Coronavirus

Dear students,

I am excited to announce today that we plan to welcome you back to campus this fall! As you can imagine, things will look very different from what we’ve been used to in the past. But I want to assure you that we are committed to a rich community experience and to your health and safety.

Currently, task forces made up of Point faculty, staff, trustees and other leaders are working together to create plans for how we will manage housing, dining and classes on campus. Our Point Cares team already has established procedures for keeping staff safe as they return to their offices, and we expect that similar guidelines will be created for the student experience.

The NAIA and Appalachian Athletic conference have also issued statements regarding a return to fall sports. The current plan is to resume practice on August 15 and competition no earlier than September 5. Student-athletes, your coaches will provide more information on how this will impact your specific teams.

As we learned last spring, a lot can change quickly depending on the status of the pandemic – but I want you to know that we are actively planning for your return to our West Point campus. We will keep you posted with weekly updates, and we ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation together.

Please continue to keep Point’s leadership in your prayers as we work to make the best decisions for our community. As always, our top priority is providing you with an outstanding Christian education that will prepare you to go out and change the world for Christ.

Dean Collins
President of Point University

Student Newsletter

After much evaluation and planning, we are looking forward to welcoming staff back to our West Point campus and Peachtree City site on Monday, June 1. Our primary concern is the health and safety of our Point family, so we have taken steps to ensure we can safely reopen. We encourage you to share any concerns, reservations or issues about returning to campus with your area leader. We understand it may not be best or even beneficial for everyone to return right away.

Employees whose physical presence is essential, as determined by each area’s chief officer, will be expected to return at this time. Those who seek to voluntarily return to Point in order to more effectively serve their position must have approval by their chief officer and continue to follow state orders regarding sheltering in place and high-risk populations.

Point is offering this option now that we feel we can provide and enforce appropriate social distancing measures. Many of our faculty and staff have private offices that will allow them to work with sufficient space to comply with social distancing measures. If you and your area leader determine that it is wise and beneficial for you to return to campus and you do not have a private office, we will make conference rooms and, if necessary, classrooms available for private workspace through June. To date, some employees whose presence is deemed essential  have worked on campus under proper approval. All employees will need to comply with the expectations listed below.

WHAT DO WE EXPECT FROM YOU?

• No group gatherings. Meetings of four or more individuals are not permitted to take place in conference rooms. A classroom must be used for such meetings, with safe spacing applied per the size of the group. As usual, all conference rooms and classrooms must be reserved with Mary Susan Underwood.
• Wear a mask in public spaces. Employees will need to provide their own masks.
• Wash your hands and sanitize regularly. Housekeeping is providing cleaning services regularly, but we ask that if you use a public space, you wipe the area down once done using it.
• Stay home if you are sick or if you are worried you were exposed. Communicate with your area leader regularly in these circumstances. Additional directions are provided below for communication specific to COVID-19.
• Guests are prohibited, including any campus visits. Chief officers may approve necessary vendors, but only they may approve any non-staff or non-faculty member on campus at this time.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM POINT?

• Safe Spacing:
  • A facility traffic flow will be implemented in each building. There will also be designated entry and exit points to certain facilities.
  • We will provide additional space for private offices upon request. Please note, this will be limited to specific areas and must be approved by Mary Susan Underwood to ensure we have cleaning crews covering all inhabited areas and no conflicting space requests.
• Cleaning:
  • We will continue to provide sanitization stations and regular cleaning to all areas of the building, with additional cleaning measures for high-traffic areas.
  • We will provide sanitizer and/or disinfecting wipes.
• Communication:
  • A new email contact, PointCare@point.edu, has been created and should be used for reporting that:
    • You are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19;
    • You have seen someone on campus displaying symptoms of COVID-19 (please provide details regarding time and location of individual seen); or
    • You have concerns on proper sanitation practices being used in a Point facility.
  • Employees will be notified if anyone on our campus tests positive, and contact tracing for staff will be implemented.
  • We will continue to provide updates of safety procedures and any other pertinent information.
  • Updates will continue to be shared at point.edu/coronavirus.

We recognize that some departments will need to return sooner in order to best serve our students and execute their positions more effectively. If you are approved to return at this time, we are working hard to ensure you can do this safely. We will provide additional direction for a more complete return to campus and plans for fall at the beginning of July, depending on regulations and the status of COVID-19.

