COVID-19 Visitor Policy

Definitions

Community Members. Wheaton College Faculty, Staff, Volunteers, and Students.

Fully Vaccinated.  Individuals who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines or a single dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine more than 14 days ago.

Vendors

Vendors include employees of Aramark, Follet, and Securitas.  All vendors must comply with the College’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. Vendors must at all times abide by current College protocols for employees related to COVID-19 exposure mitigation, including mask-wearing, physical distancing, hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection.  Vendors should take any and all additional precautions as appropriate given their individual circumstances and unique roles on campus.

Service Providers

Service providers include individuals, other than vendors, who come to campus to provide regular or periodic, contracted services.  Service providers are required to submit to the College their organization’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols for approval by the College.  Service providers must, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask while on campus and remain physically distant to the extent possible.  Exceptions for mask-wearing may be granted in limited circumstances where service providers are physically distant from Community Members and/or providing services primarily outside.  Additionally, service providers must at all times abide by all other current College protocols for employees related to COVID-19 exposure mitigation, including physical distancing, hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection.  Service providers should take any and all additional precautions as appropriate given their individual circumstances and unique role on campus.

Guest Speakers, Instructors, and Performers

Guest speakers, instructors, and performers include those individuals invited to campus by Community Members to engage in curricular or co-curricular speaking, instruction, or performance-based engagements. Community Members should consider whether physical presence is necessary and are encouraged to engage virtually. Guest speakers, instructors, and performers must, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask while on campus and remain physically distant to the extent possible. Exceptions for mask-wearing may be granted in limited circumstances where guest speakers, instructors, and performers are physically distant from Community Members and/or providing services primarily outside. Guest speakers, instructors, and performers must at all times abide by current College protocols for employees related to COVID-19 exposure mitigation, including mask-wearing, physical distancing, hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection. Guest speakers, instructors, and performers should take any and all additional precautions as appropriate given their individual circumstances and unique role on campus. Faculty, staff, and volunteers inviting guest speakers, instructors, and performers to campus must receive permission in writing from their respective division officer. Students inviting guest speakers, instructors, and performers to campus must receive permission in writing from the SAIL Office. In all cases, the College retains sole discretion to restrict guest speakers, instructors, and performers.

Program Attendees

Program attendees include non-Community Members who attend any College-sponsored performance, program, or athletic event. Program attendees (over the age of two) at outdoor performances, programs, or athletic events must wear a mask if unable to remain physically distant (6 feet from others). Program attendees (over the age of two) at indoor performances, programs, or athletic events must wear a mask at all times. In all cases, the College retains sole discretion to restrict program attendees.

Private Facility Renters

Private facility renters include individuals using College facilities who have limited or no interaction with Community Members. At the sole discretion of the College, private facility renters may be permitted on campus and must abide by any safety protocols outlined in their respective agreement with the College.

Visitors

Visitors include all other Community Member guests not captured above. In all cases, the College retains sole discretion to restrict visitors. Visitors must at all times abide by current College protocols related to mask-wearing and physical distancing.

Additional Matters

Prospective student visits and tours will be addressed separately in a manner consistent with the College’s COVID-19 alert level status and protocols.

Visitors of faculty and staff tenants living on campus are generally not subject to this policy so long as their visit on campus is limited to the residence of the faculty or staff with whom they are visiting.  Such visitors must at all times abide by current College protocols related to mask-wearing and physical distancing while moving to and from the faculty or staff residence.

All media queries should be directed to Marketing and Communications at info@wheatoncollege.edu for guidelines regarding campus visits.

No individual is permitted to visit campus if they are experiencing symptoms of illness or COVID-19 or have received a positive COVID-19 test in the previous ten days. Individuals who are not Fully Vaccinated, and if eligible, boosted, who have been identified as a “close contact” of someone positive with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days may not come to campus until they have concluded an adequate quarantine. Individuals must notify the department that hosted them if they test positive within 48 hours of being on campus. Individuals must follow all relevant federal and state travel advisories or orders.

Notwithstanding the provisions outlined in this Policy, the College maintains complete discretion when restricting or permitting access to campus and may, in its sole discretion, amend this policy at any time.

Last updated: January 20, 2022