COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Topics

Requirements and Training

Training

All employees are encouraged to complete the
Safety in the Workplace during COVID-19 training. You can access this through the CSU Learn portal. Employees unable to access the training should contact hr@sonoma.edu. Additionally, the COVID-19 Prevention Plan is required by Cal-OSHA, and includes valuable information about COVID-19 and how SSU continues to keep employees safe at their worksite. It can be found on the Risk Management and Safety Services website.

Wellness Self-screening

All employees, students, and visitors must complete a self-screening before arriving on campus each day. You should monitor whether you potentially have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive and provides instructions for next steps. These steps are crucial to keeping our campus and community safe. Failure to report may result in personnel action pursuant to the collective bargaining agreements. We encourage you to stay vigilant in prioritizing your health and safety at all times. 

A self-screening ensures you are free of the following symptoms and you have not been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:

  • Fever (Temperature above 100.4 degrees)
  • Cough
  • Chills
  • Sore throat
  • Feeling achy
  • Shortness of breath / difficulty breathing
  • Nausea or vomiting 
  • Unusual or new headache in the last 24 hours
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Tingling or numbness

 

COVID Monitoring and Exposure

Although many requirements related to COVID have expired, the COVID office remains open at SSU to support students, faculty, and staff and to ensure the university is in compliance with OSHA requirements.  Cal-OSHA requires that the university continue to track employee cases, exclude COVID positive employees from on-campus work, and to notify employees of potential exposures.  To learn more about what to do if you are COVID positive or were exposed to COVID, visit the page that applies to you:

Personal Safety Practices on Campus

Vaccination and Testing Requirement

Effective April 2023, students are not required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.  SSU strongly recommends students be vaccinated against COVID.  Employees are required to be fully vaccinated.  Employees needing to certify their vaccination status should contact Human Resources.

Reporting COVID-19-based Facility Concerns

Employees and students can report any issues related to COVID safety to the COVID-19 Monitoring and Compliance Team by emailing covid.monitoring@sonoma.edu or by calling (707) 664-2684. This may include missing signage, empty sanitizer or wipe stations, lack of compliance by other persons in the building, occupancy issues or violations, or changes to furniture configuration. The university will prioritize addressing concerns as soon as possible.

Face Masks

Face masks are strongly recommended in all indoor settings at SSU. 

To be effective, a face mask must cover the mouth and nose completely, have a snug fit, and good filtration. Surgical masks or higher-level respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit are recommended over cloth masks.

Masks can be picked up near the Seawolf Service Center, the Student Center information desk, and the University Library circulation desk (2nd floor). 

Employees are encouraged to carry a mask with them at all times and be actively conscious of other's preferences. SSU encourages employees to mask up when in crowded spaces, when appropriate and comfortable.

Campus Facilities and Office Protocols

Sanitation Supplies

The university will provide sanitation supplies, including antibacterial surface wipes and hand sanitizer, to students and employees for use when on campus (excluding inside residential hall apartments). 

All sanitation supplies provided to employees, excluding custodians and other employees with specialized training, are approved for use without gloves or other protective equipment. All products will meet the standards defined by OSHA and the EPA for safety and efficacy.

Employees will have access to hand sanitizer and surface wipe standing or wall-mounted dispensers. Worksites without convenient access to such stations will be provided with individual packages of wipes or bottles of sanitizer. Stand or wall-mounted dispensers will be placed in all buildings, large common areas, classrooms, dining or break areas, lounges, corridors, and lobbies. Dispensers will also be available in adjoining corridors for convenient access.

Campus-wide Safety Protocols

In addition to those requirements related to employee safety, the campus community is required to adhere to certain safety protocols to ensure the safety of all. This section outlines those requirements that apply to all persons on campus and contribute to a campus environment that ensures a safe place to learn, live, and work.

Sanitation Stations

Facilities Management has placed free standing hand sanitizer units, sanitizing wipe stations, and wipe dispensers throughout all buildings based on repopulation plans.

Employees requesting refill of sanitation supplies can do so by placing a work order through Facilities Management.

Air Handling Systems

The university’s HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems are designed to move filtered air through an engineered process that considers the safety of our tenants, and supports a healthy building model. As part of regular operations, all buildings are flushed daily with fresh outside air prior to occupancy. The HVAC system continues to bring in a regular flow of fresh outside air during occupancy hours, as directed by the software control system. Due to updated guidelines associated with the pandemic, the fresh air intake ratio has been doubled throughout our entire HVAC operating schedule. In addition, the HVAC system utilizes MERV-14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) filters that are one step greater than the CDC recommended standard. This type of filter ensures the filtering of bacteria and virus carriers.


Due to the pandemic, personal fans and/or forced air heaters will not be permissible. While these items may appear to increase air movement in a space, any introduction of air turbulence that disrupts the original airflow design may actually aid in the spread of COVID-19. Eliminating these items will help maintain optimum air flow throughout the building’s ventilation system. Additionally, all electric bathroom hand dryers have been disconnected for the same reasons. More information can be found on the Facilities Management website.

If you have any questions about the information included in this guide or other COVID-19 safety measures, please contact Risk Management and Safety Services at risk@sonoma.edu.