FAQs for Shenandoah University Employees – COVID-19
For questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, please see our Vaccination Frequently Asked Questions.
Below are frequently asked questions by Shenandoah University employees related to COVID-19. If you have a question that you would like to see added, please contact Lisa Darsch, director of employee wellness and healthcare navigation, at ldarsch@su.edu or Kim McDonald, associate director of human resources, at kmcdonal2@su.edu in Human Resources (HR).
Members of the Shenandoah community who have received a COVID-19 positive test result, regardless of vaccination status, should report this through the Shenandoah Go app or use the exposure or positive result form.
All positive individuals — regardless of vaccination status — should isolate for 10 days based on CDC guidance.
Students may contact the Wilkins Wellness Center, and faculty and staff may contact HR, with any questions or concerns.
All students, faculty and staff must download the Shenandoah Go app in order to:
- Fill out the symptom checker, not daily, but only if you experience symptoms that could be related to COVID-19
- Report a positive COVID-19 test or exposure
- Receive important updates and notifications
If you deleted or haven’t yet downloaded the Shenandoah Go app, please add it to your phone today. When creating a new account, please use your SU email address to register.
The symptom check is a tool designed to help Shenandoah identify employees who might have COVID-19, to help them get medical assistance (if necessary) and to try to prevent those employees from coming onto campus where they might infect another employee, student or community member. We also use the symptom check to assist the university in complying with its obligation under the Final Permanent Standard as a Virginia employer to prevent employees known or suspected to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus from reporting to or remaining at work.
If you experience symptoms, report through the app and be aware that the CDC recently changed guidance for fully vaccinated people with a COVID-19 exposure. Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5 to 7 days following a known (direct) exposure to someone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They do not need to quarantine unless they are symptomatic.
Faculty and staff who feel sick or are concerned about an exposure to COVID-19 should report via the app and notify their supervisors and Human Resources, while, if appropriate, seeking medical advice from their primary care provider.
The university is utilizing the symptom check as a screening tool to try to determine whether you may have COVID-19 and therefore need medical attention and/or pose a risk to other employees, students and community members if you come to work. There are, however, many symptoms associated with COVID-19 that may be “normal” for you. For example, runny nose, congestion, cough, and sore throat, to name a few. Only you will know when your symptoms are falling outside your normal range, and we ask you to use that judgment when answering the symptom check.
Therefore, you only need to indicate you have one or more symptoms on the symptom check if the symptom(s) are “different than your normal state of health.”
The CDC still defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Members of the Shenandoah community who have been informed (either by the university or an external source) that they are a close contact, regardless of vaccination status, should complete the exposure or positive result form.
Close contacts who are unvaccinated should get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine for 14 days based on CDC guidance.
Close contacts who are vaccinated and asymptomatic:
People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. Fully vaccinated people should get tested 5-7 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
Close contacts who are vaccinated and symptomatic should get tested and may have to quarantine and/or isolate based on severity of symptoms and specific living situations. Students may contact the Wilkins Wellness Center and faculty and staff may contact HR with any questions or concerns.
A person with COVID-19 is considered to be contagious starting from 2 days before they became sick (or 2 days before they tested positive if they never had symptoms) until they meet the criteria to discontinue isolation.
Therefore, you only need to indicate on the symptom check that you have been “exposed” if you meet the above criteria.
First, STAY AT HOME. If you’re feeling ill, you are encouraged to speak with your medical provider. Let your supervisor know what is happening and reach out to Lisa or an HR member to discuss your situation further.
This answer varies depending on whether or not you are symptomatic.
Close contacts who are vaccinated and asymptomatic:
People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. Fully vaccinated people should get tested 5-7 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
Close contacts who are vaccinated and symptomatic should get tested and may have to quarantine and/or isolate. Faculty and staff may contact HR with any questions or concerns.
The information submitted by employees (or visitors) is reviewed by Lisa Darsch, or another designated member of Shenandoah’s HR Department. The sole purpose of their evaluation of the information is to determine whether you may have COVID-19, in which case your presence on campus might pose a risk to other employees, students and/or community members.
If you have indicated on the symptom check that you have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher and/or you have one or more of the symptoms listed, which are different than your normal state of health, and/or that you have been exposed within the past 14 days to a person who has COVID-19, then HR will maintain that record in a confidential file separate from your employee personnel file for one year. If you have indicated on the symptom check that you do not have a fever or symptoms and you have not been exposed as described above, then SU will retain these files for a short period of time and then delete them in batches approximately every 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty
That information will come from the Office of the Dean of Students in the Division of Student Affairs. The nature of the medical issue (for example, whether the student tested positive for COVID-19) will not be revealed by SU.
What if a student isn't wearing a mask in class and claims to have an exemption from wearing a mask?
The university, to date, has not granted any exemptions (medical or religious) to the mask-wearing requirements in the Personal Conduct and COVID-19 Preventative Measures Policy. Students who do not wear a mask as specified in the policy should be reported to the Office of the Dean of Students by completing a Student of Concern form.
Faculty are encouraged to take advantage of the classroom technology. Our definition of “f2f” allows 25% of the class content to be delivered online (75% must be offered in person), so there is flexibility embedded in the definition that you are encouraged to explore. Please review the delivery modes and their definitions.
No, we’ve simplified the app process so students should only fill out the symptom checker if they are not feeling well and potentially have symptoms related to COVID-19.
For yellow and red statuses, students will get passes noting important information and if, in rare cases, a quarantine needs to occur. However, these passes should not be solely relied upon to excuse a student from a class or assignment.
If you have a valid educational reason for asking, you may ask a student about their vaccination status and students may show proof in the form of an “I got my COVID-19 vaccine” icon badge in the Shenandoah Go app.
Everyone is encouraged to wear a mask whenever indoors and in close proximity to others. We are implementing a temporary masking protocol through Dec. 18. Masks are required for everyone — regardless of vaccination status — for in-person classes and labs held indoors.
Anything held in person and indoors that involves a faculty member in a teaching situation with students.
Masks are required for meetings/events of 50+ individuals in an indoor setting (therefore, masks will be required for New Student Convocation).
Masks are not required but are encouraged whenever in close proximity to others.
- Those who are not fully vaccinated — including those with vaccine exemptions — are required to wear masks whenever they are in any public indoor spaces.
- Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks inside buildings when they are not taking part in an in-person class, nor do they need to wear one in dining facilities and residence halls.
The Executive Committee to Reopen Shenandoah University will continue to monitor any positive cases both on campus and locally to determine if additional protocols need to be implemented to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Executive Committee to Reopen Shenandoah University considered the high vaccination rate of both students and faculty, along with recommendations from the CDC and local health officials, to come up with protocols that will help keep the community safe while assessing the situation.