COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Simpson College students, faculty and staff and no known contact between infected persons and the college community. The college continues to monitor the situation and is following guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Department of State, Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and other agencies, including those in countries where Simpson College students, faculty and staff may be traveling.

Campus is closed to the general public, but offices are still operational. Offices will continue to be responsive via phone and email while adhering to the social distancing guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control.

Simpson College has identified essential operations and will have the needed resources in place to continue to ensure campus is operational in the event that Gov. Reynolds issues a “stay-at-home” order for Iowa.

Please note the information contained below is updated as of March 27, 2020 and is subject to change.

• Kent Campus Center: Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Chapel and Food Bank: Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Mailroom: Open Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Business Office: Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Registrar's Office: Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Bookstore: Closed until April 7.  Merchandise is still available online at www.bkstr.com/simpsoncollegestore/home. Orders will be fulfilled daily.

To begin, look out for symptoms which include:

• A fever of 100.4 or higher
• A cough
• Shortness of breath

If you develop these symptoms within 14 days from being on campus, please notify Katie Lee, Director of Health Services (katie.lee@simpson.edu) or Mimi Bartley-Nancarrow, Director of Human Resources (mimi.bartley-nancarrow@simpson.edu). It’s essential to notify the proper individuals of your illness so the college can monitor the general health of the campus community. Your health information will remain confidential. 

If you should develop a fever, cough, OR shortness of breath, it is recommended you stay home and isolate yourself from others. Approximately 80 percent of people infected with COVID-19 will experience only a mild to moderate illness. Most mildly ill people do not need to go to their healthcare provider or be tested to confirm they have COVID-19. If you are sick, stay home until:

• You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers),

AND

• Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved),

AND

• At least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared. 

If you think you may need health care, call your provider or use telehealth first. Your health care provider can assess whether you need to be seen in the office or if you can recover at home.

Per IDPH (3/22/20), mildly ill people will not be tested in an effort to preserve health care resources such as COVID-19 tests and personal protective gear for health care providers.  If you should require more emergent care, such as a visit to the emergency department or the use of 911/ambulance, please call first and inform them of your symptoms and any recent travel. 

The emergency warning signs include:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or unconsciousness
• Bluish lips or face

Simpson College Counseling Services will continue to be available to students via phone or video counseling Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, email counseling.services@simpson.edu or call 515-961-1332.

Things to know about tele-counseling provided by Simpson College Counseling Services:

• We are continuing with any current clients who wish/are able to do so and WILL BE TAKING NEW CLIENTS throughout the rest of the academic year.
• If you would like, we are also happy to assist with referrals to services in your home community.
• Most sessions will be conducted via video or phone.
• Sessions remain confidential.
• Initial sessions will still be 30-45 minutes, regular sessions will be 45-50 minutes.
• If you would like to schedule a session we will send you links to paperwork to complete prior to your session and you will get an online meeting request for your appointment time.
• In some rare situations, we may determine that tele-counseling is not an appropriate option. Should this be the case, we will work to refer you to services in your community.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Iowa, visit the IDPH website.

For a list of resources related to online learning, student accessibility and academic coaching, visit the COVID-19 Resource Page at www.simpson.edu/covid19/resources.

While Simpson College is changing modalities of instruction from face-to-face to the online delivery of courses, it is the intent that the same learning outcomes will be achieved. Because of this, a different grading system isn't required. The college WILL NOT be moving to a pass/fail grading system for Spring 2020.

Please reach out to your individual professor and/or academic advisor with course questions. 

• Given current Centers for Disease Control guidelines, commencement is postponed from its original May 2, 2020 date, but plans are being made to reschedule the event. 
• Graduation application fees pay for the application processing required for students to graduate, regardless of participation in commencement activities. Though the spring commencement ceremony is postponed, students will still receive degrees. Because of this, graduation fees will not be refunded. 
• Campus leadership is discussing options for celebrating the Class of 2020. The goal is to announce plans by the end of April. Check the daily COVID-19 email for updates.

All campus events and on-campus student activities for Spring 2020 [March 17-April 30] are canceled. Because a cornerstone of higher education is community, the college is in the process of developing innovative ways to connect and ensure the Simpson community remains united during this global crisis.

As of March 14, there have been no decisions made regarding summer classes. We will communicate any changes as they are made. 

Regarding May Term, please seek help from your academic advisor on how best to proceed forward and what options may be available to you.

Due to the challenges presented by COVID-19, completing on-site internship will be a challenge. Questions may be directed to careers@simpson.edu.

Please take the following steps:

• Maintain communication with internship site supervisors, faculty advisors, and the Career Development team. 
• Complete on-site internship hours only if the employer and student deem it safe and follow guidelines outlined by local and national health experts.
• Ideally, on-site supervisors will instead provide remote work or projects for interns. If that is not possible, our faculty supervisors will provide alternative academic projects. 

Students are encouraged to make other living arrangements whenever possible and should move out of residential environments unless they meet one of the reasons below:

• You have housing insecurity or a precarious living situation.
• You have a Simpson College-related reason that requires you to be on campus.
• You do not have reliable internet to complete your coursework at home.
• It would be unsafe for you or your family due to your own or family members’ health conditions.
• You have issues with arranging travel that will require access after April 1.

For questions, email luke.behaunek@simpson.edu. 

Residential students moving off campus by March 31 will receive a partial refund of room and board charges. Prorated credits for the semester will be calculated based on the following cancellation dates:

• Housing – March 31, 2020
• Meal plan – March 13, 2020

Credits will be applied to student accounts first and then used to offset any account balances. We are offering students two options for resulting credit balances:

• Hold the credit balance on the student account to be applied against future charges, including next fall’s charges
• Receive a check for the credit balance

Please complete this short form indicating your selection by Tuesday, March 31.  If no selection is made, a check will be mailed to your home address.

Credits will be applied to accounts by April 3 and refund checks will be issued by April 17.
 
If you have additional questions, please contact Sherri Aldridge at sherri.aldridge@simpson.edu.

Simpson College has cancelled all international and domestic travel during May Term. May Term classes will be conducted in an online format.

The Registrar’s office will reach out to students enrolled in any cancelled courses with information on the process for registration changes and options for new course enrollments. If you have specific questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office by email at jody.ragran@simpson.edu.

If a May Term course is cancelled by the College due to uncontrollable circumstances such as acts of war, health risks in the host country, U.S. State Department warnings, or any other reason, the College cannot guarantee, but will attempt to secure a partial refund of the final payment.

Visit simpson.edu/internal/business-office/refunds for more information.

Per the guidelines issued on March 13, the American Rivers Conference has cancelled all competition for the remainder of the spring season. The cancellation includes all A-R-C spring regular season competition, championships, and awards. 

Please contact your direct supervisor to inquire about the status of your work-study position. For any other questions, contact Cheryl Eaton at cheryl.eaton@simpson.edu. 

One of Simpson College’s core values is its commitment to all students. As noted in the mission, “individual attention and an unwavering commitment to inclusive education,” will always remain. Also, the college recognizes these are unprecedented times and is always available to answer questions related to financial aid.

• Our financial aid letters remain our commitment to you.
• If the financial situation for you or your family has changed due to COVID19, please contact us immediately to discuss possible additional options to finance your education. You can reach the financial aid office at 515-961-1596 or by email at tracie.pavon@simpson.edu
• If you are unable or struggling in some capacity to meet your financial obligation, please contact the Simpson College Business Office at 515-961-1655.