Fall 2020 Responsible Reopening

Campus Expectations and Guidelines

We look forward to welcoming students back to campus this fall, while recognizing that resocialization to the campus environment must be rolled out in a stepwise manner that ensures the sustained low infection spread, coupled with the ability to rapidly identify and isolate new cases. Our knowledge of COVID-19 continues to evolve, and plans are updated as appropriate as new information becomes available. The University is committed to continuing to follow the Responsible Restart Ohio plan, as outlined by the Governor’s Office, as well as those guidelines provided through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other guiding agencies.

As we return to campus and begin a “new normal” for operation, we fully understand that many have concerns about safety, as well as changes in procedures, programming, and policies that have been implemented. Please navigate this website to ensure that safe practices can be implemented and contact the Office of Student Affairs with questions, concerns, or issues.

Mount Union is committed to supporting our students in their return to campus during this unprecedented time and recognizes the value of the on-campus residential experience. While the information contained herein is intended to provide some detail, there may be additional modifications needed as the year progresses and we track the impact of COVID-19 on our community and campus. As always, we will endeavor to update you with timely information about specific health and safety guidance important for our community. Therefore, it will be more important than ever that you read your email daily.

Responsibilities and Expectations

Institutional Safety Protocols

The University is taking following steps to continue to maintain a safe campus.

Cleaning

The Physical Plant housekeeping team will clean and disinfect offices, classrooms, and labs, as well as restrooms and common areas, daily, when buildings are open. This includes before, during, and after “business hours.” A member of housekeeping will return twice daily to disinfect high-touch areas, including doorknobs, copier machines, elevator buttons, bathroom counter surfaces, etc. The University uses CDC and OSHA approved procedures for cleaning practices and utilizes CDC—approved, hospital-grade disinfectant. Cleaning supplies will also be available throughout campus so that any member of our community can sanitize their own space.

Other Safety Measures

A number of adjustments to spaces were made to ensure appropriate safety measures can be met. It is expected that students will adhere to and observe the following:

Physical plexiglass barriers installed in areas where six (6) foot separation cannot be met
Hand sanitizer stations installed in key locations across campus

Personal Safety Practices

When on campus, please plan to abide by Mount Union's Four Personal Safety Practices:

Conduct regular health self-assessments
Wear a face covering if you are not vaccinated or if it makes you feel more comfortable
Maintain personal hygiene

Conduct Regular Health Self-Assessments

Campus community members are responsible for monitoring their own symptoms and protecting the health of others. If someone has any symptoms of COVID-19, they should refrain from interacting with others. This means that they should participate in academic and co-curricular events only virtually, stay away from campus or remain in their residential assignment, and seek appropriate medical assistance. You can access a comprehensive list of COVID-19 symptoms and a symptom self-checker tool on the CDC website.

At any time, any campus community members can download the symptom monitoring log and keep track of any symptoms they may experience. Symptom monitoring is supported and encouraged, and if campus community members are not feeling well, they are encouraged to stay in their rooms or at home and away from others, attending classes virtually, working remotely, and wearing a mask whenever they are in public or shared spaces. Students in isolation and quarantine will be required to complete the symptom monitoring log. Each residence hall, fraternity, and sorority house will have a touchless thermometer available for temperature checks, the apartments and townhouses will not. Learn more about how faculty and staff can access thermometers on campus.

As always, our Student Health Center will be our first line of assessment and support for students who fall ill throughout the year. Mount Union is collaborating with Aultman Alliance Community Hospital and the Alliance Family Health Center. Mobile testing and drive by testing will be available to students. At this juncture, the Student Health Center will continue to work with the state and federal government and insurers on the costs associated with testing and treatment.

Be kind! Note that COVID-19 shares many similar symptoms with the common flu, cold, and allergies, and that the baseline for a temperature related to COVID-19 is 100.4 or higher. Please don’t immediately panic and jump to any conclusions. Please be aware that students will get ill. Residents on the floor, roommates, coworkers, and friends may have allergies or will contract colds, the flu, or other illnesses with similar symptoms to COVID-19. There may also inevitably be students diagnosed with COVID-19. It is important to be calm and plan accordingly.

Wear a Face Cover/Use Other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if You are not Fully Vaccinated or if it Makes you Feel More Comfortable

When used properly, facial coverings can be effective for reducing the likelihood of transmitting the COVID virus. Community members are asked to provide their own face covering; however, face coverings may be provided, if needed, through various offices on campus or at programs/events. The University of Mount Union requires that community members wear facial coverings in all shared and public environments on campus if they are not fully vaccinated, and in alignment with other environment-specific guidance related to the use of face coverings on campus.

