Current Safety Level: Yellow
Guidelines for all Safety Levels
- South Dakota State University is open and operating under stricter hygiene and cleaning regimen.
- Prior to arrival on campus each day, individuals should self-screen and stay at home when sick.
- Individuals will self-isolate or follow quarantine directives when there is a reasonable belief they have been exposed to COVID-19 infections or are infected.
- Regularly clean high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles, counters, light switches, remote controls, restroom surfaces).
- Maintain physical distance of at least 6 feet.
- Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer.
- Do not touch your face.
- Wear a cloth face covering in accordance with the SDBOR face covering requirements.
- High-risk individuals should take extra precautions at all safety levels. Additional CDC recommendations for high-risk populations can be found here.
Safety Levels
This color phase chart is for planning purposes and reflects general planning guidelines for campus decision makers. The guide has four colors or safety levels: green, yellow, orange and red, which coincide with levels of COVID-19 transmission. The applicability of the color phase is determined by COVID-19 Response Team, a team designated by the SDSU Emergency Management Team, who designates the phase based on state, community and campus factors.
Sector | Safety Level Green | Safety Level Yellow | Safety Level Orange 1 | Safety Level Orange 2 | Safety Level Red |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COVID-19 is no longer a public health concern due to the introduction of vaccine or therapeutic | State and local transmission data indicate low/moderate levels of community spread | State and local transmission data indicate moderate/substantial levels of community spread | State and local transmission data indicate substantial community spread | State and local transmission substantial community spread AND there is a break down in public health infrastructure | |
Campus | SDSU is open and following pre-pandemic guidelines | SDSU is open to the public in some areas with strict guidelines | SDSU is open to the public in some areas with strict guidelines | SDSU is open to the public in some areas with strict guidelines | SDSU is not open to the public, only essential employees on campus |
Academics | Increased office hours and in-person offerings | >Face-to-face, hybrid and online models are used to achieve physical distancing | Face-to-face, hybrid and online models are used to achieve physical distancing | Face-to-face, hybrid and online models are used to achieve physical distancing | All classes and office hours are held virtually |
Employees | Offices and Labs interaction restrictions are lifted | Offices and Labs are under strict protocols for interactions with others | Offices and Labs are under strict protocols for interactions with others | Offices and Labs are under strict protocols for interactions with others | Only essential employees and functions on campus |
Events* | Events can host pre-pandemic maximum capacity | Virtual interactions are encouraged
Events can host up to 120 individuals if social distancing is possible | Virtual interactions are highly encouraged
External event capacity is reduced to 60 if social distancing is possible | In-person activities are limited to those critical to the SDSU mission All other activities will move to virtual | Virtual-only activities, events and gatherings canceled/postponed |
Student Life | Residence halls are open with pre-pandemic capacity | De-densified residence halls are open | Residence hall guest policy and food delivery policy in place | Residence hall guests are limited to residents of their own hall only and food delivery policy in place | Residence Halls are closed as feasible |
| Food Service | Dinning Services are operating as they were prior to the pandemic | Mobile ordering and carry-out are encouraged | Mobile ordering and carry-out are strongly encouraged | Dining limited to Grab-N-Go and mobile ordering | Limited menu to serve remaining on- campus students |
| Travel | Travel restrictions are lifted | Travel is conducted under strict protocols | Travel is limited to mission essential | Travel is limited to mission essential. Overnight travel is discouraged | University Travel is suspended |
*Events hosted by SDSU or in SDSU facilities are subject to all SDSU JacksRBack Event Protocols. For events whose capacities exceed those listed on the chart above, SDSU has an event approval process.
Change in Safety Levels
Due to the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 protocols are continuously reviewed by the university's COVID-19 Response Team. The university works closely with the South Dakota Department of Health (SD-DOH) and local public health agencies to monitor COVID-19 in Brookings County and surrounding areas. The guidance on this chart will be updated to reflect the latest CDC and SD-DOH public health guidelines.
SDSU is actively monitoring COVID-19 indicators to determine safety level movement. Any one or more of the following indicators has the potential to trigger movement from one color to another.
Movement to Red from Any Color
- Increasing statewide running average for the rate of hospital admissions.
- Substantial rise in new COVID-19 cases relevant to the SDSU population.
- Substantial number of cases tied to SDSU cannot be tracked to known cases (i.e., community spread).
- Inability of the SD-DOH to conduct case investigation of new COVID-19 cases.
- Insufficient resources for SDSU to rapidly isolate all newly identified COVID-19 cases.
- Inability to provide testing of symptomatic and identified close contacts of newly identified cases.
- Insufficient supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet demand.
- Brookings Health System does not have the resources to treat all patients requiring hospitalization.
Movement from Red to Orange
- Sustained reduction in new COVID-19 cases at SDSU.
- SD-DOH is able to conduct case investigation of new COVID-19 cases.
- SDSU has the capacity to rapidly isolate all newly identified COVID-19 cases.
- Ability to provide testing of symptomatic and identified close contacts of newly identified cases.
- Sufficient supply of PPE to meet demand.
- Brookings Health System has the resources to safely treat all patients requiring hospitalization.
Movement from Yellow to Orange
- Yellow to orange the number of infections increases over a seven-day period.
- Transmission with high likelihood or confirmed exposure within communal settings with potential for rapid increase in suspected cases.
Movement from Orange to Yellow
- The number of infections decreases over a 14-day period.
- Evidence of isolated cases or limited community transmission, case investigations underway, no evidence of exposure in large communal setting, e.g., health care facility, school, mass gathering.
From Yellow to Green
- A proven, FDA-approved vaccine is available and has been disseminated to the SDSU community.
- A therapeutic for prevention or treatment of COVID-19 shows a measurable impact on disease activity and is readily available to the SDSU community.
Safety Level Communications
- SDSU’s current safety level and color is indicated continuously on the SDSU website banner