COVID-19 Campus Plan

Staying healthy and safe this academic year.

Updated December 18, 2020

Northland College is committed to keeping our campus and community safe by limiting the spread of COVID-19. While much has gone into our efforts to protect the Northland community we recognize that we cannot guarantee an environment free of COVID-19. We are striving to create an environment where all members of the Northland community including faculty, staff, students, and visitors take responsibility for their own health and safety and act in a manner that demonstrates consideration and respect for those around them.

Guiding Principles

Although it will not be possible to mitigate every risk, each of us must contribute to reducing those risks. Everyone in the Northland community is asked to show their care for our campus and regional community by adhering to the science, advice, guidelines and best practices of health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control, the Wisconsin Department of Health, the Ashland County Health Department, and other professional health organizations.

Physical distancing and wearing face coverings is expected when in class, traversing through campus, shopping in the community, or when we’re around others. Promoting personal hygiene practices and frequent cleaning is a part of our new norm as a citizen of our campus community.

Academic Modifications

Winter Term Start & End Date

Winter term classes commence on January 20 and end on April 23, with session one running from January 20 to March 5 and session two running from March 8 to April 23. May term classes will commence on May 3 and end May 28. Please note there is no week-long, mid-session break. Classes will be delivered primarily using in-person format, with some hybrid and online instruction.

Course Schedule

In order to optimize the flexibility of instruction and enhance your learning experience during this pandemic, we divided the winter term into two academic sessions. The sessions will run January 20 to March 5 and March 8 to April 23 . Students will generally be enrolled in two courses during the first session and two during the second session.

Classroom Safety

Classroom and lab capacity have been modified to ensure six feet of spacing between students. Class sizes have been adjusted to observe physical distancing guidelines in classrooms, labs, and field trip vehicles.

Curriculum Delivery

At this time, Northland is not offering a comprehensive, online curriculum. While some faculty will offer fully online classes, most faculty are preparing for in-person delivery with the uniquely Northland approach at its core. Students are expected to attend classes in person. If COVID-19 related circumstances prevent students from attending class in person for a limited amount of time, instructors will guide those students to alternative activities and assignments that will allow them to continue achieving the learning outcomes identified for the course.

Academic Accommodations

Students needing reasonable disability accommodations in and outside of the academic setting can access detailed information on the accommodations web page. Included is a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of common accommodations at Northland.

Reducing Spread

COVID-19 Expectations and Policies

Northland College has adapted additional policies and expectations in relationship to the COVID-19 pandemic. These expectations are designed and guided by the principles to keep our campus community as safe and healthy as possible.

We require that all members of our campus community abide by all COVID-19 policies during this time in addition to all standard campus policies.

Additional policies will be developed and shared as needed. Please check back regularly for updates.

Disciplinary Action

Our campus expects that all community members will understand the importance of personal and communal vigilance to keep everyone safe and healthy. We also understand that there may be situations that arise where disciplinary action is required as a result of actions or inactions. Sanctions for specific actions will depend on the nature of individual situation, the frequency, and the severity of the violation.

Students

Student affairs, in collaboration with athletics, will administer any relevant disciplinary action ranging from educational conversations about behavior to suspension from the College for the remainder of the term.

Employees

Supervisors, in collaboration with human resources, will oversee any relevant disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, forfeiture of the opportunity to continue as a member of the community.

Face Coverings

In order to minimize health risks, a face covering is required on campus when in the company of others. The face cover provides protection for other people in case you are infected without knowing it. COVID-19 can be spread even when people do not feel sick and have no symptoms.

As a member of the campus community, you are expected to wear a face covering when in public; public is defined as any space that is not alone in your residence hall room, office, or alone behind a closed door. A face cover is not a substitute for physical distancing. We still adhere to physical distancing (six feet apart at a minimum) when engaging with others on campus. See face coverings in the fitness center.

If you have any questions, concerns, or feel that you have a condition that would warrant a waiver from wearing a face covering, please consult with the Office of Accommodation (students) or the Office of Human Resources (employees).

Read the Face Covering Policy .

Daily Self-checks

Each morning prior to coming to campus or leaving your residence hall room, please assess the following:

Temperature Check

In the last 24 hours, has your temperature been 100.4° F or higher? If yes, stay home or in your room until you have been fever free without the assistance of fever reducing medications for at least 24 hours. If no, go to symptom check.
Symptom Check

Symptoms vary person-to-person. Some people may even be asymptomatic (no symptoms at all). Please refer to the CDC webpage for current symptoms and to utilize the Coronavirus Self-Checker, a tool to help you make decisions on when to seek testing and medical care.

If you answered yes to question 1 or are referred to seek assistance from the self-check, stay home and notify the Office of Health Services (students) or the Office of Human Resources (employees).

Physical Distancing

The goal of physical distancing is to limit exposure by reducing face-to-face contact and preventing spread among people in a community settings. Face coverings will not serve as a substitute for physical distancing at Northland. Whenever possible, all of us will adhere to physical distancing (six feet apart at minimum) when engaging with campus constituents in campus spaces, other than in the spaces listed above.

