UAT COVID-19 SAFETY POLICY

UAT COVID-19 Safety Policy

The UAT COVID-19 Return to Work and COVID-19 Safety policies have been revised to reflect updated mask guidance. Details can be found below and on the UAT Policy Page.

COVID-19 Return to Work Policy

In order to keep our staff and students as safe as possible, UAT is implementing several safety precautions as recommended by the CDC. All employees are required to agree and follow these measures before coming onto campus each day.

Before coming to campus:

• You will not come to work if you are feeling sick or unwell.
• If you have had a fever of 100.4° F, you will not return to work until you have been fever-free for 72 hours.
• If you have been exposed to another person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you will quarantine from the individual and not return to campus for 10 days from the time you were exposed. At the end of the 10 days, you will need to produce a negative test in order to return to work. Show this test to your manager so they may approve your return.
• Quarantine if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 10 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you will isolate for 14 days after symptoms first appeared. After the 14-day period, and if 24 hours have passed without a fever and without the help of fever-reducing medications and if key symptoms, like coughing and shortness of breath, have improved, you can return to work after a second test returns with negative results.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and are seriously ill, you will need to quarantine for 20 days. At the end of the 20 days, you may return to campus after providing a negative test.

While on campus:

• You will walk through the temperature check station each time you enter the building. For people who have an elevated temperature during the check, you will be asked to wait in a room to cool down and have a second check completed. If your temperature has not returned to normal, you will immediately leave campus and follow the above 72-hour fever-free requirement.
• You will maintain appropriate social distancing from other people when on UAT’s campus.
• Masks are recommended for all staff, faculty, and service partners on campus. If you would like a reusable mask, UAT has masks for sale in the Bindery, and all proceeds go directly to a COVID-19 relief fund for our online students.
• You will wash your hands often including every time you use the bathroom, eat food, or interact with publicly used equipment.
• You will use sanitizing wipes or cleaner on your desk/work area after another employee or student has been in the vicinity of your work area as well as at the end of your shift each day.
• You will hold meetings via Teams or Zoom if proper social distancing cannot be maintained due to spacing constraints.

By agreeing to each of the above terms, you are helping to keep UAT a safe environment for our students and employees and we thank you for your assistance. UAT cannot guarantee that the building will remain illness free, and we ask all employees to act responsibly and keep the safety and health of the overall UAT community in mind. 

COVID-19 Safety Policy

The University of Advancing Technology is committed to taking a safe and measured approach to COVID-19 safety.

Masks are recommended for all staff, faculty, and service partners on campus. Employees and visitors are expected to pass through a temperature check as they enter campus and follow social distancing measures.

Any violations to this policy are a violation of the Student and Employee Code of Conduct and may result in expulsion of students from the University or termination of employment for employees and or a termination of contract with vendors.

FACE COVERINGS

Masks are encouraged on the UAT campus in a common areas, while walking around campus, or when you are not able to socially distance.

TEMPERATURE CHECK

Any person who enters UAT’s main building will be required to walk through a temperature scanner. This scanner tests a person’s surface body temperature. As we are situated in Tempe, we are aware that a surface body temperature may read artificially high. Therefore, the following procedures are in place:

• If a person receives a red box (indicating a high body temperature), they will need to sit in the cool down room (the front conference room of the Portal) for approximately 10 minutes and recheck their temperature again.
• If the person’s temperature is still high, they are required to leave UAT immediately and not return until they can produce a negative active COVID-19 test and have been fever free for 72 hours.
• If the person is a student who lives in the dorms, they are to immediately report to an RA on duty to be moved to an isolated room away from others.
• Any person who tests with a high temperature will be required to obtain an active COVID-19 test and remain isolated until a negative COVID-19 test is produced, and they are fever free for 72 hours.

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

There are many COVID-19 symptoms that vary person to person. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 may include any of the following:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Nausea, committing, and diarrhea
• Muscle aches
• Unexplained loss of sense of smell and/or taste

This policy is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

August 5, 2021 Update

Due to the everchanging COVID landscape, UAT will be bringing back some of our COVID precautions. Effective August 5, 2021, masks will be required on campus. This means that if you are in a common area, walking around campus, or not able to socially distance, you need to be wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth. If you are at your desk and able to socially distance, you may remove your mask.

