All Potsdam Employees,
This message below was sent to all students on the Potsdam campus. Any member of our campus community who is showing COVID-19 symptoms as described below should not be attending in-person classes or activities and needs to seek further guidance.
The Dean of Students will alert faculty teaching an in person / hybrid class if you have students who have allergies that may be presenting as other symptoms and give more specific guidance.
St. Lawrence County Public Health is the lead on contact tracing and works closely with the Student Health Center, which is overseen by the St. Lawrence Health System. The University cooperates fully with requests for information as part of their review. Thank you in advance for your assistance if called upon to help us respond with specific questions.
Employees working on campus have the same daily screening questions on another site and also complete an end of day screening.
If you have any questions on the message below, please reach out to VP Kelly Chezum, kchezum@clarkson.edu. Thanks. Kelly
Question: If we follow social distancing protocols in class and campus activities — six-foot distance, wear masks, disinfect our surroundings — why would the Department of Public Health still ask some of us to quarantine when there is a positive case.
Answer: If someone goes to classes and activities with active COVID-19 symptoms and then tests positive, all of those individuals in immediate proximity may also be asked to quarantine as a precaution to further protect their own health and the health of others, and to stop the potential spread.
Students – It is important that you complete the daily health screening form for students.* Based on your responses, you may get further instructions on if you need to attend classes and activities virtually for that day and/or visit the Health Center. Do not go to class /activities if you have symptoms or are sick.
Everyone: Please join your community as we ask everyone who shows symptoms — fever greater than 100.4°F, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat or new loss of taste/smell — to not attend class or activities in-person. Follow through with the guidance on the screening tool and/or to get answers by emailing studentaffairs@clarkson.edu. We recognize that some members of the community have allergies and that COVID-19 is not the source of those symptoms. Please contact the Student Health Center if you fall into this category for guidance.
As always, if you need urgent medical care, please call 911. If your symptoms persist or worsen, please contact the Student Health Center at 315-268-6633 to speak to a medical professional. If you need assistance after 4:30pm or on the weekend, please contact Campus Safety and Security at 315-268-6666.
The Clarkson Value of Integrity calls upon everyone to act with honesty and accountability in our actions and words as the foundation of our relationship with others. Golden Knights: we are in a relationship together fighting COVID-19. We need to respect the confidentiality of each member of our community as well as take responsibility for our own actions. Please keep working together with our community in our hearts, minds and deeds. Our collective diligence and perseverance will make a difference in a situation that we fully acknowledge is challenging for everyone, not just here, but around the globe. Let’s Go Tech includes all of us.