Hand Hygiene

Hand washing guidelines are posted in every restroom on campus with a reminder to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. In addition, there are liquid hand sanitizer stations and disinfectant wipes dispersed throughout all office, classroom, and residential buildings throughout the campus. These should also be rubbed into hands for 20 seconds.

Hygiene Supplies

Hygienic behaviors are supported by ensuring that adequate supplies of soap, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes are publicly available throughout campus. N0-touch waste receptacles and recycling containers are also dispersed throughout campus where possible. Where covered waste and recycling containers are used there are hand sanitizer stations.

Signage & Directives

Signage is placed strategically around campus to communicate and reinforce expectations about daily self-checks, wearing face coverings, recognizing the signs of COVID-19, room occupancy limits, and adhering to physical distancing guidelines. Signage also communicates one-way traffic flow through entry/exit points and within campus buildings.

Testing, Isolation & Quarantine

Testing

All students, faculty, and staff are required to undergo COVID-19 testing at the beginning of winter term. Students will have drive-through testing during arrival to campus. Arriving to campus is coordinated and students are expected to arrive during their identified arrival date and time.

Northland health services will conduct a simple nasal swab. Samples will be tested on-site and results provided within thirty to forty minutes. Tests will be used to determine active viral infection status, not past exposure.

Student test results are maintained as part their secure health record with health services and staff/faculty results as part of their secure medical record with human resources.

All test results will be reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (Wis. DHS) and Ashland County Health and Human Services.

>Testing Consent Form

Contact Tracing

Health services, in collaboration with other offices, will conduct all contact tracing for campus test needs.

Quarantine & Isolation

Off-campus Residents

Staff, faculty, and non-residential students who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to isolate at home and will receive instructions from the Office of Health Services or Office of Human Resources.

On-campus Residents

Isolation space is reserved on campus for residents who test positive for COVID-19. Residential students will receive isolation instructions from student affairs (health services or residential life) and will be required to isolate as instructed.

Quarantine space is reserved for residential students who have been exposed to a person who has been confirmed positive with COVID-19. You will receive quarantine instructions from the student affairs and will be required to quarantine as instructed.

Staff members will provide meal delivery if you are isolated or quarantined on campus—for students who have a meal plan and choose to participate in meal delivery. Food options will be discussed with all students.

Residential students who test positive on day one of arrival will be asked to quarantine or isolate at their home. Except in extenuating circumstances, on-campus housing will not be an option on the initial testing day. Students who live off campus will not be permitted to isolate or quarantine on campus.

Campus Life

Food Service & On-campus Dining

Northland and Chartwells are working with the Ashland County health inspector to provide food service consistent with health and safety requirements. Chartwells is following all recommend guidelines and serving modifications in all locations. There is limited physical distance seating, packaged meals, and take-away options. All spaces have signage denoting the one-way traffic flow.

The campus store is open and is following all health guidelines, including clearly routed one-way traffic.

>Dining hours
>Menu Information

On-campus Shared Living Specifications

Physical distancing guidelines, maximum occupancy limits, and face covering rules must be adhered to in residence hall living spaces. Maximum occupancy inside a residence hall room is four on-campus students including the residents of the room, and all are required to wear a face covering. When roommates are together in their room with no guest(s) over, face coverings are recommended. Common spaces (lounges, kitchens, and basements) have been redesigned to allow for proper physical distancing and maximum occupancy limits are posted. Kitchens and laundry spaces are open for use with face coverings required and occupancy limits followed. Public sharing of kitchenware is not allowed.

Campus Events

Any program or activity on campus will follow best practices of physical distancing, face coverings, and public health guidelines. Consideration and potential modifications will be needed depending on group size and location. All public and large events on campus have been cancelled through April 23, 2021. If you have any questions about hosting an activity or program, contact covid@northland.edu.

On-campus Visitor Limitations

Only on-campus students are permitted to visit other residence halls, accompanied by a host. At this time, no off-campus visitor or guest, regardless of Northland student status, is allowed access to residential spaces.

Student Travel Guidelines

Once on campus, students should plan on staying in the Ashland community until the end of winter term or May term (if taking a May course). The greater Ashland area would be defined as our commuter radius of forty miles from campus.

Vehicles: Students with vehicles on campus are expected to limit the number of passengers in their vehicles and wear face coverings. Campus vehicles will have travel restrictions and capacity modifications
BART Bus: Please review the BART bus website for up-to-date information and route information. Students will need to plan ahead to utilize the BART bus, which is free for all students with an ID.

Sanitation of Spaces on Campus

Following CDC recommended guidelines, the cleaning and disinfecting standard operating procedures will include daily wiping of all high-touch surfaces (doorknobs, light switches, drinking fountains, sink faucets, handrails, etc.). Our facilities team uses disposable disinfecting wipes and cleaning products that meet EPA recommended criteria.

Maintaining Healthy Environments

Cleaning & Disinfection

Physical Barriers & Guides

Service counters where employees or students interact regularly, are equipped with sneeze guards. Physical guides and traffic flow markings for all buildings with high-use traffic denote one-way traffic wherever possible and physical separation when two-way traffic is appropriate or the only option.

