As cases of COVID-19 increase in Tennessee and the nation, more cases in the MTSU community are inevitable. Timely gathering of information on possible COVID-19 contacts is crucial in mitigating spread.  Early warning of contacts and subsequent self-quarantine prevents new cases and protects the vulnerable in our community.  

Please continue to be vigilant and stay home if you are ill! If illness develops, seek early medical advice from your medical provider. If there is a suspicion of COVID-19, MTSU would rather err on the side of self-quarantining coworkers and have a test result come back negative than have new cases arise from inaction.

In the prior communication sent to the campus community on March 22, an employee is expected to report possible COVID-19 illness to their supervisor. As a matter of public health, the supervisor will work with the division VP and our senior MTSU medical staff to determine whether or not any close contacts need to be notified.

If an employee is uncomfortable reporting their symptoms or confirmed illness to their supervisor, he or she may instead speak directly to Dr. Eric Clark, the medical director of our Student Health Center, by calling 615-898-2988. Dr. Clark is helping to coordinate the campus response and containment efforts.

We appreciate the gracious and timely communications that have already occurred to supervisors and our medical director in reporting possible COVID-19 illness.

As a reminder, here is what we are asking from our community:

FACULTY AND STAFF

If you do not feel well:

• If you are working on campus or remotely, and think you might be sick with COVID-19 or are otherwise not feeling well, you will need to stay home to help prevent further contagion on the campus. We would expect this to be the case with any contagious disease.
• You will need to report your illness and subsequent absence to your supervisor, per normal channels.
• You should plan to self-quarantine for 14 days or longer as directed by your health care provider.

If you are experiencing symptoms:

• If you are experiencing cough, sore throat, fever and shortness of breath, or if you have received a confirming diagnosis from your medical provider, you are asked to please stay home and notify your supervisor as soon as possible. Supervisors/department heads should contact their division VP.
• In order to limit your exposure to others to the greatest extent possible, you should plan to self-isolate for 14 days or longer as directed by your health care provider. 

If you become sick at work:

• If you become sick at work or start developing the symptoms of COVID, immediately practice social distancing (such as going to the nearest empty room or otherwise removing yourself from the proximity of colleagues), notify your supervisor and plan on going home promptly.
• You should seek medical advice from your health care provider and may need to self-isolate for 14 days or longer.

When an employee reports possible COVID-19:

• When an employee reports possible COVID-19 illness to their supervisor, as a matter of public health the supervisor will work with the division VP and our senior MTSU medical staff to determine whether or not any close contacts need to be notified.
• If an employee is uncomfortable reporting their confirmed illness to their supervisor, he or she may instead speak directly to Dr. Eric Clark, the medical director of our student Health Center, by calling 615-898-2988. Dr. Clark is helping to coordinate the campus response and containment efforts.
• If it is determined that there may be a risk of exposure to specific close contacts in our workplace, those close contacts may be instructed to self-quarantine.  

If you are required to self-quarantine or self-isolate:

• Employees who are required to self-quarantine (no symptoms) or to self-isolate (symptoms or confirmed diagnosis) should contact Human Resources regarding using Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) or use of annual and sick leave to remain in full-pay status.
• If a staff member has insufficient leave to cover their required time out of the workplace, arrangements will be made to allow the leave to be taken and paid back at a later time.
• While the self-quarantine or self-isolation period is expected to be at least 14 days, you will be required to stay home for a least seven days after your symptoms started and for three days after your fever has stopped without the use of fever-reducing drug (Tylenol, ibuprofen, etc.).

Generally, a person is at risk for exposure and should plan to self-quarantine if the person has spent a prolonged period of 10 minutes or longer within six feet of a person who has been diagnosed with COVID 19. Close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case. In addition, a person may be at risk of exposure and should plan to self-quarantine if he or she has had direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on).

We will work to balance our goals of sharing relevant information with the University community and protecting the legal privacy rights of individuals. As such, when cases emerge, we will work directly with those most likely to be impacted.

Let us all remember to stay safe, take care of each other and check our website for updates.

To the University community,

I want to correct part of today’s update regarding the second on-campus student who tested positive for COVID-19. The student, who originally opted to self-quarantine in an off-campus location, later asked to be housed in a specially designated, private unit in our Womack Lane Apartments.

