GUEST COLUMN: SEMO is ready to begin fall semester with COVID-19 precautions

Southeast Missouri State University will begin fall classes on Aug. 24. In anticipation, I want to share with you the work we've done to establish procedures and protocols to safeguard our students, employees and neighbors in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The university's first action was in late January, and since then the virus has left no area of Southeast untouched. In early March, our Emergency Response Team operating under the auspices of the Emergency Operations Center began meeting regularly to navigate the wide swath of decisions we've made to welcome our students to the university this fall and to ensure a safe environment for them, our employees and the broader community.

On July 20, we released our Protect The Nest Return to Campus Plan, conveying requirements, guiding principles, and other important information for the semester. If you have not seen the plan, please visit our website, semo.edu/sealerts/covid19/. Highlights include:

• Students and employees are required to wear protective face coverings.
• Students and employees are required to maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet in all shared or public spaces, when possible.
• Guest access is limited in residence halls, no overnight guests are permitted, and enhanced cleaning and sanitizing is occurring in common areas and shared spaces.
• Testing protocols have been developed in coordination with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center and SoutheastHEALTH. The university's on-site Campus Health Clinic, operated by SoutheastHEALTH, will be a designated testing location.
• The university has hired personnel to accurately and responsibly track confirmed cases reported to the university. Confirmed cases will appear at semo.edu/sealerts/covid19/daily-cases.html.
• Students and employees are encouraged to conduct Daily Symptom Checks. Those who are symptomatic are asked to stay home, contact their medical provider, notify dedicated campus personnel, and follow recommended health protocols.
• Over 25% of Southeast's fall face-to-face classes have been converted to an alternative mode of delivery, and we are piloting a HyFlex@Southeast model, giving students the flexibility to participate in selected courses in multiple formats.
• Campus dining will be open with enhanced safety measures in place, including limited capacities in dining facilities, one-way marked traffic patterns and more Grab 'n Go options.
• The Student Recreation Center and Student Aquatic Center remain open to students, university employees and members. All patrons must wear face coverings except in limited circumstances.
• Individuals and groups are encouraged to host meetings and events remotely. At this time, the university is limiting the scheduling of in-person meetings, events or trainings in university facilities by external groups.
• Plexiglass has been installed in some public areas; signage has been posted throughout campus; hand sanitizer and face coverings are readily available; and other cleaning and safety measures have been implemented.

In reaching these decisions, we consulted our internal constituencies as well as the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. We also are following best practices identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and guidance in Missouri Gov. Mike Parson's Show Me Strong plan. Additionally, we've met with health professionals at SoutheastHEALTH; and we participate in regular calls with Cape Girardeau County leaders, the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, and others. Their support and guidance have been beneficial, and we are grateful for their assistance.

While acknowledging differing opinions about COVID-19, we believe that wearing face coverings, practicing social distancing, washing hands, and limiting gatherings and interactions are actions required of all of us to navigate the pandemic, and we will enforce these measures with university employees and students. We have held virtual informational sessions with employees, students and parents; met with Greek Life leaders and other student organization participants; and are sharing training videos with employees and students to stress the importance of these protocols. However, we cannot do this alone. Our success this fall will require a collective effort and shared responsibility.

In the days and weeks ahead, we will continue planning, updating and taking necessary actions to protect the health and safety of our university and surrounding communities. This fall will look different. There will be no fall sports, and Family Weekend and Homecoming are canceled; and while we are exploring alternatives to postpone and reschedule these events and other activities in the spring, COVID-19 has certainly taught us that the future is uncertain. I encourage you to routinely check our COVID-19 informational page for updates on our planning efforts, response and overall operations. Soaring together, we will get through this and come out stronger than we were before. Thank you for your support of Southeast Missouri State University.

Carlos Vargas is president of Southeast Missouri State University.