Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Mount Union has a mask-optional policy for the campus. There may be some courses that still require face coverings. Prior to the start of the semester, students in these courses received notice via an email from the Office of the University Registrar. Face coverings are also still required for:

• Everyone in the Student Health Center.
• Five days after release from isolation.
• Anyone considered a close contact of an individual that has been identified as COVID positive will need to mask for ten days regardless of vaccine status.

Students should have a face covering available should extra protection be needed or if they are not feeling well. Always be respectful of those who choose to wear face coverings or request that you do so when in close contact.

Although the COVID-19 vaccine is not required at Mount Union, we strongly encourage members of the campus community to get vaccinated and receive all recommended boosters to protect themselves and others. The COVID-19 vaccine is the single most effective way to protect our community.

If you have not yet received your vaccination or booster, here are some providers within the Alliance community.

• Alliance City Health Department – (330) 821-7373
• Giant Eagle Pharmacy – (330) 829-3192
• Marc’s Pharmacy – (330) 829-2110
• Rite Aid Store 02404 – (330) 823-0850
• Rite Aid Store 03167 – (330) 823-6921

Testing will continue to be available through the Student Health Center for symptomatic students. Faculty and staff should contact their primary healthcare provider regarding testing upon becoming symptomatic or exposed to the virus.

Home tests are available in the Student Health Center, Hoover-Price Campus Center at the Information Desk, or the Office of Human Resources in Beeghly Hall.

Faculty, staff, and students should seek testing within 24 hours of becoming symptomatic, preferably within the same day of developing symptoms.

If a campus community member is identified as a close contact, they will be required to mask for 10 days and monitor and report any symptoms. If any symptoms begin to develop, they will need to get tested and quarantine until results become available and indicate a negative test. Students can either quarantine at home or on campus/in Alliance. Faculty and staff members needing to quarantine should do so at home while avoiding close contact with other individuals until released.

When a student is diagnosed with COVID-19, they can either go home to recover or, depending upon their current housing situation on campus, they may be isolated in a room at a nearby hotel. Once there, students will be required to stay in their rooms and should only leave their rooms for healthcare appointments.

When diagnosed with COVID-19, the University’s health services coordinator (or health department of jurisdiction) will follow up with those who have tested positive. Initially, the coordinator will also conduct a thorough contact tracing interview to ascertain who else might be considered a close contact. Any impacted community member will be notified.

It is critical that symptomatic individuals not physically attend class or work or participate in other campus community activities. Students in quarantine/isolation should work with the Office of Student Accessibility Services regarding accommodations required for the continuation of their coursework. Faculty and staff members in quarantine/isolation should work with their supervisors or the Office of Human Resources to determine if remote work is an option. In order to return to work, classes, and/or campus activities, individuals who have been in isolation/quarantine must be released by the University's health services coordinator.

Given the risk to the learning community, students, faculty, and staff are required to report positive COVID-19 diagnoses to the health services coordinator at Mount Union immediately upon notification. The health services coordinator can be reached at (330) 596-7995, (330) 581-1933, or waytba@mountunion.edu. Failure to do so may result in referral to the Office of Student Conduct or corrective action via the Office of Human Resources.

Faculty and staff who are notified of a positive student case as a first point of contact 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, health services coordinator, (330) 596-7995 or (330) 581-1933
• Sara Sherer, director of residence life, (330) 829-2761

Support for students needing assistance with stress or anxiety is available via:

• Office of Counseling Services, (330) 823-2886, counselingservices@mountunion.edu
• Office of the Chaplain, (330) 829-8717, chapel@mountunion.edu   
• Student Health Center, (330) 596-7995, healthcenter@mountunion.edu

 
For faculty and staff, the University has partnered with Impact Solutions, an employee assistance and work/life program.

The charge of the Infectious Disease Response Team is to mitigate pandemic or infectious diease-related risks, determine policies and protocols, and communicate to the campus community. Members include:

• John Frazier, co-chair
• Sandy Madar, co-chair
• Bryan Boatright
• Marci Craig
• Shelley Floor
• Missie Gardner
• Kelly Gaughan
• Pat Heddleston
• Mike Parnell
• Sara Sherer
• Lee Smith
• Beth Wayt

 
Additional representatives of the response team include individuals from the Alliance City Health Department, Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, and Alliance Family Health Center.