Mitigation Framework 2020-2021
Introduction
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is focused on preserving the health and safety of our community, while serving our students with excellence. We have maintained a mode of University operation consistent with guidelines set forth by the Restore Illinois plan and developed a Return to SIUE Plan centered in a science-based approach.
SIUE has carefully phased in a return to the University for students, faculty, and staff on the Alton, East Saint Louis and Edwardsville campuses. Our essential services remained on-ground throughout the Governor’s stay-at-home orders that began mid-March. Starting June 13, SIUE began a phased return for administrative and student services that had initially shifted to a remote-only operation in March. Limited on-ground summer courses were launched beginning July 5.
The fall 2020 semester return followed the framework set out in the Return to SIUE Plan. SIUE de-densified the University by reducing campus populations in the following ways:
- Student enrollment
- 12,860 total students enrolled at the Edwardsville and Alton campuses
- 7,444 (58%) enrolled in at least one on-ground course (88% in 2019)
- 100% of SDM students have at least one on-ground course/experience
- 5,416 (42%) enrolled exclusively online compared to 12% for fall 2019
- 280 unique faculty teaching on-ground
- Employees working partially or completely remotely
- Approximately 1,960 residents are living on-campus in fall 2020
- This represents a 25% drop (approximately 600 residents) in occupancy from fall 2019
- 55% of residents are living in private bedrooms
- In-Person Events
- External event reservations restricted through fall 2020
- Campus sponsored events restricted in size by Restore Illinois plan
- Admissions Campus Tours – Three in-person tours daily, PREVIEW, Transfer Visit Days, Explore Days, Virtual Academic Sessions, Graduate Open House all delivered remotely
- SDM Campus Tours continue to be conducted in a fully virtual environment
Glossary of Terms
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Isolation is used to separate people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 or have tested positive and have been instructed by a medical provider to isolate) from people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should stay home until it is safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick room” or area and using a separate bathroom (if available).
On December 17, 2021, IDPH guidance related to quarantine was updated as follows:
The CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. Further, local public health authorities determine and establish quarantine options for their jurisdictions and may decide to continue using a 14-day period and/or shortened options for certain lower risk close contacts.
However, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives:
- Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during any day of the daily monitoring period. With this strategy, residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 1% with an upper limit of about 10%.
- Quarantine can end after Day 7 if a RT (Reverse Transcriptase)-PCR test is negative and if no symptoms were reported during any day of the daily monitoring period. The earliest a specimen may be collected and tested would be on Day 6 with quarantine being discontinued no earlier than Day 8. With this strategy, the residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 5% with an upper limit of about 12%. This option is not recommended for children in daycares or K-12 schools.
Two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases who are epidemiologically linked to the outbreak setting, have onsets of illness within a 14-day period, do not share a household,* and are not listed as a close contact of each other outside of the outbreak setting.
*On-campus apartments and suites are considered households.
Modes of Operation
The framework below provides SIUE the ability to rapidly respond to conditions by reducing or expanding in-person University activities as needed. School of Dental Medicine and East Saint Louis Center programs, services, and instruction may be modified from those listed below due to the unique nature of their operations. Modifications will be communicated directly to the School of Dental Medicine from the Dean’s Office and to East Saint Louis Center programs and services by the Executive Director.
Remote
Due to local or state public health orders, the campus could be required to shift to remote-only instruction with limited access to facilities and services for a specified length of time. Staff identified as necessary to be on-ground would continue to report to campus.
Limited
Direction from public health officials or other constraints could require one of our campus locations to limit in-person operations and further de-densify the campus.
- Campuses would operate at limited capacity.
- Academic instruction would be conducted remotely or as specified in agency guidelines.
- Access for research-related activities would be based on risk assessment, training and use of masks and other personal protective equipment.
- Remote work would be expanded for eligible employees.
Expanded
Enables the presence of students, faculty and staff on campus. While COVID-19 cases exist in the local community, direction from public health officials permit in-person operations at appropriate occupancies and with appropriate mitigation.
- Face coverings are required in all campus buildings. Face coverings are required outside when social distancing cannot be maintained.
- Face coverings are available for everyone on campus.
- Isolation and quarantine spaces are available for on-campus residents.
- Enhanced sanitation and physical distancing measures are in place.
- Campus operations continue in a de-densified mode with reduced physical capacity. Remote work options remain available, in-person gatherings are limited.
