Skip to main content

Health and Wellness

July 27, 2020 – Return to Campus Update

Posted by on Monday, July 27, 2020 in Community Messages.

UPDATE: OHARE has sent the following message to undergraduate residential students regarding the move-in sign-up process.

—

This new weekly Return to Campus Update is part of our ongoing effort to provide you with the latest information regarding the fall 2020 Return to Campus Plan. While some of this information may not directly affect you, we wanted to ensure everyone in our community has easy access to this information.

You’ll receive this update via email until the start of the semester, and then we will switch to running it as the top story in MyVU once classes begin, continuing through the end of the fall semester. Each edition also will be posted on the Return to Campus website under the Community Messages section.

WHAT’S COMING UP: STUDENTS

RETURNING FROM ABROAD

Students returning to campus from abroad for the fall semester, whether from their family homes or from study, internships or travel abroad experiences, must quarantine for 14 days before arriving back on campus. Those returning to campus from abroad should fill out the International Pre-Arrival Form. Undergraduate students who do not have a U.S. address for shipping the pre-arrival test kit should contact ISSS to determine options for pre-arrival testing.
Returning from international travel>>

UNDERGRADUATE CLASS SCHEDULES

Updates to the schedule of undergraduate classes will be finalized in YES on Wednesday, July 29. Once the schedule is ready, the Office of the University Registrar will send an email to students about the schedule as well as information about their schedule adjustment windows. Those windows are defined on the University Registrar website.

MOVE-IN UPDATES

Starting today at 10 a.m. CT, undergraduate residential students can sign up for their move-in date and time. Students must complete a two-step process in the Housing Portal:
Step 1: Complete the Housing Contract Addendum located under the Applications menu.
Step 2: After the Housing Contract Addendum is completed, select a move-in date and time under the Room Assignments section.

We know many families have had questions about what move-in will look like this year. Housing will send out detailed information in August prior to move-in. We also know there have been many questions about information that was released last week. We wanted to share some updates and clarification surrounding some of those points:

  • Parents or other family members are welcome to bring their student(s) to campus, but in order to keep density in the residential spaces low and reduce the number of contacts with individuals from outside of the community, only one person may serve as the move-in assistant and enter the building. Students and their move-in assistant, whether parent or other family member, will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and have their temperature checked before entering the residence hall. We do not have the capacity to screen additional people in a timely manner.
  • The one-hour limit applies to unloading a car and moving the car for the next round of students moving in. After the car is moved, the assistant may help the student set up the room until the end of the day. The one-hour time limit for move-in does not include time spent picking up items from campus storage. The person serving as the move-in assistant will be able to help the student throughout their scheduled move-in day, not just their one-hour move-in block.
  • OHARE will have disinfecting wipes available to disinfect moving carts. It is the responsibility of students and their move-in assistant, whether a parent or other family member, to disinfect the cart before and after each use.
  • As part of our effort to keep density low in residential spaces, OHARE staff will not be available to help move in items; however, staff will be on hand outside to answer questions.

First-year move-in details>>
Upper-division move-in details>>

WHAT’S COMING UP: VANDERBILT COMMUNITY

TEMPERATURE SCREENINGS

Vanderbilt University requires onsite temperature screenings when individuals are at increased risk for exposure to COVID-19 due to their daily activities resulting in close and/or frequent contact with others. Examples of such activities include some research, athletics, child care and public safety. Temperature screenings of individuals facing an increased risk of exposure can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the Vanderbilt community.
Temperature screenings guidelines>>

PUBLIC HEALTH AMBASSADORES

The Public Health AmbassaDore program is expanding and now welcomes faculty and staff to join. The program will open to students as we approach the start of the fall semester. Interested faculty and staff can fill out the interest form, with departmental approval, or have their department leader or manager submit the interest form on their behalf. Students will receive additional communications once the student interest form is available.
Public Health AmbassaDores Program>>

TRAVEL

All university-sponsored domestic and international travel is restricted until further notice. We also ask that students stay in the Nashville area and not travel away from campus for weekend trips through the end of in-person classes on Friday, Nov. 20. 
Faculty, staff and postdoc travel>>
Student travel>>

WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

GATHERINGS

The university’s protocols with respect to gatherings prioritize core mission activities central to the university’s mission. Gatherings must be conducted in accordance with university-established guidelines, and some instances of gatherings must be approved. We realize how important community and social bonds are to good mental health, and we have groups with representatives from across the university formulating additional plans and practices to promote interaction in ways that are as safe as possible. These requirements for in-person gatherings are subject to change based on public health guidance and Vanderbilt protocols. Current gathering sizes are restricted to 10 or fewer individuals total.
Gatherings protocol details>>

CLASSROOM PROTOCOLS

Vanderbilt has assembled a classroom protocols team to work with faculty leaders and subject-matter experts to research, assess and develop requirements and recommendations for classroom instruction and usage for the start of the 2020-21 academic year. These protocols were established based on guidance from the CDC, leading subject-matter experts across our campus and a range of faculty leaders.
Classroom protocol details>>

SYMPTOM MONITORING

All individuals must be free of any symptoms related to COVID-19 to participate in activities on campus, including attending in-person classes, and must monitor their symptoms daily before coming to campus or leaving their residence. A symptom monitoring tool has been created within the existing VandySafe app for daily self-monitoring. Beginning Aug. 10, all undergraduate students must use this tool to prepare for campus arrival and then for every day during the semester. Additionally, Owen Graduate School of Management students will be required to use this tool. At this time, faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate and professional students from other programs are strongly encouraged to utilize the tool.
Symptom monitoring details>>

QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION

In preparation for the fall semester, the university has designated additional locations for isolation and quarantine space for on-campus residential undergraduate students. Public health guidance suggests students residing together off campus should be treated as a family unit; thus, students should isolate in their off-campus residence and handle isolation as a family would. In the event a student begins exhibiting symptoms, tests positive or is identified as a close contact of a positive individual, university health officials will make medical determinations and direct students to their respective quarantine or isolation spaces (either on-campus or off-campus residences). Student Health will work with all such students to conduct regular symptom monitoring and will hospitalize anyone who becomes seriously ill.

For all members of the Vanderbilt community who reside off campus and want to quarantine or isolate alone and not in their residence, or have other special personal circumstances, the university is negotiating special rates with local hotels. More information will be available on the Return to Campus website in the coming days.
Quarantine and isolation details>>

UPCOMING DEADLINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

  • July 27: Schedule one-hour move-in appointment
  • Aug. 7: Complete Student Acknowledgement Form
  • Aug. 10: Download VandySafe app to start daily symptom monitoring
  • Aug. 10-31: Open enrollment class registration
  • Aug. 17-23: Move-in
  • Aug. 24: First day of classes for undergraduate students

GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS ACADEMIC CALENDAR

  • July 20: School of Medicine First-Year Medical Doctor program launched
  • Aug. 3: Orientation for Owen Graduate School of Management Master of Finance, Master of Marketing and Master of Accountancy begins
  • Aug. 9: Owen Graduate School of Management Executive MBA Week in Residence begins
  • Aug. 12: School of Medicine Master of Genetic Counseling program launches
  • Aug. 15: Orientation for Owen Graduate School of Management Master of Management in Healthcare begins
  • Aug. 17: Law School classes begin
  • Aug. 17: Owen Graduate School of Management programs (except EMBA and MMHC) launch
  • Aug. 17: School of Medicine Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program launches
  • Aug. 17-21: School of Nursing PhD Intensive program
  • Aug. 20: Owen Graduate School of Management Master of Management in Healthcare program launches
  • Aug. 21: School of Nursing Prespecialty (M.S.N.) program launches
  • Aug. 24: School of Nursing Specialty Level (M.S.N.) program launches
  • Aug. 24: Divinity School classes begin
  • Aug. 24: Graduate School classes begin
  • Aug. 24: Peabody College classes begin
  • Aug. 24: School of Engineering classes begin
  • Aug. 26: School of Medicine Doctor of Audiology, Doctor of Medical Physics, Master of Science in Medical Physics, Master of Education of the Deaf, Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology programs launch
  • Aug. 27: School of Medicine Master of Science in Applied Clinical Informatics program launches
  • Aug. 31: School of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice program launches