In response to the rise in COVID-19 positive cases in the seminary as well as in Ottawa County, the following guidelines will be in effect from Monday, November 29 through Tuesday, December 21.
The seminary will close beginning Wednesday, December 22 for the Christmas holiday.
Please follow these guidelines regardless of your vaccination status.
CLASSES AND ABBEY GROUPS
All classes will continue to be held in person; however, a synchronous Zoom format will be provided as well. Students, you should attend class via Zoom if you are
-
- in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure
- symptomatic of COVID-19 or any illness
- immunocompromised and therefore at higher risk
- asymptomatic but aware of possible COVID-19 exposure (e.g., you attended a gathering or traveled where COVID precautions were not followed). Please participate via Zoom for 3-5 days after possible exposure while you monitor your symptoms.
If these cases do not pertain to you, you are encouraged to attend classes in person.
Abbey groups will move to Google Meet. Students, please watch for communication from your professor.
CHAPEL AND COMMUNITY TIME
Chapel will continue to be held in person in Mulder Chapel, but seating will be decreased to provide more distance between attendees. If you are symptomatic of COVID-19 or any illness, or aware of possible COVID exposure, please do not attend chapel.
Community Time will continue to be held in person in the Atrium. Please maintain distance from others as much as possible. If you are symptomatic of COVID-19 or any illness, or asymptomatic but aware of possible COVID-19 exposure, please do not attend community time.
EMPLOYEES
Employees should work and meet remotely if they are
-
- in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure
- symptomatic of COVID-19 or any illness
- immunocompromised and therefore at higher risk
- asymptomatic but aware of possible COVID-19 exposure (e.g., you attended a gathering or traveled where COVID precautions were not followed). Please participate via Zoom for 3-5 days after possible exposure while you monitor your symptoms.
If these cases do not pertain to you, you may choose to work on campus or remotely. Please discuss your plans with your supervisor.
CONTINUE PREVENTION PRACTICES
Masks must be worn in the seminary building, unless you are alone in a private office or meeting/study room. Please monitor your health, use hand sanitizer, and maintain distance from others.
VACCINATION STRONGLY ENCOURAGED
As a reminder, the seminary’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy strongly encourages all employees and students to become fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, please consider getting the booster vaccine.
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the health and safety of all members of the seminary community. By God’s grace, and your thoughtful actions, we will one day see the end of the pandemic.
Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Workplace Coordinator
Rayetta Perez
Director of Administration and Human Resources
616 392.8555 x103
COVID-19 Safety Coordinator
David Becker
Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds
616 392.8555 x138
If you are sick
STUDENTS
If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19, please consult with your physician and complete a COVID test if it is prescribed. Do not attend class or enter the seminary. You may resume class attendance after you have completed the required isolation or quarantine period.
If you are sick with non-COVID symptoms, do not attend class or enter the seminary. You may resume class attendance after you have fully recovered from your illness.
Please notify your professors to request support during your absence from class.
EMPLOYEES
If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19, please consult with your physician and complete a COVID test if it is prescribed. You may return to work after you have completed the required isolation or quarantine period. If you are sick with non-COVID symptoms, please work remotely and return to work after you have recovered and are free of symptoms.
If you test positive for or if you are exposed to Covid-19
If an employee or student receives a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, all responses to that individual will demonstrate the care and support of the seminary community.
- If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 (if you test positive), please contact Rayetta Perez, Director of Administration and Human Resources.
- If you must quarantine because you are a contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19, please contact Rayetta Perez, Director of Administration and Human Resources.
- All positive diagnoses will be reported to the Ottawa County Department of Public Health (OCDPH). OCDPH will advise the seminary’s response and care for the individual.
- The seminary will communicate the appropriate level of information to both protect the privacy of the infected individual and to protect the health of those who may have been exposed.
- Accommodations for missed work or class time will be made to the fullest extent possible.
Isolation and Quarantine
In the case of a positive diagnosis, individuals may be required to isolate or quarantine for a period of time during their recovery. “Isolation” refers to infected individuals while “quarantine” refers to contacts of infected individuals.
The response to each situation will be determined on a case-by-case basis, since there are often numerous variables to evaluate. OCDPH will be in contact with WTS when they become aware of a case involving Western Theological Seminary and will work side-by-side with the appropriate WTS staff.
Current guidance from the Ottawa County Health Department is available here.
Do I have to wear a mask while I’m at the seminary for work or study?
Until further notice, all persons inside the seminary facility must wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status
- when gathering indoors for class, chapel, community time, and in shared spaces (Cook Library, hallways and bathrooms)
- in meetings of 2 or more people in a confined indoor space where 6ft distance cannot be maintained between participants.
All classrooms will be configured to provide distancing between students.
When food or beverages are served indoors, 6ft distance from others must be maintained while masks are removed to eat or drink.
When am I considered fully vaccinated?
You are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
Do I have to prove my COVID vaccination status?
Not at this time.
To preserve the seminary’s safe working and learning conditions, please
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Follow CDC isolation and quarantine guidelines if you are not fully vaccinated and test positive, become symptomatic, or are exposed to COVID-19.
- Be prepared to wear a mask and maintain distance in meetings and classrooms with immuno-compromised individuals.
Do I still need to use the Sign In App?
No, you are no longer required to use the Sign In App upon entry to the building.
Are virtual meetings still required?
Meetings may be held in person or virtually at the discretion of the manager or department.
Is distancing required for in-person meetings?
Yes, distancing is recommended but not required for in-person meetings. In a confined space where distance cannot be maintained, you must wear a mask.
Are visitors allowed in the building?
Yes, visitors are allowed in the building and Cook Library is open to the public.
Is there a size limit for indoor gatherings at the seminary?
The size of indoor gatherings on campus depends on the amount of distancing possible.
Is WTS restricting personal or business travel?
No, the seminary is not restricting travel. Please follow guidance from the CDC before and after domestic and international travel.
Does the seminary have a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan?
Yes. The COVID-19 Preparedness Plan is available here.
The CARES Act for Students and HEERF ACT
THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which provided colleges and universities funds for student emergency grants.
The Seminary received $36,595 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds in three distributions of which $24,397 went directly to students in the form of financial grants for expenses students incurred related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. Expenses include things like technology, health care, course materials, rent, food, child care, or moving fees.
ALLOCATING FUNDS
How is Western Theological Seminary allocating the CARES Act funds?
The Department of Education encouraged institutions to distribute the CARES Act funds as widely as possible while prioritizing students with the greatest need. WTS allocated $12,198 and an additional $12,199 as standard relief grants to all residential students who qualified for Federal financial aid as verified by the ISIR report which was generated by the successful completion of a FAFSA application. As residential students face the greatest disruption of their educational pursuits because of COVID, they were the only WTS students eligible for these funds.
GRANT ELIGIBILITY
Who is eligible for the WTS CARES Grant?
The U.S. Department of Education determined that only students who met basic federal student aid eligibility criteria could be considered for CARES Act funds. To ensure this, only students who filed a 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and maintained a half time status for the fall 2020 semester were eligible. We estimate that approximately 30 WTS students were eligible to receive CARES Act funds.
DISTRIBUTING FUNDS
When and how will I receive the WTS CARES Grant?
If WTS had your 2020-2021 ISIR report on file and you were enrolled for 6 or more credit hours for the fall 2020 semester, you automatically received a grant in the month of December 2020 in the amount of $400 and an additional grant of $450 in February.
