Campus Re-Opening Policies for Students
Fall 2022, Spartanburg Methodist College will continue with regular, on-campus operations. All faculty, staff, and students will return to campus for the 2022-2023 school year. We're all ready to return to the community we miss.
College leaders will continue to closely monitor the pandemic and vaccine efforts to ensure we're providing a return to campus that is as safe as possible. All policy changes are subject to change based on guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Campus Policies
If you have any questions regarding these policies or the return to campus this fall, please contact Dr. DeAndre Howard, Dean of Community Wellness, at howardd@smcsc.edu.
Student COVID-19 VACCINATION FAQ
Students are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccine; however, the College strongly encourages it. We believe the community will be best served if everyone receives the vaccine, which is safe and effective. We understand that some cannot receive the vaccine due to health reasons and others have religious or personal objections to the use of vaccines.
Students with questions about the vaccine should view the detailed FAQ on this page.
Face masks are not required in any buildings or at any events at this time. You should wear a high quality mask if:
- If you have been exposed to COVID-19 for ten days, test on day five.
- If you test positive for eleven days. Please isolate for 5 days, then if you are fever free you can return to normal activities, but wear you mask for six more days.
- If you are traveling on public transportation, airlines, and/or inside public places such as grocery stores, movie theaters, etc.
- Wear a mask if you are going to be around a person who might get very sick from COVID-19.
- If you are not sure when to wear a mask, speak with your family doctor to determine what is best for your situation.
The college administration will continue to monitor the pandemic and make updates to campus policies as needed.
As of March 31, all South Carolinians over the age of 16 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
You may get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on SMC's campus! The vaccine clinic is located in Kingman Hall – Nurse’s Office.
Schedule your appointment via the Vaccination Administration System.
Use the following link to find a COVID-19 vaccine locator near you COVID-19 Vaccine Locations | SCDHEC. Also watch for announcements on SMC email for upcoming vaccine clinics.
How will I be notified that my COVID-19 vaccination card or waiver has been received and/or approved by SMC?
Students will receive an email confirmation to their SMC email account from the Wellness Team within 5-7 business days of submission with “approval of COVID-19 immunization record addition” or “pending approval of COVID-19 immunization record addition” with instructions on how to complete the process. Students can contact 864-590-6595 or wellnessgroup@smcsc.edu with any questions.
Yes. All SMC students submit immunization records to the college during the enrollment process. This is a standard process at all colleges and universities, helping to maintain and monitor the safety of the campus. Vaccinated students will upload an image of their completed vaccination card (2 doses for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, 1 dose for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) to their SMC student health and immunization record. SMC encourages all students to keep the completed vaccination card for their records.
SMC encourages all students to complete the vaccination waiver form that is included with the immunization record if you are not planning to receive the vaccine. However, the waiver form is not required at this point in time.
- New and transfer students will have an opportunity to electronically upload the completed vaccination card along with their other immunization records and health history form to their official health and immunization record. Instructions on how to upload your completed vaccination card or opt-out will be sent through your admission counselor by April 30.
- Returning students who have already completed their previous immunization records and health history form will upload the completed vaccination card to their official health and immunization record. Instructions on how to upload your completed vaccination card or opt-out will be sent from the Office of Campus Health and Wellness (WellnessGroup@smcsc.edu) by May 31.
SMC took early and decisive action to protect the campus community during the pandemic, and we're proud of how our students partnered with us to navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic together. We have all worked very hard, given the circumstances, to keep the SMC community and our campus safe and open by establishing and adhering to the 5 Simple Rules. Our students have been an important part of making that happen.
While SMC and many other organizations are planning their return to normal operations, COVID-19 has not gone away. However, individuals now have the option to protect themselves and reduce the spread of COVID-19 by vaccinating.
Individuals living or interacting in close proximity (residence halls, athletic participation, classrooms, dining, etc.) have an increased risk of contracting and spreading the virus. According to the CDC, the more a person interacts with others, and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading it throughout the community. However, that risk is reduced the more people are vaccinated. As always, we will continue to monitor SCDHEC and CDC recommendations. At this point, both agencies recommend the vaccination to slow the spread.
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SMC recommends faculty, staff and students consult their physician or another medical professional when deciding about vaccinations. Students can contact the Wellnessgroup for more information, please email them at wellnessgroup@smcsc.edu . They will be happy to assist you.
To learn more about the ingredients of each vaccine, you can find additional information here