The following summary lays out PAFA’s plans for reopening campus, as of July 13, 2020.

Our efforts to reopen campus to employees started in earnest on May 7, 2020.  This was when we committed to screening all employees enabling them to return to their normal work assignments on campus by July 6, 2020.  All these actions are being taken with an eye toward being open and embracing our students’ return to PAFA.

PAFA’s reopening plan has been guided by medical and public health and has received input from numerous stakeholders, including our Core Response Team.  We expect that PAFA’s plan and implementation will continue to evolve based on the latest medical, behavioral, and other understandings, as well as guidance from federal, state, and local officials.  We expect that recommendations and mandates from the CDC, the Philadelphia Department of Health, Main Line Health, and other experts, will be updated from time to time before PAFA’s fall semester begins August 23.  Our plan will be adapted as appropriate.

Also, behavioral norms and the ability to enforce expectations on campus will almost certainly be heavily influenced by what is happening in the rest of society.  We intend to call on our community to do more and expect more of each other.

Perhaps the most critical factor in the success of PAFA’s fall semester will be the students who will arrive on campus from virtually every county in the state, a few states in the nation, and some countries.  We welcome their return.  PAFA can create an environment that enables the right behaviors and reduces the spread of COVID-19, but a dynamic campus environment will only be sustained if everyone – students, faculty, staff, and visitors — takes responsibility for their own health and safety and the health and safety of those around them.

Academic Program Delivery

Under the President’s leadership and with consultation from the Core Response Team, PAFA has conducted a comprehensive analysis of the makeup of its face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses across all domains.  Class size and delivery formats have been considered and in all venues, the appropriate combination of online physical distancing, sanitation, masks, and other needed safety measures will be used.

First-Year Students: Historic Landmark Building (HLB)

First-Year students and new transfer students will work only in the Historic Landmark Building and will enter through the Broad Street entrance.  First-year studio courses will be a blend of on-campus and online learning.  The approximately 44–50 incoming students will work in small classroom settings of about 7 students per room. Art History, Writing, and Foundation Experience will all be taught online.

The Historic Landmark Building will be open to students, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM, and will be accessible only to students taking first-year studio courses.

Upper Level and Graduate Students: Hamilton Building (HAM)

All undergraduate liberal arts and seminar courses will be held online. All upper level undergraduate studio courses will be online, with the exception of Landscape Painting and some critic meetings, which will be offered in a hybrid format.

Graduate seminars will be taught online and graduate studio courses and critiques will be a blend of on-campus and online modes, as outlined by Graduate Chair, Kevin Richards.

Undergraduate students in the second year and up and graduate students will only be working and studying in the Samuel M. V. Hamilton Building. All in-person instruction for all students will conclude before Thanksgiving, and the fall semester will continue online until December 11 for undergraduates and December 15 for graduate students.

Shops, labs, and individual studios will be closed after Thanksgiving.

Hamilton Building Personal Studios

Personal studios will open July 13 and remain open five days per week, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM. Students will be required to schedule the days they will be on campus.  Schedules will be arranged via an online form shared with students. Questions should be directed to Kate McCammon (kmccammon@pafa.edu).

Beginning August 27, studio hours will expand to 8:00 AM until 10:00PM, with access seven days a per week. The studios will be accessible to MFA students and undergraduates in their final year of study at PAFA. This will comprise about 100 students. They will be spread out among floors 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Studios shared by third-year students and the shared studio on the 7th floor will not be open.

Each student’s security badge will control which floors they can access. For example, an MFA student who is a sculptor with studio space on the 10th floor will be permitted to access the 7th and 10th floors.

Workshops and Digital Labs

Hands-on experiences in the fall for upper level undergraduate students and graduate students will include access to printmaking and sculpture workshops and digital labs.  These spaces will be open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. 

Access to workshops and labs will be scheduled by appointment.

Library

The Library will be closed for on-site study.  However, librarian Brian Duffy (bduffy@pafa.edu) will make books and other library materials available for pickup at the West Desk of the Student Entrance. Email your requests to bduffy@pafa.edu and Brian will let you know when they are available for pickup.

Papermaking Studio

The papermaking studio will be closed during the fall semester.

Student Employment and Internships

To reduce campus density, there will be limited student employment/internships and no internships for outside candidates at PAFA for the rest of 2020.

Stiles Hall

PAFA will offer student housing at Stiles Hall. Each student will have a private bedroom, with no more than 2 students per apartment.

