Reporting and Communication Process (Reopening)

Given the risk to the learning community, students, faculty, and staff are required to report positive COVID-19 diagnoses to the University of Mount Union immediately upon notification. Failure to do so may result in referral to the Office of Student Conduct or corrective action via the Office of Human Resources.

Upon notification of a positive or probable case, the University will report to the Alliance City Health Department, who oversees contact investigation and notification for the Alliance jurisdiction. Contact investigation and notification for cases diagnosed outside of the Alliance jurisdiction will be handled by the respective local health districts. Persons who have had close contact with those who have tested positive (or probable) will be notified by the Alliance City Health Department or health department of jurisdiction in accordance with standard public health principles. If you are not notified, then you are not deemed to have increased risk because of exposure to those who have tested positive (or probable).

Mount Union is committed to keeping our community informed regarding the evolving COVID-19 situation and its impact on our campus. A COVID-19 web page has been established to provide updates as this situation continues to develop. We encourage you to check this page regularly for tips, resources, and frequently asked questions. Additional communication regarding updates will be provided via email as appropriate. Social media and/or text messaging (for students, faculty, and staff) may also be utilized as needed. Additional updates may be shared via UMU Today (students, faculty, and staff), Trustee Insider (trustees), Mount Union Matters (alumni and friends), and U-Connect (parents).

Reopening Reporting and Communication Processes

  1. Procedure for Students Who Test Positive for COVID-19 or Have Been Identified by a Local Health Department as Probable Cases

    Given the risk to the learning community, students are required to report positive COVID-19 diagnoses to the University of Mount Union immediately upon notification. Failure to do so may result in referral to the office of student conduct.

    • During business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, contact the University of Mount Union Health Center at (330) 823-2692.
    • Any other time, please call the resident director on duty at (330) 428-3500 or Campus Security at (330) 428-1344.
    • If either the Office of Residence Life or Campus Security is the first point of contact, they will notify the Health Center during business hours. The Health Center will reach out to the Alliance City Health Department.

    If a student has been identified as a close contact by a local health department or believes that exposure has occurred (details listed below), students are required to report that to the University of Mount Union immediately using the same contacts listed above. Failure to do so may result in a referral to the Office of Student Conduct. According to the CDC, for COVID-19, a close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

      Immediately begin quarantine/isolation. 

    • Procedure for Employees Who Test Positive for COVID-19 or Have Been Identified by a Local Health Department as Probable Cases

      Immediately begin quarantine/isolation. 

      Contact the Office of Human Resources at (330) 829-6555. Failure to do so may result in corrective action. Employee supervisors or faculty deans need to be notified of impending absence either by the Office of Human Resources or the employee. 

      Contact your local public health department, though they may already be aware of your positive result.

    • Procedure for Employees Who Are the First Points of University Contact for Students Regarding Positive COVID-19 Tests or Identified as Probable Cases

      Because the COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a public health emergency, you ARE REQUIRED to call the Mount Union administrators responsible for managing our COVID-19 response and share the name of the student under revised FERPA and HIPPA guidelines. You may call any of the following:

      • John Frazier, vice President for student Affairs, (330) 823-2243
      • Beth Wayt, director of Student Health Center, (330) 823-2692
      • Sara Sherer, director of residence life, (330) 829-2761
    • Protocol Mount Union Will Follow Upon Notification of a Campus Community Member's Positive Test Result or Probable Case Status Due to Exposure

      Responsible campus authorities (John Frazier, Beth Wayt, or Sara Sherer) are notified. See Testing, Isolation, Quarantine for details regarding next steps.

    • Procedure for Contact Tracing Efforts

      Guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health agencies, Mount Union has established protocols for evaluating individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19. In line with those protocols, the Alliance City Health Department oversees contact investigation and notification for cases diagnosed within its jurisdiction. Contact investigation and notification for cases diagnosed outside of the Alliance jurisdiction will be handled by the respective local health districts. Persons who have had close contact with those who have tested positive (or probable) will be notified by the Alliance City Health Department or health district of jurisdiction in accordance with standard public health principles. According to the CDC, for COVID-19, a close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated. If you are not notified, then you are not deemed to have increased risk because of exposure to those who have tested positive (or probable).

    • Processes for Communicating Confirmed Cases to the Campus Community

      The University has established a Confirmed Cases Reporting web page that will be used to provide updated data regarding confirmed and probable positive cases on campus. Faculty, staff, and students will be encouraged to check the site regularly via reminders in UMU Today, an electronic internal newsletter that is distributed on class days. Parents will be encouraged to check the site regularly via reminders in U-Connect, a monthly electronic newsletter.

    • Procedure for Reporting Concerning COVID-19 Behaviors

      Members of the Mount Union community – students, faculty, and staff – are expected to follow the directives given by the institution in regards to COVID-19 safety measures. Should you observe someone not adhering these directives or that is behaving in a reckless manner that causes you concern, please report this behavior. Once reported it will be directed to the appropriate office to resolve the concern based on the role of the community member. These reports can be done anonymously if you are concerned about retaliation for reporting. 

    • Efforts to Keep Our Community Updated on Developments

      A COVID-19 web page, including a section regarding our Fall 2020 Responsible Reopening guidelines, has been established to provide updates as the COVID-19 situation continues to develop. As modifications are implemented and updates are provided on the site, faculty, staff, and students will be notified via email, and depending upon the update provided, may receive additional notification via social media and/or text messages.

    • Threshold for Closure

      There is no pre-defined threshold – no specific number – of confirmed positive cases that would lead to a decision to cease face-to-face instruction and residential operations. The institution intends to continue to operate as we currently are and wouldn’t change course unless the state would mandate a shutdown or our consultation with local health authorities, including the Alliance City Health Department, would result in a recommendation to do so.