2020 Fall Guidelines: Phase 2.5 for College Operations

The College will implement Phase 2.5 effective September 21 with the intent of continuing operations under this phase until the College closes for Winter Break on December 23. The start and end dates of this Phase are subject to change. The College reserves the right to lift or to place greater restrictions based on federal, state, and local decisions as well as modifications to current orders.

The information below includes Durham Tech’s comprehensive strategies for ensuring safe operations on all campuses. Additional protocols as outlined in What to Expect When Returning to Campus will complement and further detail the College’s expectations for individuals visiting campus, participating in instructional programs, working on campus, or accessing department-specific services. While each Durham Tech property presents unique challenges and opportunities, there must be a base level of compliance with environmental health and safety protocols that is followed to ensure the safety of all individuals who visit and work at each respective campus.

Restrictions

Individuals who have symptoms consistent with or who have been recently exposed to COVID-19 may not come to any Durham Tech campus or participate in a Durham Tech class, meeting, or activity that involves direct person-to-person contact or takes place inside a campus facility. A recent exposure is defined as a person who has had close contact with an infected person (being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative time of 15 minutes) starting from 2 days before illness onset or date of a positive COVID-19 test for an infected person who has not experienced symptoms. A person is considered to have been in close contact with an infected person even if both people were wearing masks.

Social Distancing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Face masks (i.e disposable mask or cloth face mask) must be worn by all individuals while on campus. The face mask must cover the nose and mouth and be secured under the chin. Individuals must wear face masks when moving within buildings or while traveling between buildings on campus.
     
  • If an individual is working or taking a break in an office/workspace and the individual is alone, they may remove their mask to work, to eat, or drink. Once the individual leaves that office/workspace to travel to another area, or another person enters that office/workspace, the individual must put on a face mask. If more than one person is in an office/workspace/break area, face masks must be worn at all times. Following each visit from someone not assigned to that office/workspace, the space should be cleaned prior to another person entering the space.
     
  • Individuals should provide their own face mask unless otherwise provided based upon the PPE requirements of their course or work assignment. If an individual does not have a face mask, they may obtain one from any of the following locations:
    • Duke Street North and Orange County Campuses: Security Officer/front desk of each building.
    • Main campus: From any police or security officer, or by contacting public safety by calling 5555 to meet with an officer to receive a face mask.
       
  • All individuals must maintain 6 feet of separation whenever possible and comply with messaging indicated on signs, posters, or markings on floor.
     
  • Individuals must comply with the use of limited door entry points unless there is an ADA compliance accommodation necessary to alter that entry.
     
  • Failure to comply with mask requirements and expectations set by Durham Tech may lead to disciplinary actions of varying degrees.
     
  • Employees will be provided with masks, wipes, hand sanitizer, and other necessary PPE to compete their work based upon the employee’s work assignment.
     

Cleaning and Disinfecting

  • Facility Services will arrange for daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces in public spaces multiple times daily and before/after shifts. Cleaning surfaces involves the removal of dirt and impurities, including germs, from surfaces. Appropriate cleaning sprays or other materials will be provided by Facilities Services for use as needed.
     
  • Facility Services will arrange for disinfecting all open locations via full-site disinfection by professional cleaners on a set and routine schedule. Disinfecting surfaces involves using chemicals, such as EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces.
     
  • College communications and signage will promote increased hand washing and use of sanitizer stations.
     
  • Facilities Services will maintain hand sanitizing stations (all campuses).
     
  • Housekeeping Services will monitor and respond to specific locations that need extensive cleaning and sanitation.
     
  • In the event that a building needs to be closed due to a potential COVID-19 exposure, the College will dispatch cleaning crews to disinfect and sanitize necessary areas in the building. CPPS and facilities staff may re-enter the building 30 minutes after disinfection is completed. This is per the disinfection guidelines in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the disinfectant product in use. This is more conservative than the CDC’s recommendation on reentry after disinfection, which is immediately after the process is complete.
     
  • Instruction in buildings that are closed for disinfection are expected to reopen the next or following day after disinfection has been completed depending on their size and time needed to sanitize. This is to minimize potential disruptive workflows to faculty, staff, and students. The College will notify all students and employees of building closures and reopening via punch alerts, the College’s Alert Notifications web page, and social media.
     

Check-in Procedure

  • The College will now require all students and employees who come to campus complete a Check-in form to confirm that they and members in their household are free of COVID-19 symptoms. The College expects that this Check-in form be completed immediately prior to coming to campus. This form is available in both English and Spanish.
     
  • Students and employees will be asked to attest that they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been in close contact with anyone who has symptoms of or has tested positive for COVID-19. Upon completion, students and employees will be given a daily “codeword” to confirm their completion of the form. They may be asked by their instructor(s), supervisor, or a security officer to give this codeword when entering a building or classroom on campus to verify their check-in completion.
     
  • Students and employees will be asked to indicate which building they are visiting on campus on the Check-in form. If they are visiting multiple buildings on campus, or leave and return to campus during the day, they do not need to complete the Check-in form again.
     
  • Should a student or employee not have access to a computer or mobile device to complete their required Check-in prior to coming to campus, Check-in stations with computers will be available at designated areas as identified on each campus location.
     
  • If a student, employee, or anyone they have been in close contact with is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 they should under no circumstances come to campus and should contact the Safety Compliance Team at (919-536-7200, ext. 5510) or email covid19@durhamtech.edu. Students should notify their instructor(s) immediately. Employees should immediately notify their supervisors.
     