Full
Return to a mode of operation where all functions of the University are fully operational and in accordance with new safety guidance and procedures under Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan.
Considerations Impacting Operational Modes
Academic Course Instruction
Course instruction considerations range from conditions present in one specific course, to those that may impact overall on-ground course delivery. Considerations related to course instruction would include:
- Faculty or instructor inability to continue course instruction
- Availability of assigned teaching assistants
- Number of students unable to continue learning due to illness
- Outbreak tied to classroom setting or classroom building
- Impractical to continue face to face instruction due to reduced student attendance
- Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
- Campus positivity rate, isolation and quarantine impact/capacity, and community spread
- Action by city/county/state health officials, governor, or other public official to require a shift in course instruction
Campus Housing
Campus housing considerations range from conditions within a residence hall wing, floor, or building to those that may impact the entire range of housing facilities. Considerations related to on-campus housing would include:
- Identification of an outbreak or multiple outbreaks in a University Housing facility or across multiple facilities
- Ability to provide the support and services to those in isolation/quarantine
- Laundry, trash, mail, package delivery
- Food
- Room turnover timeline
- Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
- Campus positivity rate, isolation and quarantine impact/capacity, and community spread
- Action by city/county/state health officials, governor or other public official to require a shift in on-campus housing
Off-Campus Student Housing
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Identification of an outbreak or multiple outbreaks in an off-campus student housing facility or across multiple facilities
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Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
-
Action by city/county/state health officials, governor or other public official
Workforce
Workforce considerations include those related to absenteeism, ability to fill open positions, use of Families First Coronavirus Act and employees approved for COVID-related accommodations.
- Impact of a widespread shift in K-12 to fully remote education, child care closure/reduced capacity
- High levels of absenteeism impacting operations
- EOA accommodations for remote work exceed on-ground staffing demands
- Inability to meet technology needs of remote work expectations
- Inability to meet essential service needs of campus
- Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
- Campus positivity rate, isolation and quarantine impact/capacity, and community spread
- Action by city/county/state health officials, governor, or other public official that could require a shift in operations.
- Limits on-ground staffing
- Limits on interstate travel
- Limits on inter-county/inter-region travel
Supply Chain
Timelines and availability of products and equipment are important considerations regarding the ability to maintain critical operations related to basic needs, cleaning and sanitation, testing, etc. These shortages could result from delivery delays, stock issues, or escalated cost.
- Availability of necessary cleaning and sanitation supplies
- Ability to maintain supplies essential to instructional activities like cleaning microscopes, art supplies, etc.
- Access to personal protective equipment for health and safety, cleaning, and course instruction needs
- Availability of COVID testing supplies
- Availability of food, beverages, and food preparation and storage supplies
- Access to technology needs
- Prioritization of supply chain needs
- Development of alternative strategies
- Have various stock available and multiple vendor sources when possible
Campus Events and Activities
SIUE continues to follow the guidelines provided by the Restore Illinois plan and DCEO related to in-person events and the size of meetings and gathering. Face-to-face courses, while not viewed as a meeting or gathering, have been restricted in size.
- Spread of COVID connected to in-person events
- Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
- Campus positivity rate, isolation and quarantine impact/capacity, and community spread
- Action by city/county/state health officials, governor or other public official that could require a shift in operations
- Inability to provide the necessary support and services by medical training staff
- Identification of an outbreak or multiple outbreaks within a team or across multiple teams
- Availability of coaches, athletic trainers and other athletics personnel
- Action by the Ohio Valley Conference/Mid-American Conference/NCAA to require a shift in athletics guidelines
- Increased reports of non-compliance with face coverings, social distancing, and people-focused health and safety policies
- Team positivity rate, isolation and quarantine impact/capacity, and community spread
- Action by city/county/state health officials, governor or other public official to require a shift in operations
Thresholds and Mitigation Strategies
During Voluntary Testing Stage
SIUE has developed metrics to monitor the spread of COVID-19 on campus. These metrics will help SIUE determine when to implement additional mitigation strategies. It is important to note that testing metrics are one piece of a broader picture SIUE will consider. Chancellor’s Council and the COVID CORE Team review these data on an ongoing basis for awareness of conditions in the surrounding area and those areas impacting our local communities. It is important to note that this approach is effective throughout the duration of the voluntary testing stage. Thresholds and mitigation strategies will be revised effective with the full implementation of a mandatory testing program.
