Chapman to offer four-tiered testing as students decide whether to return

Some students are wary about returning to in-person undergraduate classes Oct. 19, as Chapman University reported 18 positive cases of the coronavirus Oct. 9. Graphic by HARRY LADA, Art Director

Eighteen students living near Chapman University were reported to have COVID-19, as of Oct. 9. Despite the slight increase in student and Orange County positive case rates, President Daniele Struppa announced Oct. 6 the university will continue to reintroduce some undergraduate courses Oct. 19.

To monitor the spread of the coronavirus, Jacqueline Deats, the director of the Student Health Center, will oversee the implementation of surveillance testing. Struppa revealed in an Oct. 9 email addressed to students that there will be four tiers testing affected communities at least once a month. The first is targeted at all individuals who regularly access the campus facilities, the second is targeted at student athletes, the third is targeted at advanced film production students working on set and the fourth is targeted at the Rinker Health Science campus visitors.

“We are definitely prepared; we’ve been working on this since March,” Deats said. “I’ve been fortunate to hire additional staff … we have additional providers and we do have adequate testing supplies.”

Multiple measures, like improved ventilation systems, foot-traffic guidance and temperature checks, have been installed, while maximum capacity for classrooms will be set to 25% of the fire code’s allowance. Yet despite the precautions, some students like junior sociology major Marjan Moshiri still aren’t comfortable with making a return to campus. 

“I live in campus housing this year and it’s been very much like we have to self-report, and I just personally don’t know how many people truthfully self-report,” Moshiri said. “At least from what I’ve seen, there’s no way to increase accountability so for me … I don’t feel comfortable going back to campus during the pandemic.”

Moshiri pointed to her plan to monitor Chapman’s health and safety performance in the first few weeks of in-person classes. To limit the spread of the coronavirus within on-campus residential housing, unit occupancy is reduced to one student per bathroom. Dave Sundby, the director of Residence Life and First Year Experience, said they are smoothing out COVID-19 response protocol and are analyzing the possibility of lifting restrictions.

“Now we’ve started conversations about (the future) transitions with housing – if we’re going to reopen more housing or not and what that would look like for the spring semester,” Sundby said. “Do we open additional buildings? If we do, do we open additional occupancy? Really, it’s kind of what are the implications of those and operationally, how would we get to that.”

In addition, Sundby said that 21 rooms are set aside as isolation or quarantine spaces for on-campus students who test positive or have come in contact with someone who has tested positive. These 21 rooms make up 6% of the total number of students living in Chapman housing. Three internal contact tracers stay in touch with infected students and the Orange County Health Care Agency to identify transmission risks and provide additional resources if requested.

“We have contingency plans in place in case, for some reason, we saw a significant increase (of cases),” Sundby said. “Some of this, we can’t control. The virus is going to do what it does. We’re going to see some cases and if we’re all doing our best to minimize exposure to each other, we really shouldn’t see any significant community spread.”

Before any students, faculty or staff return to campus, they must take an at-home COVID-19 test, pass a health and safety training module on Canvas and enroll in a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire.

Deats estimated a total of 3300 tests have been administered, including the LabCorp at-home test kits. If a student, staff or faculty member feels sick during the semester and wants to get tested, the Student Health Center provides on-site testing and bills the individual’s insurance provider for associated costs. The health center only tests via an appointment and offers a $40 rapid-test option that delivers results in 15 to 20 minutes.

“I’m encouraged by how many things have been implemented to protect our community,” Deats said. “Moving forward, I’m optimistic that students will be able to learn on campus.”

To get in touch with the health center to set up an appointment, call 714-628-6596. To get in touch outside of regular office hours, call 714-997-6851.

Update Oct. 13, 3:58 p.m. PT: As of Oct. 12, there 37 students who currently have COVID-19. President Struppa announced Oct. 12 that there are six active cases of the coronavirus within The K Residence Hall. These confirmed students will not be allowed to return to in-person instruction at the start of Oct. 19 and have been instructed to isolate for at least 10 days.