Student Access

  • During this phase, any individual who is participating (enrolled or teaching) in a course that occurs on-campus, or supporting a course on campus, is authorized to be present when the class is scheduled, as well as, a reasonable amount of time before and after the class.
     
  • Students who are enrolled in a hybrid or seated course that meets on campus may access the campus where the course is scheduled, during the specific times that the class meets on campus, in the specific location for the class, and a reasonable amount of time before or after the class. Students enrolled in these courses should not visit campus at other times unless specifically requested by the instructor.
     
  • A reasonable amount of time will be defined as approximately one hour before and after the scheduled class, learning activity, or appointment unless more time is required by the individual for transportation or accessibility needs.
     
  • A “reasonable amount of time” will be defined as approximately one hour before and after the scheduled class, learning activity, or appointment unless more time is required by the individual for transportation or accessibility needs. If more than one hour of time is needed before or after, students should communicate these needs to their instructor if the time extension is related to a class or to the employee with whom the appointment is made if the time extension is related to an appointment.
     
  • Student support services will continue to provide most services remotely, but the College will provide individual student appointment access to Main Campus to resolve student support issues that cannot be resolved in a remote environment. Students or individuals who have scheduled appointments are authorized to be on the campus and at the location where the appointment is scheduled, when the appointment is scheduled to occur, as well as, a reasonable amount of time before or after the appointment.
     
  • The College will identify and communicate locations across campus where students may access wi-fi and wait for classes or activities during the reasonable time before and after these activities.
     
  • Students and employees who wish to visit the Bookstore should check the hours of operation before arriving.
     
  • All activities and meetings for student clubs and organizations will only take place virtually.
     
  • Students must adhere to all social distance and personal protective equipment rules established by the College and/or individual academic program requirements during on-campus visits.
     

Work-Based Learning/Clinicals/Fieldwork

  • Students may attend clinical, fieldwork, or work-based learning (“work site”) at locations accepting students. Students will follow guidelines established by the appropriate work site. Students may be required to refresh their clinical or work-based learning skills at on-campus prior to going to the work site.
     
  • Durham Tech will provide guidelines, training, and other materials to faculty and students to ensure their safe return to the work site. Each faculty member and student will document completion of review of those materials. Students will indicate that they have read and understand the work site guidelines and agree to participate.
     
  • Students will provide their own face masks for casual use at home and for transition from parking lot to the work site. If required by the work site, Durham Tech will provide additional PPE as specified by the work site for use during their learning. Durham Tech will follow guidelines for use of PPE as established by the workforce partner (e.g. 5 shift rules at hospitals). Students needing N95 masks (if required by the clinical site) will receive fit testing to ensure proper fit.
     

Employee Access

  • The College will continue to encourage employees to telework whenever possible.
     
  • The College will grant access to all campuses for any employee authorized by their supervisor to work from campus when needed. Employees should limit campus visits to those times when they are engaged in essential work requiring on-campus resources, teaching courses, or providing on-campus services for students.
     
  • During this phase, high-risk individuals should continue to telework while the College continues operating under the State of Emergency Working Arrangements (Telework) policy.
     
  • Employees who work on campus are encouraged to remain in their offices or pre-arranged workspaces. The number of people congregating in the same space at one time should never exceed the maximum capacity of that space or local guidelines. Any outdoor activities must be approved by the college and is never to exceed local guidelines.
     
  • All Employee Meetings as well as council, committee, and task force meetings will take place virtually.
     
  • Employees must abide by all standard operational protocols as outlined.
     
  • College leadership will stagger shift start times/breaks, utilizing physical barriers, and minimizing less-than-6-ft contact.
     
  • The College will continue operating under the State of Emergency Work Arrangements policy and limit in-person meetings. Remote or virtual meetings will continue to be encouraged whenever possible.
     

Policy and Management

  • The COVID-19 Response Team meets frequently to discuss and develop strategies to address current issues.
     
  • The President will exercise the authority to adopt temporary policies or to amend or suspend existing policies for the duration of the emergent event.
     
  • The President will report the exercise of this authority to the Board of Trustees within five (5) business days of the action.
     
  • The Response Team will continually assess, including review of current floor plans, ongoing changes or limitations to capacity and needs for additional phases.
     

Communication/Education/Training

  • College leadership will promote campus-level training and Q&A on all protocols, including hand washing, hygiene, and how to properly use personal protective equipment.
     
  • The College’s Marketing and Communications department will create and update campus printed collateral and signage, including communicating general information, physical distancing, safety measures to take at home, etc. Facilities Services will install and maintain at appropriate locations across all campuses.
     
  • The College will provide updates and information on building closures and impacts to operations via the College's emergency alert system. Information will also be listed on the College's Alert Notifications web page.
     
  • The COVID-19 Response Team will provide regular updates to employees using multiple communication channels.
     
  • The College will provide updates regarding active COVID-19 cases and positive on-campus confirmed cases on the COVID-19 Response web page. The page will be reviewed regularly and be updated once exposure and contact tracing protocols, for a specific incident, are complete.
     
  • The COVID-19 Response Team will meet frequently to answer questions and debrief.
     

Contact Tracing and Response

  • The College’s Safety Team, comprised of the Compliance Safety Advisor and Public Health Educator, will provide guidelines for reporting symptoms, exposure to COVID-19, and suspected cases.
     
  • The Safety Team or designee will provide response requirements if an individual reports symptoms while completing their Check-in for visiting campus, at work, or indicates that they have tested positive to COVID-19.
     
  • The Safety Team or designee will provide employees with clearance to return to work when appropriate.
     

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For questions regarding Durham Tech COVID-19 response or college operations, please email covid19@durhamtech.edu.