Cases reported to the Safety and Risk Management Office

• For the week of Nov. 23 through Nov. 25:
  Positive Student Cases	13 students have tested positive since March; 1 new positive case this week.
  Positive Faculty/Staff Cases	5 employees have tested positive since March; 1 new positive case this week.

Recent Announcements

• Updated Guidance Regarding Isolation and Quarantine
  November 4, 2020
• Required Student Training
  July 29, 2020
• Summer 2020 Commencement Update
  July 15, 2020
• Immediate Notification
  July 2, 2020
• Face Coverings Required on Campus
  June 25, 2020
• Changes to University Operations
  April 28, 2020
• Classes and Registration
  March 31, 2020
• Changes to Campus Events
  March 19, 2020

A&M-Central Texas COVID-19 Self-Reporting Criteria

Updated: August 31, 2020

Students, faculty, and staff are asked to stay away from campus and self-report if they experience one or more of the following:

• Possible exposure to COVID-19,
• Need to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure,
• Diagnosis by a healthcare professional for COVID-19,
• Positive test for COVID-19, and/or
• Responsible for caring for someone who is experiencing symptoms, was exposed to and/or diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Self-reports should be made using the online COVID-19 Reporting Form.

On-Campus COVID-19 Testing

July 29, 2020

A&M-Central Texas is taking measures to promote the help and safety of our community members. One of these measures is providing COVID-19 testing on our campus, at no cost, for students, faculty and staff meeting testing criteria.

Testing will begin on August 4, 2020. We have received a limited supply of cheek-swab tests from the Texas A&M System; only faculty, staff, or students who are experiencing one or more of the following may reserve an appointment for a test:

• Students, faculty, and staff that have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Students, faculty, and staff who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19. Remember: There is an incubation period for the disease, so an exposure on one day will not show up on a test the following day. Given this, before testing, people may need to self-quarantine for at least 3 days after exposure before taking a test on campus.
• Students who need a COVID-19 test to participate in one or more of their academic programs as a requirement (specific internships, clinicals, teacher education placement, etc.).

Testing Information:

• Will be available to all currently enrolled students and currently employed faculty and staff. Will occur every Tuesday from 7:30-9:30 am. You MUST have an appointment to receive a test. Walk-up appointments are not allowed.
• Testing will take place in Parking Lot D (near Warrior Hall). Physical distancing will be enforced as individuals walk up to the outside testing tent.
• These tests are self-administering test kits, but there will be someone present to walk you through the testing process step-by-step.
• Please be sure that you do not eat, drink, chew gum or use mouthwash at least 30 minutes before testing.
• Photo identification will be required to check-in.
• Results will be sent to you via email 2-4 days later.
• Sign-up by first completing our COVID-19 Reporting Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?TAMUCentralTexas&layout_id=3
• Once completed you will be redirected to the sign-up page.

Please remember that our testing supply is limited. Appointments are first-come, first-served. If you do not need a COVID-19 test by meeting the criteria listed above, please do not reserve an appointment.

More information, including the above link, can be found on our TAMUCT COVID-19 Information Page: http://www.tamuct.edu/covid19. Please feel free to contact us at studentaffairs@tamuct.edu or 254-501-5909 if you have any questions.

Face Coverings Required on Campus

Updated: July 2, 2020

Texas A&M University-Central Texas will comply with Bell County Directive #7 issued June 24, 2020. Face coverings must be worn by all individuals in A&M-Central Texas facilities and within 50 feet of building entrances effective June 29, 2020. This includes lobbies, restrooms, hallways, elevators, classrooms, laboratories, conference rooms, break rooms, non-private office spaces and other common spaces. Face coverings are also to be worn while outdoors on campus when social distancing of six (6) feet or more cannot be maintained. Face coverings are not required when alone in a private office. Employees or visitors may request an exception to the policy which will be considered on a case-by-case basis by Human Resources. Students may request an exception through Access and Inclusion.

As stated in the directive and best practices published by the Centers for Disease Control, "face coverings are not a replacement for social distancing, frequent hand washing, and self-isolation when sick." By practicing healthy habits, we can continue our progress toward returning to campus and providing high quality educational experiences in a safe learning environment. Please monitor your email, the university website, and the university’s official social media channels for additional updates. Stay healthy Warriors!

