Employees Stay Safe

Are face coverings required? 

The University of Missouri–St. Louis, effective July 1, 2020, and until further notice, requires the wearing of face coverings by all students, faculty, staff and visitors – including contractors and vendors – when entering or occupying a physical building or facility owned, operated or managed by the university. Additionally, face coverings will be required when utilizing campus shuttles and when a minimum physical distance of six feet cannot be maintained in any outdoor area of the university – or if otherwise required by public health order. For more information regarding this requirement, please see the following website: https://www.umsl.edu/staysafe/face-coverings.html

Why are face coverings being required?

While maintaining physical distancing, practicing good hygiene measures (e.g., frequent hand washing, avoiding touching the face, covering coughs and sneezes), and staying home when ill are the best known protections against COVID-19, the CDC also advises the use of face coverings as a complimentary measure to slow the spread of the virus by helping people who may have the virus but are asymptomatic from transmitting it to others.

What constitutes a face covering?

Face coverings made of cloth, fabric or permeable material are acceptable forms of face coverings. Face coverings must fully cover both the nose and mouth and have no holes or valves that would allow droplets out of the mask. It should be loose fitting but still secure enough to stay in place.

Where can I get a face covering?

Faculty and staff were provided with two cloth masks in fall 2020. Instructors must wear face coverings when teaching in-person classes. Additional face coverings and other personal protective equipment is available for purchase in the Triton Store in the Millennium Student Center. 

How do faculty or staff members request a health or disability-related accommodation related to face coverings?

Faculty and staff who require a health or disability-related accommodation should contact Human Resources by emailing tara@umsl.edu.

How do I address a student not wearing a face covering when required?

If a student is not wearing a face covering when required, employees should first ask if they have a university-approved accommodation. If Disability Access Services has granted an individual accommodation, the student will have appropriate documentation to verify that accommodation. You may not ask the individual to disclose the specific circumstances for the accommodation. It is important that these individuals maintain a six foot physical distance from others.

What if the student does not have documentation for a university-approved accommodation?

If a student is not wearing a face covering and does not have documentation for a university-approved accommodation, first explain that university policy requires all individuals without an approved accommodation to wear a face covering while inside a university owned or managed facility – including all classrooms and labs.

If possible, make every effort to provide an in-the-moment solution to safely enable the student to be in compliance with university policy. Communicate with your department chair or unit administrator to secure disposable face coverings for the classroom or office that might provide a solution for the student. Departments and units may order face coverings centrally through UMSL Facilities Management.

What if a student fails to comply within a classroom or other university setting where coverings are required?

In the event a student is violating the university’s face covering policy and causing a significant disruption to the learning environment, additional steps such as involving university police personnel (314-516-5155), may be enacted in order to protect the health, safety and well-being of the community. While this should be the last option for faculty to consider, it is important for our community’s health and safety for face covering requirements to be consistently followed. The UMSL Police Department is trained in de-escalation practices and can manage the situation professionally and with dignity.

Additionally, faculty and staff should submit a Student Conduct & Community Standards referral form so Student Affairs they may follow up with the student to determine if there are any issues that need to be addressed based on conduct and community standards. Sanctions for violations could include written warnings, university probation, loss of privileges and university suspension.

Where should I direct students who indicate that they require an accommodation but do not have a university-approved accommodation?

We must all recognize that there are circumstances where individuals may be physically or medically unable to wear a traditional cloth face covering. However, there are many options for compliant coverings that may meet a variety of needs. Students who require a health or disability-related accommodation, or are otherwise unable to place or remove a face covering without assistance must request an accommodation through Disability Access Services.

As a faculty member, what can I do to further mitigate potential issues in the classroom?

