact tracing log along with completing a short health questionnaire.  Once this is done, the visitor will receive a pass that they must keep with them and furnish on request.

International Travel and Domestic Travel to Areas Designated as High Risk

All non-“Up–to-Date” students who travel, either abroad or domestically, to locations designated as hot spots by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) must disclose their travel itinerary to the Residence Life office prior to returning to campus. Before returning to campus, the University retains the right to require you to complete a 5-day quarantine off campus. Any student who develops COVID-19 symptoms while in quarantine will be directed to begin an isolation period from the first day of the onset of symptoms. You will be cleared by the Office of Health Services to end your isolation when you are 1) found to be at least five days from the date of the initial symptom and 2) 24 hours fever free without the use of antipyretic (fever-reducing) medications.  A student who is symptom free during the 5 days of quarantine must be cleared by the Office of Health Services to return to campus. Residential Students are advised to disclose their travel plans to these locations by e-mailing the Office of Residence Life.

Up–to-Date vaccinated students do not have to quarantine after traveling to these places.  

COVID-19 Reporting Procedures

If you are a commuter student and display any COVID-19 symptoms, you must leave campus if possible and seek medical attention from a professional health care provider. For those of you waiting on a COVID-19 diagnosis, you must self-isolate for the recommended time period. You must report the COVID-19 diagnosis to the Office of Health Services within one business day.  You are prohibited from entering campus without written clearance from a professional health care provider.  After being cleared, you must inform the Office of Health Services and show the written clearance to obtain approval to return to campus.

If you are a residential student and display any COVID-19 symptoms, up to date, fully vaccinated, or exempt vaccination student status, you must seek medical attention from the Office of Health Services during office hours or through Residence Life staff outside of office hours.  You will have to answer questions about your health in order to assess the situation.  You could be placed in a quarantine space on campus until testing can be done to determine a COVID result if you cannot go home. 

A residential student that is diagnosed with COVID-19 is suggested to travel home for the isolation period. After speaking with a member of the Office of Health Services or a Residence Life staff member, you will be allowed to make your travel plans home on your own accord. Arrangements may be made for those who cannot travel home for the isolation period to be placed in an on-campus isolation site. Once you have vacated the residence hall, you are prohibited from entering campus for any reason until you are cleared to be back on campus unless you have been placed in a designated isolation site.  After being cleared by the Office of Health Services, you may return to campus. 

If you are placed in a designated quarantine / isolation space on campus, you will be able to order food from the cafeteria. This food will be delivered to these quarantine / isolation spaces. You are responsible for placing your orders (Breakfast Menu and Lunch/Dinner Menu) by the designated times listed on the dining website.  The food option on the weekdays is Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.  On the weekends, the food options are Brunch and Dinner. 

Isolation & Quarantine

With a pandemic, the best course of action is to avoid contact with any other person.  The CDC has described two types of action, isolation and quarantine.  Isolation is when a person has contracted the disease.  In isolation, the person should have no contact with anyone as they are able to spread the disease.  A student would be in isolation for 5 days.  At the end of that time, they will need to be cleared to return to their residence hall along with wearing a well-fitting mask on days 6 – 10.  For student who are not “Up–to-Date”, if they have had contact with someone that was positive or that came from a hot spot, they will quarantine for 5 days and wear a well-fitting mask for an additional 5 days.  Should a student be in quarantine and start to have symptoms, then they would start an isolation period.  For both isolation and quarantine, we would suggest that the student goes home as the University has very limited space for isolation / quarantine. Up to date vaccinated students do not have to quarantine if they are a close contact.  Up to date vaccinated students would have to isolate if the Covid-19 test is positive. 

Liability & Risk

All students understand that by being on Centenary campus, you are at risk of contracting COVID-19.  By choosing to enter campus, you understand and acknowledge the risk of illness or death related to COVID-19 and hereby RELEASE, WAIVE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE (on behalf of yourself and any minor children for whom you have the capacity to contract) Centenary and its officers, directors, agents, employees and assigns from any liability related to COVID-19 which might occur as a result being on Centenary Universities campus. 

Academic Calendar and Operational Procedures

The University will begin the semester as scheduled. The University may choose to limit or suspend operations based upon the risks COVID-19 presents to the health and safety of the campus community. Centenary University has the right to change policies pertaining to guests, closing lounges and buildings, classes, amenities, and occupancy limits of spaces on campus.  The university will communicate with the campus community as changes are implemented to current operations. 

Cleaning

The University has a cleaning protocol in place by the Facilities Department to sanitize high touch areas and clean common spaces/bathrooms using chemicals that are listed by the CDC recommended standards. At times, you may see facilities members wearing face coverings cleaning areas throughout the residence halls.  Facilities staff must be given access to perform their daily cleaning duties without disruption. There will be sanitizing solution in each classroom and hand sanitizers outside of every bathroom for you to use so you can sanitize your spaces as necessary. You are also strongly encouraged to carry your own sanitizing supplies. 

Tracking Policy

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Centenary University has implemented a tracking requirement. Effective August 1, 2021 all students, employees, and visitors coming to campus will be required to complete a COVID-19 tracking.  The self-tracking needs to be completed each day you are on campus. 

The tracking can be done using the Campus Clear app (Apple Store and Google Play) and will only take a minute to complete. Upon completion of the tracking, you will receive a confirmation. If you do not have access to a smart phone or the app, you can fill out a self-screening form in the Visitor Center in the Seay Building. 

Anyone who receives a response that they are not cleared for campus activities should follow up with your health care provider or the university health center. Anyone who fails to conduct the self-screening may be prevented from entering any public space and may face further disciplinary actions. 

Covid-19 Screening

Centenary University will institute a weekly screening process for exempt vaccination student status.  The screening process is provided by Ridgewood Diagnostics Lab, a third party to the University.  The Testing Center is located on the basement floor of the Seay Building, across from the Starbucks.  Students must provide proof of insurance when going for testing.  Students will receive their results by electronic means.  All students that receive a positive result will isolate off campus or in a designated space on campus.  Students that fail to attend their screening will be held accountable to the judicial rubric for social distancing policy. 

Up-to-Date and Fully vaccinated students do not have to take part in the weekly Covid-19 screening. 

Covid-19 Rubric – Residential Student

Violation	1st Sanction	2nd Sanction	3rd Sanction	4th Sanction
Not Wearing a Mask / Not Social Distancing	Judicial Conversation	Judicial Educator – Covid-19 Education Component Deferred Housing	Community Service (5 Hrs.) Campus Wide Poster Removal from Housing for 2 Weeks	Removal from Housing for a Semester
Visitation Policy	Removal of Guest Privilege       Deferred Housing	Removal from Housing for Two Weeks	Removal from Housing for the Semester
Missing a Screening Appointment	Warning for missing appointment	$50 Dollar Fine	$100 Fine and Judicial Educator Covid-19	Removal From classes in-person

Covid-19 Rubric – Commuter Student

Violation	1st Sanction	2nd Sanction	3rd Sanction	4th Sanction
Not Wearing a Mask / Not Social Distancing	Judicial Conversation	Judicial Educator – Covid-19 Education Component	Community Service (5 Hrs.) Campus Wide Poster Removal from Campus for 2 Weeks	Removal from Campus for a Semester
Visitation Policy	Removal from Campus for Two Weeks	Removal from Campus for a Semester
Missing a Screening Appointment	Warning for missing appointment	$50 Dollar Fine	$100 Fine and Judicial Educator Covid-19	Removal From classes in-person