[Teaching-Faculty] Additional answers to questions related to COVID and teaching

[Office of the Provost/VPAA]

Colleagues,

I have received a couple of questions on the same topic.

*Question:* What is the protocol for contact tracing if a student is
exposed to someone who tests positive?  Is it acceptable for a student who
has been exposed to someone who tested positive to continue to attend my
class?

*Answer: *

The Clinton County Health Department in collaboration with our  Student
Health and Counseling Center pursues contact tracing on any instances of
positive COVID tests.  Just as was the case last year, this is not always
something that can be accomplished without a bit of focused time, as the
individuals who tested positive need to be interviewed and then follow-up
emails or phone calls need to be made.

I communicated with Dr. Camelo, our Health Center Director and President of
the Clinton County Board of Health, shared the following information about
students who have been exposed to someone who tested positive:

Based on the contact tracing by the CCHD, exposed students are quarantined
in keeping with the NYS guidelines. Faculty and staff may not be aware of
or privy to the particulars of each individual case. At this point in time,
fully vaccinated individuals do not need to be quarantined if exposed.
They may attend class and, as with all students, they must comply with our
campus policy for masking indoors.  However, students who have had exposure
to someone who tested positive are directed to monitor their symptoms and
should be tested IF they develop symptoms. Routine testing after having
been exposed is not currently recommended.

I would encourage faculty who have any student in the classroom who doesn't
feel well to encourage them to avoid coming to class until they feel
better.  The main worry from students that I hear which can cause them to
come to class when they don't feel well is a belief  that their
participation grade will be lowered if they miss class.  My experience of
our faculty since joining you all here has been that you are flexible
around such questions whenever you are able to be flexible.

If you were able to attend the Senate yesterday, you heard President Enyedi
state that he expects our masking mandate to continue beyond the 2nd week
of classes.  No surprise there, but I wanted to update faculty who may have
missed that meeting.

Driving home yesterday, I heard an NPR story about Jill Biden returning to
her classroom teaching in Northern VA, twice a week.  The story emphasized
the strong identification she has always felt with other educators.  If you
heard this story, you will recall the clip they played of her speaking last
month about the extreme challenges of teaching during the last COVID
academic year.  She also taught remotely.  She praised teachers for the
work they were doing and are doing during this pandemic.  She was quoted as
saying, "You made something out of nothing.  You persevered and you
supported your students."    I know that's what you all did last year and
are continuing to do again as we begin this semester.  If you missed this
profile and want to listen, here is the link:

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034926675/first-lady-dr-jill-biden-makes-history-by-working-outside-the-white-house

I hope your first weeks back with our students are going well.

Anne
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