Visitors On Campus

Guiding Principles

The Executive Team has articulated as its overarching goal to protect the health and safety of the community. 

The College has consulted with medical professionals who say that the biggest single factor in preventing contagion is effective physical distancing. De-densification of campus promotes physical distancing. College policies and guidelines, including this Temporary Visitor Policy, will support physical distancing to minimize opportunities for on-campus exposure.

Policy statement: In the interest of protecting the College community at this time, the College has a “No Visitors Policy” that prohibits, to the greatest possible extent, and except as otherwise allowed by this Policy, visitors from entering or staying on campus.

The Policy applies to all visitors to campus, including but not limited to, any and all invitees of any division, department, office, center, faculty member, employee, student, volunteers, or any student group or other organization, and other individuals who do not have authorization to be on campus.  No visitors to campus are permitted except as expressly permitted by this Policy.  The College will not host events on campus to which visitors are invited, including events hosted by faculty and academic departments, including the performance arts, athletics events, conference services, student organizations, and other campus events. 

Exceptions

The following exceptions are approved: 

1. Faculty, students, and staff who have received prior written permission to be on campus. Faculty, staff, divisions or departments must use the Return to Campus process and send an email to returntocampus@holycross.edu to obtain permission for their visitors. 

2. Admissions may host individual admissions tours (as opposed to a group tour), or create self-guided tours for prospective students subject to safety standards.

3. Athletics may host individual athletes tours (as opposed to a group tour), subject to safety standards. 

4. This Policy does not prevent visitors from briefly coming onto campus to pick up or drop off individuals authorized to be on campus and/or to retrieve items on campus (e.g., library book pickup).

5. Limited guests of professional staff living in residence, provided such guests are restricted to the staff member’s apartment.

6. Prospective employees / candidates invited to interview on campus with VP approval. 

7. Reasonable accommodations (such as personal care assistants) approved by College policy.

8. First responders (police, fire, ambulance services).

9. Those individuals living in the neighborhoods around campus, provided that such community members remain outdoors, wear face coverings, and follow social distancing guidelines.

10. Any exceptions made in advance by a member of the Executive Team. 

Safety Procedures

When permitting visitors on campus, each division, department, office and campus official must adhere to and enforce the College’s safety standards. To minimize possibilities for on-campus exposure, hosts of visitors should limit the amount of time that visitors are on campus and their travel when on campus. Visitors and/or hosts must also abide by the following requirements, which hosts have a responsibility to enforce: 

1. Individuals may not come on campus if they are ill, have received a positive result on a COVID-19 test in the last fourteen days, exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or have been identified as a “close contact” of someone positive with COVID-19 within the last fourteen days; 

2. Hosts, or hosting entities must maintain a log of all visitors, including name; contact information; and dates, times, and places on campus. The log shall include the name of the tour guide.

3. All approved visitors must adhere to all relevant state, local, and College safety standards, use of facial coverings, social distancing, and hand hygiene. 

4. Hosts should limit their approved visitor’s on-campus travel, to the greatest extent possible.

5. Do not engage in, or limit to the greatest extent possible, any activities that would disrupt physical distancing.

6. Whenever possible, conduct activities or meetings outdoors.

7. Residence Halls may not be entered at any time except as permitted by this policy. 

8. While on campus, include multiple opportunities to wash and/or disinfect hands.

9. Contact covidcleaning@holycross.edu to disinfect any areas post visit, where appropriate. 

This Policy is effective immediately and the College reserves the sole right to apply and interpret this Policy, grant exceptions to and revise this Policy at any time, with or without advance notice.  

Note that Vendors, and contractors are subject to the Return to Campus process, available here.