Guidance Regarding Isolation and Quarantine

Updated: November 4, 2020

A&M-Central Texas has adopted revised CDC guidance regarding isolation and quarantine as part of the Return to Campus Plan.

The revised guidance for isolation, issued October 27, is as follows:

• Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms may end isolation under the following conditions:
  • fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication),
  • improvement in symptoms, and
  • at least 10 days have passed since COVID-19 symptoms first appeared.
  • Persons with a weakened immune system (due to a health condition or medication) or that have had severe illness from COVID-19 may need to stay home and isolate longer, possibly up to 20 days after symptom onset. The CDC has advised that the loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation if the person’s other symptoms have improved.
• Persons who tested positive for COVID-19 who never developed COVID-19 symptoms may end isolation under the following conditions:
  • At least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 test.
• If COVID-19 symptoms develop, then the above symptom-based strategy should be followed.
• For more information, see the CDC's most recent information on isolation.

The revised guidance for quarantine, issued October 27, is as follows:

• Persons who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 should take the following steps:
  • Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19,
  • Watch for COVID-19 symptoms, and
  • If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
• Close contact is generally defined as being within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated, regardless of wearing a face covering. *Individual exposures should be added together over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) to determine close contact. Close contact also includes:
  • Providing care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19 (including a roommate or housemate).
  • Having direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them).
  • Sharing eating or drinking utensils with the person.
  • The person has sneezed, coughed, or somehow gotten respiratory droplets on you.
• The CDC outlines various scenarios for ending quarantine such as when you live with someone with COVID-19 and can or cannot avoid continued close contact.
• The CDC advises that anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months, has recovered, and remains without COVID-19 symptoms does not need to quarantine after close contact with someone with COVID-19.
• For more information, see the CDC's most recent information on quarantine.

Important Changes on Campus

Updated: July 29, 2020

A&M-Central Texas has implemented a few important changes you'll notice on campus:

Monitoring Yourself Daily

Updated: July 29, 2020

Students experiencing any of these symptoms should stay away from class and campus, and should consult with a healthcare professional.

• Fever or chills
• Cough or sore throat
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue, muscle aches or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

University Monitoring

Updated: July 29, 2020

The university, in coordination with local public health authorities, may choose to use other mechanisms for monitoring the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff. Options that may be considered include, but are not limited to:

• Temperature monitoring;
• Testing for antigens or antibodies;
• Targeted sampling of individuals testing for SARS-CoV-2 at various times during the semester;
• Thermal scanning;
• Syndromic surveillance;
• Location analytics to assess traffic and congregating patterns, and to adjust spaces accordingly;
• And, other approaches that may emerge as efficacious throughout the intervening time.

The university will work with public health authorities to determine the necessity and advisability of these additional measures.

When to Stay Home

If you have any of these symptoms, stay home and call your healthcare provider:

Reduce the Risk

Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water.

Practicing cough etiquette: Cough or sneeze into a tissue, then immediately throw it away.

Staying home: You and your health are important. Stay home when you are ill.

Social distancing: Stay out of crowds and keep 6 feet between you and others.

The required student training takes just 10 minutes and includes checklists for self-monitoring and self-certification of your COVID-19 training.

To begin and complete your training and self-certification, please click on the image below or here: https://launch.comevo.com/ct-tamus/2002

Why is this training required?

This training assures every student is informed of the safety protocols and personal expectations in place for the Fall semester. Students who do not complete their certification will not be allowed to take face-to-face courses. Please contact us at studentaffairs@tamuct.edu or 254-501-5909 if you have any questions.

Students: University-sponsored student travel should be limited to mission-critical functions to assure the continued safety of the campus. There will be no Study Abroad program for the 2020-2021 academic year. If students travel and suspect they have been exposed to COVID-19, the student will be required to report this exposure to student affairs through the COVID-19 Reporting Form and may be required to place themselves in self-quarantine or isolation for a period of time in accordance with current CDC guidance.

Employees: Business travel should be limited to mission-critical functions to assure the continued safety of the university community. Employees engaged in business-related and personal travel who suspect they have been exposed to COVID-19 while away from the university or agency are required to notify their supervisor, complete the COVID-19 Reporting Form, and place themselves in self-quarantine or isolation for a period of time in accordance with current CDC guidance. International Travel is suspended until further notice as indicated by the Safety Coordinator, unless there is a COVID-19 related research exception. The Safety Coordinator will continue to make periodic announcements of suspended international travel and provide updates on the possibility of international travel when appropriate.