To help mitigate potential issues in the classroom while protecting the health and safety of our community, we encourage faculty to take the following steps:

• Add a statement to your syllabus reminding students that face coverings are required by university policy when occupying any university owned or managed facility – including all classrooms and labs – and that students will be required to leave if they do not have an appropriate covering (or accommodation letter from DAS). Faculty should advise that if a student is asked to leave a physical setting due to violation of university policy, a referral will be made to Student Conduct and Community Standards.
• Prior to the first in-person class meeting, faculty are encouraged to send an email reminding students that face coverings are required by the university and will need to be worn during an all-person class sessions, in addition to while inside all university buildings, enclosed spaces such as campus shuttles and when unable to maintain a six foot physical distance when outside. 
• For classes that meet less regularly, faculty are encouraged to send a reminder email about required face coverings to the entire class before an on-campus session.
• Give students grace. This is really stressful for us all. Although students should know about the face covering policy, addressing students respectfully will render a more positive response. 
• Address any potential violations immediately and as privately as possible. While this may not be possible in every situation, faculty should do their best to ensure university policy is being applied consistently across campus.

Who can I contact if I have concerns with or questions about the face covering policy?

For questions or concerns, please contact Kasey Fraser-Smith at frasersmithk@umsl.edu, or D’Andre Braddix at braddixd@umsl.edu in the Office of Student Affairs.

Should I include information on my syllabus?

Yes, syllabus templates and sample statements are available here.

UMSL is working to ensure that we all that the appropriate measures to allow our community to safety return to the semester. We have increased online course offerings to maximize flexibility in your course schedules while also increasing online elements in your face-to-face classes to prepare for a potential transition to remote learning if needed. These blended courses incorporate the strengths of both face-to-face and online learning to create a unique and quality experience. Course schedules will be spread across buildings and classrooms that best allow for appropriate social distancing in the classroom.

Course format options

Fully Online

Fully online and partially online courses are also being offered. These courses can be offered in a synchronous or asynchronous format.

• Synchronous courses are those that meet virtually at a specific day and time. If a course is synchronous, the day and time will be listed on the schedule with a meeting location of “online” listed next to it. The notes section of the schedule will also give more information about the time requirements for these courses.
• Asynchronous courses are those where the course is completed within a specific timeframe on the student’s schedule.

Blended

Blended learning is a cohesive mix of synchronous face-to-face learning experiences coupled with online learning opportunities delivered asynchronously in Canvas. This infusion of online learning into an in-person course is called Blended Learning. Faculty have designed their courses with best practices to combine a clearly communicated pattern of face-to-face class meetings with online learning experiences for a blended delivery. 

As we transition face-to-face courses to a blended delivery, there are a few things to note:

• Any two or three component courses (LEC/LAB or LEC/LAB/RSD combinations) have had the LEC sections moved to fully online. The LAB/RSD sections will meet in a blended format. 
• The face-to-face portion of these courses will be placed in rooms large enough to accommodate social distancing with the safety of the students and faculty remaining paramount. 
• Blended courses can be offered in a variety of meeting patterns: once weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or even specific dates during the semester. That information can be found on the class schedule and on the course itself in MyView. Students will be notified when the change has been made to their schedule to log into MyView and review the updated schedule.
• Face coverings will be required within all university buildings and classrooms. Classrooms will be cleaned frequently with furniture arranged to allow for adequate social distancing.

We ask that our instructors be flexible on attendance policies given that those students who are experiencing symptoms, have tested or diagnosed as positive, or have been in contact with others who have tested positive for COVID-19, will be asked not to attend in-person courses.

Students who cannot attend your face-to-face class because they are ill, should be able to access course materials from the day(s) missed. In some courses, those students will be able to attend class virtually through Zoom or another streaming technology. In others, students might download recorded lectures. Instructors should have the specifics of their accommodation plan by the start of the semester.

Will office hours be in person still or moved online?
Faculty may modify how they hold office hours. Possible options include holding office hours online, meeting in a larger classroom where social distancing is possible or building in time at the end of class for open questions.

What will classrooms look like?

