Knox’s culture of shared responsibility and care for our community will be more important than ever this fall. The Student and Employee Wellness Advisory Group worked with constituents to translate public health guidance into a Knox Together Pledge to affirm our commitment to keeping our community safe.
Please be aware of the updated guidelines for planning meetings and events in our current environment.
Students who will be living on campus for the second half of winter term received an email from Campus Life with an assigned return date between February 8 and 11.
If you need assistance moving back into campus housing, you are limited to one move-in helper. This will promote physical distancing in hallways, stairwells, and suite areas. Move-in helpers will have their temperatures taken and be screened for any COVID symptoms. Additional guests are permitted to come to campus, but cannot enter the residence halls. You and your guests must wear masks at all times when on campus except when in your private room or when outside and able to maintain at least six feet of physical distance.
You and your guests are highly encouraged to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to traveling back to campus and, while traveling, are expected to maintain physical distancing, wear face masks, practice frequent handwashing, and follow all applicable CDC guidelines. Please check yourselves for any COVID-19 symptoms prior to coming to campus; if you are feeling ill let us know and we will reschedule your return date.
Once you have unloaded your belongings, you will initially quarantine in your room for approximately 48 hours (until your COVID-19 test results are available). During this time you must stay in your own room except to use the restroom and to pick up your meals from a designated indoor location.
Once you get a negative test result, you will be in modified quarantine until February 15. Modified quarantine means that you can hang out in your own suite/house’s common area as long as you wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of physical distance. You can also get fresh air and visit with friends outdoors. Until February 15 we ask that you both wear a mask and maintain six feet of physical distance even when gathering outside.
You will be retested for COVID-19 approximately one week after your initial test.
If you need to access storage, you will be able to do so once you have received an initial negative test result (approximately 48 hours after your arrival).
The Midwest Conference (MWC) Presidents Council announced that it will not sponsor league competition, including championships, for fall and winter sports during the 2020-2021 academic year. The decision was unanimous and covers men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and volleyball. At Knox, the athletics department continues to provide meaningful experiences for student-athletes, including non-conference competition, practice, small group training, skill development, life skills development, leadership training, nutrition for athletes education, and/or strength and conditioning within safety guidelines. Decisions on winter and spring sports competition calendars, winter sports non-conference competition opportunities, and the feasibility of fall sports competing in the spring will be made in the coming weeks, both at the institutional level and the conference level as the MWC and the College continue to evaluate changes in COVID-19 infection rates and available testing and safety protocols.
If you need more information on a topic or have questions that are not included below, email together@knox.edu.
Students living in on-campus housing will be assigned a return date between February 8-11. You will receive your date from Campus Life via email in early November.
You should plan on arriving on March 21.
Yes. Just like in fall term, students will go into initial quarantine following their first COVID test upon arrival.
Initial quarantine means that you are required to remain in your assigned room, except to use the restroom and pick up meals three times a day from a designated indoor location. You must wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of physical distance whenever you are outside of your own room (both indoors and outdoors). You are in initial quarantine until you get a negative test result.
After you get a negative test result, you are in modified quarantine until February 15. Modified quarantine means that you can hang out in your own suite/house’s common area as long as you wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of physical distance. You can also get fresh air, walk around campus, and visit with friends outdoors. Until February 15 we ask that you both wear a mask and maintain six feet of physical distance even when gathering outside.
Students taking on-campus classes are limited to travel within Knox County, and then only after completing their initial quarantine. All other travel must be planned in consultation with Health Services. Preventing the spread of COVID-19 remains our priority.
During both initial and modified quarantine, students will pick up their meals three times a day from a designated indoor location. Vegan and meat-based options will be available.
We are working on the details of how this will happen, but we will make sure you can access essential textbooks and mail during the quarantine period.
You can work in your on-campus job during initial quarantine if you can do so remotely. You can work during modified quarantine if you can do so remotely or outdoors while masked and maintaining physical distance. Exceptions may be made for students who remained on campus during the winter break/start of winter term.
Not during initial quarantine. You can travel within Knox County during modified quarantine, as long as you wear a mask and practice appropriate physical distancing.
We have developed a number of processes and policies designed to make community living as safe as possible. That means living on campus looks a little different. Here are a few examples: (1) Although current public health guidance for higher education does not require students to be assigned to single rooms, we recognize that some students may prefer single accommodations and will accommodate as many students in single rooms as possible. (2) The number of guests/visitors a student may have in campus housing is limited to one at a time. Guests/visitors who do not attend Knox are limited to family members/significant others and must be pre-approved by Campus Life. (3) The number of students who can occupy shared spaces such as suite common areas, restrooms, kitchen, and laundry facilities is limited.
Yes. We value the social and educational opportunities that Knox’s many student organizations bring to campus life, and recognize them as a key component of the student experience. Campus Life, Dining Services, and other offices are doing everything in their power to support student organizations, recognizing that meetings and events need to look different to encourage safety. Event planning guidelines can be found here.
The College will not sponsor team intramural sport leagues for fall 2020 and winter 2021 term. The College is committed to closely monitoring the COVID-19 landscape, noting that intramural programs may occur for spring term.
Please review the current Athletic Facility Hours & Protocols.
