Athletics

In an effort to promote the safety, health, and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, and other University personnel, Conference and University leaders are currently reviewing options for winter/spring 2021 activities and competitions Our student-athletes, coaches, and other staff remain a high priority for Rowan as we examine essential data, recommendations, and guidelines to inform future decisions.

Sport club and intramural sports will follow guidance used by Athletics as it is developed and implemented by University personnel, and will follow standards set by state and local entities, including the “Guidance for Sports Activities” published by the DOH.

Frequent Screening and Testing
Each head coach have been given a touchless thermometer to use. They will keep the thermometer for the season. No sharing between teams of thermometer. Full-time staff (not part-time) and coaches conduct temperature checks on every athlete (even if they are not participating due to injury) and coaching staff members in attendance prior to the start of every practice/training session. Temperatures are recorded on the appropriate sheet and handed to the Administrator attending practice. Any athlete with a temperature of 100.4 will not be able to participate until they have a COVID test done and the result is negative.

Athletics staff members work with trainers and health care professionals to develop protocols for effectively monitoring student athletes and coaches. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• practices and skill-development using appropriate physical distancing techniques
• tracking the temperatures and symptoms of student-athletes and coaches
• implementing enhanced travel precautions and maintaining competition venues in a manner that limits health-related risks to the fullest extent possible
• Student-athletes, coaches, and other personnel associated with Athletics will be evaluated and restricted from participation/work using appropriate isolation protocol for known and/or suspected exposure to COVID-19.

Policies and Protocols
Rowan uses two documents to educate coaches, staff, and student-athletes. (see below). In addition, we conduct regular meetings with student athletes and coaches to ensure that accurate information is being shared, protocols are being followed, and questions are being addressed. Practices and meetings are conducted using physical distancing standards, shared equipment is limited to the fullest extents possible, and all high-touch items are disinfected based upon a schedule created by training and Wellness Center staff.

When games resume, NJAC institutions will adopt conference-wide requirements that departments and teams are expected to follow in order to compete. The NJAC Athletic Trainers will define what is necessary, from a health and safety perspective, for athletics competitions to occur within the guidelines from campus, local, state and federal medical and public health authorities.

Equipment Sharing
To the extent possible, student-athletes and coaches do not share equipment. When sharing is unavoidable, full-time coaches will be responsible for cleaning any shared equipment by their team at practice. Student-athletes are instructed to avoid touching any shared equipment unless necessary.

Team Meetings
All student-athletes coaches, staff, etc. are required to wear face coverings and/or physical distance (keeping 6 feet apart) at all times when not involved in aerobic activities where a face covering may inhibit adequate breathing. An administrator or athletic trainer will attend meetings and practices to ensure compliance. Only those in compliance are allowed to attend meetings or practices. No guests or family members are allowed to attend practices. Locker rooms remain closed. Athletes are required to come dressed to train in personal gear. The equipment room is closed until the official start of training camp. Only public restrooms at the Team House and Esby Gym are available and restrooms occupancy is limited. A mask must be worn while in the restroom and hands must be washed thoroughly.

Quarantine/Isolation Protocols
The Wellness Center and Interim Vice President of Student Life/Dean of Students have established protocols for these instances. Students are asked to self-isolate — at home, in a single room, or in designated isolation housing on-campus. While in isolation, students are required to check in with designated University personnel to monitor their temperature and symptoms. Student-athletes are not allowed to attend any form of in-person practices or meetings without written authorization from the designated University personnel. In addition, the University has developed a robust contact tracing protocol to determine if any individuals require assistance and/or monitoring based upon contact with a known or presumptive COVID positive individual.

Nonessential Visitors, Staff, Volunteers, Vendors and Media
Game/training management will be conducted by those in the Rowan “bubble” (known to have been participating in all monitoring and following all guidelines/protocols). Coaches, student-athletes and administrators will perform game/training management, eliminating outside personnel.

When games do resume, there will be no concessions or vendors. A decision for fan attendance may be no spectators, students only or students and a small number of fans (2 passes per student). The NJAC may make a conference-wide decision. Media will be restricted to student outlets and will be assigned broadcast or viewing areas outside of the press box. Priority for broadcast space will be given to the Rowan Athletics streaming broadcast team and in the case of inclement weather, student media may be precluded from covering that particular contest.

Each fall sport had virtual team meetings where all are in attendance to discuss the Athletic Training requirements with the training staff and for the Athletic Director to address each team. In addition to hearing from coaches and trainers, all student-athletes hear important information, instructions, and expectations from the Athletic Director, Interim Vice President of Student Life/Dean of Students, and Director of the Wellness Center. Students also sign a pledge to adhere to University policies.

