Northern lists short-term preparations for COVID-19 restrictions

With Montana State University-Northern entering spring break this week, the university released some short-term actions it is putting in place for novel coronavirus 2019 restrictions put in place by the Montana University System.

In preparation for the students’ return to campus, the university is:

• Training its residence directors and resident assistants on cleanliness and safety in the residence halls

• Pulling self-serve items — such as the salad bar — and providing free to go containers in Food Service

• Implementing social distancing rules in every building

• Training faculty to implement the CDC’s health and safety guidelines in every lab, such as handwashing, sanitizing, distancing

To protect the health of the entire campus community, the university is:

• Closing non-essential rooms and buildings for the next two weeks

• Restricting non-academic gatherings to 20 people or fewer

• Training and increasing the custodial staff to implement additional sanitizing measures

• Ensuring all essential services are covered in short-staffed areas with temporary duty assignments

• Working individually with high-risk employees on remote work options

• Working with public health and the hospital on contingency plans in case a campus community member becomes ill