Updates to Current Isolation and Quarantine Practices
Over the summer, we shared Arrival and Return to Gonzaga plans that included information about public health requirements and protocols being put into place for our campus community. Part of this communication was the acknowledgement on the part of our students of potential risk associated with returning to campus and the agreement of certain expectations to keep our community as safe and healthy as possible.
Prior to the start of the fall semester, we also shared plans for student support, which were informed by Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) and other health care partners. The models we developed have served us well thus far, in large part because our students and families have worked with us to uphold these recommendations. Managing isolation and quarantine spaces for the past few months has taught us a great deal about what works well and where the gaps may be. As you know, we have implemented continuous improvement plans to make improvements that better serve the needs of our students who move into isolation or quarantine. There have only been a small number of incidences where students have made decisions in contradiction to the direction we provided – direction that has been approved by the local health authority and is in the best interest of protecting our campus community. We are so proud of our students and families for working in partnership with us to make these situations a success.
Throughout the fall, our primary goal has been to protect the health and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff. Our policies have been carefully developed, and we never want students and families to feel like
they are without options or choices, especially during such a stressful time. Accordingly, we have recently developed new guidance that includes possible options for moving off-campus or returning home for isolation or quarantine. This will allow Gonzaga to uphold COVID-19 public health guidelines while also providing students, and families, more options to consider.