By Kiersten Hacker

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in March, colleges and universities closed abruptly and were forced to make new plans to adapt to a remote, virtual environment. When it came time to think about the fall, schools were met with more elaborate decision-making to allow students to return to campus while keeping virus numbers low. Many classes would remain online for the fall, but most colleges and universities across the nation decided to reopen with restrictions.

UMD’s reopening plans made adjustments to on-campus residence life to follow necessary coronavirus precautions. Leonardtown apartments have been used as quarantine or isolation housing and now, with the increase of COVID-19 cases on campus, three more buildings have been added. The university has 32% of quarantine and isolation beds available for students as of Oct. 4, according to the UMD COVID-19 Dashboard.

Though similar, there is a difference between quarantine and isolation. Students who test positive for the virus will be notified by the University Health Center and told to move to the New Leonardtown apartments, where they will isolate for 10 days, or they can isolate at home. Once these students are notified, they must provide information about their recent activities and whom they have been in contact with, and they are assigned a case manager to assist them through the isolation process. Students who have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive will also be notified by the UHC, told to move to the quarantine apartments in Old Leonardtown and are assigned a case manager. These students will quarantine for 14 days, either at home or on campus, and may share a common area with a roommate. If an exposed student would like to get tested, they must contact the Health Center independently. The HEAL line, which connects individuals to a UHC representative, is also available for students to call to report a positive test from outside of the university, possible exposure to the virus or the emergence of symptoms. Students in isolation must be cleared after 10 days by their healthcare provider or the UHC before checking out. Students in quarantine can check out of housing after 14 days with no symptoms.

Those who have been sent to quarantine or isolation housing have had various experiences with communication from case managers, the Health Center, transportation services and food services. Freshman journalism major Natalie Davis had heard someone in her group of friends tested positive on Sept. 29. A different friend in the group received an email that they had been exposed and the rest of the group called the HEAL line in the absence of notification. Davis was then transferred to quarantine housing and said her process “went really smoothly, for me at least” with efficient transportation and move-in. She also explained that students receive dinner each night along with breakfast and lunch for the following day, which they can store in the apartment refrigerators. She was also provided 24 water bottles with her first meal. The apartments have a full kitchen so students have the option to bring their own food to cook or have groceries delivered. Though she did not receive a case manager until she was already moved in, Davis said her case manager has checked to make sure she is doing well. It has only been a few days, but Davis feels her experience so far has been positive.

“I mean it’s going to be all right,” Davis said. I’m just trying to think for the best.”

On the other hand, freshman journalism student Jalyn Mathis had a very different quarantine experience. Mathis was notified to quarantine four days after one of her friends had tested positive for COVID-19. She has been in quarantine since Sept. 25 and said she is beginning to feel very lonely and isolated since she does not have a roommate while many students do. Mathis was forced to call many services before she could get the support she needed from her case manager and the driver of the van provided by transportation services to relocate students. A week after she had moved into Old Leonardtown, Mathis received an email stating that students in Cumberland Hall, the dorm she lives in, had tested positive or been exposed to the virus, and they were moved to the precautionary housing. The email included that it was not likely she was exposed, but she was already in quarantine. 

Along with the miscommunication, Mathis also explained another difficulty with her room: crickets. She contacted her case manager after hearing a loud noise all day and was eventually able to have maintenance check her room and provide her with sticky traps. Crickets would not be the only creatures Mathis had to face as she recounted that a squirrel had gotten into one of the packages of food left outside for the students. Mathis said the days seem long but her quarantine has also gone by fast and she is looking forward to being cleared.

Students in Denton Hall, which housed about 247 freshmen this fall, were told to quarantine on Sept. 18. After 23 positive results in a two week period, students were given the option to quarantine in their rooms or at home. Freshman journalism major Madelyn Willoughby decided to stay on campus because she is from out of state. 

“It was like move-in day,” Willoughby said. “I saw so many cars with parents coming to pick up their kids.” 

While she is one of the few left in the building, she has had a fairly positive experience with the sudden quarantine. Willoughby was impressed with the food delivery and  accommodations for vegetarians. Since her classes are all online, she said quarantine “isn’t too different,” and she “hasn’t seen too many changes,” even though going to outside activities is prohibited.

However, Willoughby explained that some email updates were not very specific and left some students curious. One email stated that each floor would be assigned a case manager, but Willoughby said she had not been contacted by one. She also explained that her resident assistant moved out so there is no longer a supervisor on her floor. But, she said that there are additional Counseling Center resources available for students through teletherapy and other methods to assist with coping and adapting. 

“Honestly, I feel like it’s been a lot better than I expected,” Willoughby said despite the few obstacles she faced.

Featured photo courtesy of UMD Department of Resident life.