Student commitment to community health
Our ability to offer an in-person educational environment hinges upon all of us sharing the responsibility to be vigilant about eliminating behaviors that foster the spread of COVID-19. Our faculty, staff, and the surrounding community rely on our students to exercise sound judgment and goodwill in refraining from risky actions. Failure to adhere to the tenets of this pledge will jeopardize your ability to maintain residential status. This pledge must be reviewed and signed by all students returning to campus for the spring 2021 semester. Failure to sign the pledge may void your housing and will void your on-campus enrollment status.
I pledge to do the following:
When outside my residence hall room including:
Limiting the number of close contacts helps to thwart the spread of COVID-19. Therefore it is critically important that students make every effort to spend as little time as possible within six feet of persons other than your roommate.
Close contacts of an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Limiting the amount of time you spend within six feet of others affords you the best protection from quarantine.
Congregating in groups makes it more difficult to keep six feet apart from others. Gatherings in residence hall lounges, off-campus apartments, empty classrooms, Farinon or other enclosed spaces are highly discouraged. Limits on the sizes of student gatherings will be updated in the COVID-Related Addendum to the Student Handbook and will be based on the number of positive COVID-19 cases at any given time. Gathering sizes may be prohibited or limited to 5, 10 or 20 students. Additional limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings are subject to change by the College at any time.
I will consistently monitor my Lafayette email account, promptly report for testing when requested, and complete any pre-arrival testing. I will not attempt to come to campus until directed by Bailey Health Center if my pre-arrival test is positive for COVID-19.
I will complete the daily symptom tracker accurately and promptly each morning before leaving my residence.
I will supply Lafayette with a working cell phone number so I can be reached in the event that I am either identified as having a positive COVID-19 test or being a close contact for an individual with a positive COVID-19 test.
I will comply fully with all requests made by the contact tracers and will be honest in my reports of contacts with them. In exchange, I will not be disciplined for any information that I share with the contact tracers related to violations of the College alcohol and drug policy.
I will comply with requests to isolate or quarantine as directed by the contact tracers and other staff. I will have an isolation/quarantine plan ready including keeping supplies packed and organized that I might need if requested to isolate or quarantine.
I will not leave isolation or quarantine housing unless directed by a member of College staff or in the case of a life-safety emergency such as a fire. If I elect to isolate or quarantine at home, my parent(s) or guardian(s) must provide written verification to the College that I will be leaving campus. If I am quarantining, I will not return until cleared by my physician and written receipt of that clearance is received by Bailey Health Center. If I am isolating, I must not return to campus until Bailey Health Center clears me to do so. Please use this form to request the ability to quarantine or isolate at home.
I understand that travel away from campus increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission both in my home community and on campus. I will not leave campus overnight unless absolutely necessary and only after having obtained permission to do so by completing the request form in the COVID-19 Addendum at least 48 hours in advance. Depending on the current COVID-19 rates on campus and in the state, city, and/or county to which I am traveling, I understand that my travel request may be denied. If my request is denied, I will not leave campus.
In situations where failure to uphold the expectations outlined above results in a health and safety risk to the community, immediate consequences may result. Expectations that fall into this category include participation in testing and contacting tracing, and following isolation and quarantine instructions. Immediate consequences include but are not limited to things like fob shutoff, restrictions from campus buildings including the recreation center, and/or revoking access to College applications such as OurCampus or the College portal, etc.
Intentional, significant, or repeated alleged violations of the Pard Pledge may be referred to the disciplinary process, in addition to or in lieu of imposing consequences as described above. The disciplinary process may result in a range of sanctions, including suspension or even expulsion, in the most serious cases. Additional information on the disciplinary process can be found at conduct.lafayette.edu. An expedited process will remain in place during spring 2021 for alleged violations of the Pard Pledge and/or the COVID Addendum to the Student Handbook.