Though we realize that we can’t eliminate all risk, we strive to create the safest learning environment possible while following state and local public health guidelines. A cornerstone of that strategy is to remain flexible and nimble, responding to unexpected concerns and implementing new protocols as the need arises.
Whether you’re new to campus, or you’ve been a Skyhawk for a few years, we are all #FLCTogether.
Ensuring campus safety during in-person instruction is our number one priority, and you’ve shown us it’s yours too. By embodying the Indigenous perspective of K’é, a mutual respect for others and actions that benefit the greater community, we can achieve our goal of quality, uninterrupted in-person and hybrid instruction. Keep doing your part, Skyhawks!
A broadly vaccinated student body is our best hope for engaging in the hands-on, inclusive, and personalized learning environment that we all know and love. FLC takes seriously our role in protecting the health of Durango and surrounding communities, some of which were the hardest-hit by COVID-19. For these reasons, it is vitally important that all our students are vaccinated.
To ensure safe campus interactions, A COVID-19 vaccine will be required for all FLC students, faculty, and staff for the Fall 2021 semester.
View Vaccine Requirements
While things look a little different than previous semesters, you will find fun and safe ways to connect with your fellow Skyhawks in classrooms, at campus events, or when you’re just taking a break in one of the Adirondack chairs on the plaza. At the core of these interactions will be our adherence to protocols we’ve put in place to keep our community safe.
All unvaccinated community members will be required to wear a mask and practice physical distancing while indoors. Vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks indoors.
Unvaccinated individuals can be without a mask while outside, except at large outdoor gatherings.
Daily symptom checking or screening for exposure or symptoms of COVID-19 is how you can help protect the FLC community—and it can be done super easily through the FLC App! To access campus, students must show a Green Health Pass on the FLC App when arriving at classes or when using other campus services. If you have a Red Health Pass, you cannot attend in-person classes or participate in any on-campus activities, but you may purchase grab-and-go food. If you don't know why your pass is red, email covid19-info@fortlewis.edu.
Daily reminders from the app will prompt community members to signify whether they are exhibiting any symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19. Symptoms tracked include a combination of fever, cough, body aches, fatigue, and chest tightness. If you are exhibiting symptoms, you should refrain from in-person interactions until getting negative results from a COVID-19 test.
New students: New students will be required to take the Health Awareness Certification (HAC) course in Canvas.
Returning students: Students who took the HAC last year will not be required to take it again.
Move-in: Residents will be allowed to bring two guests to assist with move-in.
School-related travel: Individuals traveling for college purposes will need to wear a mask while traveling in a van or bus.
Unvaccinated individuals are at higher risk for developing the disease caused by COVID-19 and spreading it to others. To keep campus safe, it is vital that students, faculty, and staff are vaccinated and that those who are exempt from the vaccine take the precautions mentioned above when interacting with others. The CDC has stated that the delta variant is highly transmissible and is now the dominant coronavirus strain across the country. There is increased concern for young, unvaccinated people, who are being hospitalized at alarming rates. When COVID-19 cases are found on campus, an expert team of FLC staff and public health officials will work together to support sick individuals and prevent the spread of the disease. Here’s what you need to know about positive cases on campus.
Public health representatives work to stop the spread of COVID-19 through contact tracing. In this strategy, public health workers talk to people with COVID-19 to learn about physically close contacts (within 6 feet for longer than 15 minutes) made by a potentially infectious person. With this information, our team can follow the chain of infection to understand how the disease might have spread. All contact tracers are trained in how to manage health and other sensitive information to protect your privacy. It is really important that you respond to contact tracers in a timely manner and that you communicate with them honestly about your activities and social contacts.
FLC community members who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms and those who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate from the campus community until cleared by the Health Center staff. Fort Lewis College will identify isolation spaces for on-campus students who need to be moved. Students in isolation will have access to food deliveries and flexible academic instruction. Employees should contact HR and your supervisor to discuss remote work and/or leave options.
FLC community members determined to have been in close contact with a positive case, and have not been vaccinated, will be required to quarantine and track symptoms. If you are vaccinated and have been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine or get tested unless you develop symptoms. Quarantined FLC students are required to stay away from others until cleared by the Health Center staff. Quarantined students will be offered testing for the COVID-19 virus five days after exposure. On-campus students in quarantine will have access to food deliveries and flexible academic instruction. Employees should contact HR and their supervisor to discuss remote work and/or leave options.
Fort Lewis College offers free COVID-19 testing for all students and employees. Vaccinated individuals only need to test for COVID-19 if symptomatic. FLC will require unvaccinated individuals to take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to engaging in person for Fall 2021. There will also be ongoing testing for those individuals who have received an exemption from the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. Anyone requesting a test due to experiencing symptoms, or exposure to someone who tested positive, should remain in quarantine until test results are confirmed. The testing site is located at the FLC Stadium Parking Lot and will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. through the fall.
Register for testing
Get campus updates straight from FLC leadership. Check your email often for the latest information on remote learning, technology access, and changes in campus services.
Archive of COVID email updates
Do you have questions? We're more than happy to address them.
covid19-info@fortlewis.edu 970-247-7301
admission@fortlewis.edu 970-247-7184