Each apartment in Stiles Hall includes a bathroom, kitchen, and living area. Drexel University (from which we rent space in Stiles Hall) is reserving COVID-19 isolation rooms to quarantine any students in the event they become infected.

Stiles Hall will be staffed by PAFA’s Vice President for Safety and Security Jimmie Greeno III, Director of Residential Life Katherine Volpe, and two Resident Assistants.

Healthy Campus Environment 

Reducing Exposure at PAFA

We take the health and safety of our employees, students and visitors very seriously and want to assure you that we are continuing to monitor available U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic, and the American College Health Association’s Considerations for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era.

Protecting Yourself

Please familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the virus: 

• Coughing
• Fever 
• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing 
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Runny Nose
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• New loss of taste or smell 

If you develop a fever and/or symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, call your health-care provider right away.  Likewise, if you come into close contact with someone showing these symptoms, call your health-care provider right away.  

Additionally, pursuant to OSHA and the CDC guidance all employees, students and visitors should:

• Frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub product with at least 60% alcohol
• Always wash hands that are visibly soiled.
• Avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Follow appropriate respiratory etiquette which includes covering coughs and sneezes with tissue or crook of elbow (not hands) and immediately dispose of tissue.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if sick.

RESPONDING TO EXPOSURE EVENTS

The following rules have been developed based on CDC and OSHA regulations.  The institution urges individuals that are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms to seek medical attention and/or obtain a COVID-19 test.

As used in this section, an individual is “confirmed-positive” if the individual has received a positive COVID-19 test or has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider as “presumed-positive.”  A “presumed positive” diagnosis occurs when an individual has a documented clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 (i.e., a healthcare provider tells the individual that s/he likely has the virus and documents the diagnoses in medical records) but no test is administered to confirm the positive diagnosis, or a healthcare provider directs the individual to self-quarantine at home.  Whether an individual is confirmed-positive or presumed-positive, PAFA will treat that individual as COVID-19 positive.

COVID-19 Positive Individual

The institution urges anyone who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms to seek medical attention and/or obtain a COVID-19 test.  Individuals who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (such as fever or a cough), have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have been instructed to quarantine by a healthcare provider, cannot report to campus, and must immediately contact the Senior Vice President of Human Resources (employees) or Dean of Student Affairs (students)..

Individuals can return to campus based on the “Return to Campus” procedures discussed below.

Close Contact with a COVID-19 Positive Individual

Individuals who have come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual, will be directed to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual.  Close contact is defined as less than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more without a mask or face protection .

If the institution learns that an individual is COVID-19 positive, PAFA will conduct an investigation into coworkers and students who may have had close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual in the 48 hours preceding the COVID-19 positive individuals onset of symptoms and direct those individuals who have had close contact with the COVID-19 positive person to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual.  

If an employee learns that he or she has come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual outside of the workplace, he or she must immediately alert the Senior Vice President of Human Resources of the close contact and also self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual.  

Return to Campus

All individuals who have been directed to self-quarantine must certify that they are symptom free prior to returning to campus.  Individuals who have contracted COVID-19, and have recovered, must complete either a Fitness for Duty Form with their healthcare provider, or a COVID-19-Free Self-Certification Form.  A copy of the Fitness for Duty Form is attached as Appendix XX.  A copy of the COVID-19-Free Self-Certification Form is attached as Appendix XX.

Individuals who have been directed to self-quarantine and remain symptom free and/or are not COVID-19 positive must complete a COVID-19-Free Self-Certification Form.  All other individuals may return within the following guidelines.

Employee Exhibiting COVID-19 Symptoms

An individual who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms cannot report to campus.  The institution encourages symptomatic individuals to seek medical care.  The institution and the symptomatic individual will reassess a return to campus strategy once the individual obtains a medical diagnosis.

Positive Test and Asymptomatic

Anyone who tests positive and is symptom free may return to campus when at least 10 days have passed since the date of his or her first positive test, if during that time s/he has not had a subsequent illness or experienced any symptoms.

Positive Test and Recovering at Home

Anyone who tests positive and is directed to care for herself/himself at home may return to campus when: (1) at least 72 hours fever free without taking fever reducing medicines and other symptoms are improving and (2) at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

Positive Test and Hospitalization

Anyone who tests positive and has been hospitalized may return to campus when directed to do so by his/her medical care provider.  The institution will require the individual to provide medical documentation clearing his/her return to campus.

