Health and Safety

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Personal Safety Practices

Mandatory Daily Self-Screening

CMU requires all faculty, staff and students to self-screen each day for symptoms of COVID-19 before coming to CMU's main campus or other satellite location or participating in CMU-sponsored activities.

Every member of the university community, including students, faculty, staff and visitors, is required to monitor their symptoms daily before coming to campus. Remember, people can spread the virus before they even know they are sick, so it is important to take steps to protect yourself and others.

Individuals without symptoms may still be COVID-19 positive, potentially spreading the virus to contacts. Please remember to adhere to all other health and safety measures, including social distancing, wearing a face covering or mask, and washing your hands.

We all must take responsibility to protect ourselves and others.

Travel Precautions

Travel for university purposes remains suspended until further notice, unless it is deemed essential by the appropriate division vice president. CMU travel permissions, when granted, will follow federal and state restrictions and the advice of CMU Health, as informed by recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly when travel includes visiting any identified high-risk location.

All travelers should carefully review and adhere to the CDC guidelines and recommendations related to travel, which can be found at the CDC travel website.

Before traveling, students, faculty and staff should carefully consider how their trip may impact the health and safety of their classmates, colleagues, friends and families. Please refrain from participating in high-risk activities and remember to wear a mask, wash your hands often and practice social distancing.

CMU does not require travelers to quarantine following domestic; however, travelers are encouraged to get tested before and after traveling outside of Michigan.

• Students, faculty and staff may be tested through CMU’s surveillance testing program.
• Testing before and after travel can reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
• Testing does not eliminate all risk, but when paired with a period of staying at home and precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at travelers’ destinations.

For those traveling internationally, follow CDC guidelines found here.

Personal responsibility is critical to keeping our community safe. According to the CDC, in general, the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread.

• If you decide to engage in public activities, continue to protect yourself by practicing everyday preventive actions.
• Keep these items on hand when venturing out: a face mask, tissues, and a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if possible.
• Here is a list of daily events and activities and measures the CDC recommends you take in order to stay safe.

Learn what factors to consider before you go out. Remember: Your activities can directly impact the safety and wellbeing of your friends, neighbors and colleagues.

COVID-19 Symptoms and Testing

Any faculty, staff or student who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who has symptoms related to COVID-19, must contact the CMU COVID Tracking Team (via the CMU health screening app or covidtracking@cmich.edu). In addition, you may also contact your preferred health care provider for treatment, and you should self-isolate or quarantine until you reach the designated released date.

• If you are experiencing severe symptoms, please call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room.

Additional information for CMU employees, including student employees

If you feel unwell while on campus or at another CMU location and show any symptoms related to COVID-19 not due to an underlying chronic health condition, your supervisor may direct you to go home. If your symptoms suggest COVID-19, the supervisor must immediately email covidtracking@cmich.edu to report a possible case of infection in their area.

If a faculty member, staff member or student employee believes they have contracted COVID-19 after exposure to a known COVID-positive person while working on campus, they must report the exposure to the CMU Workers' Compensation office at 989-774-7177 as soon as possible.

When to Quarantine or Isolate

Close Contact (Known Exposure to Someone With COVID-19)

If you are identified through contact tracing as having come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you will be contacted by the Central Michigan District Health Department and instructed to quarantine.

• How positive cases at CMU are managed and communicated.

Employees and students NOT living on campus: If you have been identified as having been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should not come to campus. If you are already on campus, you must leave campus immediately, even if you are not showing symptoms.

• Faculty, staff and student employees: Notify your supervisor if you have been identified as a close contact, and keep your supervisor informed of your return-to-campus status. A medical clearance to return to work might be required.

Students living in residence halls who test positive for COVID-19 or who are named a close contact have two options:

• Self-isolate in Wheeler Hall.
• Return home to self-isolate with permission from the health department.
• Students living in on-campus apartments are allowed to self-isolate in their apartment, because they have their own bedroom and access to a kitchen.

If You Test Positive for COVID-19

Faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms must isolate until:

• At least 14 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
• At least 24 hours have passed with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
• Symptoms have improved.

*Depending on your health care provider's advice and availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still have COVID-19. If you are tested, you can be around others when you have no fever, respiratory symptoms have improved, and you receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart.

Faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 but have no symptoms must isolate until 10 days have passed since a test, if they continue to not have symptoms. In addition, they must report this positive test by email to covidtracking@cmich.edu or Student Health Services at 989-774-6599.

* Depending on your health care provider's advice and availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still have COVID-19. If you will be tested, you can be around others after you receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart. If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the guidance above for "Faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms."

Employees and students NOT living on campus who test positive for COVID-19 must leave campus immediately and isolate.

Students living in residence halls who test positive for COVID-19 or who have been named a close contact have two options:

• Quarantine/self-isolate in Wheeler Hall.
• Return home to quarantine/self-isolate with permission from the health department.
• Students living in on-campus apartments are allowed to quarantine/self-isolate in their apartment, because they have their own bedroom and access to a kitchen.

For Individuals at Higher Risk for COVID-19

According to the CDC, individuals with certain conditions may have a higher risk for COVID-19 infection. Those conditions include:

Employees are not required to disclose if they are in a higher-risk category based upon a preexisting medical condition; however, if an employee voluntarily self-identifies as being at higher risk for COVID-19 and has concerns with returning to campus, they may request accommodations by contacting Faculty Personnel Services at 989-774-3368 or Human Resources at 989-774-2010. Student employees who wish to seek accommodations related to returning to campus should contact their supervisor at 989-774-3018 to request accommodation.

Your Health and Emotional Well-Being

Employee Assistance Program

Encompass, the Employee Assistance Program provider for CMU, has several options for you: webinars and information, counseling, coaching, and more. 

1. Go to www.MyLifeExpert.com
2. Click the green "Sign Up" button on the right side of the page.
3. Enter cmuni as the company code, and follow the instructions to create your secure and confidential personal account.
4. Click on the "Chat & Video" link for live chat support.

Health Services

If you feel physically ill — particularly with fever, cough or difficulty breathing — call your health care provider immediately, and tell them you think it's possible you have COVID-19. Visit the CMU Health website, or call 989-774-6599. Call before visiting.

Students who need health care may contact CMU Student Health Services, located in Foust Hall. Call 989-774-6599 before visiting the clinic. CMU Health also provides psychiatry services.

Students also may contact the CMU Counseling Center for free, confidential counseling services. Call 989-774-3371 to schedule an appointment.

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