Salisbury University students on campus

University of Maryland Baltimore COVID-19 Recommendations for USM Campuses as of March 6, 2020

Our primary goal is to protect USM institutions and their faculty staff and students. These recommendations may change at any time as the situation evolves.

Stepwise Approach

We expect this recommendation to have two steps. The first step is for now and less restrictive. The second step is for after spring break and may be more restrictive.

Telework Advice

We recommend that you fully test your teleworking capability and plan for full implementation in the near future.

NEW Travel Advice

  • We ban travel to any country with a CDC travel advisory level.
  • We strongly advise against any international travel independent of the CDC levels.
  • We advise against national travel.

Meeting Advice

  • We recommend having no non-essential meetings held as an in-person meeting.
  • We recommend that essential meetings should be conducted in an environment where social distancing can be achieved. Our advice is that it would be preferable to have 6 feet between each individual and an assurance that no one in the room has symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, fever or known exposure to a high risk COVID-19 situation. Social distancing and absence of symptoms are more important variables to consider than the number of people in a room.

Classes

These recommendations are based upon the assumption that spring break will be occurring in the next several weeks:

Pre-Spring Break

  • Any class that can be done electronically should be done electronically.
  • Any in-person class that can be done with social distancing should be done that way assuming that no one in the room has symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, fever or known exposure to a high-risk COVID-19 situation.
  • For classes that cannot be performed in that manner, we recommend using the Governor’s statement to carry on as usual with the caveat that no one should be present in the classroom who has symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, fever or known exposure to a high-risk COVID-19 situation.

Preparations during the Spring Break Hiatus

  • Each institution should be highly focused on executing a plan to fully convert to electronic teaching and testing in their didactic programs.

Post-Spring Break

  • It is highly possible that the intermediate steps listed above will not be permitted post-spring break. Therefore, each institution should plan now to fully convert to electronic teaching.
  • Special consideration should be made for students who are near graduation so that they fulfill their requirements of graduation.

Clinical Rotations for Health Care Students

Cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are rapidly escalating worldwide. Now is the time to prepare for the impacts COVID-19 could have on the USM community. The following public health guidance was used to develop these guidelines:

Clinicals, Field Placements, and Internships

The following guidelines apply to SU students in their clinicals, field placements, and internships (whether in health, social work, or law):

  • Students should not:
    • Attend clinicals, field placements, or internships if they have been asked to self-quarantine by public health authorities or SU
    • Participate in the care of known or suspected COVID-19 patients
  • Student clinicals, field placements, and internships will be cancelled:
    • At any site that is treating a patient with COVID-19 where appropriate environmental controls cannot be implemented per CDC guidelines
    • At any site when crisis standards of care are used to care forCOVID-19 patients
    • When sites are unable to provide students with appropriate personal protective equipment
    • In the event of staffing shortages at a site
  • Students will communicate with their clinical, field placement, or internship instructor before attending any scheduled experiences to check if cancellation is warranted.
  • For international clinicals, field placements, and internships, travel advisories from the CDC and State Department as well as SU guidance on international travel should be followed.
  • Students will immediately communicate to their clinical, field placement, or internship instructor and their school’s clinical, field placement, or internship coordinator any safety concerns and stop participating in the experience until the issue is resolved.
  • Clinical, field placement, and internship sites and/or SU retain the right to cancel student participation at any time to protect the safety of students and staff.

Academic Impacts

It is unclear how many students may be removed from their clinical, field placement, and internship sites, for how long, and how broad the impacts may be. As much as possible, students will be accommodated with alternate clinicals, field placements, and internships so they can continue to meet requirements towards graduation and licensure. SU officials will work to communicate updates to students expediently. Students should also contact their school’s clinical, field placement, or internship coordinator for more information. The impact we all feel from COVID-19 can feel frustrating, disconcerting, and overwhelming. As we collectively tackle the challenges that this disease presents, we want to emphasize resources available to our campus community:

We are committed to supporting our students, faculty, staff, and community members as we prepare for and respond to this constantly evolving situation.