Health and Safety

Bryn Mawr College: Community Health and Safety Guide

Updated July 31, 2020

• Personal Health
  • Safety Behaviors
  • Health Education
• Testing, Quarantining, and Isolating: Students Return to Campus
• Testing, Quarantining, and Isolating During the Semester: Staff, Faculty, and Students
  • Testing for Students During the Semester
• Campus Life
  • Classrooms and Academic Spaces
  • Workspace Safety
  • Living on Campus
  • Health and Wellness Center
  • Dining
  • Athletics and Fitness
  • Events
  • Facilities
• Beyond the Campus
• Visitors
• Travel

This page is a quick resource on campus health and safety for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Everyone must work together to create a culture of care for each other’s health. In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, each of our actions impacts the well-being of others.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the steps the College is taking or of all planning. There are also some areas where plans are still in process. Because knowledge of COVID-19 and its transmission is changing, Bryn Mawr College’s Operations Planning Group is regularly revisiting guidance and will update this document accordingly.

It is important to restate the principles that continue to guide decision-making:

• Protect the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff
• Provide the best possible educational experience for students
• Prioritize people
• Contribute to the larger purpose of protecting public health
• Be mindful of equity and inclusion when considering options
• Consider both the short- and long-term health of the College.

Please contact Don Abramowitz, Bryn Mawr College COVID-19 Officer, at dabramow@brynmawr.edu with questions or concerns.

Personal Health

Health experts have offered consistent information about the effectiveness of the following group of measures that, when collectively, consistently, and diligently applied, have resulted in minimal transmissions within hospitals. These experts believe we can achieve similar results if all of us follow all of these measures.

Safety Behaviors

To minimize risks to our health, each of us on the Bryn Mawr College campus must:

• Perform a symptom check every day and report our compliance via a central system, staying home if symptoms are present.
• Wear a facemask at all times while on campus unless you are in your dorm room, are working privately in your office (with no visitors), or are outside in an area where you will not encounter others. Masks can either be paper surgical masks or personal masks that meet the College’s requirements: they must cover both nose and mouth. The College will provide masks for those who need them.
• Maintain physical distancing of a minimum of 6 feet.
• Practice frequent handwashing. All those on campus should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer at least 5-10 times per workday, particularly when entering and leaving an in-person meeting, before and after eating, and after using the restroom.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with either a tissue or elbow.
• Tentative: Get a flu shot unless not medically advised.
• Tentative: Work together to create a culture of care for each others’ health via compliance with guidelines.

In Process: In consultation with medical experts, the Operations Planning Group is developing a larger plan for outbreak mitigation. For example, if the growth in the number of cases on campus passes a threshold, we will restrict activities and reduce the presence of faculty and staff on campus until the outbreak is contained. Part of this plan will include an appropriate way to keep the campus informed of positive cases and mitigation plans.

Health Education

• All faculty and staff are required to view an online tutorial on COVID-19 health.
• Staff and faculty will have access to departmental trainings.
• In Process: The College is developing an education program for students.
• Reminder signage will be placed around the campus for health tips like handwashing and symptom checking.
• Reminder signage will be placed to reinforce particular policies and procedures — 6-feet markers for chairs or chairs marked as off-limits, spots on the floor where people need to form lines, etc.

Testing, Quarantining, and Isolating: Students Return to Campus

Resident Students

• Students symptom-check and self-quarantine at home for the two weeks leading up to their return to campus. Self-quarantining means limiting movement beyond the home to essential tasks and limiting in-person social contact to immediate household members. Solitary outdoor activities are permitted. For essential activities beyond the home that require in-person interaction, masks must be worn and physical distance maintained.
• Move-in is staggered to keep density in dormitories low as people move in. Only two people are allowed to accompany the student for move-in. Those guests who accompany the student must wear masks at all times, maintain physical distancing, and also be symptom free.
• After being on campus for at least two days, students will have a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test administered by AFC Urgent Care (on campus). The cost of this testing will be covered by the College.
• For the period between move-in and the start of classes, students will be in a screening period. During this screening period, they will primarily stay in their rooms, or on their floors and in common areas of their dorms if they are masked and maintain physical distance. They will pick up meals in the dining halls with other students on their floor. Students can also be outside if they are masked and maintain physical distance from others. Students can schedule times for “curbside pickup” at the campus bookstore and post office. Even if students get a negative test result, they will continue with the screening period until all students have received test results (which will be close to the start of classes).
• If a student gets a positive test result, they move to the dorm designated for COVID-19-positive students (see below for additional steps).