Responding to Faculty, Staff or Student Exposure

As described above, consistent with OSHA and CDC guidelines, the institution has instituted enhanced housekeeping practices, which includes cleaning and disinfecting frequently used surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.

According to OSHA’s medical/scientific partners, presently, it is thought that COVID-19 can survive on certain types of non-porous surfaces, such as plastic and stainless steel, for 2-3 days.  However, the institution is taking a more conservative approach and if a confirmed-positive individual was on campus for 4 days before the onset of symptoms, the institution will take additional measures to clean and disinfect those areas of the campus that the positive individual accessed.

The institution will also monitor the cases of COVID-19 positive faculty, staff, students on campus and will inform government officials if appropriate.

Screening

Students, faculty and staff working on campus will be expected to self-screen at home prior to coming to campus by answering a predetermined list of questions provided by PAFA through ComplianceHR, an automated screening solution.  They will also have their body temperature checked when they arrive on campus.  If a student or employee is feeling symptomatic or has a temperature of 100.4 Fahrenheit or above, they will be directed to consult with their healthcare provider and access to the campus will be denied.

Testing

PAFA has partnered with Main Line Health who will develop a testing and contact tracing plan for our campus.  Main Line Health will come to PAFA prior to reopening to test all students, faculty and staff who are expected to be on campus during the fall

Contact Tracing

In the event of a known positive test result reported to PAFA, PAFA will notify the Philadelphia Health Department and notify those PAFA community members who were identified as having had closed contact or shared common space with the infected person.  Notification of contacts will not disclose the infected individual’s identity.  Main Line Health will coordinate the contact tracing of community members.

Quarantine, Isolation and Care

Students

There will be a 14-day self-quarantine requirement for all students living in Stiles Hall upon arrival for the fall semester.  

Drexel University (Stiles Hall) will be providing specially designated housing to those students who must isolate or quarantine, according to public health guidelines.  For those students who test positive and require isolation, there will be one residential area designated for this purpose.  

Student services will conduct daily phone check-ins with students in isolation to ensure that students are getting what they need and following self-care guidelines and every 2-3 days with students in quarantine.  The Student Care Coordinator will also conduct check-ins.  Students will be permitted to return to their on-campus housing after they have met Philadelphia Department of Health guidelines for ending isolation or quarantine.

Face Covering Policy

The CDC has recommended that individuals should wear cloth face coverings in public settings.  The CDC has advised that the use of simple cloth face coverings may slow the spread of COVID-19 by helping prevent asymptomatic people from unknowingly transmitting the virus.  To comply with the CDC recommendations, and all other applicable government recommendations and requirements, PAFA is implementing a face covering policy for the foreseeable future.

Note, the face covering policy is an additional measure that PAFA is taking to limit exposure – it is not a substitute for social distancing, personal hygiene, and additional cleaning protocols discussed in this document.

Use of Face Coverings

All faculty, staff, and students must wear a face covering while at PAFA.  

Rules of Use

1. Community members must follow the instructions provided for in the “Fitting/Removing/Reusing of Face Covering” section described below.
2. Employees must not wear a face covering if doing so will adversely affect his or her health.  If an employee, student or visitor believes the use of a face covering will affect their health and they should speak with the Senior Vice President of Human Resources. 

Failure to follow these rules may result in discipline, up to and including, termination.

Fitting/Removing/Reusing Face Covering

In order to properly use the face covering, you must ensure that:

1. The covering fits snugly but comfortably against the sides of your face and covers your nose and mouth.
2. The covering is secured either by ties or ear loops.
3. You can breathe without restrictions.

When removing the face covering, you must:

1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
2. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds following the removal of the face covering.  When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub product with at least 60% alcohol.

Additionally, if you remove your face covering during the workday (e.g., to drink or eat) you must:

1. Avoid touching the inside of the covering.
2. Account for the whereabouts of the removed covering at all times.
3. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after putting the covering back on.  When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub product with at least 60% alcohol.

Social Distancing

Social distancing is recommended by health authorities as the most effective single method of avoiding the spread and contraction of COVID-19.  Therefore, the organizing principle of many of the policies and guidelines surrounding the re-opening of the campus will be to ensure the maintenance of social distancing in classrooms and offices.

