COVID-19 Policy and Protocols

COVID-19 guidelines include important information about student access to, or return to, campus in light of the spread of COVID-19 beginning in 2020. This policy describes the rights and responsibilities of all campus community representatives, including students, as we work together to manage the challenge of COVID-19.

These materials supersede all other documents or representations unless amended, supplemented or modified by a document in writing and signed by the Vice President for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer. Please direct any questions to Dean of Students Office (deanofstudents@sxu.edu).

The information set forth is subject to being updated to reflect changing conditions and public health guidance.

The University campus community recognizes that the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, creates challenges and poses risks to the health and safety of everyone in our community. Consistent with its mission and core values, Saint Xavier University seeks first and foremost to help protect the well-being of our community and the community at large, including our students, faculty, staff, families, visitors, and the public with which we interact.

COVID-19 continues to evolve as does our understanding of the disease, the risk of its community transmission, and the vaccinations and medications that can reduce the risks it poses to individuals and the broader community. As such, the measures we will need to take to protect ourselves and each other will continue to evolve. We understand that COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that was declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. It was responsible for the temporary alteration of on-campus operations during spring semester of 2020 at Saint Xavier University (as part of the general shutdown of businesses and public services deemed essential to address the rapid spread of the virus throughout the United States since March of 2020). Over time and with emerging resistance to the disease that resulted from vaccination and prior infections, Saint Xavier University returned to more normal in-person interactions while continuing to follow public health guidance regarding masking and other prudent measures to reduce the risk that the disease will be transmitted on our campus.

The following policy language, reflected in the University's Informed Consent and University Guidelines, describes the roles that the University will play to reduce, monitor, and respond to potential spread of this disease. These will be continuing and evolving measures -- as the nature of the virus and its spread, evolving public health guidance, and our tools for managing this challenge will necessarily change over time. This policy also describes the general and specific responsibilities of students in the common effort to help protect the community's safety.

University Roles and Responsibilities

University Guidelines and the measures that are used are all subject to update as public health guidance changes and more is learned about effective management of the COVID-19 risk.

Specifically, the University plans to do the following:

Student Roles and Responsibilities

Students also play a critical, ongoing role in promoting the safety of our campus environment and in protecting themselves and each other from exposure to COVID-19.

The University directs and expects all incoming and returning Saint Xavier University students to do the following:

The University reserves the right to take corrective action against individuals who fail to fulfill these responsibilities or comply with a reasonable health and safety directive from the University.

Circumstances like COVID-19 (e.g., COVID-19, personnel interruptions, etc.) may require the University to change or alter its programs or services in the best interests of students, employees, and other members of the University community. These changes may appropriately include, but are not limited to: (1) changing, postponing, or eliminating academic course offerings, program requirements, services, or access to facilities; (2) changes or adjustments to the method and timing of delivering course content or services, including conversion of some or all coursework to remote instruction; (3) assignment or reassignment of faculty and staff to particular coursework, advisory functions, or other work with students; (4) modification of semester schedules, examination schedules, clinical assignments, grading protocols, or other academic policies or practices; (5) implementation of vaccination, testing, masking, and/or other requirements as a condition of continued participation in some of all University programs or activities; or (6) additional adjustments to academic or other policies, procedures, and standards of the University deemed to be in the best interests of students and the campus community. Tuition and fees are in exchange for learning, academic credit, and certain non-academic services that will be provided whether remotely, in a hybrid environment, or entirely remotely.

The University will continue to communicate as appropriate with the entire campus community, including students, as circumstances change, and the University reserves the right to modify these directives or the information set forth in the Informed Consent and University Guidelines to address changing circumstances.

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