Commuting Students

• Two weeks before the start of classes, commuting students will be asked to begin symptom checking and to self-quarantine. Self-quarantining means limiting movement beyond the home to essential tasks and limiting in-person social contact to immediate household members. Solitary outdoor activities are permitted. For essential activities beyond the home that require in-person interaction, masks must be worn and physical distance maintained.
•  About 10 days before the start of classes, students will have a PCR test administered by AFC Urgent Care during the scheduled campus testing.
• Students who have a positive test will be asked to isolate at home/in their off-campus residence (see below for additional steps).

Testing, Quarantining, and Isolating During the Semester: Staff, Faculty, and Students

For Staff (including Faculty) Who are Exposed to COVID-19 via a Close Contact, but are Not Symptomatic

• Staff members symptom-check daily and identify if they have had close contact with someone who is symptomatic or is COVID-19-positive. The staff member remains at home and reports the situation to the department head/supervisor ASAP. The staff member will work from home if able and well enough to do so. If the staff member remains asymptomatic, the staff member should contact their medical provider for advice on testing. If the staff member’s contact is diagnosed with something other than COVID-19, the staff member can return to work when approved by their medical provider.
• If the close contact is determined to be COVID-19-negative, the exposed staff member can return to work (unless they themselves are symptomatic).
• If the close contact is COVID-19-positive, the exposed staff member must self-quarantine for 14 days from the last day of close exposure (where contact has been more than 15 minutes at a distance of less than 6 feet) and cannot come to campus or have in-person contact with any other member of the Bryn Mawr community. The staff member will be expected to work from home during the quarantine. If that is not possible due to the nature of the job, these days away from campus will be categorized as “COVID-19 Quarantine” hours on the timesheet and will not impact sick leave totals. This will be paid at the staff member’s regular rate of pay. The maximum period of quarantine pay is two weeks per event. The COVID-19 Officer will notify Human Resources so that the request for quarantine pay can be processed.
• If, during the quarantine, the staff member becomes symptomatic and tests positive for COVID-19, they should contact their department/supervisor ASAP and follow the steps below.
• If, during the quarantine, the staff member is asymptomatic, but tests positive for COVID-19, the staff member can return to work 10 days from the date of the positive test, assuming that they remain asymptomatic.

For Staff (includes Faculty) Who are Symptomatic

• Staff members symptom-check daily. If a staff member is symptomatic, the staff member stays home and reports the situation to the department head/supervisor ASAP and will work from home as tolerated.
• If the staff member’s symptoms resolve by the next day, the staff member can return to work.
• If the symptoms persist, the staff member should contact a medical provider for advice on testing, treatment, etc.
• If the staff member is diagnosed with something other than COVID-19, the staff member can return to work when approved by a medical provider.
• Staff members who are COVID-19-positive should alert their supervisor and provide Human Resources with the documentation of the COVID-19-positive test result. The supervisor or department head should immediately contact the College’s COVID-19 Officer. The COVID-19 Officer will notify the Montgomery County Department of Health and contact tracing begins by the Bryn Mawr College Health and Wellness Center and Montgomery County. Bryn Mawr will contact any close contacts from Bryn Mawr’s campus.
• Close contacts who are members of Bryn Mawr’s community will be asked to quarantine for 14 days (see above for details).
• The COVID-19-positive staff member will remain home during the period of illness.
• Staff members who are symptomatic — with or without a positive test result — who are unable to work from home will be paid under the terms of the College Sick and Short-Term Disability policies. This will be permitted even if the staff member does not have available sick time accrued.
•  Staff members diagnosed with COVID-19 can return to work when they have been fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, and they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms. Staff members must have medical clearance to return to work.
• If testing becomes scarce, we will use this same protocol, treating symptomatic staff members as positive cases and allowing them to return to work when they have been fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, and they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms.

For Staff (including Faculty) Who Travel, but Are Not Symptomatic

• Faculty and staff who travel for vacation not by car but by plane or train or long-distance bus are required to refrain from returning to campus or from having any in-person contact with anyone from the Bryn Mawr community for the greater of 14 days or the then-current rules or guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or CDC. During that time if possible and with supervisor permission, the person will work remotely. If working remotely is not feasible or permitted, the person must use accrued leave balances — vacation, personal, or sick — for that period of time.
• College-related required travel is not expected for the foreseeable future. That said, if there are faculty or staff who are asked to travel for essential functions by plane or train or long-distance bus, they are required to refrain from returning to campus or from having any in-person contact with anyone from the Bryn Mawr community for 14 days. During that time, if possible, the person will work remotely. If working remotely is not feasible, that time will be designated “COVID-19 Quarantine” time. The supervisor or department head must notify Human Resources in those circumstances.

