All rooms in IU’s residence halls will be single occupancy, but with a rigorous exemption process available for students who may wish to choose their own roommate.
With the fall semester on Indiana University’s campuses fast approaching and slated to begin on Aug. 24, we’ve had a lot of questions submitted to our City Limits: Coronavirus series regarding what that will look like for the returning students. One person wrote in wondering what the responsibility of the resident assistants, or RAs, in the dorms would be regarding contact tracing.
IU President Michael McRobbie said in a statement that all rooms in IU’s residence halls will be single occupancy, but with a rigorous exemption process available for students who may wish to choose their own roommate.
Kirk White is assistant vice president for strategic partnerships at Indiana University.
“RAs have a responsibility to support students no matter the situation, and this is no exception," he says.
However, he goes on to say that IU will do contact tracing in cooperation with state and local authorities and it’s not going to be all the responsibility of residential program services.
McRobbie’s statement continues by stating that IU will thoroughly and comprehensively implement essential policies and procedures for all campuses regarding cleaning protocols, room capacities, distancing, personal responsibilities, and research in labs and shared spaces.
These are designed to provide a safe working and educational environment when students, staff and faculty resume activities on campus.
McRobbie says the protocols draw heavily on CDC and state guidelines, as well as medical and health expert advice. The guidelines will continue to evolve along with best practices, and the exact advice for the fall semester will be finalized closer to its start.
His statement says best practices will include the use of masks, continued social distancing, quarantining where necessary, reduced class sizes, modified food service and regular personal symptom checking. IU’s White also says every student on campus will be issued a reusable mask to help prevent the possibility of spreading COVID-19.
IU implemented a new system June 1 wherein any member of the IU community who believes they have symptoms of COVID-19 can access a comprehensive process through One.IU that will screen, review and, whenever medically appropriate, test students, staff and faculty for the virus.
The screening elements of this service will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to all students, staff and faculty even if not in Indiana.
