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Marching Forward

Marching Forwarg graphic

Fall Update - August 15, 2022

Carroll College has resumed normal campus operations. We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the fall and will use this webpage to communicate any changes to our current operating policies. The Marching Forward Plan with its three-phased approach is no longer in effect; however, it may be revisited and reimplemented if health conditions necessitate doing so in the future.

  • There are no mask requirements for any area on campus including classrooms, labs (with the exception of nursing labs), instructional spaces, athletic facilities, or common areas.

  • Students, faculty, staff, and visitors may choose and are welcome to personally wear masks for any reason. As a community we continue to respect each person’s choice and personal circumstances.

  • Employees have returned to in-person work unless approved to work remotely and/or an accommodation is approved through their individual departments.

  • Beginning with the fall semester, Carroll will no longer provide alternative isolation housing for COVID-19 positive students. 

  • Anyone with symptoms or a positive COVID test should follow the recommendations provided by their healthcare provider, the CDC and/or local health authority, such as Lewis & Clark Public Health.

  • Vaccinations and boosters are available throughout the Helena community.

  • Practice common sense health and safety measures – wash your hands often, monitor your health, and stay home if sick.

Vaccinations (Free local vaccination clinics)

To provide the best protection for yourself and the community, please strongly consider getting vaccinated and boosted.

There are multiple vaccination opportunities in the Helena community. One of the most convenient for our students is the CVS pharmacy just across Benton Avenue in the Lundy Center. Follow this link for information.

For additional vaccination opportunities in Helena, please visit the Lewis and Clark County vaccine distribution page.

Remember to bring:

  • Photo ID
  • Your insurance card
  • Your CDC vaccination card if it is your 2nd dose or 1st, 2nd, or 3rd booster

If you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, contact your healthcare provider or our Wellness Center.

For informational purposes, this link provides vaccination rates and cases by state.

Testing (COVID testing for students, faculty, and staff)

Carroll will not have testing on campus this semester.

However, there is testing available throughout the Helena community, please visit the Lewis and Clark County vaccine and testing locations page. Please note that while in the past COVID testing had been free, there may be a charge for testing now.

We also strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to take advantage of the offer provided by the federal government to have eight (8) free rapid antigen tests mailed to your home or school address to have on hand if needed. The tests take approximately two weeks to arrive once you fill out the simple form at www.covidtests.gov.  If you currently have a supply of the tests, please note that the expiration dates of many of the tests have been extended 3, 6, or 12 months. You can check the  shelf life of a variety of tests at this FDA link.

If you have a Carroll-sponsored health insurance plan, your insurance will pay you back for eight (8) at-⁠home rapid antigen tests each month for each person on your plan. These test kits should be available at CVS and Walgreens. Additional information for Carroll College employees on the BCBS plan can be found here. Many other insurance companies have similar coverage for COVID-19 testing, so please check with your provider if you are interested in obtaining additional tests. Learn more.

Masks (Required only in nursing labs)

There are no mask requirements for any area on campus including classrooms, labs (with the exception of nursing labs), instructional spaces, athletic facilities, or common areas. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors may choose and are welcome to personally wear masks for any reason and as a community we continue to respect each person’s choice and personal circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our most commonly asked questions by expanding the categories below:

Vaccinations FAQs

Q: Where can I get a vaccine?
A: There are multiple vaccination opportunities in the Helena community. One of the most convenient for our students is the CVS pharmacy just across Benton Avenue in the Lundy Center. Follow this link for information. For additional vaccination opportunities in Helena, please visit the Lewis and Clark County vaccine distribution page.

Q: Is Carroll requiring the vaccine?
A: While Carroll is not mandating the vaccine for students as a condition of attendance, we strongly recommend that all students and members of the campus community get the vaccine while it is free and widely available. More people vaccinated will keep our campus community safer and means fewer chances for the virus to spread.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about the vaccine?
A: Information about the COVID-19 vaccines is published on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Other questions dealing with your unique health situation should be directed to your healthcare provider. If you are a student, you can contact the Wellness Center.

Testing & Quarantine/Isolation FAQs

Q: Will testing be available on campus?
A: Carroll will not have testing on campus this semester. However, there are various locations in Helena which provide COVID-19 testing. Please note that there may now be a cost associated with testing. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Locations map on the Lewis & Clark Public Health COVID-19 Hub for locations.

We also encourage all students, faculty and staff take advantage of the offer provided by the federal government to have eight (8) free rapid antigen tests mailed to your home or school address to have on hand if needed at www.covidtests.gov.

Q: What if I feel ill or test positive for COVID-19?
A: We recommend that anyone who feels ill or tests positive for COVID-19, use the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator on the CDC website. This tool will provide guidance on how long it is recommended that individuals quarantine and isolate based on their individual circumstances. If the tool is being updated and/or unavailable, guidance can be found on the CDC’s “What to Do If You Are Sick” webpage.

