Dear Parents and Family Members,
The following message was sent today to all Winthrop students. Please take note of important information and help your student ensure they are doing what is necessary to comply with this requirement. Students will not be allowed to move into their residence hall or attend in-person classes without meeting this important requirement that is part of our COVID-19 mitigation response. Please be assured we are not trying to create barriers to our students; this is responsible public health strategy that helps us protect our students and the campus community at a time when infection rates are rising. Thank you in advance for assisting your student in meeting our expectations for returning to campus this semester.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
This message is sent on behalf of Jackie Concodora, director of Winthrop’s Center for Student Wellness:
Dear Students,
As you prepare for returning to campus in the coming days, please review these instructions sent in December as a reminder of testing expectations. This contains a lot of information so it is important to read this email in its entirety. Winthrop is committed to providing a healthy in-person learning environment, but we need your help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Return testing is one part of risk mitigation to reduce the potential of positive individuals bringing the virus to campus. The only way to be positive that you are negative is through testing and consistent diligence with wearing a mask, frequent hand washing, remaining at home if ill, and physically distancing from others. Our goal is to open safely and remain open, so we are asking all students to share responsibility for safe operations by testing before arrival and voluntarily testing throughout the semester. We recognize the possible frustrations associated with this requirement that Winthrop, along with other South Carolina institutions, is requiring and greatly appreciate your cooperation. We can be successful if we work together and uphold our social responsibility.
Students living on campus during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to your scheduled move-in date.
Upload documentation to the Patient Portal showing a negative test result in order to receive your room keys at move-in screening. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you have not received your results by your scheduled move-in date, stay home. Do not come to campus. You will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive your room key. Contact Residence Life at residencelife@winthrop.edu to reschedule your move-in date.
Print and complete the required COVID-19 screening questionnaire attached to your Pre-Check In confirmation email no sooner than 24 hours prior to your check-in appointment. You (and no more than two move-in assistants) will each complete a copy of this form that will be reviewed during check-in when you have your temperatures checked. This form will be made available by Residence Life via the spring 2021 Pre-Check In Process on Eaglesnest.
Commuter students who plan to attend face-to-face in-person classes or on-campus employment during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to the first day of in-person class (Jan. 19 no matter your first day of in-person classes or 5 days prior to first day of on-campus employment**) for commuter students.
Submit documentation of a negative test result no later than 48 hours prior to the first day of in-person classes. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you have not submitted your results prior to January 19th, stay home. Do not come to campus.
* If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in/date or first in-person classes, please upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class. If you have any questions, e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
** Online-only students working on campus in spring will need to email results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Plan ahead:
With hundreds of testing sites in South Carolina, find a testing location near you by visiting www.scdhec.gov/findatest or calling 1-855-472-3432. Look for the sites marked “free.” Community partner testing sites may ask about insurance, require referrals or appointments, or be low- or no-cost. Out-of-state students need to consult their state health department website for permanent and mobile testing locations. Winthrop is not responsible for any costs incurred toward meeting this testing requirement. We urge you to plan ahead. Research testing options well in advance of your testing timeframe to avoid last minute barriers.
If you choose to come to Rock Hill to test at the Coliseum site, arrive early in line. This is a DHEC testing site for the surrounding community, not just Winthrop, so plan for approximately 2 hours. Gates open at 9am and close at 4pm. You can pre-register for the Coliseum site at https://app.auratracker.org/signup/74 or download the Aura app prior to testing. You only register once and your information will be saved.
Make sure you have created an account in the Patient Portal prior to testing and familiarize yourself with how to use it. This will help to save time and frustration when you are ready to upload test results.
Students should quarantine two (2) days before the test (to reduce close contacts if positive) and continue to quarantine after the test until your return to campus to reduce additional exposure. Request electronic results to reduce the risk of delayed notification that impacts your ability to return on your scheduled date.
Once you receive your COVID-19 test results:
Go to the Patient Portal and upload the results. Note: Patient Portal works best on Firefox or Safari web browsers.
Click the Upload tab.
Select “COVID-19 Results Upload” from the dropdown arrow next to “Select form to be uploaded.”
Click “Select File.”
Once you have attached the file, click the blue “Upload” button.
Your document is now visible at the bottom on the screen under “Documents on File.”
Test results must reflect your name and test date.
If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in date or first in-person classes, contact Health Services. Please e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu and upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class.
Online-only students working on campus will need to e-mail their results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Only students with negative test results or documented positive results within 90 days and completed isolation will be permitted to return to campus.
If you have a positive test result you will need to isolate for 10 days from the date of your test before coming to campus. Health Services will not require you to be retested before arriving. You must communicate with Health Services at covidreporting@winthrop.edu upon receiving your positive results to discuss your 10-day isolation period.
If you have not received your results before you are due to return to campus, stay home. Do not come to campus.
If Health Services does not have record of your test results by your scheduled move-in date, residential students will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive their room key. You will not be permitted to move in to your residence hall until your test results have been uploaded and you have completed the move-in screening. Commuter students who have not provided test results prior to the first day of in-person classes are not permitted to attend class or work in-person until test results are submitted. Students who do not comply with the spring testing requirement will be referred to the Dean of Students Office and may be charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. The Dean of Students Office will notify faculty of class specific non-compliant students. If this applies to you, you need to proactively reach out to your professors and share that you are unable to attend in-person classes until you meet the testing compliance (residential or commuter).
Please call Health Services at 803/323-2206 or e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu with questions. Thank you in advance for patience as we respond to a heavy volume of correspondence.
Wishing you a healthy and successful spring semester,Jackie
Jackie Concodora, M.Ed., LPC
Director of Center for Student Wellness
