November 19, 2020 Update
St. Olaf will continue with our heightened Yellow Alert Level. In addition, we are taking the below steps in accordance with the Governor’s executive order that begins November 20 and will remain in place through December 18:
- Skoglund and Tostrud athletic facilities will be closed.
- Intramural, club, and recreational sports will not be allowed, and there will be no athletic team practices. Physically distanced individual exercise activities are allowed outdoors.
- No more than five people at a time will be allowed in common areas in residence halls and student housing, and these individuals must maintain 6 feet of physical distance.
- No more than two people will be allowed at each dining table in Stav Hall.
- Students remaining on campus for the holiday break will need to limit themselves to their “household” bubble. The Minnesota Department of Health defines this as their residence hall floor or housemates. This includes eating and other activities.Per our current alert level, all students will be required to stay on campus. If you have an essential reason to travel off campus (such as a medical appointment or work), please fill out the following form to be reviewed and approved by Student Life.
- St. Olaf will continue to be closed to campus visitors.
- In-person classes and exams that meet physical distance and masking requirements are allowed to continue.
- Musical performances with music mitigation measures in place but only virtual audiences are allowed.
St. Olaf College has established a color-coded series of alert levels intended to inform the college community about the level of risk posed by the COVID-19 virus to our community. The alert levels correspond with different levels of operational response and guidance to the community. Each of these levels builds upon our existing mitigation measures identified in the community pledge and community standards.
The alert levels are defined by a set of indicators that include cases on campus and in Rice County, availability of isolation and quarantine beds, and the level of unknown case exposure (those cases that cannot be traced to a specific source). Additional factors affecting alert level determination include any new or modified Governor’s Executive Orders, updated guidance from the MDH and CDC, travel availability and restrictions, faculty and staff availability to provide academic programs and essential services as well as access to critical supplies and testing. Changes in alert levels will always be informed both by data and by our judgment of current conditions. The College will be prepared to move quickly from any level of alert to the highest level if necessary.