A healthy and safe fall.

Fall Term Start & End Date

Fall term classes commence on August 31 and end on December 2. Instruction will take place on Labor Day as well as on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. In-person classes will end on November 24 and any remaining academic requirements such as assignments, tests, papers, etc. can be completed remotely.

Online Curriculum

At this time, Northland is not offering a comprehensive, online curriculum. While some faculty will offer fully online classes, most faculty are preparing for an in-person delivery with the uniquely Northland approach at its core. Students are expected to attend classes in person. However, all courses will be taught with online components, so that students can maintain their class requirements remotely, should they be unable to attend classes in person for a limited period of time.

Classroom Safety

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

Course Schedule

In order to optimize the flexibility of instruction and enhance your learning experience during this pandemic, we divided the fall term into two academic sessions. The sessions will run August 31 to October 13 and October 15 to December 2. Students will generally be enrolled in two courses during the first session and two during the second session.

Academic Accommodations

All courses will be taught with an online component so students who are isolated or quarantined can keep up with work remotely if unable to attend in person. Students needing reasonable disability accommodations in and outside of the academic setting can access detailed information at on the accommodations web page. Included is a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of common accommodations at Northland.

»See Campus Communication

Face Covering

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 social distancing. We still adhere to social distancing (6 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:

1. 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.

2. Symptom Check

   Do you have a new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, unexplained muscle aches and pains, or a new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea?

If you answer yes to any of the above questions, stay home and notify the Office of Health Services (students) or the Office of Human Resources (employees)

»See Campus Communication

Testing

All students, faculty, and staff are required to undergo COVID-19 testing at the beginning of fall term. Students will have drive through testing during move-in.

Northland health services will conduct a simple nasal swab. Samples will be tested on-site and results provided within thirty 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 State of Wisconsin Department of Health. Positive test results will be shared with the local county health department who will in turn conduct contact tracing protocols with Northland cooperation.

>Testing Consent Form

Contact Tracing

Ashland County Public Health will conduct all contact tracing. Contact tracing will occur only in the instance of a positive test result that is confirmed.

>See Campus Communication

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 the Office of Health Services 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 Office of Health Services and will be required to quarantine as instructed.

Team members will provide meal delivery if you are isolated or quarantined.

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.

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 social 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. In addition to the cafeteria, there are two alternative dining spaces located in the Alvord Theatre and the SOEI Sentry Room.

>Dining hours
>Menu Information

On-campus Shared Living Specifications
Social 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 not required. Common spaces (lounges, kitchens, and basements) have been redesigned to allow for proper social 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. Health services is working with students who are at potential higher risk in regards to their living situation.

Campus Gatherings & Events
Any program or activity on campus will follow best practices of social distancing, face coverings, and public health guidelines. Consideration and potential modifications will be needed depending on group size and location. All non-curricular events on campus have been cancelled through December 31, 2020.

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 Thanksgiving. The greater Ashland area would be defined as our commuter radius of 40 miles from campus.

Register your travel plans and read the Student Travel Policy.

• Vehicles: Students with vehicles on campus are expected to limit the number of passengers in their vehicles or wear face coverings when proper distance cannot be maintained.  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.

Protocols for outdoor orientation and class field trips have already been reviewed and are supported as planned.

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.

On-campus Events

All non-curricular events on campus have been cancelled through December 31, 2020. Consistent with the Guidelines for Opening up America Again, the next generation of Wisconsin’s Badger Bounce Back program is used as a guide in evaluating group size and whether group gatherings can occur.

Community Visitors

Baldwin Commons, Dexter Library and the John Allen Fitness Center remain closed to the public until further notice.

Communications have been made to vendors regarding campus-wide expectations regarding daily self-checks, face coverings, good hygiene and social 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 social distancing.

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 40 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 social distancing; meetings will take place in spaces that support social distancing. Face covering will be worn.

Community Visitors

All campus buildings are closed to the public until further notice, including, but not limited to the Baldwin Commons, Dexter Library, and the John Allen Fitness Center.

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 social distancing guidelines and are to use face coverings.

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, social distancing, proper hygiene, and respecting traffic flow signage. Focus is on being a good citizen both within Northland and the broader Chequamegon Bay community.

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 social 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 any trips exceeding thirty minutes.