Seating has been removed from classrooms to meet COVID-19 physical distancing recommendations to retain a minimum of 6 feet apart in all directions. There will be tape on the floor to indicate where desks should be positioned in case they get moved out of place at any time – we ask faculty and students not to move the desks and chairs out of the approved arrangement. In spaces with immovable seating such as stadium seating classrooms there will be round green stickers or other indicators of where individuals should be seated. If you would like to see a video of your classroom please visit this ITS site. https://www.umsl.edu/technology/iss/room-features/.

What is the cleaning schedule for classrooms?

Our facilities team has ensured that custodial services will be cleaning rooms between classes as well as providing disinfectant spray and paper towels in each room for any additional needs. Facilities will also provide packages of disinfectant wipes to each faculty member teaching in person this semester to take to class to wipe down keyboards at the instructor station as well as provide them for student use in the case of classrooms with student computer stations or laptops.

How will employees, especially those teaching in person, access those wipes or other PPE?

Department chairs should order those through the PPE request form; note it is a Google form and requires chair to be logged into their UM System google account. Departments/units should arrange to have administrative staff pick up the wipes packets from facilities when they are notified of their availability.

Have ventilation concerns been taken into consideration in our buildings and classrooms?

Yes, in buildings that have central ventilation systems the settings have been adapted to bring in fresh air rather than circulate air within the building. In buildings where the ventilation system are de-centralized it will be necessary to have windows open in classrooms and other areas to provide the fresh air return. These rooms will be marked by signage indicating that windows should be open and the specific windows that should be opened will be indicated by a sticker. Classrooms will include signage on the podium to remind you.

Notifying faculty of a student absence due a medical reason, which may include students with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19

The university requires all students to complete a Reporting COVID-19 Diagnosis/Symptoms form if they are sick, experiencing symptoms of coronavirus that are atypical of their individual health circumstances, if they have tested positive – or have had close contact with another individual who has tested positive – for COVID-19.

This form is directed to Campus Health Officer Chris Sullivan in the Office of Health, Counseling and Disability Access Services.  Health Services staff will contact each student who self-reports to review their individual health circumstances to determine next steps, which may include faculty notifications.

Process for notifying instructors of a student absence due a medical reason:

• Instructors will be contacted by UMSL Health Services staff when a student is unable to attend in-person classes for any medical reason – including those related to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
• Staff will not provide the specific medical circumstance that requires the absence, however, they will provide the instructor with the earliest date a student is expected to return to campus.
• While the identity of a student who must be absent from class for any medical reason will be shared with their instructors, it must be kept strictly confidential and should never be shared with others including students in the classroom. Doing so would be a violation of FERPA.
• The identity of a student with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 will be closely held and only provided to officials who have a specific role in addressing needs such as cleaning, assisting with academic arrangements or initiating quarantine procedures.
• Public health officials are responsible for contact tracing for those who test positive for COVID-19 and will instruct students on their next steps, though Health Services will assist in this effort. Contact tracers will determine close contacts, which might include you as an instructor. If so, they may contact you for further information.
• Given our classroom safety standards, which include requirements to maintain physical distancing and the wearing of face coverings, a suspected or confirmed case involving a student in a classroom would not be considered as having close contact to others in the classroom.
• A suspected or positive case involving a student in a classroom is not a reason to shut down in-person instruction for any period of time. That decision should only be made in consultation with the Campus Health Officer.
• Additionally, Campus Facilities is cleaning and sanitizing all classrooms based on CDC guidelines in-between each in-person class.
• You are not alone. Public health experts, contact tracers, and our own medical teams are working together to manage the virus on our campus following the most up-to-date information.

What you should do.

• We strongly encourage instructors to work with students who are unable to attend in-person classes due to a medical reason to provide academic arrangements, compassion, support and connections to resources in Canvas. Health Services will provide resources and information for students regarding their individual medical concerns
• We also encourage instructors to routinely remind promote positive behaviors such as following university, CDC and St. Louis County guidelines for safe practices in all settings to help us protect the health and well-being of our UMSL community.
• Direct them to campus safety resources at umsl.edu/staysafe for further information.

