COVID-19 Prevention & Response Plan

Communications

January 5, 2021

Dear faculty and staff,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful break. As we look forward to the start of the spring term, we take this opportunity to share important action items and information related to Reed’s COVID-19 prevention & response plan.

What you need to do: 

  • Complete the new COVID-19 policies and prevention training by January 8. Even if you completed the COVID-19 training in the fall, you must complete this new training for the spring. The training focuses on disease transmission, how to protect yourself and others, and Reed-specific policies regarding COVID-19. To access the training, a Reed Kerberos account is required.
  • Plan to be tested for COVID-19 before the start of the semester if you will be working or teaching on campus this spring. Start-of-term testing dates have been scheduled for January 14, 15, 20, and 21. If you haven’t already signed up, review the instructions and sign up now.

What you need to know: 

We are increasing our surveillance-testing capacity.

  • Faculty, staff, and affiliates who live off campus but regularly interact with others on campus will be required to be tested once a week. This is slightly more expansive than last semester. Anyone who works on campus and interacts regularly with others—e.g. those who teach in person, those who work the register at the bookstore, or those who work in mail services—should be tested weekly. Those who work alone in their offices and have no in-person meetings do not need to be tested weekly.

    If your role requires regular in-person interaction, you will receive an email on Friday, January 22, prompting you to sign up for weekly testing. If you do not receive this email but believe you should be included in this group, please contact coronavirusquestions@reed.edu.

    During the spring semester, participants will be tested at the same time each week. Participants will be able to visit the online schedule at any time if they need to reschedule their testing appointments.
  • We are increasing testing for students who live off campus compared to the fall. Instead of testing a randomized pool once a week, students who live off campus but access campus will be required to be tested twice a week (same as students who live on campus). You can read more about this change and Reed’s testing program on the COVID-19 prevention & response website.

Multnomah County remains in the “Extreme Risk” category based on the Governor’s health and safety framework. Many restrictions remain in place.

  • Work: Reed will continue to follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. By now, every staff member should know their work schedule and work location (campus or home) for winter break and the spring semester. Contact your supervisor or department director if you are unclear about your schedule.
  • Classes: The Oregon Higher Education Commission has determined that the state's measures do not directly impact instructional or research activities at colleges and universities; therefore, in-person class activities are permitted to continue.

We remain cautiously optimistic about a vaccine for COVID-19. We are in close contact with the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Immunization Program as we prepare to play our assigned role in providing COVID-19 vaccines to the Reed community. We will keep the community up to date as we learn more.

In case you are interested:

Review the spring 2021 checklist we shared with students. The checklist includes information about important tasks students must complete prior to the start of the spring semester and guidance for what to expect upon arrival.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group at coroanvirusquestions@reed.edu.

Sincerely,
The COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group

COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group

Co-Chairs
Kathy Oleson, Dean of the Faculty & Professor of Psychology
Hugh Porter, Vice President for College Relations & Planning

Members
Cindy Anderson, Interim Dean of Students
Lorraine Arvin, Vice President and Treasurer
Gary Granger, Director of Community Safety
Mandy Heaton, Executive Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Karnell McConnell-Black, Vice President for Student Life
Madison Riethman, COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Health Projects Manager
Suzy Renn, Professor of Biology
Timmie Rochon, Medical Services Director
April Sams, Director of Risk Management & Environmental Health and Safety