Medaille students will be able to return to campus this semester, although they will have to download an attendance app for contract tracing, wear a mask, and won't be required to sit in a classroom if they don't feel comfortable with doing so.
The college announced on Friday its "Restart Medaille" plan, which includes that all lectures will be live-streamed, so that if a student does not feel comfortable coming to in-person classes, if the student is high risk for COVID-19, or if the student develops symptoms of an illness they can still go to class virtually.
The live-streamed lectures will allow for active participation of those watching virtually, and also be recorded for students to view later. The college says the goal of this program is to give students flexibility.
Faculty will have the option to teach remotely if they are uncomfortable with or unable to teach in-person classes.
Medaille will require all students, staff and anyone on campus to wear a mask. The college will provide up to two free reusable masks per student, staff or faculty member.
If a student or staff member has a health concern, such as respiratory conditions, anxiety, sensory conditions, or physical conditions that impact the ability to wear a mask, students must contact the Office of Accessibility to determine an alternative, as exemptions to mask wearing on campus will not be made.
Students in lab classes will also use additional personal protective equipment and all podiums will have Plexiglas barriers installed around them.
Additionally, other major points of the college's plan include:
- Fetch, an attendance app, will be used by everyone on campus who have smartphones to track what parts of campus they utilized and when, for contact tracing purposes.
- Residents will be allowed to visit other residents in dorm halls, but outside visitors and commuter students will not be allowed to visit.
- Students will be able to move in starting August 13 and 14 for students who must isolate for two weeks due to state quarantine orders.
- Because the college intends to have in-person classes during the entire semester, international students' visas should not be impacted, unless the state tells the campus to close.
- Part of North Residence Hall will be used for quarantining students.
- The college will work with Rapha Family Medicine PC to have a mobile testing lab two days a week at the Buffalo campus. The Health Center will also offer take-home self-collection kids through Quest Diagnostics for students to take.
