February 12, 2020

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

On February 9, we shared Governor Kate Brown’s announcement that Multnomah County would move from "extreme" to "high" risk. This change in risk category is effective today, February 12. The county has provided a summary of the new restrictions. Reed's COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group has reviewed how the change in risk category impacts the college’s COVID-19 protocols.

Dining

Starting today, Reed resumed indoor dining in Commons and added all four walls back to the outdoor dining tent for warmth. With walls attached, the outdoor dining tent is now considered an indoor space. The maximum capacity inside Commons and the outdoor dining tent is 50 people. Diners must remain at least six feet apart when ordering, waiting in line, or sitting. The plexiglass barriers provide a suitable substitute for six feet of distance and face-covering requirements while diners are eating or drinking, as long as there is just one person on each side of the plexiglass.

Classes

Classes already scheduled in large conference rooms that are able to accommodate an increase in capacity, such as Vollum Lecture Hall, will be permitted to increase the number of students to 49 starting today. Faculty members who would like to expand the in-person capacity of their classes by moving to larger lecture halls should contact the registrar's office for assistance.

Events

Event guidance from the state for college campuses is being clarified. Until we hear otherwise from the state, the college will follow the Oregon Health Authority's (OHA) guidance on gatherings to determine the maximum size of in-person campus events that are not part of the academic program. This means non-academic events are considered “social gatherings.” Effective February 15, we will be able to authorize non-academic events that are limited to a maximum of six people indoors and eight people outdoors. Other restrictions apply to these events, and all COVID-19 protocols must be followed (e.g., face coverings, social distancing). See the OHA guidance for details. Students should contact the student engagement office with any questions related to student events.  

Working from home

Working from home is now a recommendation rather than a requirement. Any staff member who chooses to resume on-campus work must comply with Reed’s testing protocols as appropriate.

Sports center

Starting February 15, 2021, the sports center will reopen for student use only. A communication is being sent to students, faculty, and staff today from the Director of Athletics, Fitness & Outdoor Programs Michael Lombardo with additional details.

While this news is encouraging, we must continue to remain vigilant. Risk categories are evaluated every two weeks, and counties may move into a higher or lower risk category depending on how the virus is spreading. To protect our community from COVID-19 and to avoid reverting back to the extreme risk category, we must continue to wear masks, keep our physical distance, participate in weekly COVID-19 testing, and avoid indoor gatherings.

Sincerely,

Reed’s COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group