These are the steps we take if an on-campus student tests positive for COVID-19:

• The student is immediately either sent to their off-campus home or apartment, or, if that is not possible, is moved to a separate on-campus apartment for quarantine, where there will be no interaction with other students, faculty, or staff. 
• It is the university’s preference that students who need to begin self-quarantine do so at the home of their family or their permanent home, whenever possible, where they may find additional levels of support and assistance.
• Meals will be prepared and delivered to any on-campus student required to self-quarantine.
• The student will not be permitted to leave the apartment, eat in the dining areas, or access any other campus facilities until the time of quarantine is complete as directed by our Student Health staff. 
• Any student who undergoes on-campus quarantine will be monitored by our MTSU Student Health staff.

Sincerely,

Sidney A. McPhee

President

UPDATE FROM PRESIDENT MCPHEE:  APRIL 1, 2020

To the University community,

I am sharing this information as part of our commitment to share frequent updates with you regarding MTSU’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic:

Cancellation of May Commencement

• Following most recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Governor Lee regarding large group meetings, we must cancel our Spring Commencement Ceremonies, originally planned for May 8 and May 9.
• To provide every graduate with an opportunity to walk across the stage, and for their families to share the experience, our Spring graduates will be invited to march in any future commencement exercises, including our Summer ceremony set for Aug. 8 and our Winter ceremony set for Dec. 12. We will be sending additional information regarding these upcoming exercises in an email to our Spring graduates.
• We will celebrate the achievements of our Spring graduates by preparing a special care package, which we will mail in late May along with the diploma. The package will include a mortar board with a special tassel; a unique commencement program that lists our May graduates and chronicles the year; a DVD with commencement themes and messages of support; and other surprises. We know this package will not truly fill the hole created by this cancellation, but we want to make every effort for this special class of graduates to know how proud we are of their accomplishments.

CUSTOMS Orientation for New Students Going Online

• In keeping with the current guidance, we have chosen to cancel our traditional schedule of CUSTOMS events for Fall 2020 incoming freshmen and transfers.
• Our CUSTOMS team will move these sessions online. We will reach out to our future students and parents, as well as our faculty and staff, as soon as we finalize our new schedule and processes for these digital events.
• We had the opportunity last week to test one of the tools we will use in a new digital online delivery of CUSTOMS.  We replaced our Preview Day with a True Blue Spotlight digital event on March 26.  This event attracted viewers from 49 of 50 states on Facebook Live and Livestream. You can see an archived replay of the event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8df_eUKnjQ

Employees Working Remotely

• Due to Governor Lee’s recent “safer-at-home” order, I have decided to further reduce the number of on-campus employees and extend employees working remotely through May 10, 2020.

May Classes Moving to Remote Delivery

• We are moving ahead with plans for Summer 2020 courses. Only online and remote courses will be offered during any session starting in May, although courses such as internships and practicums, thesis and dissertation research, and independent study courses, will continue as currently scheduled.
• The summer schedule is currently being updated to reflect changes to the May sessions, and additions are possible as we prepare for the June and July sessions, so students need to periodically check online or with advisors for the latest information. 
• Registration starts on April 6 for the approximately 1,000 course sections available this summer.
• As of now, the Fall 2020 semester will proceed as originally planned. We will continue to monitor conditions and alter the Fall schedule as necessary.

Finally, as an update to the presence of the virus on the campus, a second on-campus student, who resided in the mostly unoccupied Kappa Delta house, tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in isolation off-campus (SEE CORRECTION ABOVE ON THIS). The university continues to take all precautions, as outlined in our last communication, to combat the transmission of the virus on the campus. We have already traced those who have had contact with this student, notified them of any potential risk and asked them to take appropriate actions. If you have concerns or questions, contact our Fraternity and Sorority Life staff at 615-898-5397.

Please check our website, www.mtsu.edu/coronavirus, for news and information about our response to COVID-19.  I continue to be amazed at how much we have been able to accomplish and how well we are all adapting to these disruptions. The positive attitude and adaptability demonstrated by our Blue Raider family continues to serve us well.

Stay on course and remain True Blue.

Sincerely,

Sidney A. McPhee

President

Sidney.McPhee@mtsu.edu