Introduction

In an effort to both protect the health and safety of community members working and learning on-campus and meet the mandate of the SUNY Chancellor’s directives to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in New York, Westchester Community College (WCC) has developed the following testing plan. The objective of this plan is to maintain public health in an equitable and efficient process that takes into consideration the unique characteristics of WCC’s commuter-only campus, collaboration with its county health department and healthcare providers, Pandemic Recovery Plan, and the guidelines from SUNY System Administration. 

All students and employees who are on campus for: a) in-person instruction; b) use of campus facilities, and/or c) employment will be required to participate in the campus testing plan.  Individuals accessing campus are required to complete a COVID-19 PCR test in a manner prescribed by the College according to the requirements of this plan.

Testing Frequency & Requirements

For the Spring 2021 semester the College shall test, on a weekly basis, 100 percent of all students, faculty, and staff who are on campus conducting college business (i.e. instruction, co-curricular activities, meetings, etc.) during that given week. 

Test Administration

The College has entered into a partnership with Westchester Medical Center (WMC), which will be the institution’s primary and sole agency to administer COVID-19 PCR testing to WCC community members.  In this collaboration between WMC and WCC, WMC will schedule PCR tests, administer the tests at no additional charge to employees and students, and provide results to the college for related tracking and any required action as well as subsequent reporting to state systems.

Students Taking A Class on the Valhalla Campus

In order to ensure the efficacy of the testing process and to best utilize the limited resources on WCC’s campus, all students taking one or more in-person classes on the Valhalla campus are required to be PCR tested by WMC each week of the semester.  Students taking one or more in-person classes on the Valhalla campus will not be eligible to use their own physician or a testing center of their choice to satisfy the requirements of WCC’s testing plan.

Students Taking In-Person Classes Exclusively at an Extension Center

Recognizing the challenges coming to Valhalla may present, students who are taking in-person classes exclusively at an Extension Center will have the option to either be tested at WMC or use their own physician or a testing center of their choice to satisfy the requirements of WCC’s testing plan.  Students meeting this criteria will be required to be tested weekly.  Students may contact the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 or at https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov to inquire about the nearest free acceptable testing location.  Students will be required to submit their documentation demonstrating their compliance with the testing mandate to CovidReporting@sunywcc.edu by the deadline presented to them at the time of their notification.  The documentation must include the following information: (a) date of test; (b) lab report for COVID-19 (aka SARS-CoV2); (c) indicate the type of test was a PCR-nasal swab; (d) the result of such a test for COVID-19; and (e) contact information of provider/agency who conducted the test, preferably on letterhead.   Students who complete their testing requirement with their own physician or a testing center of their choice will not be eligible for reimbursement from the College for any expenses they incurred.

Employees

In order to ensure the efficacy of the testing process and to best utilize the limited resources on WCC’s campus, all employees working on WCC property are required to be COVID-19 PCR tested by WMC when called upon to do so.  Employees will not be eligible to use their own physician or a testing center of their choice to satisfy the requirements of WCC’s testing plan.  An employee will not incur any personal charges for having to take this test, but may be asked to present their insurance card.  Employee testing may be conducted during regular work hours.

What Happens When a Positive Case is Identified

In the event someone tests positive, the Health Services Office supported by the Security Department will immediately notify the Westchester Department of Health (WDOH) to initiate contact tracing protocols.  Community members who may have had contact with the individual who tested positive will be contacted by contact tracers assigned by the WDOH.  Contact tracers will notify exposed individuals of their exposure and quarantine/isolation requirements.

The individual who tested positive will be instructed by the College and/or WDOH of their isolation/quarantine requirements. 

Return to Campus - Students

Before a student who previously tested positive is able to return to on-campus, they will be required to present the Health Services Office a clearance letter from the WDOH or their home county’s department of health.
As a result of any quarantine or isolation orders by the WDOH, specific on-campus activities, inclusive of classes, will be moved to a virtual environment for a specified set of time. 

Return to Campus - Employees

Before an employee who previously tested positive is able to return to on-campus, they will be required to present the Health Services Office a clearance letter from the WDOH.

Communications

Policy Notification
The College will notify all community members, inclusive of faculty, staff, administration and students of this policy in advance of the policy becoming effective.  The College’s Marketing & Communications Office will coordinate all communications to students and employees.

Notification of Testing Requirement
Security will provide the list of individuals required to test to the WMC each week.  The WMC will contact each individual to schedule their COVID-19 PCR test at WMC. 

Failure of Community Members to Test
WMC will contact Security with responsive information about testing conducted and will include identifies of individuals who were not tested. Health Services will notify Security regarding students who have met the testing requirement that are taking in-person classes exclusively at an Extension Center.  Security will compile a weekly list of non-compliant individuals and will take immediate action to restrict their access to campus.  Security will notify the following offices for further action:

• Office of Student Life: Non-Compliant Students
• Human Resources:  Non-Compliant Employees

Compliance

Students
Students who fail to participate in their weekly testing requirement will be subject to administrative action to enforce compliance.  The College will take administrative measures to restrict a non-compliant student from accessing any WCC campus or facility, including a restriction from attending on-campus classes (though they may continue in remote coursework only, if available and as subject to campus policy and process). 

The Office of Student Life shall notify the student that of their campus access restriction.  These administrative actions are not disciplinary in nature.

To cure this deficiency and have their access to campus restored a non-compliant student must submit documentation demonstrating their compliance with the PCR testing mandate.  Documentation must be sent to CovidReporting@sunywcc.edu.  The documentation must include the following information: (a) date of test; (b) lab report for COVID-19 (aka SARS-CoV2); (c) indicate the type of test was a PCR-nasal swab; (d) the result of such a test for COVID-19; and (e) contact information of provider/agency who conducted the test, preferably on letterhead.  

The Office of Student Life shall notify the student via their MyWCC email when they are eligible to access campus again.  It may take up to ten (10) business days from the time a non-compliant student submits their testing results to COVIDReporting@sunywcc.edu before they are notified that are eligible to regain access to campus. 

A non-compliant student may not access campus until they cure their deficiency and receive an email from Student Life granting them access to campus again.  Non-compliant students coming to campus or seeking access to a campus building or on-campus course without prior approval shall be considered trespassing and may result in investigation and discipline through the College’s process detailed in the Student Code of Conduct. 

Employees
The College will take administrative measures in accordance to the WCC testing policy. Immediate action will be to restrict a non-compliant employee from accessing any WCC campus or facility. Further non-compliant actions will be handled through the disciplinary procedures of the corresponding collective bargaining agreements.

Westchester Educational Opportunity Center Procedures
The Westchester Educational Opportunity Center as a separate entity from the College will follow the below plan:

Test Administration
Students who are scheduled to be on site for eight (8) hours or more will be required to obtain a PCR test.  Students will be given the option of obtaining a PCR from their healthcare provider or to call the New York State Hotline for assistance with scheduling a test at a location convenient for them.  They will be instructed to state they are asymptomatic, but the test is needed for school.  As per the NYS Hotline, they will refer students to sites that will test for free (insurances will be accepted but uninsured individuals will be tested without cost).  They will be tested with the same frequency as students on the Valhalla campus.

Students will need to provide the test results to the designated WEOC official or request that the testing site provide them directly to Covidreporting@sunywcc.edu.

The WEOC Director will provide the Health Office, supported by the Security Department, with the names and contact information for the individuals being tested.

Communication - Notification
Students will be notified through their WEOC email and via direct communication from a WEOC staff member.

Compliance
WEOC students who are required to test and do not, will not be allowed to enter the facility until they have complied.  This may result in students being dropped from their program.