6-10-21: New campus mask policy effective immediately

Dear Campus Colleagues:

Throughout the pandemic, Wooster students, staff and faculty have acted to protect one-another’s health, as well as their own health, by wearing masks and keeping distance, as well as by participating in our daily symptom monitoring and regular testing programs. Now, with vaccines broadly available and with data continuing to show that they are extremely effective in preventing those who are vaccinated from contracting and transmitting COVID, we have new ways to protect ourselves and one another.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that those who are fully vaccinated can safely go without masks if they wish to do so, and do not need to social distance.  And, Governor DeWine has lifted the Health Orders requiring mask use and reduced density indoors.  At present, 65 percent of staff and faculty report having received a 1^st or 2^nd vaccination, and all students currently living on campus are vaccinated as well.  On Friday, the CDC released new COIVD guidance for Colleges and Universities.

Based on the new CDC and State guidance, The College of Wooster is making several changes to our COVID safety requirements, which are listed below.  Note that there will now be several requirements which are different for individuals who are fully vaccinated than for those who are not.  If you wish to follow the reduced requirements for vaccinated people, and you have not yet submitted your vaccine record to Human Resources or to Steve Glick, you need to submit your vaccine record. Your record will be kept confidential and will not be shared with supervisors, colleagues, or anyone beyond Human Resources.

Here are the new COVID parameters for campus:

• If you are vaccinated, you may choose not to wear a mask – both indoors and out.  (You may also choose to continue to wear a mask, if you wish.)
• Those who are not vaccinated are required to continue to wear masks and to maintain social distance recommendations indoors, to protect themselves and others.
• Everyone is free to go without masks outdoors.
• Per the CDC guidance, travel within the U.S. is now considered safe for individuals who are fully vaccinated.  Thus, College-sponsored travel is now permitted for employees who are fully vaccinated.  (If you have a medical condition that prevents you from being vaccinated but need to undertake College-sponsored travel, you should contact Human Resources regarding ADA accommodations.)
• The College has concluded the daily symptom monitoring program.

Here is how to submit your vaccination information:

1. Login to Webadvisor  (https://scotweb.wooster.edu)
2. Click on Log In, Sign In, then Employees.
3. In the left-hand menu, under “Vaccination Information”, select the link “Covid Vaccination Information.”
4. From the information on your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card for your fully vaccinated dose (1^st for J&J, 2^nd for Moderna or Pfizer) enter:
   • Which vaccine you received (select it from the pull-down options)
   • The lot number (it will be either on a sticker or handwritten on your card)
   • The date you received the vaccine
   • The Lot expiration date (Optional: you may or may not have this on your card. It typically appears on a vaccine sticker affixed to your card.)
5. Check your information carefully, then click the “submit” button.

We are confident that the Wooster community will continue to make every effort to keep one another safe and healthy.  However, if you have concerns about someone who you believe is not following this policy, you may share that concern in two ways:

1. Submit the concern through an online reporting system available here. Only Human Resources will receive the report and know the identities of individuals involved. They will check to see if the reported person has submitted a vaccination record to Human Resources, and, if not, they will contact the reported person to reinforce the masking requirement for them indoors. HR will not follow up with the reporting person in order to maintain the confidentiality of the personnel record of the reported individual.
2. Share the concern with their supervisor who may be able to resolve the matter directly and/or address related concerns in the respective work environment.

Please remember that people on our campus have many different personal and family health situations, and some individuals are not able to be vaccinated or are immune-suppressed.  We ask everyone to be respectful of one another’s choices and needs.   People may choose to wear masks for many reasons, and are welcome to do so.

Recognizing that we all have very busy lives, and sometimes it is difficult to schedule appointments outside of work, we will be offering vaccinations in collaboration with Wooster Community Hospital on campus on a date to be confirmed soon. The vaccinations are free for everyone – whether or not you have health insurance.

Those are the updates that we have for now. We will continue to keep you informed about policies and plans for the fall as the science and our planning evolve.

Angela K. Johnston
Chief of Staff and Secretary of the College

Posted in Community Message on June 10, 2021.