COVID-19 Guidelines & Protocols

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities across the country adopted an array of effective testing protocols, and more recently many have required COVID vaccinations and boosters for their residential populations. Furman is following the guidance provided by recognized national, state, and local clinical and public health experts in requiring COVID-19 vaccination and boosters, as well as testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus when appropriate.

Furman requires residential students to have a current COVID-19 vaccination. Students can apply for an exemption to the vaccine requirement based on a medical contraindication or religious beliefs.

The ESHC can provide the Moderna vaccine and/or booster.

Once vaccinated and/or boosted, students must submit a copy of their vaccination card to furmanstudenthealth@PrismaHealth.org. A simple photo of the card attached to an email will suffice.

Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to be immunized against COVID-19 and to receive the booster vaccination when eligible. If a faculty or staff member has been fully vaccinated or has received a booster, and they have not yet provided this information to Human Resources, a copy of their vaccination card should be submitted to humanresources@furman.edu as soon as possible.

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.

• 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, work or dining facilities, and are REQUIRED to submit the LiveSafe Health Survey or contact the Earle Student Health Center (ESHC) and await further instructions.
• Symptomatic or infected individuals must isolate promptly, and infected individuals must remain in isolation for ≥5 days and wear a well-fitting and high-quality mask if they must be around others. Infected individuals may end isolation after 5 days, only when they are without a fever for ≥24 hours without the use of medication and all other symptoms have improved, and they should continue to wear a mask around others on campus through day 10.
• Students who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate off campus. Students must develop a plan with their family in advance. Furman does not have isolation beds available on campus. Download and use this helpful planning tool created by a Furman parent.
• Students can work with Dining Services to use their meal swipes in exchange for a box of groceries that a friend could deliver to them off campus (if they stay locally to isolate). Contact Tony McGuirt to make arrangements.
• Failure to follow the above protocols will result in appropriate conduct action (see section on enforcement below) for students and employees.
• 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.

Students who are symptomatic or who are concerned about being a close contact to an individual who is either symptomatic or has tested positive for COVID-19, should contact the ESHC instead of seeking assistance in the external community, for the following reasons:

1. We can coordinate and expedite testing if needed, providing all testing options for you.
2. We can clarify and explain what type of exposure you may have had to an infected individual (i.e. primary vs. secondary), thus helping to decrease anxiety.
3. We can initiate contact tracing to protect the Furman community.

• 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.

• Instructors will be notified of a health status that requires a student to be prohibited from attending the physical classroom.
• Consistent with CDC recommendations, individuals with a confirmed or suspected exposure to an individual who is symptomatic or tested positive for COVID-19 are requested to wear a mask around others for 10 days, monitoring closely for symptoms and testing after 5 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

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.

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, 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).

• 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.

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) significantly reduced 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.