July 1, 2020 - Updated policies and practices to ensure a safe return to campus
Dear University Community,
I am writing to provide a brief update on the fall semester as we prepare to return to in-person instruction and welcome our Triton community back to our campus. We are all seeing and experiencing the impact of this ongoing public health crisis, and our university’s shared priority continues to be to thoughtfully and responsibly ensure the health, safety and well-being of our community.
Following advice from local, state and federal public health officials and in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UMSL is implementing the following practices and protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as we prepare for the fall semester:
- Effective July 1, 2020, students, faculty, staff and visitors – including contractors and vendors – will be required to wear face coverings when entering or occupying a building, while utilizing campus shuttles and when unable to maintain a six-foot distance in any outdoor area of the university. Please review the full face coverings policy for additional detail.
- Students will be expected to provide their own face coverings, though the university will have a number of face coverings available for individuals who cannot obtain one on their own. Per St. Louis County guidelines, faculty and staff will be provided with cloth face coverings upon their return to campus and face shields will be provided to teaching instructors.
- Students and employees will be expected to self-monitor their health on a daily basis for symptoms including temperature, cough, loss of smell or taste, difficulty breathing, fatigue and more. A free mobile app will be available for download in the coming weeks that will direct users through a daily health check to support self-monitoring efforts.
- Students and employees will be expected to follow best practices for hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, cleanliness and sanitation. While all facilities have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected according to CDC guidelines, custodial staff will continue enhanced sanitization efforts.
- All students and employees will be required to complete an online training on safety practices and expectations before returning to campus in the fall. Online training is currently being developed in collaboration with the University of Missouri System.
- UMSL will work with public health officials to conduct contact tracing to notify those members of the university community and others who may have been impacted should a student or employee test positive for COVID-19.
- UMSL will update practices, policies and safety protocols to align with future public health orders.
We will soon share a new “Start Safe. Stay Safe.” website that will provide additional information on safety guidance, expectations and policies to further allow us to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep our Triton community safe and healthy.
You each hold an important role and responsibility in our ability to safely come together as a Triton community and continue our mission to transform lives through education, research and service.
Stay safe,
Kristin Sobolik
Chancellor
University of Missouri–St. Louis