COVID-19 testing centers are spread throughout the county.  Please research the testing center that you feel most comfortable with to obtain a test.  Most testing centers require an appointment prior to testing and are fully covered through your insurance.

We would encourage everyone to take their own health seriously. As a reminder, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

June 22, 2021 Update

Effective June 22, 2021, wearing a mask on UAT's campus is optional. Governor Ducey previously mandated that public schools, including Universities, cannot mandate masks. While we are a private University, we have decided to abide by this decree and lift the mask mandate as well. 

Effective June 18, 2020

The University of Advancing Technology is committed to taking a safe and measured approach to COVID-19 safety.  For the foreseeable future, UAT will host the majority of classes in a virtual environment.  UAT’s dorms, main building and food services remain open to students who currently reside in Founder’s Hall, select vendors necessary for University operations and the few employees cleared to work on campus. No other visitors or non-students are allowed on campus without prior approval from the University’s Organizational Development Department.

All persons on UAT’s property are required to wear a face covering that covers nose and mouth (ie: face shield or mask), pass through the East door in the south of the building to go through a temperature check and follow social distancing measures.  No unauthorized visitors or guests are permitted on UAT’s property. If a visitor or guest refuses to leave, police will be called for a trespassing violation.

Any violations to this policy are a violation of the Student and Employee Code of Conduct and may result in expulsion of students from the University or termination of employment for employees and or a termination of contract with vendors.

Face Coverings

UAT is requiring all students, faculty, staff and in person vendors to wear a face mask, face covering or face shield when on campus.  This includes; UAT dorms (when outside their bedroom), UAT’s main building and all outdoor spaces.

If an employee or student are alone in their dorm room, office or desk, or eating in the café or employee break room, face coverings may be removed, so long as the student/employee are at least 6 feet away from others.  When possible, students/employees should remain more than 6 feet away from each other when face coverings are not in use.

If a student, employee or vendor do not have a mask, a disposable mask will be provided.

Temperature Check

Any person who enters UAT’s main building will be required to walk through a temperature scanner.  This scanner tests a person’s surface body temperature.  As we are situated in Tempe, we are aware that a surface body temperature may read artificially high.  Therefore, the following procedures are in place:

• If a person receives a red box (indicating a high body temperature), they will need to sit in the cool down room (the front conference room of the Portal) for approximately 10 minutes and recheck their temperature again.
• If the person’s temperature is still high, they are required to leave UAT immediately and not return until they can produce a negative active COVID-19 test and have been fever free for 72 hours.
• If the person is a student who lives in the dorms, they are to immediately report to an RA on duty to be moved to an isolated room away from others.
• Any person who tests with a high temperature will be required to obtain an active COVID-19 test and remain isolated until a negative COVID-19 test is produced, and they are fever free for 72 hours.

Social Distancing

All people on UAT’s campus are required to social distance.  This means no one should be within 6 feet of another person at any time. The following measures are put in place to help everyone to social distance:

• The Theater seats have been marked with sheets of paper to keep open seats a minimum of 6 feet away from one another.
• Stickers have been placed on common area floors to demonstrate 6 feet of distance when waiting in lines.
• Café tables and computer commons computers have been distanced a minimum of 6 feet so social distancing is available in these areas.
• Classrooms have been locked to encourage students to work in open areas.
• When on campus classes return, a maximum of 10 people will be allowed in classrooms at one time (the Theater will allow for a maximum of 25 people at one time), classes may be staggered and students may choose to continue to stay home and attend classes virtually.

COVID-19 Symptoms

There are many COVID-19 symptoms that vary person to person. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 may include any of the following:

• Fever (≥100.4 F)
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Muscle aches
• Unexplained loss of sense of smell and/or taste

This policy is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which makes clear that face coverings, in addition to social distancing measures, are among the most effective strategies in limiting the spread of COVID-19.