Your safety matters. All who come to Austin Community College campuses and centers are currently required to wear face masks. Social distancing is strongly encouraged to help reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and better ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all students, faculty, and staff, especially those who are most at-risk.

View Austin Community College District's COVID-19 Return to Campus Health & Safety Protocols. 

Vea los Protocolos de seguridad y salud para el regreso al campus del COVID-19 del Distrito de Colegios Comunitarios de Austin.

• Reporting COVID-19 Protocols

  • Self-Reporting

    · If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days; are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19; or been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days; stay home, contact your primary care provider, and complete ACC’s COVID-19 self-report form.
    Definition of Exposure: You have been in close contact (within 6 feet) of the individual for a total of 15 minutes or more, over a 24-hour period.  
    · Upon receipt of the self-reporting form, the individual will receive further instructions from the college’s contact tracing team.
    · As always, call 911 for emergency situations.

    Contact Tracing

    · ACC will continue COVID-19 contact tracing for on-campus COVID-19 incidents.
    · Based on selfreporting, ACC will contact students and employees to obtain more information and provide further instructions.
    · The college initiates contact tracing for on-campus COVID-19 incidents to determine exposures and identify quarantine requirements.

    Supervisor & Staff Responsibilities

    · Under no circumstances should you disclose the identity of an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 or may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19; this is a violation of their confidentiality.
    · When an individual shares with you that they are positive for COVID-19, urge them to go home or stay home, seek medical care if needed, follow their healthcare provider’s instructions and complete ACC’s self-reporting form.
    · Completion of ACC's self-reporting form will immediately alert the college's contact tracing team to begin following up with that individual and any others with whom they may have been in close contact.
    · If an individual is unable or unwilling to complete the self-reporting form, contact Michael Garcia, ACC’s executive director of Regulatory Affairs, at michael.garcia@austincc.edu.

    Employee Leave and Additional Resources
    · Employees who are working remotely can continue to work remotely when approved, as long as they are able to perform the essential functions of their job.
    · If essential and core work functions must be performed on campus and the employee is not able to return to work due to a COVID-19 related reason (contact or exposure) or illness, the employee will not be able to continue to work remotely. The employee should use their accrued leave (sick, vacation, or personal) for their absence.
    · When an employee is not able to return to work for any reason related to COVID-19, the employee should use their accrued leave (sick, vacation or personal) for their absence.
    · In any situation, an employee who is out sick for 3 or more days must submit a physician’s note to return to work to hrbenefits@austincc.edu prior to returning from leave.

• On-Campus Protocols
  • • Sanitize: Wash and sanitize your hands prior to entering a classroom, office, or facility. Hand sanitizing stations, disinfecting wipes, soap, and water are readily available.
    • Social Distance: The college asks that everyone continue to respect the personal space of others and practice safe social distancing, usually considered to be three-to-six feet of separation. Follow floor stickers that are placed throughout the campus to help guide social distancing in high traffic areas. Schedules are staggered and courses have been divided into smaller sections to minimize contact with individuals.
    • Face Masks: Per ACC District Board of Trustees policy, anyone who is 2 years of age or older in an ACC facility is required to wear a face mask effective August 20, 2021. This is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which makes clear that face coverings, in addition to social distancing measures, are among the most effective strategies in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Non-medical masks will be available for you at ACC facilities should you forget to bring one. 
    • ID Badges: Students and employees are expected to carry their student, faculty, or staff ID badge at all times while on campus. Badges (ID cards) must be visible. Visitors must obtain and wear a visitor badge. Contractors must display proper identification. These may be obtained by checking in at the Campus Manager’s office upon arrival. 
    • Visitor Check-In: Any member of the public entering an ACC facility (not a student, faculty member, or staff person) should report to the Campus Manager’s office for screening and to obtain a visitors badge. 
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols

  • ACC follows cleaning and disinfecting guidance from the CDC and WHO and supplemented with Ecolab expertise for commercial facilities and office buildings. All disinfectants used at ACC are approved by the EPA for use against the Novel Coronavirus. Specific cleaning and disinfecting protocols at ACC include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • ACC's Campus Operations Quality Control staff regularly and frequently clean and disinfect any and all high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, chairs, and restrooms.
    • You are reminded to disinfect personal electronics on a regular basis.
    • Hand sanitizer is available in or near every classroom.
• COVID-19 Testing

  • Beginning Monday, September 20, ACC will offer free COVID-19 testing at Round Rock, Highland, Riverside, and Eastview campuses. The testing, provided by Curative, is free to ACC students and employees. Below is the current schedule. Additional dates and times will be added. Please check back soon. To find other testing locations near you, click this link.
    
    Monday, 9/20: 8a-5p at Eastview Campus | Map
    Tuesday, 9/21: 8a-5p at Round Rock Campus | Map
    Wednesday, 9/22: 8a-5p at Highland Campus | Map
    Thursday, 9/23: 8a-5p at Riverside Campus | Map

• COVID-19 Vaccinations
  • ACC offers on-campus COVID-19 vaccination clinics for eligible members of the ACC community. All students, employees, and members of the community who are at least 12 years old are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations at ACC. Please note, those between the ages of 12-17 years old need a parent or legal guardian present. All appointments are walk-up and available on a first-come, first-served basis unless otherwise noted. View the schedule here. 
• Face Mask Protocols
  • Effective Friday August 20, 2021, anyone who is 2 years of age or older is required to wear a face mask that covers the mouth and nose while indoors at any ACC facility — this includes all employees, students, and guests. 
    • Masks are available at each Campus Manager's office for anyone who doesn't have one. 
    • Masks may be removed only when you are alone in a private space like an individual office. They are required in all common areas and shared spaces.

    • ACC Employee Responsibilities:

      • If you encounter an individual who does not have a mask, please offer them one. 
      • If the student or individual refuses to wear a mask, you may offer student virtual support and refer individuals to the Dean if necessary. 
      • If refusal continues, you may state “I am unable to support you today because you’re not following the policies set forth by the college.” 
      • If the situation escalates, please work with your on-campus dean for next steps, which may include enforcement of sanctions with the student code of conduct.
      • If the individual is being unruly and/or poses a risk to themselves or others, please work with Campus Police to assist in managing the situation.