Illinois Phase 4 Reopening: Campus Update

June 26, 2020
John Williams
Interim College President

The governor of Illinois has announced the next step in “Reopening Illinois.” Today, June 26, the state will transition to Phase 4, which enables most businesses and other activities to open to the public, but with capacity, social distancing, and masking requirements. Phase 4 also permits schools and colleges to resume face-to-face instruction. The reopening entails guidelines for safe and healthy practices. Basic guidelines can be found on the Illinois state website.

First and foremost, let us remember where we look for guidance as we respect our neighbors, rely on God, and follow the requirements of governmental authorities. “Let us reassure ourselves with the law of Love” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 384).

Please remember that the Illinois Phase 4 guidelines are not the same as guidelines for St. Louis County, Missouri, where the School and Business Office are located.

The College campus will continue on an “Open but Restricted” status, with two important expansions. We recognize that our remaining restrictions continue to be more stringent than what the state expects as we prepare to open the campus for face-to-face instruction in the fall. The state is working with higher education groups to design and implement appropriate guidelines for fall instruction. Think of the process we are using as a “soft opening.” 

The first expansion under Phase 4 is opening of the campus to employees and families for recreational purposes, such as walking, running, and bicycling. We will continue to be closed to visitors, including our friends from the surrounding communities.

The second expansion is those living in residential housing on campus will be permitted to host non-resident family members, even for short stays. 

Consistent with the practices of other colleges in the state, we are not opening the campus to those who are not employees, residents, or family members.

The College administration has two equally important tasks: to provide for the safety and health of our students and employees and to provide a quality undergraduate education for our students. To achieve these goals, the College is engaged in a “slow rollout.” For example, Dining Services announced expanded take-out service to students, employees, and campus residents and their families earlier this week. The Athletics Department will be announcing the phased reopening of exercise rooms and indoor recreational spaces early next week.

Our goals are to learn how to reduce unnecessary excess capacity and traffic; to assess appropriate capacity and social distancing; to identify needs and procedures for cleaning, including daily “deep cleaning” of spaces and facilities; to identify the need for physical barriers; to identify the need for additional air circulation and filtration; and to identify opportunities to employ technology in instruction and administration. 

This means that the College is open for ongoing operations of the institution during the summer, including activities such as research, course preparation, program development, administrative tasks, and facilities maintenance and improvement. Those who are able to work remotely are encouraged to do so.

Our slow reopening is a process of learning and preparing to receive our students for in-person instruction in the fall. It will be obvious that we are not opening the campus and facilities (such as Dining Services) as fast as permitted by the guidelines that you might experience around the St. Louis region. Other private colleges and universities in Illinois, such as Blackburn, Knox, Quincy, and Rockford, are approaching reopening with similar caution.

Restrictions to access of campus buildings will continue:

• Office and classroom buildings are restricted to those working in the buildings or needing to conduct business in person in those buildings; this means that family members may not visit offices or workplaces.
• Student dormitories are restricted to residents of the specific dormitory and employees who need to work in those buildings; this means that visitors and guests are not permitted in dorms.
• Mail and Copy Services, Dining Room, Pub, and C-Store (see Watercooler, 6/23/20) are open for students, employees, residents, and their families; please follow all guidelines posted, including wearing face coverings in spaces where six feet social distancing is not possible.

Let me remind you of some of our rules that are informed by the Phase 3 and 4 regulations:

• All business should be conducted remotely, if possible.
• If you are ill or have symptoms of an illness, please stay at home.
• Maintain social distance of at least six feet.
• Face coverings should be worn when unable to maintain six feet of spacing, especially indoors.
• Face coverings should be worn in hallways and in offices where there is more than one person.
• Limit office capacity to 50 percent of normal capacity, or to a single person, if possible.
• Minimize number and length of in-person meetings.
• Avoid walk-in traffic and encourage making prior arrangements for visits.

We all need to reduce opportunities for contact or exposure and to facilitate contact tracing should an employee or student have symptoms. We seek to rely on God, obey the law, and respect our neighbors through Christian behavior.  

Principia College will follow the state regulations, strive to follow state guidelines and recommended practices, and will open cautiously. We encourage respect for the concern of others. Our ability to work within these guidelines will help guide us as we transition to our goal of in-person teaching in the fall semester.