Protect Purdue guidance on fall departure, transition to remote instruction and winter break procedures

November 12, 2020

Flyer summarizing campus departure guidance (PDF)

In preparation for the upcoming transition to remote instruction, Thanksgiving holiday, and winter break period, the University provides the following guidance for all students, faculty and staff on the West Lafayette campus. 

Remote instruction and final exams

  • Virtually all face-to-face instruction ends Nov. 24; the balance of the semester (including the final exam period) will be conducted remotely.
  • Before leaving campus for Thanksgiving, students should ensure they know how their courses will operate for the final two weeks of the semester and should stay engaged with instructors and course materials during this period.  
  • Students should make a plan now for completing online final exams and should test their technology set up in advance of final exam week; if any technical challenges are anticipated, let your instructors know in advance. The ITaP Customer Service Center is available at itap@purdue.edu or 765-494-4000 to provide assistance with technical issues. 
  • Special note: If you have a Chromebook that you plan to use for taking final exams, please be aware that Respondus Monitor and Respondus Lockdown Browser will not work with Brightspace on a Chromebook laptop. Please contact your instructor for alternative arrangements if you are in this situation.
  • Students are also encouraged to use the Learning Remotely resources at the Academic Success Center (ASC), including information on internet resources. The ASC is offering a Finals Game Plan workshops to help students prepare for a successful finals week.  

Employee work arrangements

  • Employee working arrangements (on-campus, hybrid or remote) will continue to be at the discretion of unit leaders.
  • Depending on the need for on-campus support, departments may consider moving some employees from hybrid to remote while students are away from campus. This decision should be made on a departmental, case-by-case basis based on operational needs.

Surveillance testing

  • Student random surveillance testing for the fall 2020 semester concluded Nov. 13. 
  • Employee random surveillance testing for the fall 2020 semester concluded Nov. 20. 
  • Weekly testing of critical on-campus employees (including police, fire, medical, utility operators and others) will continue through November, December and January. 

Pre-departure COVID-19 testing

  • Purdue is committed to helping students return home safely and helping any Boilermaker traveling over the holidays make a plan for COVID-19 testing before departure if desired.
  • For any student or employee who wishes to be tested on campus, the Protect Purdue Health Center will offer expanded capacity for testing at TREC starting Nov. 14. Results from on-campus testing are typically returned within approximately 48-72 hours. Schedule a test with PPHC here. (Note: Departure testing has concluded.)
  • Because of the point-in-time nature of a COVID-19 test, individuals who plan to travel outside the Greater Lafayette area may also consider scheduling a test at a no-cost local site at their destination immediately upon arrival. 

Move-out

  • Information and procedures for students moving out of University Residences is available here. 

Precautions while away from campus

  • All Boilermakers are expected to continue to follow the Protect Purdue Pledge and the University COVID-19 travel policy while away from campus, including masking, social distancing and monitoring daily for symptoms. 

Protect Purdue Health Center and campus quarantine/isolation facility availability 

  • The Protect Purdue Health Center will continue to be available 24/7 by phone at 765-496-INFO (4636) or toll-free at 833-571-1043. All students, faculty and staff should report any COVID-19 symptoms or exposure to PPHC, including while away from campus. 
  • COVID-19 testing will continue to be available daily on campus with the exception of limited holiday closures.
  • Campus quarantine and isolation space will continue to be available through the remainder of the fall semester and over winter break for those who need to utilize it. Contact tracing also will continue.
  • The COVID-19 dashboard will temporarily transition to a modified reporting schedule. 

Returning to campus between Thanksgiving and Winter Recess

  • Those who have traveled outside the Greater Lafayette area for Thanksgiving should consider whether or not to self-quarantine for 14 days and/or be tested for COVID-19 upon return and prior to physical presence on campus, given the current prevalence of the virus at points of travel and activities at their destinations. Anyone returning to campus after Thanksgiving who may have been in a situation that raises the risk of contracting COVID-19, such as spending time indoors in close contact with others without masks or social distancing is encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 upon their return to campus. 
  • Residential halls and dining courts will remain open for students with contracts who need to return to campus after Thanksgiving.
  • Other campus building hours may be limited. 

Return-to-campus student COVID-19 testing for spring 2021 semester

  • Purdue will require a COVID-19 test for all residential students planning to be on-campus for the spring 2021 semester within 14 days before returning to campus. 
  • Students currently living in University Residences or a Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life (FSCL) house who will return to campus for the spring semester will need to pick up an at-home COVID-19 test kit before departing campus. Students will receive an email detailing the pickup process from University Residences or Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life. 
  • All other residential students will be tested for COVID-19 by the Protect Purdue Health Center upon return to campus ahead of the spring 2021 semester. 
  • Important note: Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 on or after Oct. 21, 2020, (i.e., within 90 days of the first day of spring classes on Jan. 19, 2021) do not need to complete return-to-campus testing. Per CDC testing guidelines, anyone who has tested positive should not be tested again within 90 days.
  • Full details on student return-to-campus testing are available on the Protect Purdue site.
  • At this time, there is no required return-to-campus testing for employees ahead of the start of the spring semester on Jan. 19, 2021. 

Quarantine requirements for students arriving for the spring semester from outside the United States 

  • Students arriving from international locations before the start of the spring semester must self-quarantine for 14 days, be tested for COVID-19 and be cleared for campus access by the Protect Purdue Health Center before moving into a residence hall or Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life housing and/or beginning any on-campus programming or classes.
  • A limited amount of university space will be available for self-quarantine. Details on how to reserve this space and any associated costs will be available soon on the Protect Purdue website.