Beavers Forward

Safety Guidelines and More

Buena Vista University is committed to the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. Below you will find our current campus guidelines. 

We are Beavers and we will keep building together!

Campus overhead

Take me to:

Health & Safety

Testing

  • Health Services has free rapid tests available for students and employees, and you can Book an Appointment to receive a test.

Vaccinations

  • Students are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine and/or booster. Students should update their vaccination record in the Student Health Portal

Quarantine/Isolation

  • BVU will follow CDC guidance for isolation and quarantine which requires those who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate for 5 days, followed by 5 days of mask-wearing. Those who are exposed, regardless of vaccination status, will need to mask for 10 days and test as directed by Health Services or Human Resources.

  • Students will return home to isolate unless they live more than 6 hours from campus. Students who test positive for COVID-19 and have to isolate on campus will have meals delivered to their room. 

Face Covering Policy

  • Mask wearing and physical distancing on campus is optional. We encourage people who wish to continue wearing masks to do so, and also expect, as we have throughout the pandemic, that community members will honor and respect requests to wear masks. You should be prepared and have a face cover readily available in the case a mask mandate is enforced or a member of the BVU community requests you wear a mask when around them. 

  • While BVU is mask optional, if you are exposed or recovering from COVID-19, you are expected to follow the CDC masking guidance.  

If you have any questions about vaccinations or testing, please contact Health Services.

Academics

  • Courses that are typically delivered in-person will be held face-to-face as normal. BVU will no longer offer Storm Lake remote as a learning option. Students who wish to learn remotely may enroll in BVU’s online and hybrid courses. Students can work with their academic advisor to determine their learning plan. 
     
  • Students must work directly with their faculty if they are required to quarantine/isolate due to a positive COVID-19 test result or exposure. 

Teaching English as a Second Language

CARES Act: on March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided emergency aid funds to institutions of higher education.  More information

Athletics

Our Athletics teams will follow NCAA and American Rivers Conference guidance. No surveillance testing is required at this time. 

Student-athletes exposed to COVID-19 will begin wearing a mask as soon as they are exposed to COVID-19.  Student-athletes will then be scheduled by Health Services for health screenings, which may include COVID-19 tests throughout the following 10 days. Student-athletes will be required to test after 5 full days have passed since exposure. Those who pass Health Services screening will be able to attend practice unmasked. 

Student-athletes who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate until they are cleared by Health Services to return to activities. 

 

Siebens Fieldhouse and tree

Music Performance Groups

Students, faculty, and staff participating in music ensembles at BVU will adhere to the following COVID-19 guidelines. 

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, you may still attend rehearsals with the following requirements: 

  • Inform the director of exposure. 
  • Wear a mask for 10 days following exposure and receive a COVID-19 test as directed by Health Services. 
    • For individuals playing wind instruments: use an instrument cover when playing, and a normal mask when not playing. 
    • For individuals playing percussion, performing with the color guard, or singing: a normal mask is required. 
  • Physical distancing at the discretion of the director (required for indoor rehearsals).

In the case of a positive COVID-19 test, you may return to class activities after being cleared by Health Services.

Schaller Chapel on BVU's campus.