Policies on COVID-19 Health Protocol and Events and Gatherings

The following message from the Task Force on Transition & Adaptability was distributed on Aug. 14.

To the Webster University community,

As we prepare for students to return to campuses for fall, we want to re-iterate the importance of following safety guidelines and also share further information on how Webster University will approach managing the health of our community during the pandemic.

The following policies have been developed in consultation with state and local health departments, using guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and coordinating input from throughout the Webster University community through the Task Force on Transition & Adaptability:

• The Policy on Gatherings and Events provides guidance and required steps for hosting safe and permissible gatherings and events throughout the Webster University campus network.
• The COVID-19 Health Protocols (for Students here, and for Employees here) outlines the steps to be taken at the main campus if a student or employee is diagnosed with COVID, is suspected of having COVID, or is identified as a Close Contact.

In the coming weeks, Webster will continue to monitor health conditions in our communities, adapt policies in accordance with local guidance and the COVID-19 Health Protocol Policies for students and employees, and take actions as appropriate.  Factors we are tracking include community information, such as positive case and hospitalization trends, and Webster-specific information, such as positive test trends and ability to obtain appropriate PPE, masks, and other supplies.  If conditions warrant further action, Webster steps could include 1) advanced or heightened policies on social distancing, including further restrictions on gatherings; 2) temporary closures of buildings; 3) temporary move of some or all classes to remote learning; 4) a full transition to remote learning.       

For academic questions, students should check the Student Academics FAQ, which has been updated today and includes instructions for reviewing course schedules to see updates to course modality. Residential students who are moving on to campus are receiving specific additional information from Housing and Residential Life.

We are all in this together. For the safety of our community, it is critical that we all adhere to these policies and follow public health guidance on preventing the spread of the coronavirus. As a reminder, in our daily activities, those safety measures include:

• Completing the Daily Health Screening before coming to campus
• Wearing masks/facial coverings;
• Frequent hand washing;
• Practicing social distancing;
• Staying home if you are ill.

Please continue to visit the COVID-19 site for the latest updates, FAQs and general resources to help you stay safe and informed this fall.

The Task Force on Transition & Adaptability