The COVID Response Committee and the Public Health and Safety Advisory Group, along with other teams across campus, have developed these protocols for the Furman community. We will continue to follow CDC guidelines and adjust these guidelines and protocols as needed.
Masking requirements
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced February 25 that it is relaxing its mask guidance in communities where hospitalization rates are low and local hospital capacities are not under high strain. Greenville County is classified as medium risk, which means that individuals without symptoms, who have not tested positive for COVID, and who have not recently been exposed to an individual who has tested positive for COVID, are not required to wear a mask indoors.
In light of the revised guidance, our exceptional rates of vaccination/boosting, and our low case counts on campus, effective Saturday, March 5, we are moving to “masks optional” in on-campus, indoor settings (exceptions listed below). Instructors may not require masking in classrooms, and masking is not required at CLP events.
- Faculty and staff may require that students and colleagues wear a mask when entering their office, studio or high-contact lab areas, or when meeting individually. Likewise, students may ask faculty or staff to wear a mask when meeting with them individually.
- Faculty, staff and students may require masking of all participants when traveling in vehicles on or off campus for university-sponsored purposes.
Faculty and staff who require or may qualify for reasonable accommodations based on a disability may work with the Human Resources to inquire about the ADA process. Students who require or may qualify for reasonable accommodations based on a disability may work with the Student Office for Accessibility Resources to inquire about the ADA process. Additionally, students, faculty and/or staff may receive notification that masks are required in classrooms or other spaces on campus to reasonably accommodate a student or colleague’s confidential disability.
Instructors may not shift their classes to remote learning in response to changes in masking guidance.
We are supportive of students, faculty and staff who choose to continue to wear masks, and individuals should not be questioned about their decision, nor should they be discouraged or prohibited from wearing them.
Faculty and staff may not ask students about their vaccination status, and may not require more stringent safety measures from unvaccinated students or treat students differently based on vaccination status. Please remember that there are a number of reasons that a student may choose not to be vaccinated. Students must be treated equally, regardless of vaccination status. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Human Resources.
Supervisors may not ask employees about their vaccination status, and may not require more stringent safety measures from unvaccinated employees or treat employees differently based on vaccination status. Please remember that there are a number of reasons that an employee may choose not to be vaccinated. Employees must be treated equally, regardless of vaccination status. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Human Resources.
Protocols for contact tracing, and isolating symptomatic or positive cases
- Faculty and staff who are symptomatic or have obtained a positive test should not report to work and are REQUIRED to submit the LiveSafe Health Survey or notify Human Resources.
- Students who are symptomatic or have obtained a positive test should not go to class, must remain in their campus residence and are REQUIRED to submit the LiveSafe Health Survey or contact the Earle Student Health Center (ESHC).
- Furman will continue to follow our protocols for isolating symptomatic or individuals who test positive, as well as quarantining close contacts who have been contact traced.
- A close contact is defined as exposure within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour window, within 48 hours prior to symptom onset or a positive test.
- Instructors will be notified of a health status that requires a student to be prohibited from attending the physical classroom.
- Failure to follow the above protocols will result in appropriate conduct action (see section on enforcement below) for students and employees.
- See this Positive COVID Case flowchart to help students understand these protocols.
- See this Positive COVID Case flowchart to help faculty and staff understand these protocols.
Symptomatic testing for students
- Individuals who receive a positive result from a rapid test must report that result to the Earle Student Health Center (students) or Human Resources (faculty and staff).
- The ESHC will administer a COVID test to students who are symptomatic, regardless of vaccination status.
- The ESHC will also test unvaccinated students who are traced as close contacts to a positive case. Vaccinated students who do not have symptoms, but are concerned about being exposed to a positive case may wear a mask and consult with the ESHC to determine the best course of action.
On-campus testing site
- Furman continues to partner with SC DHEC to offer free COVID-19 testing in the South Chapel Lot through Mar. 14, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (may be closed on Sundays). Click here to pre-register for testing, as this will expedite the testing process.
- Turnaround time for test results is typically <48 hours except in unusual circumstances where testing demand dramatically increases to a surge in local COVID incidence.
- If you don’t receive test results within 72 hours, call 1-888-697-9004 or email ACC-Testing-CustomerService@dhec.sc.gov to obtain results. Note: check your spam/junk folders for a reply from the DHEC email. When leaving a message, please provide your name, date of birth, a good contact number, the test date and testing location and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
Quarantine
- Individuals who are exposed to another individual who is symptomatic or positive go into quarantine.
- All students who are not fully vaccinated or boosted (if eligible) must have a plan to quarantine off campus.