Per CDC guidance, employees and students should not leave their residence to travel to a class or campus office if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have tested positive, or have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms or is sick.

Social distancing will mean first and foremost limiting the number of people on campus at any given time; we will do this by delivering courses through a hybrid of in-person and remote instruction and having some employees continue to work from home.  The other critical element is allowing for six-foot distancing wherever possible when people are occupying the same space.

Here is what we expect social distancing will look like:

• Six-foot distancing in classrooms
• Six-foot distancing whenever possible with employee workspaces, lobbies, and other common areas
• Continued emphasis on telework
  • Some employees will continue to work remotely all or some of the time, and those employees who come to work will do so in alternating and staggered shifts, working no less than six feet apart from each other wherever possible
  • Meetings that cannot take place with six-foot distancing will be held via audio or video conference

New foot traffic flows

• We will designate some lobby doors as entrance only and others as exit only.
• In the Hamilton Building, we will designate the Southwest Stairwell as up, and the Northwest Stairwell as down (except in the event of building emergencies).
• We will place spacing markers in lobbies and circulation-flow markers on floors in high-traffic areas.

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls are physical modifications to the PAFA environment that isolate faculty, staff, and students from hazards.  PAFA has implemented the following engineering controls to address potential COVID-19 hazards in PAFA buildings.

• In the area of engineering controls, we have begun to install protective shields for high-traffic-area desk.
• There will be no shared food and beverages in meetings and public spaces.Installed high-efficiency air filters.
• Increased the percentage of outdoor air that circulates into the system.
• Increased the physical space between employees by decommissioning workstations, classrooms, studios, library, computer labs, and cubicles that are located closer than 6 feet.
• Posted signs in the office reminding employees and visitors to practice social distancing measures and enhanced hygiene practices. 
• Reduced the number of chairs in break rooms and conference rooms.
• Installed hand-washing station at the major entrance at Broad Street.

HANDWASHING

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face.  If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.  Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and wash your hands after touching your face.

PERSONAL DISINFECTION

While the Facilities Department will continue to clean and disinfect high use common area public and workspaces based on CDC guidelines at periodic times(s) the additional care should be taken to wipe down and disinfect commonly used, public-facing surfaces used by multiple people.  Accordingly, those offices or functions with high traffic service counter areas will be provided with cleaning products for wiping down surfaces throughout the day by employees.  Contact the Director of Facilities Management for distribution of disinfecting supplies.

COUGHING/SNEEZING HYGIENE

If employees and students  are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.  Then throw used tissues in the trash.  Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols

In alignment with public health recommendations, PAFA is taking measures to prevent community spread of COVID-19, which includes undertaking enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures.  The Department of Safety and Security developed enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures for PAFA units to follow during the COVID-19 public health situation.

1. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection for prevention
2. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection after notification of a confirmed case of COVID-19

ENHANCED CLEANING FOR PREVENTION

General guidance

1. Increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting, focusing on high-touch surfaces, such as communal rooms, public restrooms, library tables, buttons, handrails, tables, doorknobs.  Increased frequency of cleaning and disinfecting with attention to these areas helps remove bacteria and viruses, including the novel coronavirus.
2. Practice good hand hygiene after cleaning (and always!):
   1. Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
   2. If soap and warm water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Safety guidelines during cleaning and disinfection

1. Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting.  Gloves should be discarded after each use.  Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
2. Wear eye protection when there is a potential for splash or splatter to the face.
3. Gowns or aprons are recommended to protect personal clothing.
4. Store chemicals in labeled, closed containers.  Keep them in a secure area.  Store them in a manner that prevents tipping or spilling

Cleaning and disinfection of surfaces

1. Clean surfaces and objects that are visibly soiled first.  If surfaces are dirty to sight or touch, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
2. Clean and disinfect surfaces as soon as possible in areas where a person with respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing) was present.
3. Use an EPA-registered disinfectant for use against novel coronavirus.  Refer to the list of products pre-approved for use against emerging enveloped viral pathogens, or the list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2.
4. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe and effective use of all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., dilution concentration, application method and contact time, required ventilation, and use of personal protective equipment).  
5. Consult manufacturer recommendations on cleaning products appropriate for electronics.  If no guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or spray containing at least 70% alcohol.  Use of alcohol-based products may reduce risk of damage to sensitive machine components.  Whenever possible, consider using wipeable covers for electronics.  Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.
6. The following products are effective for disinfection of hard, non-porous surfaces:
   1. A 10% diluted bleach solution, an alcohol solution with at least 70% alcohol, and/or an EPA-registered disinfectant for use against COVID-19.
   2. Prepare a 10% diluted bleach solution by doing the following:
      1. Mix five tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water.
      2. After application, allow 2 minutes of contact time before wiping, or allow to air dry (without wiping).
7. For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floors:
   1. Remove visible contamination (if present) and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces.
8. If a COVID-19 case is confirmed in the PAFA community, departments are required to follow the guidance Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection after Notification of a Confirmed Case of COVID-19 outlined in this document.

Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection after Notification of a Confirmed Case of COVID-19

This protocol is for cleaning and disinfection of areas where a person with COVID-19 spent time in PAFA spaces.  It is applied from 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms until seven days have passed since the person was present in a PAFA space.  After notification of a person with confirmed COVID-19 at PAFA, the following cleaning and disinfecting protocol will be followed:

1. Buildings and/or specific rooms and areas where a COVID-19 positive person spent time will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.  The cleaning scope will be implemented based on the risk of potential contamination as determined by the Safety Department and the Safety Committee, in coordination with the impacted department.

2. Vice President of Safety and Security will do the following (as applicable):
   1. Communicate in writing the scope of cleaning to the Director of Facilities Management.
   2. Identify areas that require restricted access during and immediately following enhance cleaning.
   3. Communicate with impacted department(s).

3. When cleaning and disinfecting rooms with increased surface area due to large numbers of desks, tables, and other furniture, and where a spray application of disinfectant is needed, the  Vice President of Safety and Security will notify the community members in advance if the spraying will occur during normal work hours.  Advance notice allows community members to be apprised of the schedule for disinfection of the space and any areas that may require restricted access during cleaning.

4. The cleaning crew will:
   1. Follow the Enhanced Cleaning for Prevention guidance outlined in this document.
   2. Open windows to the outside to increase air circulation, if possible.
   3. If possible, wait 24 hours after the ill person was present in a space prior to beginning cleaning and disinfection.
   4. If an outside contractor is used for cleaning and disinfection, the proposed scope of work, including the products and their respective safety data sheets (SDSs), and application methods must be reviewed by Safety Committee prior to work commencing.

5. Wear the required personal protective equipment (PPE) during cleaning and disinfecting:
   1. Disposable gloves and gowns to protect contamination of clothing
   2. Safety glasses/goggles when there is a potential for splashing/spraying the disinfectant
   3. All staff must be fully trained on donning and doffing required PPE to prevent cross contamination.

RETURN TO THE CAMPUS

WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS & GUIDELINES

All faculty, staff and students shall comply with the policies, protocols and guidelines outlined in this document as part of PAFA’s expectations and guidelines.  Ensuring safety is a responsibility shared by the institution community, through its actions and attentiveness for proper public health practices.

RETURN TO CAMPUS TRAINING REQUIREMENT

All faculty, staff and students must complete return to campus training prior to returning.  (As a new requirement, this training also applies to employees who may have already returned to the worksite on-site throughout as essential staff.) 

PAFA COMMUNITY HEALTH SCREENING PROCEDURES

All faculty, staff and students coming to campus will be screened and have their body temperature taken as a precautionary measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Faculty, staff and students should report to the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Broad Street entrance upon arrival on campus and prior to entering any other areas of PAFA property.

Each individual will be screened privately by the AlliedUniversal Security Personnel, Vice President of Safety & Security and Pandemic Safety Officer or Human Resources Personnel using a touchless forehead/temporal thermometer.

Time spent waiting for the health screening should be recorded as time worked for nonexempt employees.

Anyone who has a fever at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home.  The individual should monitor his or her symptoms and call a doctor or use telemedicine if concerned about the symptoms.

An individual sent home can return to work when:

• He or she has had no fever for at least three (3) days without taking medication to reduce fever during that time; AND
• Any symptoms (cough and shortness of breath) have improved; AND
• At least ten (10) days have passed since the symptoms began.

An individual may return to campus earlier if a doctor confirms the cause of an individual’s fever or other symptoms is not COVID-19 and releases the person to return to campus in writing.

An individual who experiences fever and/or other COVID-19  symptoms while home should not come to campus.  Instead, the individual should contact his or her immediate supervisor(employee) or dean (students) for further direction.