Health and Safety

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.

• If I test positive or think I have been exposed, I will call the UW-River Falls COVID-19 reporting hotline (715-425-4000) or email (contact.tracing@uwrf.edu).

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.

Contact Tracking Process 

• Contact tracking is the collection of data associated with individuals and their location in the university environment at a given moment in time, used in the contact tracing process to determine who may have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

• Gathering of tracking data must be done in a proactive and timely manner, enabling contact tracers to notify close contacts without delay.

• Contact tracking also allows the process to exclude individuals who are not close contacts.

Centralized Attendance Tracking System (CATS)

• All units are required to utilize this system

• This includes for classroom attendance as well as tracking of visitors.

  • Visitors are any employees, students or public individuals who do not typically use a particular indoor space (office, conference room, classroom, etc.).

• Data in Centralized Attendance Tracking System (CATS) will only be used for contact tracing and will be destroyed 30 days after submission.

Face coverings shall be required in all indoor public spaces, including classrooms, and strongly 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 Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Excellence & Student Success.
 
Students with an approved reasonable accommodation will receive an approved accommodation form from the Ability Services Office and must present that upon request to a university official or instructor. Return to Campus-COVID 19 Policy, Page 3 A student or employee who has been granted a reasonable accommodation by the university is not required to explain to others the underlying basis for the accommodation.

Individuals who do not adhere to the face covering policy directive (and do not have an approved accommodation) may be asked or directed to leave campus. Students and employees who choose not to comply with this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

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. 

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. The official policy is AP-06-121.

Physical distancing (a.k.a. social distancing) has become overly simplified in the mainstream media. The 6-foot distancing recommendation is only one component, time of the exposure and the symptoms of the infectious individual are all critical to risk management.

The guidelines for physical distancing are confusing because the recommendations to prevent the spread of the virus are different from the federal requirements of contact tracing when there is a positive test case. What you hear in the media and from public officials are the distances appropriate for cases where contact between individuals lasts less than 15 minutes. Passing someone in the hallway or checking out at a grocery store is a less than 15-minute activity, therefore allows for a smaller radius.

Physical distancing for contact tracing requires non-overlapping 6’ radius (113 SQFT) distancing per person when contacts are in that proximity for longer than 15 minutes. However, the predominate physical distancing guidance is usually overlapping 6’ radius (56.5 SQFT) and an assumption of less than 15 minutes.

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

• 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 Vibrant Health Family Clinic 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.

Individuals deemed as having had close contact with a positive case will be directly informed by Public Health and will be advised of their next steps. Individuals with indirect or casual contact will be contacted by the UWRF Contact Tracing Team with further guidance. You will not be informed of a positive case in your building or area if you do not meet the criteria for one of the above categories.

When contract tracing is not possible, a targeted campus-wide or other public notification regarding cases on campus which could pose a community health risk may be made. Such communications will be determined on a case-by-case basis depending upon circumstances and in accordance with local, state, and national guidance.

Public Health may ask us to shut down an area for cleaning and disinfection further to a positive case. Individuals who use that space on a regular basis will be notified as quickly as feasible.

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.

Testing for students is being offered on campus by WHL. Students are receiving information regarding our testing protocols. These programs are specifically being offered to our students and we will not be offering diagnostic testing of symptomatic employees at this time. Employees experiencing symptoms should not report to work and should seek the guidance of their health care provider. See here for more HR-related Q/A.

Students receive text messages from WHL intended to promote health checks and facilitate scheduling of testing appointments if needed. Please encourage students to reply to these texts.

If you learn that a student tests positive or thinks they have been exposed, be sure to inform the UWRiver Falls COVID-19 reporting hotline (715-425-4000) or email (contact.tracing@uwrf.edu).

Students or employees that have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should contact our Contact Tracing Team at 715- 425-4000 or contact.tracing@uwrf.edu.

All residence hall students will be required to get tested before them move back into their room. Testing for students currently living on-campus will begin Oct. 1

Students may be tested either at their current location, or when they return to campus. For more information on documentation needed if getting tested off campus, and other testing information please review the communication from the Chancellor.

If you've tested positive for COVID-19, please review the Chancellor's communication on documentation that may need to be submitted.

Students living on campus will be required to be tested every 7-10 days. Students will receive reminder emails with the dates of their testing window.

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.

You need to set up an appointment. Visit go.uwrf.edu/gettested for more details.

Packages can be sent directly to the quarantine and isolation location.

The Falcon Shop has reusable face coverings for sale. They will not have hand sanitizer for sale.

Freddy’s C-Store will have single-use face coverings and small bottles of hand sanitizer for sale.  

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. 

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

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 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.

University Policy AP 01-128: Any student refusing to be tested or to provide required documentation as described above will not be permitted to return to their residence hall. This includes students who left campus during the shelter in place as well as students who choose to leave campus at some future point to serve a required quarantine or isolation period at home or at another off-campus location.

All residence hall students must comply with testing protocols and our return plan. Any refusal to do so will jeopardize your housing contract and may result in your status as a student to be reviewed.

Policy Enforcement: Students who do not get tested will not have access to their residence hall until they are verified to have been tested. After October 11, students who were not tested will be contacted and if they refuse to be tested disciplinary action will be taken. Termination of their residence hall contract for behavioral reasons is a likely outcome along other University sanctions.

If you were tested negative on campus Sept 24 and after, your results are automatically in the system, so no additional documentation is needed. If you need a copy of your negative test result for your work place, you can return to the on-campus testing site between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to receive a printed copy.

If you tested negative before Sept. 24, you will need to be retested before returning to your residence hall.

If you tested positive within 90 days and completed your isolation in UWRF isolation space, you should Submit a copy or your release paperwork to Campus Testing Exclusion . If you need another copy of the release paperwork, you should call your contact tracer or email contact.tracing@uwrf.edu

If you tested positive over 90 days ago, you will need to be retested before returning to your residence hall. You can schedule a test here, go.uwrf.edu/gettested.

As a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and until further notice, students living in on-campus residence halls or using other on-campus facilities are prohibited from hosting or attending gatherings on or off campus that may spread the virus. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at indoor gatherings of 10 or more people, or outdoor gatherings of 25 or more.

Students living off campus should not host gatherings that could be attended by those who live on campus or regularly come to campus for face-to-face experiences, including employment, classes, labs, etc.

A student who violates our health and safety directives may be subject to disciplinary sanctions up to and including expulsion. The university may discipline students for such 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 Jennifer Larimore at 715-425-4603 or by email at jennifer.larimore@uwrf.edu.

We know that the majority of our students are here because they want access to the limited in-person and face-to-face activities we are able to offer right now. We know that most of our students understand the rules about how to stay healthy and respect the science behind our guidance. Unfortunately, the poor choices of some, combined with increased spread of the virus locally, drove a spike that was too rapid. We are better equipped to handle another spike now, and we are confident that our students are even more willing to make small sacrifices for the greater good.