Ventilation

An evaluation of ventilation systems in classroom buildings is underway. Recommendations will be considered to further enhance our COVID-19 mitigation plans. All buildings with air handling systems, have five exchanges per hour with twenty percent fresh air exchange. HEPPA standards have been increased for air filters in spaces.

Water Systems

Touch-free water bottle filling stations are available throughout campus. Traditional drinking fountains have been replaced by touch-free bottle filling stations or have been turned off.

Maintaining Healthy Operations

On-Campus Events

Larger events have been canceled or postponed. There are still small events and programs happening on campus for our campus community members. All health guidelines and campus policies are in effect.

Travel and Transit

Employees engaging in individual business travel are expected to use good judgement. Employees are expected to continue to follow COVID-safe practices in respecting physical distancing, using cloth face coverings, and following health hygienic practices.

Employees utilizing rented buses are bound by the state guidelines of those transportation companies. Buses for athletic travel are rented from Minnesota, which stipulates only one passenger per row within the bus. Face coverings are required throughout the trip.

Northland’s fleet remains available with the expectation of all passengers wearing face coverings for the duration of the trip. Occupancy will be reduced for all trips.

Employee Travel

Employee travel will be limited to essential travel. All travel (except commuting to/from work) outside of the Ashland region should be pre-registered with the Office of Risk Management. The greater Ashland area would be defined as our commuter radius of forty mile from campus. Please also check in with the Office of Risk Management regarding personal travel outside of the Ashland region to determine if you will need to quarantine prior to returning to campus.

Virtual Meetings

Virtual meetings minimize the frequency of in-person meetings. Telephone and email communication for student services is the primary mode of communication, and appointments will be conducted virtually whenever possible. Where in-person meetings cannot be avoided, waiting areas are configured to respect physical distancing; meetings will take place in spaces that support physical distancing. Face covering will be worn.

Campus Visitors

Prospective visitors on campus are limited to group sizes of five or less with visits registered in advance with the Office of Risk Management. Registration should include the names of the visitors, purpose and date of the visit, and general visit route information. All visitors are required to follow physical distancing guidelines and are to use face coverings.

Community Visitors

All campus buildings, including the Ponzio Campus Center, Dexter Library, Sigurd Olsen Environmental Institute, and the John Allen Fitness Center are closed to the general public. Communications have been made to vendors regarding campus-wide expectations regarding daily self-checks, face coverings, good hygiene and physical distancing.

We ask that you exercise good judgement with inviting visitors to campus with mindfulness of the wellness of our community. All visits must be registered in advance with the Office of Risk Management to allow for contact tracing support should there be a need. All visitors are expected to follow campus protocols regarding daily self-checks, face coverings, good hygiene and physical distancing.

Training

Northland subscribes to SafeColleges training programs for staff, faculty, and students which includes several COVID-19 specific trainings. Signage and programming include topics such as: daily self-checks, wearing face coverings, physical distancing, proper hygiene, and respecting traffic flow signage. Focus is on being a good citizen both within Northland and the broader Chequamegon Bay community.

Athletic Programming

Sport Competitions

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Council of Chancellors has voted to resume winter sports competition for the 2020-21 season in February contingent upon the securing of ongoing COVID-19 testing. The plan requires all WIAC institutions to secure testing for student athletes and support staff and game officials in order to provide safe competition environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. This strategy may need to be adjusted due to the ever-changing conditions of the pandemic.

The resumption of play includes the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and wrestling.

Northland College men’s and women’s hockey compete in the WIAC. The conference-only schedules will begin the week of February 1, 2021, and be released at a later date. All contests will be conducted in accordance with NCAA Division III regulations, as well as institutional, state, and local health and safety guidelines.

Fitness Center

The John Allen Fitness Center is open to all students, faculty, and staff for workout purposes during winter and May term. The center will have a maximum occupancy of twenty people. Locker rooms and showers remain closed at this time. Participants are expected to disinfect all equipment before and after use. Physical distancing of six feet should be observed with the exception of spotting for weightlifting, but then face coverings should be worn.

Face coverings must be worn when entering, traversing, and exiting from the fitness center. This includes when using equipment, with the exception of aerobic equipment (treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, etc.) and other physically intensive workouts (weights, jump-roping, etc.). Face covering use on aerobic equipment is at the user’s discretion and at the user’s risk. The rock climbing wall is also open when a certified supervisor is present. Plexiglass has been installed at the buildings entrance. Face covering requirements are applied universally to all participants using the fitness center.

Increased cleaning and sanitizing of fitness center and locker rooms has gone into effect in regards to winter needs. All protocols are subject to change based on the course of the virus.

Planning Groups & Resources

COVID Planning Groups

Northland College leadership and the COVID-19 Planning Task Group, as well as other working groups will continue to focus on planning and policy issues for the coming academic term, and use what we have learned over the past months to continually update policies, procedures, and protocols, following the guidance from healthcare officials and organization. The primary goal is to provide and maintain a healthy environment and deliver an effective educational experience. Please continue to visit this webpage for updates.

Helpful Resources

Contacts

Health Services
715-682-1340
email

Human Resources
715-682-1841
email

Risk Management
715-682-1841
email