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Life on campus during COVID-19: Spring Updates | 9:16 a.m

Jan 13, 2021

Hello students!

We look forward to seeing many of you back on campus this month, and staying connected with those of you who have decided to stay remote for this term. For those in Oxford, this message outlines what you can expect for the spring semester.

Rates of COVID-19 in the U.S. are higher now than at any point since the pandemic began, so our precautionary measures must remain in place or increase. The good news is that we also know more now and are better prepared for life during this pandemic than at any other time, and trust that you know how important it is that you take steps to help keep yourself and our community healthy.

You can start now by taking action to reduce the chance that you will bring COVID-19 with you to campus: limit your contact with others before you arrive in Oxford; and if possible, get a COVID-19 test before traveling. 

Life on campus

  • Ohio guidelines still limit gatherings to groups of no more than 10 people, outside of the classroom. Most meetings and campus events will continue to be virtual. More about activities and student engagement.

  • Ohio has a curfew in place, requiring everyone to remain in their residence between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The curfew is currently set to expire on January 23, but has been extended once. It is your responsibility to stay current with this and other state orders and local ordinances. 

  • You must wear a facial covering at all times on campus, indoors and out, with few exceptions.

  • No overnight visitors will be permitted in the residence halls or on-campus apartments. More about visitors in residence halls. 

  • Remain in Room (RIR) plans will be used again this spring, as needed. You can track the prevalence of cases in your residence hall on our dashboard.

  • Dining will be similar to the fall, but availability depends on having enough healthy staff to keep facilities open, which was an issue at some points in the fall. You can always find current hours on the dining website.

Testing

  • In addition to arrival testing, you will be expected to participate in ongoing wide-net and surveillance testing, unless you have been approved for an exemption. Invitations will be sent to selected students by 9 a.m. every day, and you must schedule your test to occur within 48 hours of receiving an invitation to test (excluding Sundays). 

  • This spring, Miami will have access to new types of rapid testing. When you participate in surveillance and wide-net testing, you may be asked to complete a saliva test. You will not be notified of your result unless COVID-19 is detected in your saliva test. If COVID-19 is detected, you will be asked to quickly return for a confirmatory PCR test and to limit your interactions with others until receiving the results of that test. Learn more about the types of tests used.

  • If you test positive for COVID-19, you are required to complete the self-reporting form and isolate as directed.

Quarantine and Isolation

  • For an overview of quarantine and isolation expectations, please visit the Quarantine and Isolation page. 

  • Quarantine is now 10 days instead of 14 days, per modified CDC guidance.

Other requirements

  • You should do a symptom assessment every day. Download the Campus Clear app as a tool to remind you to do this, and to help you know which symptoms to look for.

  • You must sign the Spring 2021 Healthy Together pledge before returning to campus. You will be held accountable through Miami’s Student Code of Conduct for adhering to those expectations.

We are hopeful that we can have a successful term together. We saw COVID-19 spread quickly among our students in Oxford shortly after their arrival in the fall, and hope that everyone will do their best to prevent that situation this spring. We are in a small town, and can quickly overwhelm the resources needed to follow up with cases.

If you have additional questions, please visit our online resources, including:

We all hope this is the last semester we will have to take these extraordinary measures. We’ve missed you, and we’re glad you are back.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jayne Brownell

Vice President for Student Life