UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Falcons Forward

Health and Safety

We all have a role in protecting the health and safety of our Falcon family. The health and safety of everyone in our campus community continues to be our top priority as we come back to campus. More information on COVID-19 and campus can be found on the COVID-19 site.

Information about testing, tracing, quarantine and isolation can be found here, go.uwrf.edu/gettested

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or were in close contact with someone who has COVID-19:

What if I test positive? If you test positive, please follow these steps: 

Step 1: Plan to go home and isolate ASAP. If you can go home to your permanent residence, please do so. If you need to isolate off campus, UWRF can help you find and pay for a hotel. 
Step 2: Notify your Resident Assistant (if living on campus).  
Step 3: Tell your close contacts (such as your roommate). 
Step 4: Inform your instructors and supervisors. Be sure you talk with your professors regarding how to manage your absence from class. 
Step 5: Return to campus in 10 days with no symptoms or 10 days after symptoms have started with 24 hours of symptom improvement and fever-free.  
Additional guidance can be found at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/diagnosed.htm https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p02803.pdf 
 

What if I am a close contact and fully vaccinated? 

Step 1: You do not need to quarantine. 
Step 2: It is recommended you get tested 3-5 days after close contact. 
Step 3: Monitor symptoms for 14 days after your last close contact. 
Step 4: Isolate at home if you develop symptoms or test positive. If you test positive, follow the steps above.  

What if I am a close contact and not vaccinated?

Step 1: Get tested ASAP at (new link forthcoming); if positive, follow the steps above.
Step 2: Quarantine at home for ten days and monitor symptoms.
Step 3: Quarantine time at home can be shortened to 7 days provided a person recieves a negative test result that was collected on day 6 or 7.

For updated information please check the Falcons Forward website often as changes can happen quickly.

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At UW-River Falls, we work together to solve the smallest or toughest challenges we face, locally and globally. Being a Falcon means that each of us acknowledges our personal responsibility in collectively contributing to the common good.

In these times, this also means doing what is needed to ensure the health and safety of our community. The worldwide Coronavirus pandemic presents us with unique challenges, but one thing is certain: we must work together to prioritize the health and safety of all.

In this spirit, we ask each of you to #DOYOURPARTFALCONS by taking responsibility for your own health, behaving in ways that protect others and protecting our university and community against the spread of COVID-19 and other risks. Each of us has a role to play in keeping ourselves, our campus and our community safe. Therefore, we ask that every student and employee commit to taking the following steps:

KEEP MYSELF HEALTHY

  • I will practice good self-care and make healthy choices.

  • I will adopt health and safety precautions off campus and in my home which are consistent with UWRF practices.

  • I will monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and report to a medical professional if I experience a fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, new loss of taste or smell, difficulty breathing, dry cough, chills, sore throat, headache, or the other possible symptoms.

  • I will complete the UWS COVID-19 training for employees or the UWRF COVID-19 Awareness Education for students.

  • I will WEAR my face covering at all times inside and outside when physical distancing is not possible, and I will WASH my hands often or will use hand sanitizer when handwashing isn’t possible.

  • I will monitor my mental health and reach out for assistance when needed. (SilverCloud is just one option for support.)

HELP KEEP OTHERS HEALTHY

  • I will WATCH how far I am from others, maintaining appropriate physical distancing as often as possible.

  • If I feel ill, I will stay home, and if I test positive, I will follow the quarantine and isolation directions I’m provided.

  • I will help keep my environment safe by sanitizing shared surfaces.

  • I will be attentive and supportive of others at this challenging time.

ACKNOWLEDGE MY ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING

  • I will respect instructional signage/guidance and follow directions.

  • I will participate in campus testing and contact tracing to preserve the wellness of our community

  • I will refrain from large social gatherings that could put myself and others in danger.

  • I will report anyone violating COVID-19 guidance by filing a report.

FALCONS FORWARD

UW-River Falls is doing everything possible to protect everyone while still ensuring the exceptional experience the university provides. If you need more information, visit Falcons Forward.

WE ARE FALCONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately created new challenges for people of color related to racial bias and stereotyping about mask wearing. At UWRF, we value inclusiveness and we do not want people of color on our campus to be subject to discrimination, or treated with suspicion for wearing a face covering. Per UW-River Falls policy, in order to help keep you, others and our community safe, wearing a face covering is required indoors and is encouraged outdoors when physical distancing is not possible. Hate has no place at UW-River Falls. If you experience or witness an act of hate or bias, please report concerns through UWRF Report It.

