COVID Updates

Why are spring 12-week classes remote for the first two weeks?

Hiram College has chosen to move the first two weeks of the spring 2022 12-week semester to remote classes in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that may occur following in-person holiday gatherings. Individuals who do become sick with COVID-19 will be able to isolate and recover at their residence.

How can students prepare for the spring semester?

First, students should make an appointment to receive the booster vaccine if they are able. The booster vaccine provides additional protection against COVID-19 and its variants. Individuals will be most protected if they receive the booster vaccine by Jan. 8, as they will be fully vaccinated before in-person classes resume.

Second, before the start of in-person classes on Jan. 24, students should identify where they will receive a PCR test. Walk-in testing may be limited, so students are encouraged to make an appointment to receive their test. Students planning to move into the residence halls or Townhouses on Jan. 22 must be tested by Wednesday, Jan. 19. This will allow students enough time to receive the results of their test before arriving on campus.

Third, students should discuss with family members and friends where they could isolate off campus should they test positive for COVID-19 at any point during the spring semester. Students should identify where they could isolate and how they will travel to that location.

On-campus isolation spaces are very limited. Any student who can return to their residence in five hours or less will be asked to isolate away from campus.

Why is the College requiring PCR testing?

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has proven to be a reliable diagnostic test for COVID-19 and its variants. Rapid or take-home tests are helpful in testing for COVID-19 but have not proven to be as accurate.

In requiring all students, faculty and staff to receive a PCR test before returning to campus, Hiram officials are making the best effort possible to limit spread among the campus community at the start of the spring semester.

Do I need a PCR test if I don’t live in the residence halls?

Hiram College is requiring negative PCR test results for any students, faculty and staff who will be on campus. Even if they are not living in on-campus housing, non-residential students will need to submit negative test results if they are attending in-person classes.

Do I have to pay for my PCR test?

Students, faculty and staff do need to cover the cost of their PCR testing. Resources are available from the Department of Health & Human Services to help you find low or no-cost PCR testing in your area.

What should I do if my PCR test result is positive?

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should stay at your residence to rest and recover. Students should contact their professors if they will not be able to attend class in person starting Jan. 24. Professors will offer accommodations to students who are unable to attend the start of spring classes in person due to a positive test result.

Please review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current isolation guidelines for information on the suggested isolation period.

What do I do if I’ve previously tested positive for COVID-19?

Individuals who have previously been infected with COVID-19 within 90 days do not need to receive a PCR test.

Instead, they should submit their prior positive test result from the last 90 days. Faculty and staff should submit that test result using this online form. Students will be able to provide that test result using an online form (link forthcoming).

Will students be charged for housing and meals in January?

The College will be adjusting charges to student accounts for both housing and dining since the residence halls will not be open the first two weeks of classes.

Will dining services remain open on campus?

AVI Foodsystems will provide meals on campus with additional health precautions in place.

Are offices open?

Essential offices will be open during normal business hours after the return from winter break, on Monday, Jan. 3. Please call or email the office you are trying to reach, as some offices may be remote in early January.

Is the College requiring booster vaccines?

Currently, the College requires all students, faculty and staff to receive both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 primary vaccine or a single dose of a one-dose primary vaccine. As booster shots have been shown to keep individuals and communities safer against COVID-19, the College will amend the COVID-19 vaccination policy. Effective Feb. 4, 2022, all students, faculty and staff must receive the booster vaccination in addition to the primary COVID-19 vaccinations.

All unvaccinated individuals on campus will be tested regularly at the Health Center throughout the semester. Students, faculty and staff who are eligible to receive the booster vaccine but have not done so will be tested regularly. Due to a recent change in Ohio Department of Health funding, the College will no longer be able to provide free COVID-19 testing at the Health Center. Individuals who must adhere to regular testing will be charged $160 for testing in the spring semester.

Students will be billed for any required COVID-19 testing. Faculty and staff will receive information soon on how they can pay for testing.

When should I get my booster vaccine?

Please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or your primary care physician on when you are eligible to receive your booster vaccination. Traditionally, individuals are eligible for the booster five months after completing the Pfizer or Moderna primary vaccine or two months after completing the Johnson & Johnson’s primary vaccine.