For Resident Students Who Are Exposed to COVID-19 via a Close Contact, but are Not Symptomatic

• Students symptom-check daily and identify that they have had close contact with someone who is symptomatic or is COVID-19-positive. The student self-quarantines in the dorm room and reports the situation to the COVID-19 student health consultation line for instructions regarding quarantining and testing.
• If the close contact is determined to be COVID-19 negative, the exposed student can return to the community (unless they themselves are symptomatic).
• If the close contact is positive, the exposed student must self-quarantine for 14 days from the last day of close contact (where contact has been more than 15 minutes at a distance of less than 6 feet). This means that the student quarantines in the dorm room, or another designated dorm room, except to use the bathroom and pick up food that is left at a drop point near their dorm.
• If during the quarantine the student becomes symptomatic and tests positive for COVID-19, the student should contact the student COVID-19 health consultation line ASAP and follow the steps below.
• If during the quarantine the student is asymptomatic but tests positive for COVID-19, the student can return to campus activities 10 days from the date of the positive test, assuming that they remain asymptomatic.
• If the student is employed on campus, the student will work remotely where possible. If remote work is not possible, the student will be paid for the scheduled hours.

For Resident Students Who are Symptomatic

• Students symptom-check daily. If a student is symptomatic, the student stays home and reports the situation to the COVID-19 health consultation line.
• If the attending health consultation line medical personnel determine it is necessary, the student packs a bag with two weeks’ worth of necessities and moves to isolation space, either in Wyndham or the reserved apartments located just off campus (all single rooms with private bath). They would take classes online only and work from their room if their health permits.
• Health Center monitors the student’s health and provides testing if advisable.
• If a student tests negative for COVID-19 and the Health Center advises it, the student can return to normal activity.
• If a student tests positive, the student is moved to Radnor Dormitory (a dormitory reserved for COVID-19-positive cases and separated quarantine space) for isolation and medical monitoring. COVID-19-positive students remain in Radnor except to pick up their meals, which will be dropped off just outside the dormitory at a designated distribution site.
• If a student is COVID-19 positive, contact tracing begins by Montgomery Department of Health and the Bryn Mawr College Health Center. Bryn Mawr Health and Wellness Center will notify close contacts within the Bryn Mawr Community.
• Close contacts (those who have been closer than 6 feet for longer than 15 minutes) would quarantine for 14 days (see above for details).
• Students diagnosed with COVID-19 can return to the community when they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms, and are cleared by the Bryn Mawr Health and Wellness Center.
• If testing becomes scarce, the College will use this same protocol, treating symptomatic students as positive cases and allowing them to return to campus activities when they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, and they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms.
• If the student is employed on campus, the student will work remotely where possible. If remote work is not possible, the student will be paid for the scheduled hours.

For Commuting Students (Graduate Students, Post-Bac Students and Undergraduates Living Off-Campus) Who are Exposed to COVID-19 via a Close Contact, But are Not Symptomatic

• Student symptom-checks daily and identifies that they have had close contact with someone who is symptomatic or is COVID-19-positive. The student self-quarantines at home and reports the situation to the COVID-19 student health consultation line and will work from home.
• If the close contact is determined to be COVID-19-negative, the student can return to campus activity (unless they themselves are symptomatic).
• If the close contact is positive, the student must self-quarantine for 14 days from the last day of close exposure (where contact has been more than 15 minutes at a distance of less than 6 feet).
• If during the quarantine the student becomes symptomatic and tests positive for COVID-19, they should contact the COVID-19 student health consultation line and follow the steps below.
• If during the quarantine the student is asymptomatic, but tests positive for COVID-19, the student can return to campus activities 10 days from the date of the positive test, assuming that they remain asymptomatic.
• If the student is employed on campus, they will work remotely where possible. If remote work is not possible, the student will be paid for the scheduled hours.

