Dear Students,
Happy October! It feels like fall is here, if only the weather would cooperate. I write today as a follow up to the message that Interim President Marcus-Newhall sent yesterday regarding the required weekly COVID-19 screening testing for students.
Many students received an email from me last week, with a warning for not participating in the College screening testing at the 240 House. I appreciate all the students who reached out to me and their Primary Contact Deans, sharing their experiences and also seeking clarification on the testing policy. I am excited that we have announced a new COVID weekly screening test process for all students. As the interim president shared yesterday, all screening testing for students will move to Student Health Services (SHS) starting Monday, October 11th.
Important items to know for testing:
- All students are required to participate in weekly testing. As stated in the Scripps College Student Community Compact (see Appendix J), all students are required to follow all COVID-19 protocols, and such compliance is a condition of being allowed on campus. Students who do not participate in weekly screening testing will be subject to the following administrative conduct process:
- The new easy testing schedule will be as follows (reminders will be sent but please add these important days to your calendars now):
- Written warning
- Written warning and meeting with a dean or their designee
- Official charge letter for failure to comply with the College’s screening testing policy
- Interim probation: Students have 48 hours to get a COVID-19 test or they will be put on probation
- Suspension
- Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to participate in screening testing for 90 days after recovering from symptoms.
- Students who are unvaccinated are required to participate in screening testing twice a week.
- The new easy testing schedule will be as follows (reminders will be sent but please add these important days to your calendars now):
- Mondays: First-year students test at SHS
- Tuesdays: Sophomores test at SHS
- Wednesdays: Juniors test at SHS
- Thursdays: Seniors and Post-baccs test at SHS
- Fridays: Anyone who missed a test!
- There are three (3) SHS testing locations:
- Tranquada Center – NE Patio: Hours are Monday-Friday, 7:30am – 4:30pm, closed for lunch from noon to 1pm daily
- Pomona College – Walker Hall: Hours are Monday-Friday, 7:30am – 5:00pm
- Harvey Mudd College – Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons East Patio: Hours are Monday – Friday, 7:30am – 4:30pm, closed for lunch from noon to 1pm daily
- All students are still required to use the Healthfully app for symptom checking. Students, however, DO NOT need to schedule their appointments via the app. No appointments are necessary for weekly screening testing at the SHS testing tents. If students want to see a provider to discuss symptoms, they will need to make an appointment with SHS.
- Scripps students will not be turned away at any of the SHS testing sites. If this happens to anyone, please reach out to me or your PCD immediately.
- As many of you know, the COVID testing process at SHS is different than the nasal swab test. Shield T3 Saliva PCR test is the test utilized by SHS. For more information regarding the test or to watch a video about the Shield T3 test, please visit the SHS COVID Screening Program. As a reminder, student should not eat/drink (this includes no water), chew gum or smoke for at least 1 hour prior to saliva testing.
A few other quick reminders:
- Per Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH), with limited exceptions, masks are required indoors at all times regardless of vaccination status. Masks should be worn when anyone is walking through a Residential Hall or visiting a friend’s room. Masks are not required inside a student’s individual residence hall room, suite, or apartment. Those areas are considered your “household.” Masks also do not need to be worn when actively eating or drinking in Malott or when engaging in showing or other personal hygiene activities in a communal restroom. Any 7C student visiting a Scripps College residential hall must wear a mask at all times.
- If any student is experiencing any COVID-like symptoms, there are three options to get access to support, care, and medical recommendations:
- Students can call Scripps College Nurse triage line at (909) 308-2711. The nurse triage is available daily from 7am–8pm Monday – Friday and from 9am – 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. The Scripps College nurse will be able help students evaluate symptoms and advise on testing. Based on assessment of symptoms, the nurse triage will advise the student on next steps for testing and/or isolation or quara9ntine. The nurse will provide any necessary update to the College via the Dean on-call, so students are supported in adhering to the recommendation.
- Students can contact Student Health Services (SHS) on weekdays to schedule an appointment to see a provider to discuss their symptoms and get a COVID test. If a student received a test from a SHS COVID test tent and does not see a provider, the student will not receive a medical evaluation regarding symptoms. Based on assessment of symptoms, an SHS provider will advise the student on isolation or quarantine and provide an update to the College via the dean on-call so students are supported in adhering to the recommendation.
- Students can also contact 7C.Health and speak to a telehealth provider. A 7C.Health provider will assess the student’s symptoms and discuss next steps. When calling 7C.Health it is important to get all recommendations and ask for next steps. That information must be shared with the dean on-call so they can support the student in taking the next recommended steps.
I am so appreciative of the many students who reached out to me and met with me regarding the College’s testing policy. Your comments, suggestions, and questions did not go unheard. The Screening Testing program is a significant mitigation factor for a healthy and strong community. As we move over to SHS, I would like to thank the nurses and Scripps staff who worked tirelessly to support the College’s screening testing program for our community. I also want to thank each of you; I am grateful for your commitment to a safe and thriving Scripps!
In Community,
Dean di Bartolo-Beckman
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students