What you should not do.

• You should never ask for or share the personal medical information of any student to anyone as this is a violation of FERPA.
• You should never announce to the class, or others, if there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 associated with a student in the classroom and you should not speculate on the medical reason of an absence.
• Students are not required to tell anyone in class if they have a suspected or positive case of COVID-19.
• You should never ask a student to provide the medical reason for their absence. If the absence has been cleared by Health Services, office staff will notify you with the student’s name and date through which their absence is expected.
• You should not attempt to identify or notify individuals you believe to have been in close contact with a student who you may have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. Instead, you should work directly with public health officials if they contact you.

If a student is absent due to a medical reason, how will you know if they are approved to return?

• Those students who are absent from classes due to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 are instructed to not return to campus until they complete a request to return to campus form and receive written permission from the Campus Health Officer.
• If you are unsure if a student who has an approved absence has been cleared to return to campus, you may privately request that they provide a letter of permission to return to campus from the Campus Health Officer.
• You may also report any student violations of campus safety requirements through the Student Conduct & Community Standards referral form. When received, UMSL Student Affairs will follow up with the student to determine if there are any issues that need to be addressed based on conduct and community standards. Sanctions for violations could include written warnings, university probation, loss of privileges and university suspension.

What will be the threshold for returning to remote learning and working only? 

• A variety of metrics will be considered for the possibility of escalating or deescalating UMSL’s response to COVID-19, including but not limited to:
  • UMSL-associated active cases and active cases within the region,
  • Availability of hospital care and isolation space,
  • Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies,
  • Availability for COVID-19 testing.
• Given the fluidity of the situation, UMSL is working closely with local and state health departments to monitor the spread of COVID-19.

Can a faculty member pivot mid-semester and shift their class online?

A faculty member should not plan to unilaterally change the modality of their class. Once the semester starts, these types of decisions will be made at the campus level. In the case of a health concern, please contact your HR rep for the process of documenting the need for accommodations.

Can a supervisor or faculty member have their own, stricter policies if they are worried about safety? For example, can a professor say “N95 masks are required for my class, not just a face covering.”

Faculty and staff are expected to follow the campus guidelines on safety policies and may not impose alternative policies for their own classes or for employees reporting to work in-person. 

Can staff shift back to working from home at any point if they don’t feel safe or cases rise?

• Supervisors are encouraged to continue to allow for remote work if job duties can be performed remotely without disrupting university operations. Please review the HR-700: Enhanced HR Policies for Employees in Response to COVID-19, the Telework Arrangement Form, and the Working Remote FAQ webpage.
• Employees with health concerns should notify their supervisor and the university's human resources office of their concerns and request reasonable accommodations.
• Supervisors are responsible for implementing work plans for their areas. This can include working on site, remote work or hybrid work options that stagger the hours or days that employees are scheduled.
• Employees should work with their supervisor and/or unit leadership to receive approval for specific work arrangement requests. When considering requests, supervisors and unit leaders should review job duties, the employee's ability to work remotely, underlying health conditions and more; however, if necessary and feasible, supervisors are encouraged to provide telework options to an employee, or groups of employees, whose job duties can be performed remotely without disrupting university operations.
• The university will continue to implement public health practices, such as social distancing, face covering requirements and more, and will adjust health and safety guidelines to provide the safest working and learning environment possible for faculty, staff, students and others in our community.

The Campus Testing Center will be open to UMSL students only with modified operations, including:

• Students are discouraged from scheduling in-person exams in the Testing Center when a Proctorio (Remotely Proctored) option is available. In-person proctoring is intended for students who do not meet the technical requirements or have disabilities that prevent the use of Proctorio.
• Due to drastic cuts in room capacity and social distancing guidelines, Testing Center space may be expanded to additional rooms in the JC Penney Building.
• Test takers will be seated in a manner that ensures county and public health guidelines are being followed.
• As per University policy, everyone entering the JC Penney Building will be required to wear a face covering. 
• Students are discouraged from bringing personal items to the Testing Center.  Due to possible space expansion, the number of secure lockers for storing personal belongings will be limited.  
• Testing seats and workstations will be cleaned between each test taker.  