For Commuting Students (Graduate Students, Post-Bac Students and Undergraduates Living Off-Campus in Non-College Provided Housing) Who are Symptomatic

• Student symptom-checks daily. If the student is symptomatic, the student stays home and reports the situation to the COVID-19 student health consultation line and will work from home as tolerated.
• If the student’s symptoms resolve by the next day, the student can return to class and normal activities.
• If the symptoms persist, the student should contact a medical provider for advice on testing.
• If the student is diagnosed with something other than COVID-19, the student can return to campus activities when approved by a medical provider.
• If the student is COVID-19 positive they should alert the COVID-19 student health consultation line. The Montgomery County Department of Health is also notified and contact tracing begins by the Bryn Mawr College Health Center and Montgomery County. Bryn Mawr will contact any close contacts from Bryn Mawr’s campus.
• Close contacts who are members of Bryn Mawr’s community will be asked to quarantine for 14 days (see above for details).
• Students who are positive will isolate in off-campus housing.
• Students diagnosed with COVID-19 can return to campus activities when they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, and they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms. Students must have medical clearance to return to campus.
• If testing becomes scarce, the College will use this same protocol, treating symptomatic students as positive cases and allowing them to return to campus activities when they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without fever reducers), their other symptoms are resolved or significantly improved, and they are at least 10 days from their first symptoms.
• If the student is employed on campus, they will work remotely where possible. If remote work is not possible, the student will be paid for their scheduled hours.

Testing for Students During the Semester

• With the recommendation of Health Center staff, we will proactively test students who are symptomatic. Until point-of-care testing equipment arrives, students who are symptomatic will be tested by AFC. Thereafter, we will provide point-of-service testing.
• Given current CDC guidelines, ACHA recommendations, and our larger public health concern to save tests and testing equipment for people who are sick, we will not be conducting routine surveillance testing at this time. This approach may change in response to new medical information, or in response to particular patterns of transmission within the campus.
• For initial screening tests and for testing that is recommended by Bryn Mawr’s Health and Wellness Center staff, Bryn Mawr College will cover the cost.
• Testing not recommended by the Bryn Mawr Health and Wellness Center will not be paid for or provided by the College.

At this time, the College will not provide testing for faculty and staff at the College’s Health and Wellness Center. Faculty and staff should seek medical advice and care through their health care providers.

Campus Life

Classrooms and Academic Spaces

• All classroom activities and laboratories will be located in spaces with good mechanical air exchange and filtration.
• Classroom occupancy will maintain a minimum of 6 feet between people.
• Masks will be required in all classes and laboratories.
• If faculty and students abide by the safety behaviors in classrooms and laboratories, classroom participants will not be defined as close contacts of each other and will not require quarantining because they are considered at low risk for transmission.
• Wherever possible, students should not share equipment. If separate equipment is not possible, it should be cleaned between uses. If sanitation is not possible, students and faculty must wash their hands thoroughly after each use to avoid surface transmission.
• The College will provide wipes for cleaning surfaces by occupants before and after each class.
• The College will provide a few tents and more outside furniture for outdoor classrooms and small meeting spaces. The tent spaces must be reserved.
• The College will stagger classroom exits and keep classes on time to encourage orderly exit and prevent congregating to enter spaces.
• Students will not be permitted to do Praxis work on-site at a placement. All Praxis placements will be remote or occur on the Bryn Mawr or Haverford campus.
• GSSWSR will follow state and professional association guidelines for fieldwork.
• Faculty are strongly encouraged to conduct office hours remotely. Necessary in-office meetings should only take place in offices where mechanical ventilation is present and a minimum of 6 feet of separation between people can be maintained. The Operations Planning Group will work to provide alternative meeting spaces. In-person meetings should be by appointment to avoid crowding in the halls.
• Student visitors will not be permitted in classrooms. Faculty guests will be limited to only those who are deemed essential—meaning that the instruction could not take place virtually. All guests will follow safety behaviors.
• There will be no student in-person shopping for classes. The Registrar’s Office is making arrangements for a virtual shopping period in advance of registration.

Workspace Safety

To lower risk of transmission in all workspaces, the College will:

• Use ventilation, lower density via shifts and remote work, and relocate staff as indicated. Every department and every building has a plan for workspaces, including for accommodating student workers.
• De-densify the number of staff on campus by allowing for some remote work.
• Appoint a COVID-19 safety liaison for each building to monitor practices and help identify concerns. In most cases this will be the building advocate.
• Design traffic flow for high intensity activities like book rush and post office.
• Provide cleaning materials so that employees can regularly clean their work stations and high-touch surfaces.
• Increase cleaning of high-touch surfaces in common areas to at least two times per day.
• Require employees who carpool or who take public transportation to wear a face mask traveling to and from work. 

