Montclair State Student, Staff Member Test Positive For COVID-19

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair State University has seen at least two confirmed cases of the coronavirus among students and staff since the start of the fall semester, officials say.

Montclair State University (MSU) officially kicked off the new semester on Aug. 24, rolling out a mix of in-person and online classes. It’s been a unique experience for those on campus, who have been re-learning to live, learn and work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been a few stumbling blocks so far, administrators say.

As the campus ramped up for its reopening, an employee tested positive for the virus on Aug. 18. The person last visited campus that day, but didn’t come into close contact with anyone. They have since been isolated and show no symptoms, MSU officials said Friday.

In addition, a student living on campus tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 22.

According to school officials, the student was last on campus on Aug. 20. They won't be permitted to return until fully recovered and cleared by a medical professional. The student’s close contacts have been notified and are completing a 14-day quarantine. They're "doing well," and their close contacts aren't showing any symptoms.

As of Friday, these were the only two confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students or staff since the fall semester started, officials said. There have been some close calls, however.

Shortly after the semester started, nearly a dozen students were allegedly caught partying off-campus and gathering in their residence hall rooms without social distancing or face masks. The gatherings broke the university's strict coronavirus guidelines, administrators said.

"As a result, 11 students have been suspended from on-campus housing – not from the university – and are being required to quarantine for 14 days before returning to the campus," a spokesperson told Patch.

"The vast majority of our students are following the rules," the spokesperson said. "We are disappointed that a small number chose to disregard these rules and by so doing, to create risk for our campus community.”

• See related article: 11 At Montclair State Accused Of Breaking COVID Rules, Partying
• See related article: Montclair State University Freezes Tuition Due To Coronavirus

THE NEW NORMAL: COVID RULES AT MONTCLAIR STATE

“We want to remain open – but if an outbreak occurs, we may have to close,” the university told students when it rolled out its reopening plan.

“It’s all up to you,” administrators warned. “If we all work together to keep the virus at bay, we’ll be able to complete the semester as planned.”

The university is requiring people who are at “increased risk for transmission of the virus” to get tested for COVID-19 before arriving on campus. This includes:

• all students living in the residence halls
• all employees who live in residence halls or work closely with the residential population
• all student athletes and staff taking part in intercollegiate athletics

“The CDC does not recommend testing of every member of the campus community before allowing campus entry,” MSU administrators say. “There is no evidence that widespread entry testing reduces transmission of the virus beyond what would be expected from preventive measures such as social distancing, wearing cloth face coverings, hand washing, and enhanced cleaning and disinfection, all of which the university will require.”

Here are some other ways the university has been working to prevent the virus from infecting people on campus:

• Before they returned for the fall semester, all students and staff were required to complete COVID-19 safety training
• Each time they step onto the MSU campus, students are being asked to self-screen themselves for virus risks
• Rolling out social distancing protocols, including barriers, signs and other visual reminders throughout the campus
• Requiring face coverings in all inside spaces, and outside when social distancing is difficult (with limited exceptions)
• Increasing cleaning and sanitization
• Employees and students are required to stay home if sick
• The university will continue to log known cases and will collaborate with the health departments in surrounding communities to support contact tracing
• Student organizations are allowed to hold events, meetings and other activities – both in person and remotely – as long as they comply with the university’s guidelines

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