Thank you for all you do for Point University!

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of what was, for everyone on our campus, a challenging spring semester. We’re proud of the ways our Point community adapted to our quickly changing situation in light of the coronavirus pandemic. I hope you’ll take some time this summer to relax and enjoy at least a little bit of a break from classes – while appropriately social distancing, of course!

I know that the big question on everyone’s minds is this: what will happen in the fall? Unfortunately, we don’t know the answer to that question yet. Our hope and intention is to be back on campus with you in West Point in the fall, engaging with you in the classroom and cheering you on from the sidelines of the field or court. However, as we have all learned this spring, a lot can change in a short time.

Know this: we have a dedicated team of faculty, staff and University advisors working to consider how Point University will proceed in the fall. Our top priority is providing you with an excellent Christian higher education while also keeping you safe and healthy. Every decision will be made with those goals in mind.

Our team has been working hard to prepare the University to be flexible in the fall – for example, if we came back to campus and had to move online again due to a Covid-19 outbreak in our area, or we needed to delay students’ arrival on campus for safety reasons. To give us maximum flexibility, we have decided to move to an eight-week course model beginning this fall. Instead of a 16-week semester, you’ll enroll in two eight-week terms during that same time frame.

We are still working out all of the logistics and policy implications of this change, but we’ve answered a few frequently asked questions on this page. We’ll update those FAQs as often as we can, and we’ll communicate with you regularly, as well.

Throughout the summer, faculty and staff will be working to prepare our campus for this new academic calendar, and to ensure we are following best practices for providing the highest-quality education – whether that’s online or in the classroom.

So, what can you do now? Relax, enjoy your summer, wash your hands, and pray often for your Point family, especially the leaders managing these changes. We will get through this together!

Prayerfully,
Dean Collins
President

As we at Point University continue to monitor the ever-changing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, we want to provide our community with the most updated information regarding our response.

• All courses are being conducted online for the remainder of the Spring semester.
• All Maymester and summer courses will be conducted online.
• Staff will continue working remotely until May 4.
• A shelter-in-place order remains in effect in Georgia until April 30.
• Spring commencement will be held virtually on May 2. May graduates will also have the opportunity to walk in the December commencement ceremony.

• Classes will be held online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.
• Spring break will be observed from April 6-10, as originally scheduled.
• Students moved out of on-campus housing this week, and housing will remain closed for the duration of the semester. Our team in the Student Life Office worked with students who had extenuating circumstances or had no place to go.
• The NAIA has cancelled the spring 2020 sports season, and all University-related sports events are cancelled for the remainder of the semester.
• A decision regarding spring commencement will be made in the coming week.
• Staff have been strongly encouraged to work remotely through the end of March.

ACADEMICS

• All coursework will continue online through the end of the spring semester.
• Students can expect to hear from faculty about plans for the continuation of their classes. All questions should be directed to your faculty members, who will then relay them through the proper channels.
• The University is developing contingency plans for students and faculty who might need technical assistance and support during online learning. Please direct questions to Jessica Mazaheri in the Educational Resource Center: mazaheri@point.edu.

RESIDENCE LIFE

• All students remaining in Point residence halls should collect belongings and move out of their rooms between now and Wednesday, March 18, at 5:00 p.m. Residence halls will close at this time and will remain closed for the spring semester.
• For checkout, all West Point living areas need to come to room 117 in the academic building to turn in their keys. Residents of Skyhawk Hall should go to the residence hall/security office (room 222) to check out. Both locations will be staffed from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
• For students who have already left campus, we ask that you not come back to campus until Thursday, March 19, as we are following CDC guidelines for social distancing. Sign-ups will be created by living area. Check your email for more information.
• Students who may have housing-related extenuating circumstances, need to fill out the Hardship Stay RequestSign in to eRez and access the form which is located under “My Forms” by noon on Tuesday, March 17.  If you have questions about logging into your eRez account, please come by the Student Life Office or email clarice.dillard@point.edu.

ATHLETICS

• Effective immediately, the NAIA cancelled the spring season. Please click here for more information.