Based on CDC guidance, Carroll will no longer track and monitor students who are either COVID positive or a close contact, yet we strongly encourage individuals to follow the guidance for quarantine and isolation provided by the CDC. We also recommend that any students who test positive and have symptoms reach out to their healthcare provider or the Wellness Center, if necessary.

In addition, beginning with the fall semester, Carroll will no longer provide alternative isolation housing for COVID-19 positive students.

If a student tests positive and lives on campus, we strongly encourage that the student limit their exposure to others by staying in their residence hall room for the recommended period of time (see the CDC calculator and guidance.). We recognize this presents a challenge with roommates so if a student has the ability to travel home or isolate off-campus, we recommend they do so.

Tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while you're isolating in the residence halls:

  • Wear a mask.

  • Limit face-to-face interactions.

  • Open windows for ventilation.

  • Wash your hands often.

  • Avoid common areas.

  • Have friends or roommates deliver your meals to you. 

If you live off campus, stay home and avoid others, and follow the CDC's recommended guidelines for isolation.

Students who are self-isolating should contact their faculty and/or coaches immediately to inform them of their situation.

 

Masks FAQs

Q: Are face masks required at Carroll?
A: Masks are not required anywhere on campus with the exception of the nursing labs.

Marching Forward Plan

The Carroll College Marching Forward Plan was a phased approach of policies and protocols that served as a guide for the college as we continued our valued mission of providing a safe, in-person educational experience for our students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The plan is no longer in effect as of June 2022. However, the Marching Forward Plan with its three-phased approach may be revisited and reimplemented if health conditions necessitate doing so in the future.

What you should do to keep Carroll College safe:

Campus Updates

Contacts:

St. Charles

Students & Employees – if you feel ill and suspect you have COVID-19:

If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, immediately call your primary healthcare provider or the Carroll College Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 - do not go to the center before calling first. After assessing your symptoms, your healthcare provider or the Wellness Center may order a COVID-19 test. You will be contacted directly for instructions on how to receive a COVID test. These policies apply regardless of your vaccination status.

• Until test results are obtained – immediately self-quarantine and please adhere to the following protocols:

  • Students
    • Contact the Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 to report that you have been tested and determine the best course of action.
    • Notify your faculty members, supervisors, coaches, etc. to report that you are sick or suspect you may be sick and will not be attending class/work/practice.
    • You will be required to self-quarantine until your test results come back.
  • Employees
    • Contact your supervisor to report that you are sick or suspect you may be sick and will not be attending work- immediately self-quarantine.
    • Stay home until instructed otherwise by Lewis & Clark Public Health or your healthcare provider.
    • You will be required to self-quarantine until your test results come back.

When test results are obtained:

  • An interviewer from Lewis & Clark Public Health or your health care provider will contact you if you test positive for COVID-19.
  • If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, the interviewer or healthcare provider will help you understand what to do next, what support is available, as well as let you know how long you should isolate yourself.

Students and Employees - If You Are Exposed to someone with a Suspected or CONFIRMED POSITIVE COVID Test

Lewis & Clark Public Health or a college representative will directly contact anyone who has been identified as having been exposed to someone with a suspected or confirmed positive COVID-19 case.

Close Contact – Under CDC guidelines, a close contact is defined as “someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.”

