Interim COVID-19 Related Policies

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy learning community and, in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College Health Association and state and local public health departments, UTC has enacted protocols toward limiting the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the health and safety of the campus community.

To inform expectations and compliance with these protocols, the University has adopted a set of interim policies, summarized below.

Review the full Interim COVID-19 Related Policies document here.

These policies apply to the entire campus community and to visitors or others with business on campus.

Campus Event Review

As UTC transitions to a post-pandemic campus, many are planning events throughout spring and summer.

Here you’ll find official guidance on how you may move forward with your events safely.

Use of Face Masks and Social Distancing

Recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed COVID safety protocols across the nation. At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the following changes to campus safety protocols are effective immediately:

Fully vaccinated people can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or social distancing.
Fully vaccinated people will not have to participate in routine testing.
Classrooms will continue to require social distancing in the summer terms.
At this time, face masks are still required in some campus locations. Read below for details.
The CDC encourages those not vaccinated to wear masks outside when social distancing is not possible and to wear masks inside buildings except when in private spaces such as in their individual offices.
The University will consider a person fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
UTC will continue to offer vaccines, routine testing, quarantine procedures and contact tracing.

Face Masks Still Required in Some Locations

Per the CDC guidance, fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a face-covering or practice social distancing on campus, indoors or out.

The CDC has outlined limited exceptions, including health care facilities and public transportation where masks will continue to be worn by all, no matter the vaccine status.

At this time, the following UTC locations and services still require face masks:

University Health Services
Counseling Center
Children’s Centers at Brown and Battle
MOCS Shuttle
Summer camps with children under the age of 12 in attendance

Those who will be involved in these services should continue wearing masks.

Vaccination Requirements

The University does not require the COVID-19 vaccination for UTC students or employees at this time.

University-Controlled Housing

Students living in University-controlled residential facilities are permitted to reside only in their assigned rooms or apartments. Residents may visit other residents from 12-10 p.m. daily. Social distancing must always be practiced.

Students, employees, contractors and visitors who are not campus residents are prohibited from entering University-controlled housing facilities at any time, except for individuals conducting official UTC business.

UTC reserves the right to close its University-controlled residential facilities due to health or safety concerns. The University also reserves the right to make changes to room assignments related to COVID-19.

Reporting COVID Status

All students, employees, contractors and visitors who have visited University-controlled property within the preceding 14 days are required to report as soon as they become aware if they are or were positive for COVID-19, symptomatic for COVID-19, or were exposed or potentially exposed to a known case of COVID-19. In addition, those who traveled internationally or via cruise ships are required to notify the University.

Information should be reported immediately via the UTC online COVID-19 Notification Form.

Amnesty for Students

As spelled out in the UTC Student Code of Conduct, a student will not be subject to formal University disciplinary action for any violation discovered by the University as a result of reporting COVID-19 concerns and/or participation in COVID-19 processes unless a student has engaged in repeated or serious violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

Facilities Use

Indoor and outdoor event attendance will be limited to designated COVID-19 maximum occupancy levels.

Click here to view spaces available for reservation.

Participation: Students and employees may attend all events which are open to the campus community or which they are invited so long as their participation does not exceed the maximum occupancy level for that space. Contractors may only attend events if they are completing a job-related responsibility and their participation does not exceed the maximum occupancy level. Visitors are prohibited from attending events unless they are invited to conduct official University business (for instance, guest lecturer) and their participation does not exceed the maximum occupancy level.

Reservations: All requests to procure UTC facilities must be submitted to and reviewed by designated facility managers through established processes for reserving the facility and/or space, including online software. Any reservations denied by the facility manager may be appealed to the COVID-19 Facilities Use Committee, an ad hoc group comprised of one representative from each of the following areas: Office of University Events (chairperson), Academic Affairs, Athletics, Campus Recreation, Faculty Senate, Graduate Student Association, McKenzie Arena, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Safety and Risk Management, Office of Student and Family Engagement, Student Government Association, University Center, University Health Services and UTC Police Department. The committee may uphold, modify or overturn the decision of the facility manager, and the committee’s decision is final.

Enforcement: The event host is required to ensure that COVID-19 maximum occupancy level for the event is not exceeded, that facility setup is not changed without the permission of the facility manager, and that all face mask and social distancing requirements are followed. If the event host fails to comply with these requirements or other University policies, the planned event may be canceled or immediately terminated. Any participant who fails to comply with requirements may be immediately removed from an event. If numerous participants fail to comply with requirements, the function may be immediately terminated.

Student Organization Off-Campus Events

UTC student organizations holding off-campus events are required to conduct their functions based on CDC, state and local health department guidelines.

Student organizations that fail to comply with these requirements may be subject to disciplinary action.

Compliance

Non-compliance with COVID-19 related provisions should be reported to:

Students: Office of Student Conduct.
Employees: Office of Human Resources.
Contractors: contract administrator or the Office of Procurement and Contract Services.
Visitors: UTC Police