Opening Week - All employee message

Posted: August 28, 2021

Welcome back, everyone!

We've had a busy summer on the NWC campus, teaching courses, hosting camps, and working with students interested in either returning to their coursework or joining us as a new student for the first time. For those of you who have been off this summer or just took some time for vacation, I hope you had a relaxing time away and are ready to return to the NWC campus rejuvenated.

As we gear up for the start of a new semester, now is an excellent time to review our current health and safety protocols. As you know, NWC is planning to return to face-to-face instruction beginning September 1st and will follow the mode of instructional delivery indicated in the Fall 2021 course schedule.

It is critically important for us to work together to keep our campus healthy and open through the Fall semester. To do this, we must remain committed each day to the following items:

If you are sick, please stay home. Contact your supervisor(and Human Resources) to make alternate plans for instructional delivery or operational work depending on your situation and how you feel.
Good hand-washing practices and the use of hand sanitizer do make a difference. There are bathrooms and sanitizer stations located throughout each building on the NWC campus.
Clean, Clean, Clean. Do not share equipment, learning materials, or working spaces without appropriately cleaning surfaces between use. Cleaning supplies are available throughout campus, and enhanced cleaning efforts and equipment are currently in use.
Practice safe distances between yourself and others whenever possible. Recommended air quality standards are in effect throughout the College, but face coverings provide another barrier and are highly recommended.

Here are some frequently asked questions we received this summer.

Are face coverings/masks required on campus?

The return to face-to-face classroom and lab instruction this fall will require diligence in best practices as we interact with one another. Face coverings/masks are not mandated at this point but are highly recommended. Both N95 and cloth masks are available at multiple locations across our campus for your use.

Will the College require all employees to be vaccinated?

There is no mandate for vaccination, but it is highly encouraged. If you were unable to receive your first of two COVID-19 vaccinations during NWC Kick-off weekend, know that we will provide more clinics this fall as needed, or the College can work with you to schedule another option. Watch for future communications in your email, on the nwc.edu/covid website, and appropriate social platforms.

What if you do get sick during the semester?

As always, if you are sick, please stay home. Contact your supervisor to discuss your work assignments, options for remote work, and/or coverage if needed. Reasonable accommodations may be available for you if you cannot work on-campus/on-site due to medically related COVID-19 issues.

What are COVID symptoms again? Are there options for testing?

Symptoms include:

Fever (100.4F or higher),
Chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or
New onset of:

muscle or body aches,
fatigue,
loss of taste or smell,
headache,
sore throat,
congestion/runny nose,
nausea or vomiting, and
diarrhea

Testing:

Northwest College has free COVID-19 Vault tests that can be made available to you. Pick one up from the mailroom to have “on hand,” or we can arrange to drop one off to you if you are sick.
Working with a health provider, public health, hospitals, or clinics is always a good choice, and they can provide you with a list of testing options.

Resources and reporting

In conjunction with these routine health and safety measures, we've also established processes in collaboration with the Wyoming Department of Health to ensure students and employees alike will be supported through periods of illness. Like last year, we require all employees to report COVID-19 positive test results and exposure to COVID-19 positive individuals. Employees will report positive COVID-19 test results or quarantine status to HR (see the COVID-19 Employee Reporting and Information Guide). Similarly, students will report their positive COVID-19 test results and exposure to COVID-19 individuals through the COVID Connection form on the portal. This will ensure that connections can be made to important resources for employees and students to access while recovering safely in isolation and/or quarantine.

The Human Resources Office and the Student Success Center team will be working with COVID-positive or exposed individuals to calculate the appropriate timelines for isolation and/or quarantine following the Wyoming Department of Health guidelines. Through the COVID Connection process for students and the Human Resource responses for employees, individuals on the campus will be alerted to possible exposure and guided through the next steps for their wellbeing.

Watch for future communications

Finally, please stay tuned to potential changes in our plans for operation as the cases of COVID-19 fluctuate across our community. Know that there may be a return to more restrictive practices if mandated by the State of Wyoming, Park County Public Health, or Northwest College administration.

I intend to keep the campus open, monitor our levels closely, and respond accordingly. For those who watched my efforts last year, you know I am not afraid to lay activities down, quarantine, cancel, or delay operations as needed, and I may do that again. But, as COVID-19 continues, we will need to develop an operational model designed to maintain our health, respond quickly, and keep the College operational for our students, community, and us.

Remember, it takes all of us working together to keep our campus healthy and open throughout this academic year. If you have questions, please connect with your supervisor or me for further information.

I look forward to a terrific (and safe) academic year!

Sincerely,

Lisa