Alert Levels & Metrics

Campus Operational Alert Levels

Leading up to and during the 2020-21 academic year, Chatham will use Alert Levels to describe our state of readiness, preparedness and campus operations with respect to COVID-19. The Alert Level the University is currently operating in will be updated on a weekly basis throughout the fall term.   

Chatham is currently operating at the following alert level: 

GUARDED 

Below is the matrix of Campus Alert Levels and corresponding changes to campus operations.

Alert Level Decision Metrics

The decision to transition to the highest Level of Alert (High Alert), necessitating the transition from mostly face-to-face (f2f) to mostly virtual learning, can be made in two ways:

• First, Chatham would transition to High Alert if required to do so by any governing local, state or federal authorities. 
• Second, and apart from the being required to do so by local, state, or federal authorities, Chatham may decide to transition to High Alert based on the same metrics or considerations used in determining whether a heightened or lowered Alert Level is warranted. In moving to High Alert, the issue becomes balancing metrics concerning disease prevalence against metrics concerning Chatham’s (and the County’s) ability to contain the disease.  In other words, the “tipping point” in moving from Raised to High Alert is not a set number of cases but, rather, Chatham’s ability to contain an outbreak without being overwhelmed.

Sometimes Chatham may be able to avoid having to increase the Alert Level through targeted interventions (e.g., transitioning to virtual learning for a short period of time, not permanently, to bring the level of infection down, or isolating specific individuals or groups).  In determining whether to move up to a higher Alert Level, Chatham will first determine whether it is possible to avoid doing so through targeted actions that ensure the safety of the campus community as a whole, before transitioning to a higher Alert Level if it is not possible to do so or if the targeted interventions do not improve in a timely manner the overall health and safety of the campus community.