COVID-19 Mitigation
While you are free to wear your own face covering, UCA will also provide you with a face covering if needed. These will be distributed to you by your building administrator upon your return to campus.
CDC Recommendation on How to Safely Wear and Take Off a Mask
KN95 masks are available, upon request. To request a KN95 mask, departments/units should complete and submit a PPE Supply Request Form to pplantwarehouse@uca.edu. Anyone receiving a KN95 mask must read and sign a KN95 Mask Information Form. Signed forms should be maintained by each department/unit that requested the masks.
- A fever of 100.4 degrees or greater in the last two days;
- A cough;
- Difficulty breathing;
- A sore throat;
- Or a loss of taste and smell
Additionally, if you have had contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19, it is imperative that you follow the advice of your doctor and stay home in quarantine until cleared to return by a medical professional.
UCA Contact Tracing and Notification Protocol
If you are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, do not return to campus until you have received a negative test result or have been cleared by a medical professional to return to work. For more information on special leave options available to employees, please contact humanresources@uca.edu.
UCA Medical Director Dr. Randy Pastor has developed a protocol outlining the steps faculty and staff should take if they get a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Here’s what to do if:
You feel that you need to be tested for COVID-19
You are a faculty or staff member and test positive for COVID-19
If soap and water are unavailable, you can use an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60-percent alcohol. We have increased the number of sanitizing stations set up around campus. They can be found in many high-traffic and high-contact areas and in building lobbies.
In addition to routine maintenance on all heating and air units, the Physical Plant is also changing air filters multiple times a year and cleaning air handlers and air core units regularly.
Disinfectant wipes have also been placed in key areas around campus, such as in classrooms and near vending machines.
In shared kitchens and break rooms, the CDC recommends that you do not share dishes, glasses, cups or utensils. Use disposable items whenever you can, or use your own items and wash immediately after use and store at your desk. Wash with a disposable paper towel; do not use shared sponges and/or dish brushes. Do not leave dirty dishes in sinks or on countertops.
It is recommended that you wipe down vending machine buttons after each use.
We strongly discourage you from using water fountains, but if you must, please wipe down levers and buttons with a sanitizing wipe after each use.
Preliminary Guidance for UCA Classroom and Academic Building Adjustments
When in-person meetings are necessary, limit attendees to the number that can successfully social distance. All must wear face coverings. Do not bring food for the group to share. All surfaces should be wiped down with sanitizing wipes after each meeting.
Directives can be found at: https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/novel-coronavirus
Standard department meetings, such as staff meetings, etc., do not need to be approved on an individual basis. Such meetings fall under Best Practices for Facilitates and general COVID safety guidance.
Events with under 100 attendees, without members of the public:
- Your event is for the campus community (students, faculty, and staff) only and is not open to any public attendance.
- This event requires approval by the applicable Department Director / Chair
- No form is required, but email approval by the event organizer should be secured at least one (1) week prior to the event.
Events with under 50 attendees, open to members of the public:
- Your event is open to public attendance, meaning anyone beyond the campus community.
- This event requires approval by the applicable Department Director / Chair and Vice President / Dean
- No form is required, but email approval by the event organizer should be secured at least one (1) week prior to the event.
Events with over 49 but under 100 attendees, open to members of the public:
- Your event is open to public attendance, meaning anyone beyond the campus community.
- This event requires approval by the applicable Vice President / Dean and the UCA Physical Distancing Working Group
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting a plan to the Physical Distancing Working Group
- Plan approval request form can be submitted at https://forms.gle/ukqUWA5kMR5NTnQY7
- Requests must be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the event
- Plan approval request form can be submitted at https://forms.gle/ukqUWA5kMR5NTnQY7
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting a plan to the Physical Distancing Working Group
Events with 100 or more attendees, without members of the public:
- Your event is for the campus community (students, faculty, and staff) only and is not open to any public attendance.
- This event requires approval by the applicable Vice President / Dean and the UCA Physical Distancing Working Group.
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting a plan to the Physical Distancing Working Group.
- Plan approval request form can be submitted at https://forms.gle/ukqUWA5kMR5NTnQY7
- Requests must be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
- Plan approval request form can be submitted at https://forms.gle/ukqUWA5kMR5NTnQY7
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting a plan to the Physical Distancing Working Group.
Events with 100 or more attendees, open to members of the public:
- Your event is open to public attendance, meaning anyone beyond the campus community.
- This event requires approval by the applicable Vice President/ Dean and the Arkansas Department of Health.
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting an application to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
- Plan approval request can be submitted at: https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/adh-event-plan-submission
- Requests should be submitted as early as possible, approvals have taken as long as two (2) weeks and will only lengthen as the spring semester continues.
- Plan approval request can be submitted at: https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/adh-event-plan-submission
- Vice President/Dean approval must be secured by email prior to submitting an application to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
- Once ADH approval is received, please submit a copy to the UCA General Counsel’s Office at wreadnour@uca.edu.
Employee Resources
SafeColleges, UCA’s vendor for employee training, provides UCA employees with 24 courses within the Health category. Six of these courses specifically address COVID-19. Access these courses via MyUCA.
UCA BeWell has many resources to help employees maintain balanced, healthy lives, as well as a variety of strategies to help you navigate the challenges of COVID-19.
Student-athletes, coaches and support staff are required to routinely undergo COVID-19 screening and testing before engaging in athletic activity on the UCA campus. Scheduling of routine screening and testing is conducted through a multidisciplinary team of professionals with the UCA sports medicine department and Conway Regional Health Systems. Those individuals who refuse testing will be required to quarantine for 14 days. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 undergo the same quarantine and contact tracing procedures set forth by the university. These procedures can be found here, under Testing, Tracing, Isolating.
Academic Affairs
Questions? Contact Dr. Lesley Graybeal at lgraybeal@uca.edu
Questions? Contact cte@uca.edu