- Fully vaccinated and boosted individuals will not be required to quarantine, unless symptomatic. They will be required to mask around others for 10 days, monitor for symptoms and get tested on day 5.
- Individuals who are fully vaccinated and not yet eligible for the booster will not be required to quarantine, unless symptomatic. They will be required to mask around others for 10 days, monitor for symptoms and get tested on day 5.
- Individuals who are eligible for the booster, but not yet received it, will be required to quarantine for 5 days, obtain a negative test on day 5, and mask around others for 5 additional days.
- Individuals who are unvaccinated or who request an exemption from the booster will be required to quarantine for 5 days off campus, obtain a negative test on day 5, and mask around others for 5 additional days.
- Furman does not guarantee remote access to academic courses and/or any other offerings during quarantine. Students must communicate with their individual instructors to develop a plan to make up any missed academic work, as is our normal protocol for other illnesses.
- Tuition, room and board charges will not be reduced for students who are required to quarantine. Students are responsible for any personal costs and expenses associated with COVID-19.
- See this Positive COVID Case flowchart to help students understand these protocols.
- Want more information? Read the Quarantine and Isolation FAQs.
Isolation
- Individuals who are symptomatic and/or test positive for COVID go into isolation.
- All students must have a plan to isolate off campus.
- Furman has a limited number of isolation beds on campus which are primarily for international students and students who live far away. We will manage each student who tests positive for COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis to determine the best course of action for isolation at that time.
- Furman does not guarantee remote access to academic courses and/or any other offerings during isolation. Students must communicate with their individual instructors to develop a plan to make up any missed academic work, as is our normal protocol for other illnesses.
- Tuition, room and board charges will not be reduced for students who are required to isolate. Students are responsible for any personal costs and expenses associated with COVID-19.
- See this Positive COVID Case flowchart to help students understand these protocols.
- Want more information? Read the Quarantine and Isolation FAQs.
Dining
- The Dining Hall and Bread ‘N’ Bowl are open for students, faculty, staff and admitted students only. All other dining locations are now open to parents, alumni, OLLI students and the general public.
- Dining Services staff are no longer required to wear masks.
- Payments are swipe, credit or debit cards only. Cash is not accepted at this time.
- Masking is optional.
PAC fitness center
- The PAC fitness center will continue to be open to students, faculty, staff and Furman retirees.
- As soon as ID cards can be reactivated, employee dependents and Trustees will be allowed access to the PAC (estimating March 21). Human Resources will communicate with employees in the coming weeks.
- The PAC fitness center will remain closed to OLLI members and the general public until further notice.
- Masking is optional.
Housing
- Campus housing has returned to normal operations and visitation rules.
- Per the Housing & Residence Life Guest Policy, resident students are expected to agree on who is allowed in their shared housing space.
- Masking is optional.
Library
- The Duke Library is open to the general public.
- Masking is optional.
Furman-sponsored travel
- Faculty, staff and students participating in Furman-sponsored travel are expected to follow required local, state, federal and international health and safety protocols.
- The following tips will help minimize the transmission of disease:
- Wear masks in all forms of transportation;
- Reduce density in sleeping quarters; and
- Maintain small pods of close contacts.
- Trip leaders must have a plan to immediately separate symptomatic individuals from the group, connect them with a healthcare provider, and safely return them to campus.
- Individuals and trip leaders must have the ability to rapidly test a symptomatic individual at the first sign of symptom development (rapid antigen “at-home” tests may be the best choice).
Eating & drinking in class or research settings
- Eating and drinking is allowed in indoor settings, unless otherwise prohibited.
Campus visitors
- The public and approved campus visitors are expected to follow campus visitor guidelines.
Enforcement
- Students should review the Student Conduct Code and Housing & Residence Life Policies for standard expectations.
- Students who do not adhere to the COVID safety protocols (on or off campus) outlined in this communication, future communications, and/or on the Furman Focused website may be charged with Failure to Comply, Disorderly Conduct and/or Endangerment.
- Employees who do not adhere to the COVID safety protocols outlined in this communication, future communications, and/or on the Furman Focused website may be subject to disciplinary action.
Contingency planning
- Administrators and health professionals will continue to monitor COVID-19 conditions in our community. While the COVID Response Committee (CRC) and the Public Health and Safety Advisory Group (PHSAG) will significantly reduce COVID-19 related management activities effective March 18, either or both groups may reactivate should conditions change. If it becomes necessary, previous mitigation protocols may be reinstated, and new mitigation protocols may be created.
