COVID-19 Prevention & Response Plan

Communications

October 1, 2020

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Although the pandemic has disrupted our ability to be fully in person, we were able to bring students, faculty, and staff back to campus in August for a flexible fall schedule of in-person instruction and interactions. Our return to campus meant that every member of our community was asked to diligently follow new guidelines to keep our community and the larger Portland community safe. The guidelines, outlined in Reed's COVID-19 Prevention & Response Plan, incorporate public health regulations that we all must adhere to, including face coverings and physical distancing, training, testing, and health monitoring, and restrictions on visitors and in-person events.

Members of the Reed community are encouraged to support each other in complying with the college's plan. This includes, when comfortable and appropriate, reminding one another of the public health regulations when we observe noncompliance.

Over the summer, a group of students, faculty, and staff created a working document that articulated the foundation for a public-health-behaviors reinforcement plan. Their work was handed off to members of the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator for transformation into a working protocol, reporting form, and related procedures. Now, when more action than a reminder seems necessary, reports of noncompliance can be submitted in any of the following ways:

Reports and observations will be evaluated by the college’s COVID-19 response coordinator or designee. If a violation is identified, the coordinator or designee will refer the violation to the associate dean of students for student & campus life (students); the dean of the faculty (faculty); or human resources (staff).

More information about ensuring compliance, as well as details about the specific protocol for students, is available on our COVID-19 Prevention & Response Plan website.

With this protocol now in place, we remind everyone that we are a small community that believes in the power of acting honorably. Gently reminding others of our shared responsibilities during the pandemic is arguably the best strategy to reinforce expected public health behaviors. We are calling this strategy “Be Kind and Remind.” We must all acknowledge a pattern of nationwide racial disparity (e.g., “A tale of two cities: how New York police enforce social distancing by the color of your skin,” The Guardian) in enforcement of COVID-19 regulations; it is important that we be proactive and vigilant about disparate enforcement and make every effort to operate without bias.

In our shared commitment to the health of the Reed community,

Madison Riethman, MPH, CPH
COVID-19 Response Coordinator

Cindy Anderson, Ed.D
Interim Dean of Students