This is a reminder of the current protocol for students not feeling well. Students are required to complete the daily COVID screening. In the event they answer the daily check-in in a manner that indicates they are not feeling well, or if they show no COVID-like symptoms but feel under the weather, they have been asked to stay in their residence halls/home and communicate with their instructor directly the reason for their absence.
Although we understand the tendency to default to required documentation from the Health Center, the Health Center is overwhelmed with students asking to be seen due to faculty requests for excuses. Per Student Regulations III-F-3 Attendance, the Dean of Students’ office sends a notification of absence for illness, hospitalizations or sensitive matters for which it would not be in the students’ interest to speak with their professors about the reason for absence. Otherwise faculty are encouraged to use a common sense approach in requiring documentation while keeping in mind the circumstances under which we are currently operating.
Please do not tell students that they need to get a COVID test. Students have been told to only seek such at the Student Health Center if their symptoms warrant. Unless a student is seriously ill or is showing COVID symptoms, they should not be going to the Health Center.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
