While coming together in person is important, there remains an inherent risk meeting in any public place with other people. COVID-19 is a very contagious disease and can lead to severe illness and death. The risk for serious or fatal illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is higher for those with underlying medical conditions and senior citizens.

To mitigate in-person risk of infection, Phillips Theological Seminary will follow CDC guidelines based on community spread of COVID-19 at the time of the event. The seminary will communicate with registrants if there are changes in the level of precautions required.

Depending on the level of CDC guidelines, Phillips may require our guests to wear face coverings in all indoor public spaces on its property, regardless of vaccination status. This includes bathrooms and offices when meeting with other people. Face coverings must fully cover the nose, mouth, and chin. Bandanas, gaiters, with valves, and similar facial coverings are not sufficient. The seminary will require guests with improper face coverings to use a seminary-provided mask.

Facial coverings may be briefly removed while actively eating or drinking as long as individuals remain socially distant from one another. While it is tempting to unmask while visiting with people we feel comfortable with, this should not be the practice during this event.

For events hosted away from Phillips Seminary property, the requirements of that venue will be observed. However, Phillips highly encourages the following of CDC guidelines..

Individuals with underlying medical conditions or who prefer not to wear face coverings are encouraged to participate online rather than in person where that option is available. Those who choose to attend an in-person event voluntarily assume all risks and responsibilities associated with COVID-19 exposure.

Welcome to Phillips Theological Seminary. Whether you are using the library or attending an educational program, the Seminary is committed to providing a learning space for all participants, and we need your cooperation in doing so.

Phillips is first and foremost an educational institution; creating and maintaining an environment conducive to learning is essential. A harassment free environment allows each Seminary guest to learn without fear of being accosted for who they are.

The Seminary has taken care to write policies to frame spaces for harassment-free learning. See the anti-discrimination statements, the trustees’ statement on Engaged Diversity, inclusive language, Title IX/Sexual Harassment Prevention, and ADA. The seminary is a member of the Disciples Alliance Q, which advocates for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the life of the church. In addition, the Seminary is seeking to build a deeper capacity to communicate across cultures through utilizing the Intercultural Development Inventory.

A harassment-free space is achieved when guests treat others with respect and refrain from inappropriate speech, touch, or actions that ignore, dismiss, demean, or denigrate the equal and full humanity of another.

Guests should expect harassment-free treatment from Phillips employees and students.

Seminary guests should seek to be aware not only of their intent in interacting with others but also of the impact/reception of their actions.

In your interactions with others (whether other guests, students, or employees), please understand yourself to be in a public, professional context rather than a personal space, and keep your comments and actions appropriate for that public, professional space within the framework created by the Seminary’s policies.

If you judge that you have been on the receiving end of an inappropriate action, please deal with the situation by addressing the action personally, by bringing the situation to the attention of Seminary personnel (starting with the event organizer, during a program), or both.

The Seminary employee in charge of the event or the space (e.g., the library) is authorized to address situations. Actions may range from speaking to or admonishing the offending party, to dismissal from the event (without refund), to a prohibition from using the library or attending programs at the Seminary.

If a guest makes a complaint about an employee or a student, that complaint will be investigated according to the policies in the Employee or the Student Handbook.