COVID-19 Campus Resources

Throughout the semester:

• Stay home if sick or having symptoms of COVID-19. Students or faculty who believe they may have had close contact with someone who is ill with COVID, or are exhibiting symptoms themselves, should complete the Health Screener AND seek advice from the Wellness Center on next steps.
• Get vaccinated against COVID-19. Converse University strongly encourages all students, faculty, staff, and our Board of Trustees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This policy applies to all students, employees, and trustees who attend class, work, or engage in other activities at a Converse facility. Report any new vaccinations, including boosters on the Vaccination Portal.
• Test routinely to stay in the know. Routine testing continues to remain an important way of understanding your health status.
• Wear a mask in certain areas of campus. Converse is mask optional in most on-campus, indoor settings, including within instructional spaces. Some exclusions still apply. Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so. Converse is a community that welcomes diversity of beliefs, and individuals should not be questioned about their decision to wear a mask nor discouraged or prohibited from wearing them.

Masks will still be required:

• In healthcare facilities including the Wellness Center and testing/vaccination sites;
• When students and employees are following Wellness Center protocols;
• At some university events. Event organizers are responsible for communicating if an event requires masks of its guests.

Isolation and Quarantine Guidance

Visit my.converse.edu for specific Converse guidelines for isolation and quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. Students and employees must follow the university’s isolation and quarantine guidance before returning to in-person university classes, programs and activities.

Students and employees who have questions about isolation or quarantine can contact the Wellness Center.

Personal Safety Practices

Guidance for Masks/Face Coverings: Converse requires all students and employees to wear a face-covering or mask within healthcare facilities and at select campus sponsored events. Face-coverings are not required in other indoor locations but Converse supports individuals who elect to wear a mask in these areas.

Physical Distancing: Keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to the COVID-19 virus and slowing its spread. Physical distancing is important for everyone, especially to help protect people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Handwashing: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains greater than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol.

Cleaning/Disinfection: Housekeeping teams will clean based on CDC guidelines for disinfection. High touch areas will be cleaned often.

Health Screener:  Students and employees must monitor their own health on a daily basis prior to leaving their home, and if they have symptoms, they must refrain from coming to campus or classes. This Health Screener is a helpful tool that can be used to conduct this daily assessment and should be completed by each student, faculty, and staff when they have COVID-19 like symptoms or need to report a recent close contact.

Classrooms:  Classroom assignments have been modified whenever possible to allow for social distancing of students.

The health and safety of the Converse community remain our highest priority, and this includes visitors to our campus.

While on campus, all permitted visitors must comply with Converse’s current COVID-19 safety protocols. Certain buildings and areas of campus may have different visitation restrictions so it is important to check with your Converse host for specific instructions pertaining to your visit and to answer any questions you may have.

To ensure a safe environment for our students, employees, and guests, all visitors should be symptom free prior to coming onto campus. Guests should continue to monitor their symptoms and potential close contact each day they are on site. If you are ill or have had a possible recent exposure, guests should notify the Converse host of the reason.

Certain events may require guests to complete the Guest Screening Questionnaire. Check with your host to see if they are requiring this questionnaire.

Students may have visitors for certain Converse Activity Board (CAB) planned events unless CAB limits the event to students only.

Thank you for your adherence to all health and safety guidelines to keep our Converse community safe.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Web Page

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Symptoms of COVID-19

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

CDC Travel Health Notices

• https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

• https://scdhec.gov/covid19