Health and Safety

Specific Guidelines for Spaces on Campus

COVID-19 Sign Templates for UMKC Use (PDFs, Box)

We’re so glad you’re back on campus. Together, we can keep UMKC safe for all Roos. Our community members are expected to take proactive steps to monitor their personal health, stay home if they are feeling unwell and take measures to help protect our entire community.

Based on CDC recommendations for universities, here is what to keep in mind.

Monitor Your Health

All Roos will be required to take their temperature and monitor health every day. Those who are showing COVID-19 symptoms should contact their health-care provider immediately. Do not come to campus if you are showing symptoms.

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the latest information.

Fever of 100.4 or higher
Persistent coughing
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Unexplained muscle or body aches
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Headache

If you have any symptoms, do not show up to class or work.

If you feel sick and have reason to believe you were exposed to the coronavirus, call ahead before visiting your health-care provider. Calling first is an important guideline so those with the virus do not infect others. Your provider's office will take steps to keep other people from potentially getting infected or exposed. The CDC has issued information regarding symptoms, prevention and treatment, as well as a number of other frequently asked questions and answers.

If you have been notified by public health authorities that you might have been exposed, follow instructions provided by your local health department. You can contact the Kansas City, Missouri Health Department online or by phone at 816-513-6008.

If advised to be tested for COVID-19, stay home until results are known.

If you are experiencing a non-emergency health condition and would like to call or video-chat with a doctor from the comfort of your own home, virtual visits are available to those covered by a UM System health insurance plan.

If You Test Negative

If your COVID-19 test is negative, follow your health-care provider’s advice. If you are still experiencing symptoms, stay home and practice good hygiene. Contact your professors or supervisor to let them know. Once your fever is gone and symptoms have resolved, you can return to campus.

If You Test Positive

In the event of a postive test, do not visit campus or any public areas. Follow the advice of your health-care provider, cooperate with contact tracing with public health officials and continue to practice good health hygiene.

If you test positive, stay home. Within four hours of your learning of your positive test, you need to start the process for notifying UMKC so we can notify campus of a positive case and begin necessary sanitization. UMKC has notification processes for both students and employees. Start with this step:

Students: Call the Student Helpline, 816-235-2222.
Employees: Contact your supervisor.
After-hours: Call 816-235-COVI.

If a member of the UMKC campus community tests positive for COVID-19:

UMKC Campus Facilities Management will deploy a team to clean and disinfect spaces following protocols consistent with CDC and public health guidance.
UMKC will post campus-wide notifications on the Communications page.
The university will send targeted communications and notifications, as appropriate.
Student Health and Wellness will cooperate with public health authorities and assist as needed to notify close contacts.

Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 are required to provide a return to campus certification from a healthcare provider to Student Health and Wellness (if a student) or their supervisor (if an employee) before coming back to campus.

Safety Guidelines: Our Commitment To Each Other

Practice Physical Distancing

Avoid close contact on and off campus. Keep a distance of at least six feet from your fellow Roos. This includes but is not limited to: classrooms, laboratories, studios, recreation areas, common spaces, elevators, stairwells and social settings. This means avoiding crowds at restaurants/bars and unnecessary travel.

Do not sit in an area that has been cordoned off for social distancing.

In addition, be mindful and follow the directions of signage indicating entrance-only or exit-only as well as directional signs for stairwells and occupancy signage for elevators. These precautions are meant to limit the risk of exposure to yourself and others as you move from one area to another.

Check out these specific guidelines for spaces on campus.

Keep the Campus Clean

Do your part by cleaning high-touch surfaces and letting Campus Facilities Management know of any issues. There will be sanitizing supplies available in high-touch areas. These are for you to clean touched areas before and after use.

Wipe down workspaces regularly, including phones, computers, handles, desks, tables and anywhere commonly touched by hands. This includes any shared-space location or equipment (i.e. copiers, printers, computers, A/V equipment, coffee makers, microwaves, tables, light switches, etc.).

Check out these specific guidelines for spaces on campus.

Wear a Mask

Face coverings or masks are required in all indoor spaces on campus, except when:

You’re alone in a private office with the door closed.
You’re alone or with your roommate(s) in a Residential Life housing private space.
You're actively eating or drinking.

Face coverings or masks are also required in all outside campus spaces when physical distancing of six feet cannot be maintained, per Kansas City order.

Face shields are not allowed as a face covering on campus per CDC guidelines. As a reminder, vented masks are not recommended by the CDC; and recent evidence suggests that gaiters, bandanas and other loose coverings might not provide adequate coverage.

Not wearing a mask is not an option for on-campus learning, working or visiting. Students must contact Student Disability Services for remote-learning accommodations. Faculty and staff must contact Human Resources for remote-working accommodations.

Learn more about how to wear, use and launder face coverings.

Policies regarding face coverings will adjust according to any changes in health requirements and guidance.

Practice Good Hand Hygiene

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60-95% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

Cover Your Mouth

Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow to help contain droplets. Then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

Check in with Yourself and Stay Home if You Are Sick

If you have a fever and respiratory symptoms or may have been exposed to COVID-19, call your health-care provider to talk about getting tested. See the symptom list .

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have come in contact with someone who has tested positive or have tested positive yourself, follow the steps in this section above: What if I suspect I have COVID-19?

Follow Health and Safety Guidelines Both On and Off Campus

In order to protect yourself and those around you, it's important that you consistently follow these health and safety guidelines both on and off campus. That means wearing a mask, physical distancing, and avoiding large gatherings as you go about your life outside campus.

You may find yourselves in some awkward positions when it comes to COVID safety and spending time with others. We want to make sure that everyone feels confident and empowered to have these uncomfortable conversations about safety with their friends and loved ones. That’s why Chancellor Mauli Agrawal and Student Government Association President Brandon Henderson got together to share their advice on how to be assertive in these situations and let you know it's totally okay to speak up.