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 is working with constituents to translate public health guidance into a Knox Together Pledge that we will all sign to affirm our commitment to keeping our community safe.
As a residential college, we want all students who wish to live on campus to be able to do so. Current public health guidance for higher education does not require students to be assigned to single rooms. Nonetheless, we recognize that some students may prefer single accommodations. We will accommodate as many students in single rooms as possible. This means that housing assignments may need to be adjusted slightly. Campus Life is working diligently to manage this important process, and will communicate new student room assignments and any necessary changes to returning student assignments by the end of July.
To provide the safest process possible, move-in dates are spread out over a month to allow physically distanced move-ins, testing upon arrival, and quarantine if necessary.
| New Students | Returning Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Soccer, Cross Country | August 25 | August 25 |
| International Students | August 25 | August 29 |
| Women's Soccer, Volleyball | September 1 | September 1 |
| SPARK Program Participants | September 1 | |
| Football | September 3 | September 3 |
| TRIO Bridge Program Participants | September 5 | |
| Student Leaders | TBD by Supervisor | |
| All Other Students | September 9 & 10 | September 11, 12 & 13 |
You will receive your exact arrival date assignment via email.
The Midwest Conference (MWC) has suspended all conference play through December 31, 2020. At Knox, the athletics department will continue to provide meaningful experiences for student-athletes throughout the fall. These could include 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, fall and 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.
New students coming from abroad should plan to arrive on August 25. Returning students coming from abroad should plan to arrive on August 29. New students coming from within the U.S. will be assigned a move-in date of either September 9 or September 10. Returning students coming from within the U.S. will be assigned a move-in date of either September 11, September 12, or September 13. Your move-in date will be emailed to you by the end of July. NOTE: Students participating in special programs (athletics, student leadership positions, summer bridge programs) will receive direct communication regarding their arrival dates.
All students will be assigned an arrival time. Arrival times will be spaced out to facilitate COVID testing and a physically distant move-in. You will receive an email indicating your assigned arrival time by the end of July. Students may have one non-Knox guest assist them during move-in as long as masks or approved face coverings are worn and physical distancing is strictly maintained. Guests assisting with move in will have their temperatures checked prior to accessing the residence halls.
We are developing a number of processes and policies designed to make community living as safe as possible. That means living on campus will look 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)Guest access to on-campus housing will be limited to pre-approved family members. (3) The number of students who can occupy shared spaces such as suite common areas, restrooms, kitchen, and laundry facilities will be limited. (4)Community building and programming facilitated by your Resident Assistant will be a priority, as always, but activities will be conducted with public health guidelines in mind.
Over the summer, all indoor athletics facilities were closed until further notice. The schedule for reopening the Fitness Center and other indoor facilities will be posted as we get closer to the start of the fall term. In order to help protect users of athletic equipment, physical distancing, capacity limits, and cleaning protocols will need to be observed, just as they are in community or private gyms during this time.
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 will do everything in their power to support student organizations, recognizing that meetings and events will need to look different to encourage safety. A committee of student leaders is working with staff to update event guidelines for the fall term.
This decision was reached after many deliberations and countless hours devoted by our member institution campuses, the league’s COVID-19 Working Group and the MWC Presidents’ Council to developing protocol and best practices for the resumption of sport. Our goal was to “re-open” intercollegiate competition for our student-athletes. As recently as July 15, the MWC Presidents’ Council reaffirmed our commitment to move forward with planning for the fall, while taking the significant action of limiting competition to that among MWC institutions. Yet, even at that time, there was apprehension based upon the unexpected trajectory of COVID-19 infection rates in this country, including the states within our league’s geography. The Council committed to continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 landscape noting “that fall competition may not occur if public health guidance changes in the coming weeks.” Since that time our nation has seen an increased number of states implement travel restrictions and mandatory masking protocol and still the cases of COVID-19 are climbing. Additionally, the NCAA Sport Science Institute, in consultation with the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) COVID-19 Working Group, the Autonomy-5 Medical Advisory Group, the National Medical Association and the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, released supplemental guidance about resumption of practice and competition in light of new and emerging data. Included in these recommendations is guidance about testing for individuals in sports with low, medium and high contact risk. Ultimately, due to the recent sustained surge of cases across the country, and a lack of guaranteed access to timely and reliable testing with the frequency recommended by the NCAA, the Conference does not feel it is in a position to sponsor intercollegiate athletic competition at this time.
The NCAA’s Core Principles for Resocialization of Collegiate Sports are a series of documents that provide guidance to member institutions on the resumption of practice and competition amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of sport resocialization is predicated on a scenario of reduced or flattened infection rates and appropriate risk mitigation practices. You will find full details here. The NCAA is continuing to monitor all information around COVID-19. Please continue to check the website for updates.
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. 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.
After considering all of the health and safety factors involved with competition, the MWC has suspended league competition for our teams through December 31. Individual return-to-play protocols will be in place at each member institution to allow for meaningful team experiences for their student-athletes, which could include opportunities for practice, small-group training, skill development, and/or strength & conditioning within the parameters of federal, state, institutional, conference and NCAA guidance. Engagement in limited non-conference competition remains at the discretion of individual institutions.
The MWC statement specifically applies to any league competition prior to December 31. The MWC COVID-19 Working Group will continue to meet and discuss what it might look like to sponsor sports during the spring term, and make recommendations to the Presidents’ Council in the coming months. The MWC will continue to monitor those factors impacting the decision for suspension of the fall and winter sport seasons, and take action to resume athletic competition when it is deemed safe to do so.
The MWC remains committed as a conference and as individual institutions to building an academic and athletic experience for our student-athletes that is as safe and robust as possible. This could include the opportunity for competition among Midwest Conference institutions in the spring; decisions about what intercollegiate competition looks like after December 31 remains under consideration. Considerations that will impact our decision-making include: 1. NCAA legislation and the most current NCAA legislative relief waivers. 2. If current public health conditions continue or worsen throughout the upcoming months, the opportunities for competition will remain as they are for this fall. 3. Access to timely and reliable testing with the frequency recommended by the NCAA. Finally, if public health conditions permit more robust competition in the spring term, it will be important to remember athletics will continue to look different as various resources such as staffing, access to officials, availability of court/field space, lighting, and weather, will create significant challenges as we try to maximize opportunities for sports over the course of one term.
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 for the 2020-21 season if their team can complete only 50 percent or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA also issued a blanket statement stating that a student-athlete will receive a two term extension of eligibility (towards their 10-semester/15-quarter total) if they are unable to participate due to COVID-19 or if their team completes 50% of less of that sport's maximum contests/dates of competition. Visit the NCAA website for the 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 and could impact ability to “regain” a season of athletic eligibility and extension of academic eligibility. 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.
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 will be suspended for the fall term.
http://www.knox.edu/knoxtogether/living-on-campus
Printed on Tuesday, August 11, 2020