Make an appointment: https://www.registerblast.com/umsl/Exam/List

UMSL is committed to have food service options available for the community, but utilizing modifications to allow for safety. For example, smaller dining spaces in areas such as the Science Learning Building and the Southside Café will be closed. The Nosh, Provincial House Dining, Oak Hall C-Store, TJ Library, Einstein’s Bagels and Subway will remain open for grab-and-go or in person orders with social distancing guidelines. Some high-touch amenities such as the Free Style drink machines and salad bars will be taken offline. Vending machines will be available with hand sanitizing stations next to them for hand hygiene.

Our campus food service provider, Sodexo, has implemented an app for those who wish to order and pay online to have contactless pick up from their location of choice. 

Download the Bite App

Triton Pantry

Our on campus food pantry will be up and available in a pre-order and pick-up model for members of our community beginning the first week of classes.

Learn More

The heart of our campus is our Millennium Student Center and we plan to continue to serve our community throughout the semester. The student center will be open to patrons with modified hours of operation to allow our students access to key offices and services throughout the building. We are following St. Louis County guidelines for reopening and have modified traffic flow and occupancy limits throughout the building to accommodate our storefront operations and departmental needs within the student center. While social distance means a number of our seating areas are offline for the semester, we still have spaces for students to eat or stop during breaks, and we are exploring expansion of our outdoor seating options.

Learn More

UMSL’s Recreation and Wellness Center is open for patrons with a number of operational changes in the facility including reduced hours, reduced building capacity, contactless check-in and a mid-day cleaning schedule for the entire facility. Everyone is required to wear a mask in the building, including while working out, and we’ve also adjusted our fitness equipment to provide 10 to 12 feet of space between machines. Small group classes will resume for those who are interested in participating, and we will continue to offer virtual group classes throughout the semester.

Learn More

University Libraries will be open to patrons with modified operations, including:

• Library occupancy maximums will follow county and public health guidelines.
• As per university policy, everyone entering the library building will be required to wear a face covering.
• All research assistance to patrons as well as instruction sessions will be provided via Zoom, chat, email, or other online means.
• At the Public Service Desk, patrons will swipe their own ID cards during checkout.  
• Patrons will be asked to return books to a specific book cart that will then be quarantined for 72 hours before the book is available for checkout again.
• Access to group and individual study rooms will be limited.
• Access to computers will be limited, but available and cleaned between uses as appropriate.

Learn More

The student experience outside of the classroom setting is an integral part of the benefits of college. During this time, much of our programming will be provided virtually through activities like our Serendipity Sendoff and Welcome Back Triton Bash. On-campus event opportunities where social distance is possible may occur based on our established events policy. We are also working with our student organizations to create new ways to connect throughout the semester through virtual programs, small in-person meetings and increased use of MyEngage, our campus student engagement platform. We’ll post all of our events and activities on the campus calendar, so be sure to check out calendar.umsl.edu for all of our engagement opportunities.

• There will be co-curricular experiences on campus with the size of social gatherings and meetings based upon the guidelines set forth by the university and following public health orders.
• Virtual opportunities for engagement will be plentiful. More information about those events can be found at https://myengage.umsl.edu/.
• New and returning students will have the opportunity to participate in the Triton Take-Off Welcome Experience via in-person and remote options. Visit umsl.edu/wow for schedule and additional information.

• Employees and students are discouraged from taking public transportation when possible and should not engage in optional travel or recreation.
• However, we recognize the importance of public transportation as well as campus shuttle services in your ability to access campus.
• Those who utilize campus shuttles or public transportation should wear face coverings and avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily while practicing social distancing as much as possible.
• We also encourage you to navigate to and from their on-campus residential housing as well as from class to class via accessible outside sidewalks and pathways to their destination.