The following factors will be considered to assess the public health conditions on campus and guide the College’s response. No single factor or set of factors will trigger an automatic response. Decisions about setting alert levels are necessarily situational — 10 unrelated cases pose a different risk from 10 related cases, for example — and will be made in close consultation with Knox Public Health.
- New confirmed cases on campus per week
- Numbers in quarantine/isolation
- Availability of testing
- Lag in obtaining test results
- Ability to provide essential services: Staffing for Cox Center, Campus Safety, Dining, Facilities, LBIS
Other factors for consideration:
- Regulatory guidance
- County emergency level
- Relationship among positive cases
- Number of hospitalizations
- Local hospital capacity
- Resource shortages (food, cleaning supplies, PPE)
- Arrivals and departures
Alert Status and Response Chart
View or download a PDF of the chart. The alert levels and protocols are also described below.
Employee Status: As per Return to Campus Protocols (RTCP)
Academic Delivery: In-person/hybrid/remote at faculty request
Academic Buildings: Open with restrictions
Library: Study spaces, library and information service available to students and employees with restrictions
Residence Halls: Open only to building residents with specific distancing and sanitation protocols
Dining: Limited to staggered sit-down and to-go options
Support Spaces: Open with restrictions
Athletic Facilities: Open with restrictions Admissions: Limited tours possible
Gund Gallery: Limited hours with capacity limits
Outside Spaces: In use — mask if no spacing
Visitors: Admissions visitors, approved official visitors, essential service providers, job finalists
Employee Status: As per Return to Campus Protocols (RTCP)
Academic Delivery: In-person/hybrid/remote at faculty request
Academic Buildings: Open with restrictions. Study spaces more restricted.
Library: Study spaces, library and information service available to students and employees with more restricted hours
Residence Halls: Open only to building residents with specific distancing and sanitation protocols
Dining: To-go
Support Spaces: Open with restrictions
Athletic Facilities: Closed
Admissions: No tours
Gund Gallery: Limited hours with capacity limits
Outside Spaces: In use — mask if no spacing
Visitors: Essential service providers; job finalists for essential positions only
Employee Status: Only essential personnel report to campus in accordance with Return to Campus Protocols (RTCP)
Academic Delivery: Remote
Academic Buildings: Closed (Those faculty, staff and students authorized to use the building may key themselves in.)
Library: Closed (Staff may access the physical facilities to undertake essential activities.)
Residence Halls: Quarantine on campus or closing of residence halls
Dining: To-go/delivery
Support Spaces: Closed
Athletic Facilities: Closed
Admissions: No tours
Gund Gallery: Closed
Outside Spaces: Restricted
Visitors: Essential service providers; job finalists for essential positions only