Troy University is getting closer to a pre-pandemic normal with the latest set of guidelines pertaining to COVID-19.

“Beginning this fall, what we’ve done is we’ve taken a position that we will follow the guidelines and recommendations from the CDC,” says Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Lance Tatum. “So there are no special exceptions or considerations to make at a state level or local level. In all practical purposes we are as close to a pre-COVID condition that we’ve been since the spring of 2020.

One of the biggest changes to university policy relates to individuals who have been exposed to COVID but have had no positive tests.

“The most significant change in our procedure is that in the past if a student faculty or staff member was exposed to someone who was positive with the COVID-19 virus then they would fill out a form through the dean of students and they would go into a quarantine situation and that period of quarantine would be considered an excused absence or an illness day for the faculty and staff,” says Tatum. “Moving forward we will not require those who are exposed, per CDC guidelines, to quarantine. What we’re following is the CDC’s guidelines of wearing a quality mask and being mindful of your symptoms and if you start feeling bad then don’t come to class and don’t come to work.”

If a student tests positive, the procedures are still in place for reporting to the university.

“If a student tests positive then what they would do is they would fill out the form through the dean of student services office,” says Tatum. “And the days that they are out because of their positive status would be excused as a sick day. The amount of days that are part of that excused period are per the CDC guidelines and they’ve pushed that down to five days.”

For the full story watch Claudia’s report.