NOTE: The COVID Active Case Action Team (CACAT) will review all new pertinent county and campus COVID-19 infection data on a daily basis. The college reserves the right to update these policies at any time.
  • A close contact is considered asymptomatic if they do not have any of the following symptoms: (i) fever or chills; (ii) cough; (iii) shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (iv) fatigue; (v) muscle or body aches; (vi) headache; (vii) new loss of taste or smell; (viii) sore throat; (ix) congestion or runny nose; (x) nausea or vomiting; or (xi) diarrhea.
  • If you are a Carroll College student or employee and have been exposed to someone with a suspected or confirmed positive COVID-19 test, we will be treating all close asymptomatic contacts the same (Carroll’s policies for asymptomatic close contacts will not differ based on vaccination or immunity status). 
  1. Carroll College has established the following policies for asymptomatic close contacts: 
    1. Carroll College highly recommends that students consider self-isolating until a negative test result is received.
    2. Close contacts may be identified by the COVID-19 positive individual through the COVID-19 Reporting Form. 
    3. If you are a confirmed close contact, you must also fill out the COVID-19 Reporting Form. 
    4. The CACAT will track all positive cases and close contacts and will be in communication with each impacted individual.
    5. Roommates will automatically be considered close contacts. 
    6. All close contacts will be required to wear a mask whenever in a communal space or in the presence of any other individual on Carroll’s campus for 10 full days after the date of exposure even after a negative test result is received.   
    7. All close contacts will be required to test three (3) days after the date of exposure.  If the 3rd day falls on a weekend or holiday, then the testing must take place immediately following the weekend or holiday.
      1. Carroll offers asymptomatic and symptomatic testing Monday through Friday excluding weekends and holidays. Please call 406-447-5441 to make an appointment for testing.
      2. A Public Health officer or College representative can help provide information about testing, or you may work with your healthcare provider. The Carroll College Wellness Center may be able to provide some general guidance as well by calling 406.447.5441.
    8. The CACAT team will monitor the 3-day testing period and will send students a notification reminder that they must test in accordance with 1.g.
    9. Asymptomatic close contacts will not be quarantined unless they violate the testing requirements under sub-bullet 1.g. 
    10. The Student Life team will be informed if a student does not test within the 3-day testing period to launch the student conduct process.   
    11. If asymptomatic close contact students do not test on day 3 or if they fail to wear a mask as required above, this will be considered a student conduct issue at which time the student will go through the Student Conduct process in which the first step is to automatically place the student in quarantine. If the student fails to abide by the quarantine requirement, further sanctions may be warranted.  
    12. All asymptomatic close contacts must monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms(link is external) for 14 days after learning of their status as a confirmed close contact.  If an asymptomatic close contact develops any COVID-19 symptoms, they must immediately report those symptoms to the Carroll College Wellness Center and take an additional COVID-19 test. 
  2. If you are a close contact and develop symptoms you must follow the protocols under the section above titled “What To Do If You are Ill,” including Isolating yourself if you receive a positive COVID-19 test result, consistent with Carroll College’s confirmed COVID-19 policies.  (Carroll’s policies for symptomatic close contacts will not differ based on vaccination or immunity status.)
    1. Students – If the call comes from Lewis & Clark Public Health, contact the Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 to report your symptoms and/or confirmed positive test, if applicable.  If you live on campus, immediately contact Residential Life & Housing at 406.459.0540 so they can facilitate your move into isolation. Notify your faculty members, supervisors, coaches, etc. that you are a confirmed contact and that you will not be attending class/work/practice.
    2. Employees: Contact your supervisor to report that you are a confirmed contact and will not be attending work.
    3. If you become ill, contact your healthcare provider, the Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 or if it is after hours, call St. Peter’s Urgent Care Line at 406.442.2480.
    4. Stay home until instructed otherwise by Lewis & Clark Public Health or a healthcare provider except to get medical care. Do not go to work, school or public areas.
    5. Ask friends or family members to do your shopping or use a grocery delivery service.
    6. Practice frequent hand washing, wearing a mask when in spaces others use, disinfect surfaces you touch, and keep your space clean.
    7. Isolate yourself from people and animals in your home - stay in a specific room away from other people and use a separate bathroom, if available. Limit contact with pets and other animals. If possible, have a member of your household care for them. If you must care for an animal, wear a face covering and wash your hands before and after you interact with them. 
    8. If you become symptomatic, please refer to “What to Do If You Are Ill”.

Students and Employees - If you are COVID-19 positive

Lewis & Clark Public Health, your healthcare provider or the Carroll College Wellness Center will directly contact anyone who has been tested and is confirmed positive for COVID-19.

If you have tested positive, all students and employees should take the following steps:

  1. Fill out the COVID-19 Reporting Form.
  2. Students: If the call comes from Lewis & Clark Public Health, contact the Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 to report your positive case. If you live on campus, immediately contact Residential Life & Housing at 406.459.0540 so they can facilitate your move into isolation. Notify your faculty members, supervisors, coaches, etc. that you have tested positive and that you will not be attending class/work/practice.
  3. Employees: Contact your supervisor to report that you are COVID-19 positive and will not be attending work.
  4. If you become ill, contact your healthcare provider, the Wellness Center at 406.447.5441 or if it is after hours, call St. Peter’s Urgent Care Line at 406.442.2480.
  5. Stay home until instructed otherwise by Lewis & Clark Public Health or your healthcare provider, except to get medical care. Do not go to work, school or public areas.
  6. Ask friends or family members to do your shopping or use a grocery delivery service.
  7. Practice frequent hand washing, wearing a mask when in spaces others use, disinfect surfaces you touch, and keep your space clean.
  8. Isolate yourself from people and animals in your home - stay in a specific room away from other people and use a separate bathroom, if available. Limit contact with pets and other animals. If possible, have a member of your household care for them. If you must care for an animal, wear a face covering and wash your hands before and after you interact with them.
  9. Returning to normal activity after testing positive: You can return to normal activity according to the most recent CDC Guidelines with others after:
    • At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared AND;
    • At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication AND;
    • No symptoms or symptoms have improved (Please note:  Loss of taste or smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and will not have to delay the end of isolation).
    • Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days (days 6-10).