Living on Campus

• Students will each have their own room (where they can close the door to have a private space) for studying and sleeping.
• To protect staff who work in the building and residents of other halls who may be visiting, students will wear masks when walking around, when in common areas, and in the bathrooms unless showering, washing their face, or brushing their teeth.
• Members of the BiCo student community will be permitted to visit other dormitories, provided they are accompanied by a dorm resident, wear a mask when traversing all common spaces and remain in the resident’s room. Masks are strongly recommended in the dorm room as well.
• Tentative: visitors to the dorms beyond BiCo community members will not be permitted.
• The College will modify “room draw” to allow students to room on the same hallway with their close friends and thus create family groups or pods of frequent contacts.
• Students will be expected to limit off-campus engagement and travel to essential functions such as health care, obtaining essential items or education-critical experiences (required field work). As is the case for all community members, we expect that students will abide by all safety practices such as masking and social distancing.
• In Process: the College will determine a schedule for more frequent shared bathroom cleanings and other common areas.

Health and Wellness Center

• In Process: the Operations Planning Group is developing a plan for Health and Wellness Center operation.

Dining

• In Process: the Operations Planning Group is developing a plan for dining that focuses on take out and will continue to follow restaurant openings to use data to inform the best approach.

Athletics and Fitness

• The Centennial Conference has suspended the fall intercollegiate athletics season. Athletics staff are designing ways that teams can practice and train while still abiding by our safety practices.
• In Process: the Operations Planning Group is investigating a plan for a limited opening of the gym, pool and fitness center. If it is possible to open, all community members will need to follow the safety behaviors and practices of the broader campus. The Athletics and Physical Education Department is also developing creative, alternative options for fitness and physical education.

Events

• Indoor gatherings (non-instructional) are limited to no more than 25 people at a time (or posted occupancy capacity, whichever is less), and all physical distancing practices must be observed, including the wearing of masks. This policy applies to gatherings in the dorms or other campus activity spaces.
• Gatherings held outside must also abide by all physical distancing practices, including the wearing of masks, maintaining a minimum distance of 6 feet between individuals and cannot exceed 25 people.
• Visitors from the general public are prohibited from campus events.

Facilities

To ensure safety in all campus facilities, the College will:

• Change all air filters and install MERV 13 filters or equivalent wherever possible.
• Increase air flow exchange rates in buildings, bringing fresh air into the building to the highest extent possible.
• In spaces without fresh air exchange, maximize ability to open windows. Locate single-person activities or furniture storage in these spaces.
• Locate classrooms and other activities that require in-person interaction in spaces with higher levels of fresh-air ventilation.
• Where indicated at points of service or high interaction, provide plexi-glass protection.
• Where advantageous/feasible, move to hands-free operations.
• Provide Housekeeping with training on proper cleaning techniques. The College is following the CDC guidelines as well as guidance from medical professionals and professional organizations on proper techniques and cleaning products.
• Cleaning will be focused on high touch surfaces in shared spaces. These will be cleaned at least two times per day in addition to early in the morning.
• The community will need to help with cleaning. Spray bottles and paper towels have been distributed to all departments and employees are encouraged to wipe down their high touch surfaces in the middle and at the end of the day, or when others have been in the space.
• Provide appropriate intense cleaning for impacted areas when the campus has a positive COVID-19 case.
• In Process: develop a specific plan for shared spaces and equipment.

Beyond the Campus

Visitors

• Bryn Mawr College will treat Haverford as an extension of Bryn Mawr’s campus. Exchange between the campuses may be more limited due to safety considerations for the Blue Bus.
• The College will not permit outside visitors to campus from the general public to buildings, campus activities and outside campus spaces.
• All admissions tours and information sessions will be suspended through the end of 2020 unless conditions materially change.
• For Fall 2020, students will not be able to take in-person classes at Penn or at Swarthmore and vice versa. Course registrations (in-person or remote) from non-Tri-Co students will not be permitted.
• Essential outside visitors (e.g., auditors, outside deliveries, contractors working on Facilities projects) will be allowed to come to campus. All visitors will be required to follow campus safety protocols.

Travel

• All College-sponsored travel is canceled unless it is deemed essential and can be conducted in a low-risk manner (defined as individual car travel to an area that is not a COVID-19 hot spot, and to engage in an activity where the traveler can abide by all College safety practices like masking and physical distancing).
• Study abroad has been canceled for the fall.
• Faculty and staff should limit all nonessential personal travel unless it involves no increased risk.
• Students will not travel back and forth from home unless they are commuting students.
• Faculty, students and staff whose essential travel puts them at additional risk to COVID-19 exposure must quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus.
• Blue Buses will be limited to a smaller ridership to maintain safety.
• Tentative: develop a Blue Bus reservations system during peak class times.