Hiram College is strongly recommending that students, faculty and staff receive their booster vaccination by Jan. 8. That will allow individuals to be fully vaccinated once in-person classes resume on Jan. 24.

Effective Feb. 4, 2022, the College will be amending its COVID-19 vaccine requirement to include the booster vaccine. If you become eligible for the booster vaccine after February 4, you will have two weeks once you are eligible to receive your booster before you will be out of compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

What if I’m not eligible for the booster vaccine yet?

Students, faculty and staff who are not yet eligible to receive the booster vaccine due to the timing of their primary vaccine will not need to be tested regularly by the College. Regular testing will apply to unvaccinated individuals or those who have not received the booster vaccine but are eligible.

The College strongly encourages all individuals to get the booster vaccine once they are eligible.

How can students get their spring textbooks?

Students can order their books from hiram.ecampus.com. When ordering, they can choose to ship their books to their residence rather than Hiram College.

Can I visit Hiram College for a campus tour or admission event?

The Admission Office will be open for visitors with additional health precautions in place. Please contact the Admission Office at admission@hiram.edu for more information.

Can I attend Hiram’s athletic events?

Some athletic events may be postponed or canceled. Hiram athletic events will not have any spectators until Jan. 24. After that date, only on-campus community members will be permitted to attend until further notice.

Can I have guests in the residence halls?

At this time, residential students are not permitted to have off-campus visitors in the residence halls.

Will there be on-campus events for students?

Starting the week of Jan. 24, there will be events on campus for students to attend. Events will adhere to safety guidelines with limited attendance and distancing.

What precautions should I take if I have recently traveled and will be returning to campus?

Any students, faculty or staff who travel during the spring semester should follow the CDC’s guidance upon returning to campus. Travelers should be sure to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for several days. The CDC also recommends travelers who are not fully vaccinated get a viral test 3-5 days following the trip.

Click here for additional travel information from the CDC.

Hiram College signed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education the Funding Certification and Agreement to receive the funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The College intends to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. Therefore, for the purpose of these emergency financial aid grants, we have received $2,556,641 from the U.S. Department of Education. 

To determine which students receive these grants, we identified students with the highest need of emergency financial aid as those who were displaced from on-campus residence and needed alternative housing. To determine the amount, we developed a rubric to score those eligible students on housing displacement, economic need, academic standing, and grade point average. Depending on the score, students could receive an amount ranging from $500 to $1200. This rubric aligned with the regulations under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

As a result, at this time we have thus far distributed a total of $1,027,975 in emergency financial aid grants to 870 students. To carry out this distribution process, the College provided clear guidance to all students receiving an emergency financial aid grant. This included: notifying students of their awards via email, including the amount and how the payments would be processed; generating checks; and mailing those checks to their addresses on record with the college.

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H – HAND WASH OFTEN

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol.

In addition, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus and cause illness.

Click here for more information from the CDC

I – INCREASE CLEANING AND SANITIZING EFFORTS

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning product. Cleaning surfaces once a day is usually enough to keep your space disinfected. Consider cleaning your desk, room, electronics and other high-touch surfaces regularly.

Click here for more information from the CDC

R – REMAIN SIX FEET APART TO DECREASE THE SPREAD OF INFECTION

Since COVID-19 spread occurs through close and prolonged contact with someone else infected with the virus, the CDC suggests distancing yourself from others when possible. Even if another person does not appear sick, social distancing is a simple precaution to prevent illness.

Click here for more information from the CDC

A – ALWAYS STAY HOME IN YOU ARE SICK

Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Similar to the common cold and influenza, common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The CDC believes that symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or up to 14 days after exposure.

If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.

Click here for more information from the CDC

M – MASK ACCORDING TO CDC GUIDELINES

Wearing a mask is another simple precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The CDC advises wearing a well-fitting mask over the mouth and nose.

Given the increasing rate of contagion, the College recommends that anyone on campus double-mask or consider wearing an N95 or KN95 mask, as these masks can decrease transmission of the virus. 

Click here for more information from the CDC