Newsletter Special Edition Aug 4, 2020

RIT Ready Updates

Student Pre-Arrival Checklist
Please review this checklist with your student and make sure all items are completed prior to returning to campus:

• COVID-19 Individual Testing: All students are responsible for taking a COVID-19 test and providing evidence of a negative result within two weeks prior to arrival in order to circulate on campus for any reason. Students can upload test results to the Student Health Center using the COVID-19 Pre-Arrival Screening form available through the Wellness Portal (wellnessportal.rit.edu).
• COVID-19 Student Training: Students should complete the COVID-19 student training module prior to arrival on campus. The training will provide them with resources and tools to protect themselves and others.
• RIT Daily Health Screen: Students are required to complete the health screening every day, seven days a week, whether or not they are planning to circulate on campus. Students should start completing their Daily Health Screen two weeks before coming to campus (https://dailyhealth.rit.edu).  
• Required Quarantine**: Students traveling from a state or country listed on the NYS or CDC Travel Advisory lists are required to quarantine for 14 days. Students may make arrangements to quarantine on their own or, if they are a student in RIT Housing, they can participate in the university-supported quarantine program.
• Modified Quarantine: We expect all students not in a travel advisory state to engage in a modified quarantine for two weeks in their hometown prior to arrival on campus. This includes wearing a mask, washing your hands, watching your distance, avoiding large group gatherings, and limiting contact with people outside of your quarantine team. 

For more information, visit rit.edu/ready.

**Students traveling from a state or country listed on the NYS or CDC Travel Advisory lists. 

New Guidance for Quarantine
In case you missed it, new information was sent to students and parents last weekend regarding guidance on quarantine for students who are required to adhere to the 14-day quarantine mandated by the New York State Travel Advisory or the CDC. Please read this update for pre-arrival housing options on the RIT Ready website and make sure your student is responding to all forms sent to them through their RIT email.

What Does Quarantine Mean?
In order to help students understand what is expected of them during quarantine, please refer to this FAQ on the RIT Ready website:

• Quarantine means that you will have to stay in your assigned quarantine housing for the duration of the incubation period: 14 days. You must monitor yourself for any potential symptoms of infection including cough, fever, chills or muscle aches, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, or new loss of sense of smell or taste. You must check your temperature in the morning and evening, and report symptoms or elevated temperature to your health care provider. We expect all students to participate in our Daily Health Screen every day, throughout the semester.

Students cannot go out while in quarantine:

• You cannot go to work or school, participate in social activities, or visit any public places. You should stay in a well-ventilated room that is your own living space in a home or apartment setting, or a single hotel room. You should not be spending in-person time with friends or family.

New York State Quarantine List
Students traveling from a state or country listed on the NYS or CDC Travel Advisory lists are required to quarantine for 14 days—please remember that this list changes weekly and students from any state added between now and move-in will have to quarantine.

COVID-19 Testing
All students are responsible for getting a COVID-19 test prior to coming to campus and must provide evidence of a negative result. Students will not be permitted to circulate on campus until a test is taken and submitted to the Student Health Center. Please review the Testing, Quarantine, and Contact Tracing FAQs for new information about how to find a test and options for mail-order tests.

Daily Screening
All faculty, staff, and students must complete the Daily Health Screen seven days a week, regardless of whether or not they are coming to campus, beginning on Monday, July 27. Students can log into the RIT Daily Health Screen website (https://dailyhealth.rit.edu) with their RIT username and password using a computer, tablet or iPhone or Android mobile phone. More information is available on the Daily Health Screening Guide and the RIT Ready website.

Visitor Policy
Please be sure to review RIT’s visitor policy. Visitors will be allowed, but all guests are expected to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including completing a health screen. At this time, guests are not permitted in on-campus housing other than the one-hour move-in assistance. Visitors, including parents helping with move in, should call 585-438-5257 to access the RIT Daily Health Screen.

Flex Schedules
RIT is offering a Flex option for some courses. If this option is available for their classes, students can choose to complete all course requirements online either for the entire semester (Online Flex) or as needed throughout the semester (Full Flex). The Flex option is defined as a blended or in-person course in which the faculty member has determined that students can achieve the same learning outcomes via remote means. Students can find Flex options in SIS (Student Information System).

Additional Information

Campus Resources Refresher
This summer, we have been producing videos for Family Orientation that include interviews with staff from around campus about student resources and life at RIT. They cover what is a “typical” experience, as well as what will change in the coming semester to account for COVID safety procedures.

While the videos are directed at parents of incoming students, these videos may be helpful reminders of resources. Topic include:

• Health & Wellness
• Disability Services
• Academic Support
• Safety on Campus
• Money Matters
• Living on Campus
• Deaf Culture and Access Services
• COVID planning (coming August 11)

All videos can be found on the Parent & Family Programs YouTube channel.

Emergency Contact Information 
Please remind your student to update family and emergency contact information by going to www.rit.edu/studentcontact. This information is necessary if RIT needs to contact the family of a student in the event of an emergency.

Parking & Transportation
If your student will be bringing a car to campus or commuting, they will need to register their car with Parking & Transportation and purchase a parking permit for $100—permit sales will begin August 5. There are transportation options for students without cars, including the RIT shuttle bus which has shuttles to the RIT Inn and retail areas in Henrietta.