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Face coverings: Effective, Sunday, Aug. 22, UW-River Falls will be requiring face coverings in all indoor public spaces on campus property where physical distancing of six (6) feet is not possible, regardless of vaccination status. Please see our updated interim COVID-19 policy document for more details, including on exceptions and accommodations. This will be in effect until case numbers return to lower levels – and we will let you know as soon as it is safe to make that policy change. 

Face coverings are encouraged outside when physical distancing is not possible.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals unable to wear a face covering. Requests for reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis. It is the responsibility of the individual requesting the accommodation to contact the appropriate office below to obtain an approved reasonable accommodation.
 
• Employees requesting a reasonable accommodation, should contact Human Resources and complete the Reasonable Accommodation request form located here.
• Students requesting a reasonable accommodation due to disability, should contact Ability Services and may find more information here.
• Students requesting a reasonable accommodation for a reason other than a disability, should contact the Director of Student Success.

If you would like to discuss an incident with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards, please contact Jennifer Larimore at 715-425-4603 or by email at jennifer.larimore@uwrf.edu. 

Increased cleaning, sanitation and hygiene protocols will be implemented throughout campus. Hand sanitation stations will be placed in campus buildings. All members of the campus community should wash their hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer should be used when soap and water are not readily available.

Students considered to be at high risk for serious complications of illness, including COVID-19, should consult with Ability Services to develop an appropriate academic plan. Faculty and staff considered to be at high risk for serious complications of illness, including COVID-19, should consult with their supervisor to develop an appropriate work plan. Faculty and staff may arrange to work remotely pursuant to UW System telecommuting policies. Use of sick or other leave such as vacation will be handled pursuant to existing UW System and UWRF policies and procedures.

Face Covering Accommodation Request Process Information

Face Covering Accommodation Request Process Video Tutorial

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, visit go.uwrf.edu/gettested or contact M Health Fairview Clinic- River Falls at 715-425-6701 for a virtual or in-person appointment.

UW-River Falls protects the privacy rights of its employees and students and adheres to the law regarding the protection of personal and health-related information. It is not appropriate to ask an employee or a student about their health, including whether they have tested positive for COVID-19. Members of the campus community are not obligated to reveal information about their health and neither the public nor campus will be informed as to the test results/medical condition of a specific employee or student. In all cases, personally identifying information concerning positive cases is to remain confidential.

Employees feeling anxious or fearful about exposure to COVID-19 are encouraged to seek assistance from the Employee Assistance Program. Students should contact Student Health and Counseling regarding the counseling services available to them. All members of the campus community can access the SilverCloud therapy resource at https://uwsystem.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/

If students or employees indicate they are ill, or that they have had a positive COVID-19 test, we need to trust that this is the case and do whatever we can to be flexible in assisting and supporting them while also protecting their rights.

Every week, 10% of non-vaccinated students and 10% of nonvaccinated employees will be randomly selected and required to take a COVID-19 test during the obligation period.

Yes, students are required to schedule appointments to get tested. To view more information on the process, or to schedule an appointment please go to https://go.uwrf.edu/gettested.

Even if you are not experiencing symptoms at this time, you can get tested to help keep our campus community safe. It is important to realize that you can be infected and spread the virus but feel well and have no symptoms.

Walk-in testing is available at the first floor Hagestad Hall location, if you are symptomatic and there are no open appointment times.

Please use this form for submitting concerns relating to violations of UW-River Falls policies and directives regarding COVID-19. (Do NOT use this form to relay concerns that you or someone else has COVID-19.)

Examples of what to report include: failure to wear a face covering, failure to physical distance, failure to quarantine or follow contact tracing policies or other violations (intentional or unintentional) related to COVID-19 policies, etc. Please consult Falcons Forward for the latest updates.

If you would like to discuss an incident with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards, please call 715-425-4844.

Coronavirus is not specific to an ethnicity or race—disease does not discriminate. Harassing or discriminatory behaviors are not tolerated. You may file a report with the Bias Incident Response Team.

System Legal: The University has the authority under State law to protect the health and safety of those on the campus. Policies of the Board of Regents also empower the Chancellor to develop public health policies and require those on campus to comply with those policies.

 

The university may discipline students for nonacademic conduct off campus under Wis. Admin. Code Chapter UWS 17 provisions, more specifically, if a student’s conduct presented or may present a danger or threat to the health and safety of themselves or others.

System Legal: The University has the authority under State law to protect the health and safety of those on the campus. Policies of the Board of Regents also empower the Chancellor to develop public health policies and require those on campus to comply with those policies.

If you would like to discuss an incident with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards, please call 715-425-4603.