Travel for Games and Hosting Teams
Mandatory Gameday Screening
A standardized gameday screening process will be in place that applies to all teams as we have a shared responsibility to protect all student-athletes as they engage with individuals on other campuses:

Visiting Team Screenings

• COVID-19 history screening required within 24 hours of travel for the entire travel party. Bus driver temperature check before departure. Temperature check for all team personnel before departure.
• Upon arrival on site, the visiting team will present the game management representative with a list of all bus personnel who were screened prior to departure. Only individuals on that list will be permitted to enter the competition venue.
• The visiting team will go directly to the team bench area, and with the exception of access to restrooms and athletic training facilities, will remain in the bench area until departure from the site of competition.

Host Team and Athletic Personnel 

• COVID-19 history screening within 24 hours of game time.
• Temperature check before warm-ups begin.

Officials Assigned to the Event

• This will be a coordinated effort between the conference office and league assigners.
• Each official will complete a COVID-19 history screening prior to arrival on campus.
• Temperature checks will be performed once the officials arrive at the event venue by the host institution personnel.  

Working with Local, State and Conference Partners
Rowan Athletics personnel (trainers, coaches, staff, etc.) will continue to take the lead in initiating conversations to ensure that all reasonable risk-reduction protocol/practices are in place. Regular meetings are occurring with conference athletic directors, institutional presidents, and others. In addition, the Athletic Director and Interim Vice President of Student Life/Dean of Students engage in several conversations a week with Wellness Center personnel to monitor information and ensure that appropriate questions/concerns are being considered.

Libraries and Computer Labs

Operations

COMPUTER LABS
All general use computer labs, including those located in library facilities, remain open during all stages. Computer labs will be open to students with physical distancing and cleaning protocols in place and occupancy restrictions enforced.

Rowan is aware that many of our students may not have sufficient access to devices and/or internet connectivity. To ensure students are not disadvantaged by lack of technology and to maintain reduced density in computer labs open to all students, we have identified two additional computer labs which can be allocated by approval to students with the most need. One is a resource library in the Office of Career Advancement, which can be made available to any qualifying student as per the criteria, and the second is in the office of the ASCEND program, which houses Rowan’s EOF students and would be available for their use. 

Rowan’s Testing Center enables students’ use of computers for exams and can allocate any capacity beyond meeting the needs of students with disability-related accommodations to students with other types of need.  Rowan’s wireless network is accessible from any campus building and many public spaces on campus.

Both residential and commuter students have free access to the Rowan network at any time. In addition to computer labs, there are avenues for students to obtain their own devices, including financial support such as grants from student emergency funds and a modest supply of Chromebooks that can be given or loaned to students demonstrating need.

LIBRARIES
The libraries will remain open, with a modified curbside pickup service (described in a subsequent section below), during Stage 1. 

Campbell Library added a limited in-person service exclusively to Rowan community members in compliance with the relevant sections of Executive Order 157 as required by the Governor’s guidance issued on June 30th.  The Library maintains the same service hours as for the contactless pickup service and to limit additional staff presence. Plexiglass barriers are installed at service points and in shared staff spaces, signage to support appropriate physical distancing, and sanitizing stations throughout the public areas of the library. IRT prepared public computer lab spaces in the library to support physical distancing and appropriate cleaning protocols. We have put procedures in place to ensure we observe the 25% of maximum capacity guideline, and any additional guidance issued by Rowan or the State.

Upon authorization by the Governor to enter Stage 3, we will extend our service hours and bring in additional staff to prepare for and support the return of students to campus, while still observing all overarching State requirements for libraries.  We are implementing an A/B staff schedule and maximizing remote work options to ensure we remain below 33% staff occupancy, and cross-training staff across teams to ensure continuity of service.  We are also removing furniture and adding signage to support physical distancing in classroom and lab spaces in the library. 

Additional detail on each stage of the plan is provided below. They will open in accordance with state overarching requirements for libraries.

Social Distancing Measures and Cleaning Protocols

COMPUTER LABS
When computer labs are permitted to be opened, in an effort to enforce physical distancing recommendations, IRT removes keyboards and power cords from every other computer station to maintain six feet of separation for users. The desktops and monitors remain in place, unusable. Custodial crews wipe down horizontal surfaces, including keyboards, door handles, computer mice, and other high-touch areas once per day. Occupants utilize soap bottles and towels to disinfect before each use. No assumption should be made that any area was disinfected by the previous occupant. Care is given not to spray the solution directly onto the electronic equipment.

