Community Commitment Acknowledgement for Faculty and Staff

Keene State College is looking forward to welcoming you back to our campus. We are Owls United in our efforts to keep each other safe and healthy, and we need the help, cooperation, and participation of you and every other member of our on-campus community to maintain a healthy and safe campus environment. While none of us can ensure the campus will be free from the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, by working together, we can reduce the risk. We are all in this together, and we ask you to help reduce the risk of transmission by staying current on information about the virus provided by public health officials and experts.

Keene State College has established and implemented public campus-wide protocols designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 on the campus and to help safeguard vulnerable persons on campus, in the City of Keene, and in the wider community for the 2020-21 academic year. The protocols are available on the Keene State College’s Fall return. Each member of the community is being asked to commit to a set of behaviors to support keeping you and the college and local community safe. Thank you for this commitment. We are Owl in this together!

Stay Informed

Keene State College has been following the directives of the Governor of the State of New Hampshire, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to guide us in our approach to delivering our curriculum to our students and opening our campuses for the fall semester.

We refer you to our COVID-19 website page to reference useful and important public health resources and the school’s prior communications on this topic.
You may also access government resources as follows:

Governor of State of New Hampshire [https://www.covidguidance.nh.gov/]
CDC’s website [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html]
New Hampshire’s DHHS website: [https://www.nh.gov/covid19/index.htm]

Commitment to Health and Safety

Keene State College’s protocols and policies for on-campus learning and activities include guidelines for students, faculty, and staff to support the College’s efforts to keep each other safe.

By acknowledging, I’m indicating I have read, and understand the importance of, adhering to the following guidelines:

Practice Physical Distancing –maintain six feet between myself and others whenever possible
Avoid social gatherings on campus involving groups of more than 10
Wear a mask at all times on campus except when in my office or eating while seated
Wash or sanitize my hands frequently throughout the day.
Follow public health guidelines in local businesses, public places, and on all public transportation.
Participate in COVID-19 testing as instructed
Participate in COVID-19 screening protocols
Participate in contact tracing protocols, including downloading and activating any required KSC approved public health applications.
Self-monitor my health condition and report to Human Resources COVID-19 symptoms or exposure to individuals with COVID-19 or its symptoms. The College supports you in notifying your supervisor and remaining home when necessary.
Adhere to isolation and quarantine protocols in the event of a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to someone who has tested positive
Model this healthy behavior both on and off-campus
Comply with any waivers of liability for participation in certain curricular and co-curricular activities or in order to attend certain events, functions, or academic activities.
Respond to messages from college staff who may be checking on my well-being or otherwise need my assistance.

It is important that we work together in following protocols, policies, and guidelines that are established to keep one another safe. Our protocols will be updated from time to time based on evolving conditions, guidance, and directives from the State of New Hampshire and the CDC. We will notify you of these updates and will post them on our Fall Return website.

If You Feel Sick

If you experience any COVID-19 symptoms (listed below), you are required to report them to your supervisor and Human Resources, contact your healthcare provider and may be required to be tested, remain quarantined until the test results are available, and, in the event of a positive test, remain in isolation until cleared by a health care professional for return to campus.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms include (but may not be limited to):

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

I have read, understand, and agree to comply with this Keene State College Faculty and Staff Community Commitment Agreement above. I further understand that I am subject to discipline as it relates to these expectations for my behavior.

Please go to the next page to acknowledge your acceptance of this commitment and receive credit for taking this course.