Over the past several months, the Conference has closely monitored the evolving COVID-19 situation, as well as its impact on member campuses, local communities, and the Midwest region, with the hope of resuming safe competition for its student-athletes. The recent surge in positive cases, both regionally and nationally, the resulting impact on academic calendars, and the continued uncertainty surrounding the pandemic are all factors in the decision not to play a winter athletic schedule.
The Midwest Conference remains focused on providing meaningful athletics experiences for all student-athletes in 2020–2021. Member institutions are committed to providing engaging and significant team experiences for their student-athletes. Engagement in limited non-conference competition remains at the discretion of individual institutions, and Knox will explore this possibility. This will be done in accordance with MWC, institutional, and applicable state and local regulations and other guidance in mind.
The NCAA’s Sport Science Institute has provided a series of documents and podcasts through their COVID-19 website, conference offices and other platforms that provide guidance to member institutions on the resumption of practice and competition amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. You will find full details of the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition, Second Edition document here. The NCAA is continuing to monitor all information around COVID-19 and provides frequent updates. Please continue to check the website for updates.
The winter and spring Midwest Conference sports included in the suspension of league competition are men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and volleyball.
The fall Midwest Conference sports included in the suspension of league competition are men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball. Men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field are among those winter sports for whom league competition is suspended through December 31. Decisions about winter sports will be made in the near future. This decision impacts only those sports in which member institutions participate within the Midwest Conference and does not necessarily apply to competition in sports sponsored by league institutions within affiliation with other athletic conferences.
The Midwest Conference (MWC) Presidents Council announced that it will not sponsor league competition, including championships, for fall and winter sports during the 2020-2021 academic year. The decision was unanimous and covers men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and volleyball.
The Midwest Conference (MWC) Presidents Council announced that it will not sponsor league competition, including championships, for fall and winter sports during the 2020-2021 academic year. The decision was unanimous and covers men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and volleyball.
No. For Division III student-athletes, participation in workouts, meetings or practices in their usual season during the fall term will not trigger the use of a season of participation. Additionally, the NCAA recently issued a blanket waiver that states that Division III student-athletes will not be charged with participation, regardless of the number of competition dates, for the 2020-21 season. Visit the NCAA website for the most recent full announcement. It is important to note that a student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester or quarter hours, regardless of institutional definition of what it means to be full-time, to be eligible to practice or compete in DIII athletics.
Any intercollegiate competition involving fall or winter sports must be approved by institutional leadership and be conducted in accordance with NCAA Division III rules, and campus, local, state and NCAA health directives. Per NCAA rules these contests count against the team’s contest maximums. Only student-athletes that are certified as eligible per NCAA and MWC rules, may participate in intercollegiate competition. Intercollegiate competition conducted prior to January 1 is not sponsored by the Midwest Conference and will not have bearing on Conference standings, records or awards. The NCAA recently issued a blanket waiver that states that Division III student-athletes will not be charged with participation, regardless of the number of competition dates, for the 2020-21 season. Visit the NCAA website for the most recent full announcement. It is important to note that a student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester or quarter hours, regardless of institutional definition of what it means to be full-time, to be eligible to practice or compete in DIII athletics.
Please review the current Athletic Facility Hours & Protocols.
FAQs for international students are available on the Office of International Student Services page.
Yes. Dining Services has made many changes to help protect students, faculty and staff during the pandemic. You can read the complete list here. Dining hours and locations are being extended to allow students to eat in dining areas in a safe manner. Additional Grab and Go items will also be available for those who prefer it.
Grab and Go at The Gizmo and in The Outpost convenience store will be extended to 12 hours per day during the week, and options are being enhanced to include new heat-and-go full meal options. We are currently planning for the following hours of operation: (1) Hard Knox dining room will be open Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Sundays 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (2) The Gizmo will be open for full service Monday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m. Grab and Go will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. (3) The Outpost convenience store will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m and weekends from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Grab and Go will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Gizmo, the Outpost convenience store and both Grab and Go locations will be open between normal dining room hours during the week.
Three fully served concepts will be available in Hard Knox during service times, including theme meals. Each concept will include a full balanced meal. Menus will be posted online and through our daily menu mail option.
Dining Services will continue to offer accommodations for all dietary needs and one of the three concepts in Hard Knox will specialize in both vegan and dietary needs. Virtual consultations will be available for any students or staff with the Chef and GM to address additional needs. The Gizmo will continue to offer dietary substitutions.
Face coverings will be required for all dining services staff, and physical distancing procedures will be implemented in accordance with public health guidelines. Additional personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields, will be required for some employees. Dining rooms will be fully disinfected between meals and have dedicated entrances and exits with one-way traffic patterns and floor markers to ensure 6-foot distancing between patrons. All serviceware will be single use and distributed through contactless methods. Dishwashing machines will be checked for proper temperature and chemicals every hour, and machines will be drained and cleaned every 30 minutes when in high use. Returned serviceware will be scraped and sent through the dishwasher once for sanitizing before being sprayed or scrubbed and washed in the machine a second time.
No. Catering operations are currently suspended.
Yes. Students with campus employment or federal work study included in their financial aid award will be eligible for positions on campus. There may also be some employment opportunities for students studying remotely.
You can work in your on-campus job during initial quarantine if you can do so remotely. You can work during modified quarantine if you can do so remotely or outdoors while masked and maintaining physical distance. Exceptions may be made for students who stayed on campus during winter break/start of winter term.
http://www.knox.edu/knoxtogether/living-on-campus
Printed on Tuesday, January 19, 2021
