Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Updates

Student Life reopening plan for the 2020-2021 academic year

Goal

To keep students, Student Life staff, K-State faculty, staff and administrators, and campus visitors safe while implementing a phased approach to increasing Student Life services, programs and activities for duration of pandemic until a vaccine is widely available.

Guiding Principles for Student Life Reopening

  1. Recognize Student Life facilities — Residence Halls, Jardine Apartments, Recreational Services facilities, Center for Child Development, Kansas State Student Union, Lafene Health Center, Career Center — have unique operational characteristics and physical settings that influence risk assessment as measured by number, duration and closeness of contacts.

  2. Student Life unit director facility and office reopening plans should address mitigation measures such as the use of personal protective equipment and/or masks, establishing physical barriers where possible, reconfiguring space to enable people to be six feet apart, and enabling staff to remain at home if unwell or have been in close contact with someone who is sick.

  3. The Residence Life plan should implement measures to prevent the spread of existing COVID-19-like illnesses, or CLI, and COVID-19, identify clear steps to take for dining and cleaning, implement policies on room isolation and monitoring symptoms of ill residents, give guidance to staff on how they should be caring for residents with CLI and COVID-19.

  4. In partnership with Lafene Health Center and state and local health officials, actively and vigilantly manage actual and presumed COVID-19 cases in the on-campus residential environment.

  5. Establish protocols to assist off-campus students regarding prevention and mitigation practices and care of those with COVID-19 or CLI.

  6. Student Life staff should communicate often with students to ensure they know what actions they should take to protect themselves from COVID-19 and understand risks and any mitigation measures put in place.

  7. Planning for Student Life sponsored programs and departmental student organization activities must adhere to federal, state, local and university guidelines and recommendations for mass gatherings.