ICC’s Response to Coronavirus
2022-23 Guidance & 2023-24 Guidance
ICC continues to follow the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for the most up to date information on COVID-19. Below, you will find the appropriate information and links:
- How to Protect Yourself and Others.
- Get your FREE at-home test kit.
- ICC encourages students and employees to access the at home covid test.
- If a person would like to get tested, CLICK HERE to view the map and find the nearest testing location.
- If you are a Close Contact to Someone with COVID-19, CLICK HERE.
- What to do if you know or suspect you have COVID-19? Taken from the KDHE website, Regardless of vaccination status, if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or if you are exhibiting symptoms or have been notified by a health care professional as having a suspected case of COVID-19:
- Report COVID-19:
- Students:
- Students are encouraged to contact their instructors to notify them of their absence(s) from any class. Students may contact Student Affairs to assist with this process by emailing questions@indycc.edu
- Student Athletes should contact their coach to make arrangements to quarantine.
- All students may contact questions@indycc.edu to make arrangements to quarantine.
- Faculty: If a faculty or staff member is aware of a student impacted by COVID-19, please submit a “COVID-19 Concern” form in Maxient. Student Affairs will follow up with each student who has a ticket submitted on their behalf.
- Employees: Employees should contact their immediate supervisor to report a positive COVID-19 event and/or anticipated absences from work. The college will continue to provide masks, sanitizer and will continue to disinfect every classroom and office as needed.
- Students:
- Report COVID-19:
- Frequently Asked Questions.
This spring, we continue our efforts to advance the health and safety of all Independence Community College students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and remains a dynamic situation on a daily basis. We continue to monitor the rapid changes and determine best practices to adapt our COVID processes and protocals as needed.
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Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the best tool to protect individuals from COVID-19 and slow transmission rates. To find a vaccine near you, visit Vaccines.gov. To further encourage vaccinations, we are reopening our vaccine incentive program from Fall Semester.
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Employees: If you did not receive the $250 vaccination stipend during the Fall 2021 semester and you have completed your vaccination and booster, you will be able to receive a $250 COVID incentive stipend by completing the Employee COVID Incentive Form by March 4, 2022.
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Students: If you did not receive the $250 credit to your on-campus housing account during the Fall 2021semester, you will be able to receive a $250 credit to your on-campus housing account by completing the Student COVID Incentive Form by March 4, 2022.
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Wear a mask. Masks offer a wide variety of protections to all individuals. Masks remain encouraged at ICC in classrooms and other areas where social distancing is not possible. Masks can be found at various locations throughout both Main and West campuses.
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Get tested. If you are sick or if you have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, we strongly encourage you to get tested. You can find a free testing site by visiting: http://knowbeforeyougoks.com/.
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Per KDHE guidelines: If you receive a positive result through an at-home test, isolate at home for at least 5 full days.
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If you took an at-home test and need a letter stating you are positive, you will need to follow up with a health care provider for a confirmation test.
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Social distance and practice good hand hygiene. You should avoid large gatherings and stay at least 6 feet from others in public settings. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Per KDHE guidelines, if you are exposed to COVID-19 and you are not up-to-date with your vaccinations and boosters, you should stay home and away from others for 5 full days after your last contact with the person who has COVID-19.
- Should wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public, and watch for symptoms for 10 full days.
- Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask, avoid travel, and avoid people at high risk for developing severe disease.
- Get tested for COVID-19 at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19, or get tested immediately if you develop symptoms.
- You should stay home and isolate away from other people for at least 5 full days.
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You can end home isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, and your symptoms are improving.
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If you did not have symptoms, end home isolation 5 days after your positive test.
- Take precautions for 10 days including wearing a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others.
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Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask, avoid travel, and avoid people at high risk for developing severe disease.
- Student Affairs will follow up on each student who has a ticket submitted on their behalf.
The College will continue to provide masks, sanitizer and will continue to disinfect every classroom and office as needed.
We will continue to closely monitor the KDHE website to ensure our COVID protocals are up-to-date.
Effective June 1, 2021, the College will move to the phaseout portion of the COVID-19 pandemic response plan we initiated last year. This means that the College will be rescinding or revising the policies and procedures created to respond to the pandemic. Additionally, the College will reevaluate and revise standing plans and protocols as needed in preparation for a transition to in person operations ahead of the Fall 2021 semester.
As we return to normal operations, the College will continue to use public health guidance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Montgomery County Health Department, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to inform our decisions. Our College will continue to leverage technology investments to further our ability to conduct our important work into the future, though we will be returning to pre-pandemic operational footing.
Unless otherwise stated, any COVID-19 related policy or procedure is supplemental to other College policies and procedures and is subject to change based upon the conditions at the time. For clarity, unless notified otherwise by ICC, the College will begin transition to the Phaseout Plan effective June 1, 2021.
ICC encourages all employees and students to consider getting vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. The CDC provides up-to-date information related to COVID-19 vaccines.
During the phaseout period, the College intends to modify the following health and safety measures:
- Face Coverings – Following CDC guidance, face coverings are encouraged, but not required for those who are fully vaccinated effective Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Vaccinated individuals are also eligible to wear lapel pins that document their completed vaccinations. These pins can be found in the President’s Office. Please pick up your lapel pin today.
- Social Distancing – ICC encourages six-feet of social distancing where possible. Event spaces may still be socially distanced for safety.
- Daily Screening – ICC will stop sending daily screening text messages effective Tuesday, May 25, 2021. ICC encourages all Pirates to perform a daily self-check for symptoms of illness and respond accordingly.
