COVID-19: Summer Semester Updates

May 17, 2022

Dear Andrews University family,

As we move into this summer semester, we wanted to share a brief overview of how we will approach COVID-19 treatment and safety protocols in the months ahead here on our Berrien Springs campus.

The overall approach will be to begin decentralizing certain aspects of our COVID-19 management to have our approach to COVID-19 managed similarly to how other illnesses, such as the seasonal flu, are approached in our community. The areas affected will include case management, academics and residence life. As we make these modifications, it’s important that our processes continue to be guided by current CDC/MDHHS case management guidelines and local transmission data.

In our current context, with increasing COVID-19 cases in some parts of the United States, it continues to be essential that each one of us can and must assume personal responsibility and accountability.

For campus case management

• Isolation/Quarantine Guidelines—As case guidelines adjust to match transmission risks, individuals should continue to seek the most up-to-date guidance directly from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS). The campus will be expected to follow these guidelines without immediate direction from the University’s COVID-19 Team. Other than the specific guidelines provided by MDHHS, individuals on campus will be strongly encouraged to stay home whenever sick to help keep our community as safe and healthy as possible.
• Changes to case management will include the following:
  • Reporting—The campus will continue to be required to report COVID-19 positive tests, related symptoms, and/or exposures. To facilitate a smooth transition between centralized and decentralized case management, our campus will no longer use #CampusClear as the reporting tool. The campus will use an online, Google-based form that will be submitted to Student Life or Human Resources as appropriate. Individuals will need to access the form using their Andrews username and password. The primary intent of this reporting will be for our University to be able to monitor on-campus COVID-19 transmission to help inform and adapt mitigation protocols when needed.
    • Reporting these COVID-19 exposures will not result in automatic contact with the individual by the COVID-19, Student Life or Human Resources teams. Instead, individuals reporting are expected to follow the most up-to-date MDHHS guidelines. Also, faculty or staff requiring assistance should contact Human Resources, residence hall students should contact the residence hall dean on duty and community students should contact the Student Life office.
  • Contact Tracing—Individuals testing positive will be expected to personally notify their own close contacts of the exposure. The CDC has provided resources on how you can identify close contacts and how to personally talk with them about their exposure when needed.
  • Additional Support—Our COVID-19 Team will continue to remain available for additional support/unique questions, even though they will not be actively managing campus cases day-to-day as the campus is expected to self-manage, as described above.
    • The best way to reach out is by email: covid19@andrews.edu.
• Testing Supplies. Off-campus testing options can be found through the MDHHS. Additionally, a small quantity of COVID-19 testing supplies will be maintained on campus for unique circumstances, including symptomatic residence hall students without access to a vehicle.
• Website. Continue to consult andrews.edu/go/changingworld for updated COVID-19 information.
  • The website will continue to provide a University Dashboard, which will be updated periodically. 

For classroom settings

• Initial COVID-19 testing/screening for students and faculty will not be required for the summer 2022 semester.
• iVue will no longer be used to designate a student’s cleared/not cleared status to attend classes.
• When needed, teachers will work directly with students unable to attend classes to determine remote learning options and absences.

For residence life

• Minimal isolation spaces for positive cases will be maintained for the summer.
• Residence hall students should coordinate isolation needs directly with their residence hall deans.

Other University protocols, such as travel or masking (optional for all), will remain in place for the summer semester. As a reminder, there are currently no COVID-19 restrictions for guests or events on-campus.

Most importantly, we continue to be committed to understanding and responding to the risks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic which may change or possibly increase. If that should occur, Andrews University can and will carefully increase COVID-19 mitigation steps to help ensure health and safety for our campus.

Thank you for your incredible work and continued commitment as Andrews University and each one of you have responded to the risks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years.

Cordially,

Andrea Luxton
President

Christon Arthur
Provost