COVID-19 Fall 2023 Guidelines

Rhodes continues to update our health and safety protocols based on CDC guidance and the advice of our partners at Baptist Memorial Health Care. 

How will contact tracing of positive cases be handled? 

Students, faculty, and staff who are COVID-19-positive are expected to communicate directly with their close contacts. A close contact is someone within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more over 24 hours (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for 15 minutes). An infected person can spread the virus 48 hours before symptoms until 5 days after symptoms begin.

COVID-positive students are responsible for contacting covidcare@rhodes.edu and all close contacts from the past 48 hours of exposure. Faculty and staff should communicate with all close contacts from the past 48 hours of exposure.

How will Isolation/Quarantine Meals be provided?

Students with a meal plan in isolation or quarantine protocol may access to-go dining options through the College’s Quarantine Café. Students order through the following link: Quarantine Café. Please create an account and place daily orders by visiting the "Quarantine Café" section. We recommend that students place weekly orders upon creating their accounts to avoid missing a meal. To pick up meals, students must leave the isolation/quarantine space fully masked and distanced to pick up prepared meals for each day. Students will pick up their food daily between 8-10 am in the Brooks Room, in the Refectory. Students will enter the Brooks Room using the outside entrance, which opens on the Refectory north patio and is located at the Hyde-Moore breezeway.

Contact Chris Caldaro, Catering Director, at Chris.Caldaro@cafebonappetit.com for order confirmation.

Are there any COVID-related limits or protocols for guests/visitors to campus?

Visitors are subject to all health and safety protocols in effect at the time of their visit. 

At present, the college’s normal visitor policies are in effect. There are no limits or protocols that apply specifically to visitors.

What will testing be like when I return to campus?

Currently, we do not require asymptomatic testing for students, faculty, and staff.

Do I need to mask when on campus?

Masks are not required on campus. However, individual faculty retain the option of requiring masks in their respective classrooms, labs, and studios. Faculty and staff may ask visitors to their private offices or workspaces to mask. You must comply with the requests if asked to mask in such circumstances.

As a reminder, everyone on our campus may choose to stay masked, and we, as a community, will respect their decision.

How should COVID-positive students handle missed class time?

Students with COVID must not attend class in person and are responsible for sharing their need to isolate directly with faculty. Students will be on their honor in doing so but are not expected to provide medical documentation. Normally, a COVID positive student will remain in isolation for five days.

Faculty should develop attendance policies per the College’s existing Class Attendance Policy. This policy states that “students are responsible for knowing the attendance policy in each of their courses, for obtaining and mastering material covered during an absence, and for determining, in consultation with the instructor, whether and under what conditions make-up work will be permitted. It is the student’s responsibility to address the issues related to missing a class, whatever the reason for the absence.”

Faculty will use their best judgment in deciding how students can best make up class time or material they have missed. Faculty are not required to provide remote access via a Zoom link to students who are in isolation. They may encourage the student to receive class notes from another student, meet individually with the student (either in-person and properly distanced or via Zoom), ask the student to review materials on Canvas (including a recorded lecture), or if they prefer to provide remote access to the class for a student via Zoom. 

What about Faculty and Staff illness?

If a faculty member becomes sick, they should consult with their chair and follow the Faculty Illness Policy. If a staff member cannot work due to illness, they should follow their department’s call-in procedures.

Isolation/Quarantine Recommendations and Requirements

Student isolation and quarantine will occur in place, which means students will remain in their assigned rooms for the duration of the isolation/quarantine period. Faculty should be mindful that students isolating for the CDC-required five-day period will be required to miss class. 

Tuition, room, and board charges will remain the same for students who are required to isolate. Students are responsible for any personal costs and expenses associated with COVID-19.

Vaccinated roommates are not restricted from class and should be tested by the protocols. Distinguishing mild symptoms from more significant symptoms: 

Significant Symptoms:

·         Lingering cough 

·         Fever within the last 24 hours** 

·         Severe respiratory systems  

·         Lingering GI symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting  

·         Severe sore throat, fatigue, headache 

·         Body aches, chills 

Mild Symptoms: 

·         Mild headache, mild or scratchy sore throat, mild fatigue 

·         Lingering loss of smell or taste 

·         Mild congestion (nasal) 

• Sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy nose

**For the purpose of this guidance, fever is defined as subjective fever (feeling feverish) or a measured temperature of 100.0oF (37.8oC) or higher. Note that fever may be intermittent or may not be present in some people, such as those who are elderly, immunocompromised, or taking certain fever-reducing medications (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDS]). 

Student-Athletes will be required to follow protocols outlined by the SAA under NCAA guidance and receive guidance from the Director of Athletic Training.  

Is on-campus housing available for isolation and quarantine?

The college does not provide on-campus isolation/quarantine housing. Students should develop a plan with their families in advance. If students decide not to shelter in place, we recommend they students investigate local hotels or Airbnbs. The college will not reimburse personal costs or expenses. 

Will testing be available for individuals who are symptomatic or at high risk?

Symptomatic and high-risk/close contact testing for students will be available through Health Services COVID Care Clinic. Students should email health@rhodes.edu to schedule a symptomatic testing appointment.

Faculty and Staff who need a COVID test should seek one off-campus. Many pharmacies and clinics nearby offer testing by appointment. 

• The Shelby County Health Department lists locations for free tests, including at-home tests;
• CVS offers drive-through tests at many locations in Memphis and Shelby County;
• Walgreens also offers testing at most of its locations.