Dear Students, Staff, and Faculty,
I hope this message finds you well as we quickly approach our much-needed upcoming Spring Break, March 30-April 1, 2022. As noted in previous communications regarding COVID-19, your health and safety remain our number one priority. As we continue to consult with federal, state, and county guidelines and professionals in updating our campus policies and procedures, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with an update on our campus COVID protocols.
Given the current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in accordance with present low campus and county transmission rates, the Board of Trustee's COVID-19 Subcommittee and campus administration have decided face coverings are now optional in campus buildings. In keeping with campus policy, guests of America’s National Churchill Museum also will no longer be required to wear face coverings.
Because of various individual risk factors, faculty will be allowed ― at their discretion ― to require face coverings in their respective classrooms and/or offices. On a related note, face coverings will still be required in laboratory and healthcare spaces as directed by faculty and staff in those areas. Additionally, face coverings will continue to be recommended if you feel ill, are more comfortable wearing one, and/or have individual risk factors. We must continue to do our part to respond to public health and safety concerns, supporting those with higher risk factors or who remain unvaccinated. Please note that we will continue to offer testing in the Wellness Center and support our faculty, staff, and students who contract COVID.
These adjustments to our face-covering policy will be effective after Spring Break on April 4, 2022, and are subject to changes in federal, state, or county guidelines and/or campus transmission rates.
The ability to update our face-covering policy would not be possible without your continued diligence in vaccination and mitigation strategies. Further, we will continue to offer vaccination clinics for the rest of the semester for all of those that are interested. We very much appreciate your support, patience, and understanding as we continue to navigate through the necessary changes that have taken place on our campus as a result of the pandemic.
Vice President and Dean of Student Life
Dear Students, Staff, and Faculty,
As you may already be aware, the United States Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) on Vaccination and Testing policy (29 CR 1910.501) regarding COVID-19. The ETS policy applies to employers who have 100 or more employees and defines employees as both part-time and full-time status. Westminster College (“College”) is subject to this ETS.
The campus COVID-19 task force, cabinet administration, and the Board Officers have been reviewing this requirement and the related judicial actions. The United States Supreme Court (“Supreme Court”) is holding hearings on the ETS, tomorrow, January 7, 2022, but, at the current time, it is considered enforceable and valid.
We wanted to make you all aware of this OSHA requirement, as we are reviewing how it affects our employees, which would include full-time and part-time staff and faculty, including adjuncts, and student employees of the College.
Absent any changes by the Supreme Court, the College is required to implement a policy that either: (1) requires vaccination of all employees, or (2) requires that the College verify employee vaccination status and put in place specific requirements for employees who are unvaccinated (regardless of whether the employee would qualify for an accommodation/exemption from vaccination). The College, presently, has decided it will not mandate that all employees be vaccinated, and therefore will be updating our current COVID-19 policies and protocols to reflect the additional requirements related to employees who are unvaccinated.
For fully vaccinated employees, we will be required to collect proof of vaccination. Employees are considered fully vaccinated as of two weeks after a second dose series (i.e., Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after the single dose vaccine (i.e., Johnson and Johnson). Boosters are encouraged, but not required, at this time.
Employees who are not fully vaccinated will be required to provide proof of weekly COVID-19 testing. Testing must be proctored, meaning that at-home, self-administered tests are not sufficient. The College is working to set up appropriate testing that will be in place no later than February 5 (the date required by the ETS). We will provide more information about testing in the coming days.
The ETS also contains requirements about face coverings for unvaccinated employees, but the College’s current face covering requirements that apply to all employees already meet this standard.
If you have not done so, we strongly recommend that you complete this vaccination status form, sent previously by Human Resources, and that you provide verification of your vaccination status. You may provide vaccination status verification by either: (1) uploading your vaccination card or (2) by giving our Director of Health Services, Kim Lorentz, permission to access your vaccination status via the state registry with your completed form. If you do not provide verification that you are fully vaccinated, you will be subject to the testing requirements.
All medical information collected from individuals, including vaccination information, test results, and any other information obtained as a result of testing, will be treated in accordance with applicable laws and policies on confidentiality and privacy. All vaccination records and test result records will be maintained in confidential, secured files by appropriate college personnel throughout the duration of the OSHA ETS.
We appreciate all that you are doing to keep our campus safe and your patience as we work through the details of this policy and the quarantine matters. We continue to monitor this evolving situation, including relevant court decisions and guidance from agencies such as the CDC. We anticipate sending additional guidance next week, following a decision from the Supreme Court, with more information about these important issues.
Sincerely,
Kasi N. Lacey, Ph.D.
Vice President, Dean of Student Life
CC: Donald P. Lofe, Jr.
President and Chief Transformation Officer
As you may already be aware, the United States Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) on Vaccination and Testing policy (29 CR 1910.501) regarding COVID-19. The ETS policy applies to employers who have 100 or more employees and defines employees as both part-time and full-time status. Westminster College (“College”) is subject to this ETS.
The campus COVID-19 task force, cabinet administration, and the Board Officers have been reviewing this requirement and the related judicial actions. The United States Supreme Court (“Supreme Court”) is holding hearings on the ETS, tomorrow, January 7, 2022, but, at the current time, it is considered enforceable and valid.
We wanted to make you all aware of this OSHA requirement, as we are reviewing how it affects our employees, which would include full-time and part-time staff and faculty, including adjuncts, and student employees of the College.
Absent any changes by the Supreme Court, the College is required to implement a policy that either: (1) requires vaccination of all employees, or (2) requires that the College verify employee vaccination status and put in place specific requirements for employees who are unvaccinated (regardless of whether the employee would qualify for an accommodation/exemption from vaccination). The College, presently, has decided it will not mandate that all employees be vaccinated, and therefore will be updating our current COVID-19 policies and protocols to reflect the additional requirements related to employees who are unvaccinated.
For fully vaccinated employees, we will be required to collect proof of vaccination. Employees are considered fully vaccinated as of two weeks after a second dose series (i.e., Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after the single dose vaccine (i.e., Johnson and Johnson). Boosters are encouraged, but not required, at this time.
Employees who are not fully vaccinated will be required to provide proof of weekly COVID-19 testing. Testing must be proctored, meaning that at-home, self-administered tests are not sufficient. The College is working to set up appropriate testing that will be in place no later than February 5 (the date required by the ETS). We will provide more information about testing in the coming days.
The ETS also contains requirements about face coverings for unvaccinated employees, but the College’s current face covering requirements that apply to all employees already meet this standard.
If you have not done so, we strongly recommend that you complete this vaccination status form, sent previously by Human Resources, and that you provide verification of your vaccination status. You may provide vaccination status verification by either: (1) uploading your vaccination card or (2) by giving our Director of Health Services, Kim Lorentz, permission to access your vaccination status via the state registry with your completed form. If you do not provide verification that you are fully vaccinated, you will be subject to the testing requirements.
All medical information collected from individuals, including vaccination information, test results, and any other information obtained as a result of testing, will be treated in accordance with applicable laws and policies on confidentiality and privacy. All vaccination records and test result records will be maintained in confidential, secured files by appropriate college personnel throughout the duration of the OSHA ETS.
We appreciate all that you are doing to keep our campus safe and your patience as we work through the details of this policy and the quarantine matters. We continue to monitor this evolving situation, including relevant court decisions and guidance from agencies such as the CDC. We anticipate sending additional guidance next week, following a decision from the Supreme Court, with more information about these important issues.
Sincerely,
Kasi N. Lacey, Ph.D.
Vice President, Dean of Student Life
CC: Donald P. Lofe, Jr.
President and Chief Transformation Officer
