Residence Life
The total capacity of our residence halls has been reduced to 1,200 beds, which allows for each student to have their own bedroom. Safety plans are in place to help students interact and move about the campus as safely as possible, including wayfinding through the buildings and enforcement of the SSU COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols.
Additionally, Residence Life has structured the following changes to ensure physical distancing and health measures are taken:
- All residential students will be tested for COVID-19 as part of the move-in process.
- Common areas such as lounges and community kitchens will have limited availability. Hours will be posted in each common area.
- Residential students will be restricted from bringing non-Salem State visitors into the building.
- For move-in, residential students will be distributed over a week-long move-in process to ensure maximum social distancing and a reduction of crowds.
- Residential students will be asked to monitor symptoms daily throughout the semester in the CoVerified app and self-report any potential health risks to Counseling and Health Services.
- Information about COVID-19 safety will be incorporated into spring floor meetings with residential students.
Testing of Resident Students
All residential students will be tested for COVID-19 as part of the move-in process. During the spring semester, we will be testing all residential students weekly. This is a free service to our residential students.
Residence Life will enact an isolation and quarantine plan – specifically holding a number of spaces throughout campus with private bedrooms and bathrooms for students who are in need of isolation due to COVID-19 and cannot return home.
Additional details about resident student testing and quarantine can be found in the Guide to Living on Campus.
Dining Services
Salem State selected a new dining vendor, Sodexo, for fall 2020.
Sodexo has a number of changes in place to promote physical distancing, implementing enhanced levels of food safety, and making necessary revisions to all locations to provide safe service to customers from well-trained and healthy staff members. Additional dining options, including food trucks and grocery delivery, continue to be added to our offerings. Visit the Viking dining site for menus, orders and the latest dining hours.
Meals for Students Quarantined
SSU will coordinate with the dining service vendor to identify a process in concert with CHS to provide meals to those who need to comply with quarantine and/or isolation protocols.