FINANCIAL AID AND STUDENT ACCOUNTS

• For students requiring assistance from financial aid and student accounts, please refer to the FAQs attached to this email.

STAFF MEMBERS

• Staff are encouraged to work remotely through the end of March; utilize available technologies like Zoom to continue regularly scheduled meetings. Work directly with your supervisor to cover essential duties as needed.
• All work phone numbers still need to be answered and can be forwarded to your cell phone.
• Because classes have moved online, the need for student workers has been reduced. If your supervisor needs you to continue working, you will be notified.
• University employees, look for an update later today providing resources and guides for remote work.

For concerns not addressed above, please send an email to covid19-info@point.edu.

As we continue to navigate the rapidly changing situation resulting from COVID-19, we are providing you with more specific details related to several areas.

ACADEMICS 
Await an announcement from your instructors. If you do not have internet access, please contact your instructor to arrange for alternate modes of instruction, delivery, and assessment.

RESIDENCE HALLS 
We encourage all students who can return home, please do so. Please inform your CLM if you are returning home. We want to maintain an accurate headcount. We ask those who remain in the residence halls to avoid large group gatherings and refrain from having any outside guests.

International students should plan on remaining on campus.

DINING SERVICES 
We will maintain dining services, although we will adopt a weekend schedule (brunch from 11:30 – 1:00 and dinner from 5:00 – 6:30).

ATHLETICS 
All athletic practices have been cancelled until March 30; all AAC competitions have been cancelled through April 5. Activities after that point will be decided closer to the date pending NAIA national office mandates.

SUPPORT SERVICES 
Because the building remains open and operational, counseling services will continue. Contact information remains updated on our website. Because other campus services remain operational, the shuttle will continue to run.

EXTRA-CURRICULARS
All extra-curricular activities (intramural sports, etc.) are suspended until further notice. We are exploring options for online entertainment and community activities.

COMMUNICATION PLANS
Further details and updates will be sent via email and through your CLMs on GroupMe.

We are living in a rapidly changing and therefore stressful moment in our global and local communities. As believers we are called to not be fearful but to trust in God. However, as we move forward we must alter our normal schedules and plans to protect against the possibility of health-related risk on our campus. There are no known cases of COVID-19 on our campus or in our immediate area.

Our leadership team and task force have been closely monitoring COVID-19 the past few weeks and making plans should the need arise to implement them. Thirty-one cases have been reported in the state of Georgia according to the Centers for Disease Control. We continue to remain prepared if we need to act and will follow the guidance of the Georgia Department of Public Health. All governmental and regulatory agencies are aware of the difficulties that this creates for institutions of higher education, and they are extending grace as we navigate the situation.

Out of an abundance of caution, Point University leadership decided today that several changes will go into effect on Monday in the following areas:

ACADEMIC
Point University is transitioning all on-campus instruction to online delivery beginning Monday, March 16, and continuing through April 10. Spring Break will be observed during April 6-10. Students will be receiving information from faculty members detailing how to access course materials.

FACILITIES
All departments and offices will remain open for normal operations. This includes all residential facilities and the dining hall; shuttle services will continue as usual.
We encourage students, who are able, to return home in order to increase social distancing. If you are not able to return home, we will keep residence halls and dining facilities open. During this period, we will be increasing the frequency of cleaning services in the residence facilities.

STAFF
Point will continue normal operations, while allowing for flexibility in scheduling and remote work. Staff should consult supervisors to ensure continuity and coverage.

STUDENTS
We encourage students, who are able, to return home, although our facilities will remain open to serve students who need to remain on campus. If you choose to go home, you will need to keep up with your classwork. Knowing that many of our students are unable to travel on short notice we will maintain essential support services, including dining services. Students who choose to leave campus may do so without penalty, provided they continue in their coursework.
We will be providing a fuller set of instructions for students on Friday, March 13.

EVENTS
During this time, all University-sponsored events will be postponed or moved online until further notice. Athletic conference decisions will guide our participation in athletic events. An announcement will be sent out once the conference decisions are made.
Events after April 10 will be assessed closer to time to determine if there is a need for cancellation or postponement.

TRAVEL
All University international travel is cancelled. Travel to conferences and meetings with large gatherings is also cancelled. Any other University-related travel should be approved by your supervisor.