LIBRARIES
Rowan University Libraries will comply with State- and Rowan-issued guidance as follows:

• Require employees to wear masks, gloves, and maintain physical distancing.
• Provide sanitizing products for staff.
• Require staff to clean areas of shared workspace before and after their shift (public desk stations, shared computers).
• Establish special cleaning procedures with maintenance crews in all areas of the building, including disinfecting of keyboards, touchscreens, tables and other surfaces.

In addition, we will address measures specific to the library facilities:

• Share the re-entry plan with tenants and vendors and ask them to share their plans, questions, and concerns with us.
• Discuss potential changes to contracts.
• Partner with University Publications and Facilities to produce and display signage regarding masks and physical distancing.
• Where feasible, remove or relocate furniture in order to encourage physical distancing.
• Review options for printing with IRT and Housekeeping.

Disinfecting High-Touch Areas
Following Environmental Health & Safety training explained elsewhere in this plan, custodial crews wipe down horizontal surfaces, including keyboards, door handles, computer mice, and other high-touch areas once per day. Cleaning supplies also available for individual use.

Occupancy Restrictions
Room capacities in classrooms, labs, and computer labs were revised based on 6-ft bubble standards. Signage and decals identify the seating locations that comply with the 6-ft physical distancing.

Building access will be controlled via swipe-card. Door signage will indicate level of access in a given stage. 

Campbell “Curbside” Library Plan

Access Services Staff will work in groups of two or three, each group assigned to a specific day of the week, to provide a “curbside” pickup service for members of the Rowan community. This service runs four days a week (Monday to Thursday) from 9 am to 1 pm. This service only applies to print materials (including scores, but not dissertations and theses); no media or technology is available to borrow at this time. 

The workflow to supply this service is as follows:

1. A patron will request a book using a modified version of the “pull-and-hold” service currently available through Alma/Primo;
   
   
2. Staff will page the book and update the request in Alma so the patron is notified it is available, placing the book on the hold shelf;
   
   
3. The patron will call the Library Service Desk during the service hours to notify staff that they are on site and ready to pick up their book;
   
   
4. Staff will locate the book on the hold shelf, check it out to the patron, bag it for them, and then place the bag in a bin on a table set up by the 322-facing entrance to Campbell, waiting inside the foyer to verify that the patron picks up the materials they requested;
   
   
5. Staff will wipe down the bin and bring it inside after the patron has retrieved their bag;
   
   
6. Staff will bring the table inside at the end of each day’s shift.

Staff members observe physical distancing and public health guidelines, wearing masks (Rowan-provided or self-supplied) at all times, and gloves (Rowan-provided) while handling books.

In addition to providing the curbside pickup service, Access Services Staff may work on the following tasks, where feasible:

• Processing and reshelving returned items;
• Returning Interlibrary Loan items to those partner libraries that are ready to receive them;
• Rehousing and shelving DVD collection;
• Deaccessioning technology and equipment that will no longer circulate due to public health concerns (e.g. headphones);
• Evaluating the Course Reserves collection and coordinating with teaching faculty about which items need to be digitized to support remote learners;
• Inventory and shelf reading;
• Remove and store map boxes in open cubicle space;
• Remove periodicals from the current periodical room; place in piles in alphabetical order spaced on the shelves where the map boxes were previously located.

This plan is compliant with NJ Administrative Order 2020-15, issued by Patrick Callahan, State Director of Emergency Management.

Using Campus Shuttles

Rowan University appreciates that the shuttle provides important services for many students, faculty, and staff. As a result, University officials have worked with South Jersey Transit Authority (SJTA) to create a plan that provides shuttle services to the fullest extent possible while implementing protocols to reduce health-related risks. The following procedures have been implemented:

• SJTA has instituted a cleaning and disinfecting approach for all shuttles and for every ride, which includes disinfecting frequent touchpoints such as handholds, armrests, seating, and door handles, before and after each trip.
  
  
• Hand-sanitizer and/or wipe dispensers are provided on each shuttle.
  
  
• Shuttle passengers are required to wear a cloth face covering.
  
  
• Shuttle drivers do not use recirculated air for shuttle ventilation. Instead, they must use shuttle vents and/or lower the vehicle’s windows to bring in fresh outside air.
  
  
• In order to maintain a safe distance between each passenger, passenger limits are 50% of the posted capacity per trip. The shuttle pick-up is first come, first served.
  
  
• Passengers are asked to physical distance (6 feet minimum) while entering a shuttle.
  
  
• Passengers must maintain one empty seat between them and the next passenger on the shuttle.
  
  
• Information is posted on-line and around campus as shuttle routes may change to enhance efficiencies and/or due to other University policy changes.
  
  
• Riders who fail to comply with the safety measures outlined below are not be allowed to ride the shuttle and may face disciplinary action for noncompliance.