Leading dashboard indicators are metrics that are posted on the SIUE COVID Dashboard. The SIUE COVID-19 Testing website provides the most up-to-date information about campus testing and links to local testing sites. Due to the unique nature of the three campuses, appropriate leading dashboard indicators for each of the Alton, East Saint Louis and Edwardsville campuses have been developed.
Additional monitored SIUE metrics are reviewed on an ongoing basis by the responsible departments, the chancellor’s council and the CORE Team. These metrics provide direction to departments/units, COVID CORE Team, chancellor and chancellor’s council to determine if and when additional mitigation strategies are needed in specific areas.
Regional and area monitored metrics are those reported by The State of Illinois and Illinois Department of Public Health, or the appropriate local health department have established regional resurgence criteria for areas of the State. SIUE is located in Region 4.
School of Dental Medicine and East Saint Louis Center metrics will be monitored for prevalence and spread as part of the Additional Monitored University Metrics found below. Please refer to that table for more specific information for those campuses, programs and services, as well as their mitigation strategies
Leading Dashboard Indicators
Edwardsville Campus
Leading Dashboard Indicators |
Threshold |
Mitigation Strategies |
Operational Mode |
---|---|---|---|
Active Student Positive Cases*
|
1.5% (113) of on-ground student population (7500) |
|
Remain in Expanded Mode plus additional mitigations |
5% (375) of on-ground student population (7500) |
|
Shift to Limited Mode
|
|
Active Student Positive Cases data will be monitored. If there is no significant decrease in cases over 14-day period current mitigation strategies will remain in place and additional mitigation strategies may be considered. |
|||
Active Faculty/Staff Positive Cases* |
1.5% (37) of approximate faculty/staff count |
|
Remain in Expanded Mode plus additional mitigations |
5% (124) of approximate faculty/staff count |
|
Shift to Limited Mode
|
|
Active Faculty/Staff Positive Cases data will be monitored. If there is no significant decrease in cases over 14-day period current mitigation strategies will remain in place and additional mitigation strategies may be considered. |
|||
Isolation/ Quarantine Availability |
Below 50% of total on-campus capacity |
|
Remain in Expanded Mode plus additional mitigations
|
Below 20% of total on-campus capacity |
|
Remain in Expanded Mode plus additional mitigation AND 2nd layer of additional mitigations
|
|
Positivity Rate of voluntary SIUE Screening Tests |
6.5-8% over 7-day rolling average |
|
Remain in Expanded Mode plus additional mitigations
|
Above 8% over 7-day period |
|
Shift to Limited Mode
|
* Positive cases reported include those who may have been present on campus during the time of their infection AND have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 through the COVID Self-Disclosure Reporting Form or identified through the SIUE testing process. Based upon CDC guidelines, this includes individuals who may have been on campus 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Additional Monitored University Metrics
The following additional metrics are monitored on an ongoing basis by the Chancellor’s Council and the COVID CORE Team. These metrics provide direction to departments/units, COVID CORE Team and the Chancellor and Chancellor’s Council to determine if additional mitigation strategies are needed in specific areas.
All Campuses
Additional Considerations |
Potential Mitigation Approaches |
---|---|
Spread and prevalence of infection across a single section of the university (e.g. classroom, residence hall wing, office suite, campus building, off-campus housing)
*School of Dental Medicine and East Saint Louis Center will be monitored for spread and prevalence as unique single sections of operation and will be monitored accordingly. |
|
Faculty and Staff Absenteeism
|
|
Number and severity of cases of non-compliance with People-focused Health and Safety Policy or other non-compliant activities referred to the Dean of Students Office |
|
Supply level of COVID tests (5-day supply) |
|
Supply level of PPE (2 weeks) |
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Supply level of Cleaning and Sanitation Products (2 weeks) |
|
Ability to support residential student isolation/quarantine cases being housed on campus |
|
Infant, Toddler, and Pre-K to 12 Educational Programs |
|
ESTL Center Adult Services and Programs |
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ESTL Center Tenant Management |
|
Regional and Area Monitored Metrics
The State of Illinois and Illinois Department of Public Health have established regional resurgence criteria for areas of the State. SIUE is located in Region 4. Chancellor’s Council and the COVID CORE Team review these data on an ongoing basis for awareness of conditions in the surrounding area and those areas impacting our local communities.
- Regional and Area Metrics
- Regional Resurgence Criteria
- Madison County Positivity Rate
- St. Clair County Positivity Rate
- St. Louis City Positivity Rate
- St. Louis County Positivity Rate