- Staying Home – If you are ill, ICC encourages you to stay home. Individuals are responsible for screening their personal health, staying home if sick, and seeking medical advice as appropriate. Individuals subject to any isolation or quarantine requirements imposed by the local health department remain responsible for complying with such requirements.
- Personal Hygiene Measures - Frequent hand washing is the first line of defense against the spread of COVID-19. All Pirates should wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public space, or after coughing, sneezing, blowing their nose, or touching their face. If soap and water are not readily available, employees should use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
ICC will return to its pre-pandemic work schedule, including a return to in-person work with limited exceptions, effective June 1, 2021. Exceptions to in-person work are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and require the approval of supervisors, the appropriate vice president, and Human Resources.
Employees with accommodation requests should continue to work directly with Human Resources and students requesting accommodations should continue to work with Academic Affairs as we return to practices preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
ICC will continue its enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices for all classrooms, meeting spaces, and offices. Employees are responsible for disinfecting their workspaces and supplies can be obtained by contacting the Maintenance Department. COVID-19 signage will be taken down and access to all buildings will be restored. The College will work to make sure all water fountains are returned to service. Physical distancing is encouraged in all classrooms and meetings spaces, but the strict 6’ requirements and room capacity limits are rescinded. Physical barriers/sneeze guards may be removed as needed. ICC continues to encourage the use of face masks and hand sanitizer and will make these items available throughout campus still. The College will continue to provide virtual healthcare to all students, faculty, and staff.
Students may find the following tools helpful in planning for the Summer and Fall semesters:
For events occurring on or after June 1, 2021, the College will return to its standard approach for planning and executing events that are held on the ICC Main and West campuses. ICC continues to encourage event planners to incorporate appropriate health and safety practices, including encouraging participants to wear face masks, maintaining social distance, and performing personal healthy behaviors like washing hands.
ICC Athletics will follow all guidance and restrictions outlined by the KJCCC and the NJCAA.
ICC encourages all event planners to consider ways in which events can include appropriate virtual participation.
ICC will continue to monitor CDC and KDHE guidance related to domestic and international travel. For Summer 2021, domestic travel will return to our pre-pandemic approval processes. For Fall 2021, the College intends to resume travel using our pre-pandemic approval processes. Individuals should monitor all travel restrictions and guidance while planning travel on behalf of the College. Individuals acknowledge that, unless specifically required by the College, travel is at each individual’s own risk and they should plan accordingly. Travel budgets will be handled on a case-by-case basis following the guidance of our Vice President for Administration and Finance and budget managers.
As we resume more in person classes, Academic Affairs is planning to return to its pre-pandemic approach of providing separate online and in person classes. Faculty members can continue with some basic health and safety protocols in the classrooms (e.g., encouraging face masks, and limiting the use of shared equipment). All additional information regarding health and safety protocols in specific courses should be made available to students on or before the first day of the class.
To promote responsible social distancing, ICC continues to encourage virtual meetings and communications using electronic communication tools (e.g., Zoom and Microsoft Teams) to reduce in-person meetings. Those needing access to either of these services can reach out to their Cabinet member for guidance. Learn how to plan and manage effective meetings by downloading this resource.
For Summer and Fall 2021, ICC is planning to return to its pre-pandemic approach to campus housing. The College continues to encourage the use of face coverings and modifying room configurations to promote healthy physical distancing as appropriate. The Cafeteria will still encourage social distancing by spacing out seating as appropriate.
ICC encourages all students to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before moving on to campus. In addition to being vaccinated against COVID-19, ICC recommends all students be vaccinated against Bacterial Meningitis, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, MMR, and the Flu. The campus will continue to work with local healthcare providers to provide vaccinations against COVID-19 during move-in and into the Fall semester.
ICC will continue to partner with local resources for COVID-19 testing as needed. Basic protocols for those who test positive for COVID-19 are expected to continue. Community testing may be used as determined by the College. Anyone who is symptomatic or does not feel well should stay home and stay away from others except to get medical care, calling their medical provider in advance.
Employees are required to contact their supervisors to report their anticipated absence from work and are encouraged to contact Human Resources for questions concerning leave and benefits. Students are encouraged to contact their instructors to notify them of their absence from classes and may contact Student Affairs to assist with this process by emailing questions@indycc.edu.
ICC is also committed to providing access to free healthcare for students who are experiencing symptoms of illness. For more information about our virtual healthcare options, please visit our Student Health page by clicking here.
Cumulative data reflects ICC's COVID-19 screening protocol that went into effect July 2020. Counts may be incomplete but will be updated as results are reported. This dashboard is informational only and should not be used as public health guidance.
Self-isolation protocols will continue as recommended by the county, the KDHE, and the CDC.
Individuals instructed to isolate by public health officials should follow the instructions provided to them. Employees who are subjected to a self-isolation should isolate at home and inform their supervisors and Human Resources. Students residing off campus that are asked to self-isolate should remain off campus in their personal residence. Students residing on campus that are asked to self-isolate may return to their permanent residence to isolate or may be transferred to isolation living quarters designated by the College for these purposes.
Questions or Concerns
If a student or employee has questions or concerns regarding safety on campus in light of the COVID-19 pandemic or this information, those issues should be submitted via our online incident reporting form. Additional questions can be sent to questions@indycc.edu.
Individuals needing assistance with IT related issues can email our IT Help Desk at helpdesk@indycc.edu.
Additional Resources
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