Face Coverings FAQs – from the Ohio Department of Health Director’s Order

Provision of Additional PPE Items
As needed for compliance with personal safety practice protocols, the University will provide certain additional personal protective equipment. Included on this list: disposable face masks, facial shields, eye goggles/protection, gloves, disinfectant wipes, sanitizing spray, hand sanitizer, plexiglass divider shields (office/work spaces), thermometers and others.

To request the issuance or restocking of such equipment please download and fill out the appropriate form and return it to bondondl@mountunion.edu. If you have any questions contact the Physical Plant (330-823-7365).

Office/Workspace PPE Request Form

Department PPE Request Form

Maintain Personal Hygiene

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure to the virus. Campus community members should adhere to the following CDC recommendations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (or any type of communicable illness).

Wash hands, with soap and water, often and for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or shirt sleeve, then throw tissue directly in the trash.
Do not share personal items such as water bottles, etc.

Taking Care of My Personal Wellness

Emotional Wellness

The University of Mount Union Counseling Center will continue to provide several traditional and newly added supports from 2020 to students. As always, all services from the Counseling Center are free and confidential to enrolled Mount Union students. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please go to the counseling page to meet our staff and schedule a live or virtual appointment for anything, big or small. Remember, counseling is a partnership between the therapist and client. This partnership focuses on self-improvement, problem solving, and emotional management. Some of our new offerings this year include:

Partnering with athletics to create a positive mindset and improve performance.
Virtual and live walk- in hours daily that will be advertised on the Counseling Center website, UMU Today, and social media.
Koru Mindfulness workshops and retreats. The Koru approach will help teach undergraduate and graduate students’ evidence-based mindfulness skills proven to manage wandering thoughts, reduce stress, and increase concentration and performance. Check out the App. Class offerings and mindfulness retreats will be posted on the Counseling Center website.
The “Love Initiative,” created by our counselor Tim Campbell, will help students learn, grow, and gain awareness about divisiveness/hate and challenge it with a love ethic. Contact Tim at campbeti@mountunion.edu for more information on this movement.
Evaluations for Emotional Support Animals (ESA) will be considered for existing Counseling Center clients. Please contact Dr. Packard at Counseling@mountunion.edu for more information.
Telehealth counseling sessions for study abroad students and those students completing clinicals.
For more information, the Ohio Department of Education has compiled a list of mental health resources for back to school.

Office of Counseling Services

(330) 823-2886 | counselingservices@mountunion.edu

Physical Wellness

Making healthy decisions is challenging under the best of circumstances and can be even more difficult in a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some tips to help you make the best choices about food, exercise, alcohol/drugs, and sex.

Food

Good nutrition is always important, but during this pandemic, it is even more important because a well-balanced diet of nutritious foods helps support a strong immune system

Eat a balanced diet to maintain good health
Drink plenty of fluids

Check out these sites for more information:

Exercise

Exercise is especially important because it can reduce stress, prevent weight gain, boost the immune system, and improve sleep.

Try to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none.
Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity.

Check out recreation and intramurals at Mount Union.

Alcohol and Drugs

Overall, rates of alcohol consumption, heavy drinking and drug misuse, has increased as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you or others have expressed concern about your drinking contact the office of Alcohol, Dug and Wellness Education adwe@mountunion.edu. The following are some suggestions with regard to alcohol and other drugs:

Avoid using alcohol or drugs to cope with the stress of COVID-19.
Because COVID -19 attacks the lungs, it could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke tobacco or marijuana or who vape.
Follow the CDC guidelines when participating in social gatherings https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/

Check out these sites for more information:

Sexual Responsibility

Check out these sites for more information:

Office of Alcohol, Drug, & Wellness Education

(330) 829-6660 | adwe@mountunion.edu

Spiritual Wellness

A big part of caring for personal wellness is being attentive to your spiritual wellness. More than any one faith or tradition, spiritual wellness is about caring for yourself holistically – mind, body, and soul/spirit. Spiritual wellness or soulfulness is about being able to ground yourself, care for yourself, and be attentive to what is happening around you so that you can be fully present to the circumstance, need, or concern at hand. For some, faith tradition plays an important role in providing ritual, practices, and guidance. For others, spirituality is not so much rooted in a faith tradition as much as it is non-faith practices and/or awareness of our natural environment.

Practices that can help improve the state of your soul are practical things that when done with some intentionality offer not only a way to help create balance in your life, but they can help give back a sense of control when things begin feel out of control. By bringing you closer to your soul, spirit, higher awareness, or deep self (whatever term you prefer), these practices can help you to stay grounded and centered to the present and help give you confidence towards the future.

Some Spiritual Tools and Tips (adapted from Alexander Levering Kern)

Office of the Chaplain

(330) 829-8717 | chapel@mountunion.edu

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