Those who travel are encouraged to take precautions against contracting COVID-19.

Visitors to Campus

External campus guests will be limited to those considered critical to the mission, and as approved by the president or a designee. All visitors are expected to observe the safety requirements and recommendations established by local health authorities and the university policies in effect at the time of the visit. By coming on campus, visitors are certifying that they are not COVID-19 positive, do not have COVID-19 symptoms, and were not in the presence of anyone in the last 14 days whom they knew to be COVID-19 positive.

On-Campus Events

Academic and administrative departments and offices must receive approval from the university president or his designee to hold an on-campus event for the fall 2020 semester.

Events held by student organizations, academic departments, or university offices will be limited during the fall 2020 semester, with appropriate planning and protocols in place. As recommended by the CDC, virtual group activities, gatherings, or meetings should be held whenever possible. Participants at face-to-face events must maintain physical distancing of at least six (6) feet between participants. Group size must be limited, to the extent possible.

Event planners will limit outside speakers from coming on campus, especially those not from the local geographic area.

Food at events and programs must be limited. If food is provided, it must be prepackaged for "carryout." Event planners will need to keep an electronic record of attendance.

Students are encouraged to leave the building between classes to avoid congregating in hallways and lobbies; therefore, the utilization of lobbies for “tabling” should be limited. Offices or groups may use poster displays, or encourage attendees to “snap pictures” of content, in place of handouts. Give-away items are not allowed on tables.

Student organizations must utilize Engage to register events and programs. Student and Civic Engagement will provide support for student organizations related to meeting the requirements of this document. Events organized by student organizations with 10 or fewer participants will be approved through the normal process, and must receive final approval from the dean of students. Events organized by student organizations with more than 10 face-to-face participants must receive final approval from the provost. Any event organized by student organizations involving an off-campus speaker must receive final approval from the university president or a designee.

External Use of Facilities

Use of university facilities by outside groups must be approved by the university president or a designee through the already established university process. The university has revised this process in light of the current environment to consider the safety of students, faculty, staff, and outside participants. Use of facilities by outside groups will be approved only if the use advances the mission of the university.

Technology Assistance and Resources Available to Students

As an update to our COVID-19 response and our transition to courses and support online, Texas A&M University–Central Texas has compiled a list of technology support resources available to students.

Technology Assistance and Resources Available

As an update to our COVID-19 response and our transition to courses and support online, Texas A&M University–Central Texas has compiled a list of technology support resources available to students.

• The Office of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) has online Canvas and WebEx resources and videos that can be accessed here. If you are experience technology challenges or issues connecting to or navigating Canvas or WebEx, please create a ticket here to initiate support: https://tamuct.libguides.com/help/TechnologyHelp. Our hope is to respond within one business day.
• Questions regarding user technology accounts and access can be resolved through our Help Desk Central: https://it.tamu.edu/help/ or 254-519-5466.
• If students are experiencing connectivity issues with WiFi or internet access, our building foyers remain open for internet access:
  
  • Monday - Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
  • The campus parking lot remains open and the front two rows outside in the Warrior Hall parking lot have wireless access for students and university employees needing wireless connectivity after hours.
• For students who do not have adequate technology to connect online, you may visit our computer labs at in Warrior Hall 104, Phone: 254.501.5888.
  
  • Monday - Thursday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
  • Saturday: 8 am to 5 pm if Saturday classes are scheduled
  • Students should bring their own corded headsets: To avoid spread of disease, lab headsets cannot be reused. The labs have a very limited supply of headsets to issue to those students who cannot afford them. Local stores have a significant stock of inexpensive headsets.
• If specific technology software programs are required by your course—other than Canvas and WebEx—and you do not have adequate access, please contact your faculty member to discuss solutions.
• If you plan to return to campus, please make sure you follow all federal, state, and county orders, including maintaining social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others not currently residing in your household.
• For specific questions regarding current support programs (tutoring, counseling, financial aid, veteran support, etc.), please contact those specific offices. For additional questions, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at 254-501-5909 or studentaffairs@tamuct.edu.

For specific questions regarding current support programs (tutoring, counseling, financial aid, veteran support, etc.), please contact those specific offices. For additional questions, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at 254-501-5909 or studentaffairs@tamuct.edu.

Changes to Office Hours and Operation