Dylon Harrison

Managing Editor

In response to a rise in cases of COVID-19, both nationally and locally, Idaho State University has put increased safety protocols into place.

As of the writing of this article, there were a total of 61 cases of COVID-19 at ISU, a decrease from the 69 cases two weeks earlier.

Because of the numbers currently being experienced, the university has recently updated from a yellow operation level to a hybrid orange/yellow level.

“While we have been able to address and mitigate many of the on-campus risks and spread, the activities and resource limitations of the external community is out of our control,” President Kevin Satterlee said in an email to the ISU community. “The increase in our community now requires the University to make some on-campus operational changes.”

While this does not require classes to be moved completely to distance-based learning, instructors are being encouraged to do so if possible. Normal operations of student services will also continue with social distancing and mask requirements in place.

Students are also not to attend in-person classes or go to work on campus if they are displaying any symptoms of the virus.

The most notable change that will be seen from the increased operation level will be in in-person participants for campus events. For the foreseeable future, only events that are seen as “critical” and “mission-congruent” will be allowed.

In addition, health exceptions will be required for events with group sizes exceeding 10 people. These group size limits do not apply to classes or intercollegiate athletics, according to President Satterlee’s email announcing the increased safety measures.

The Athletics program is taking its own actions to ensure the safety of ISU’s student athletes.

“There are testing protocols that our athletes have to go through,” said Steve Shaack, Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations. “They are being tested on a regular basis, and they are currently practicing as an entire team.

The frequency of testing for each student athlete is not the same across the board. According to Shaack, it varies for athletes of different sports. All student athletes, however, are being required to complete daily temperature checks and health questionnaires.

Despite not being required to follow the university’s updated regulations, Athletics is still required to have all practice and game procedures approved by the health committee.

“We’ve got protocols in place that allow us to have a good feel of what’s going on and where we can monitor the health of our student athletes,” Shaack said.

One group that hasn’t been granted an exception from any of the updated precautions is the Student Activities Board (SAB). All of their events going forward will be required to meet the new protocols.

This has resulted in many of their events being changed from their traditional format to either online, grab-and-go or reservation attendance only.

“WIth the new guidelines and the regulations put on how many students and people that are allowed to be at events, we’ve put a lot of effort into transforming our events,” said Ben Storms, SAB Director. “We can either keep the events or change them to keep the students more safe and comfortable.”

Storms also said that students he has spoken with have been saddened by the loss of events that usually happen regularly, but understanding of the need to cancel them.

As of the writing of this article, no further SAB events for the Fall 2020 semester have been announced.

For more information on the ISU’s current operating procedures, visit isu.edu/roaringback.