COVID-19 weekly update from App State’s Project Management Implementation Team (PMIT) week of July 13 - 17

Posted 07/20/20 at 5:40 p.m.

App State’s Project Management and Implementation Team provides a weekly progress report to campus from the teams across campus preparing for resuming daily operations, the start of the fall 2020 semester and beyond.

Broad-based educational programming regarding public health, COVID-19 safety and community expectations:

As we prepare for the first day of classes on Aug. 17, it will be critically important for all our students, faculty and staff to come together as a community and embrace public health and safety standards together. One important component of this will be educational training.

All students, faculty and staff will be expected to complete educational training courses about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 before returning to campus.

Links to the courses and completion instructions will be emailed to campus community members in late July. 

Below is some preliminary information about the trainings.

Educational training for students  

The students’ course, available through AsULearn, was developed by the Wellness and Prevention Services team led by Dr. Alex Howard, who holds a doctorate degree in public health. The course consists of four modules, each ending with a knowledge check. Students need to pass each module separately with at least a 90% score, in addition to having a collective score of at least 90%. The course includes pre-test and post-test surveys of their knowledge, as well as tips for safe ways to connect with their peers during the semester and links to additional resources.

The student course includes information on the following:

• An introduction to the coronavirus and the disease it causes.

• How to protect yourself and others.

• How to seek help if needed.

• Contact tracing and other public health guidance.

• Community expectations for caring for one another and keeping each other safe.

Educational training for employees 

Employees’ COVID-19 course is among online health and safety courses presented by Vivid Learn Systems through Appalachian’s Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Services. The course begins by addressing pandemics in general and then offers specific information on the coronavirus and COVID-19. It includes a knowledge check after each part and an assessment at the end.

The employee course emphasizes:

• An introduction to the coronavirus and the disease it causes.

• How to protect yourself and others.

• Who is at risk.

Communications and updates:

• Technology for fall semester and beyond: On July 16, Information Technology Services (ITS) shared an update with students about technology for the fall semester and beyond, including online computer labs, laptop recommendations and more. Read the update here.   

• PMIT weekly update, week of July 6-12: In our last update, we shared answers to trending questions about preparing for fall 2020, information on the employee high-risk identification form, and information on campus health and safety signage. Read the update here.

• Coronavirus updates: As a reminder, App State’s coronavirus website includes the latest updates from Chancellor Everts, updates related to returning to campus, and a positive case dashboard with COVID-19 test results. The dashboard shows a breakdown of active cases as well as cumulative cases. 

• Read the latest updates and additional information here.

• View the positive and active case count dashboard here. 

• If you have questions, comments and suggestions, submit these to the PMIT via the “Submit a question” form on the Continuity in the time of COVID-19 site. 

Information coming soon:

• Updated fall schedules and course delivery information.

• A student life webpage with fall 2020 information about housing, dining, student services and more. 

• Campus building operations for fall semester.

• University events and venues that invite public participation.

• Additional answers to trending questions, comments and suggestions submitted via the “Submit a question” form on the Continuity in the time of COVID-19 site.