COMMUNITY
I want to encourage each of you to stay calm and to convey that assuredness to our students and to our community.
In moments like these we must practice what we say we believe.  Paul’s words in Philippians 4:6-7 can guide our thoughts and guard our hearts.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

Point University continues to monitor developments related to the coronavirus. Our task force is continuing to work to ensure our campus takes precautionary measures to mitigate the risk of infection and have appropriate plans in place in the event there is an infection reported on campus. At this time, there have been no cases of the disease on campus or in Alabama. 23 cases have been reported in the state of Georgia according to the Centers for Disease Control. We are following the CDC published recommendations to avoid an outbreak on campus and to be prepared in case of a widespread outbreak in our area.

Current actions
Here are some steps that Point is already taking or that we will be taking shortly:

• The task force has met and will continue to meet regularly.
• Custodians are using industrial disinfectant and taking extra steps in cleaning.
• Offices on campus are preparing plans for the continuation of essential operations in the event of a campus shutdown of two weeks or more.
• Faculty are preparing to move on-campus instruction online, if that becomes necessary.
• Dining hall staff is taking extra disinfecting precautions, eliminating all unnecessary self-service food stations in the dining hall on the West Point campus and will be providing additional bakery sheets and wipes for service utensils.

Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control – for confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

The CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
Visit the CDC website for more symptom clarification here.

Spring break travel
Point recognizes and adheres to the travel advisories enacted by the U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control. For the most up-to-date travel restrictions and guidelines, please visit the CDC Information for Travel page here.  Students, faculty and staff who are planning to travel during the upcoming Spring break and return from a country that is classified as Level 3 or higher by the CDC for COVID-19 are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and not return to campus unless they are asymptomatic for that period. You can visit here for information about countries and their travel classification. Those returning from countries classified by the CDC as Levels 1 and 2 are required to monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days and take their temperature twice a day. If they develop even a mild cough or low-grade fever (i.e. a temperature of 100⁰ F or more) they should stay at home and self-quarantine. This means avoiding close contact (6 feet or nearer) with other people, including family members. They should also telephone their healthcare provider or the local public health department, giving them details of their recent travel and symptoms.

Advice
If you are experiencing symptoms, CALL either your private physician or the nearest medical center before going to these locations to seek attention. Click here for information from East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, AL and locally in Valley, AL. You can also visit WellStar’s website for additional local information for WellStar in LaGrange, GA. The Georgia Department of health, here. If you are experiencing symptoms, do NOT attend classes or other events and do NOT come into work. Please err on the side of staying in or staying home. Students or employees should not return to classes or work until they have been free of fever and other symptoms, without the use of fever- or symptom-reducing medicines, for at least 24 hours.

This semester’s study abroad trip has been cancelled. Centers for Disease Control are recommending against nonessential travel abroad. Some travelers returning to the United States are being required to enter quarantine, and some travelers have been quarantined abroad. Point officials report making the decision to cancel the trip out of an abundance of caution for safety and following the guidance of the CDC.

The University task force continues to monitor the potential impact of the coronavirus. There are still no reported cases in the counties surrounding our campus locations.

President Collins formed a task force to monitor the status of the coronavirus and work on contingency plans for the University. Currently, there are no known cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Alabama.  There are two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Georgia, and those individuals have been quarantined. Reference the CDC website here for ongoing updates regarding cases of coronavirus in the United States.

While there is currently no known local impact for our students, we are taking extra precautions at our campus locations to keep our students healthy.

• Our cleaning staff increased the frequency of cleaning, including sanitizing door knobs and desks more often than the normal routine.
• Our cleaning staff confirmed that all utilized cleaning supplies can kill coronavirus living on surfaces.

As always, please take precautions and use preventative measures to ensure you are keeping yourself protected. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; avoid shaking hands with others if possible; and cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue. If you are sick, call your doctor or use Tele-med services if available, and please stay home if you are sick to avoiding spreading germs.

If you have concerns about the following, please reach out to the appropriate contact provided below:

• On-campus housing, Laura Schaaf
• Academics, Dr. Stephen Waers
• Facilities, Nadeena Power
• Institutional response, Dr. Stacy Bartlett