Averting an Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in a University Residence Hall through Wastewater Surveillance

Among early adopters of wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 have been colleges and universities throughout North America, many of whom are using this approach to monitor congregate living facilities for early evidence of COVID-19 infection as an integral component of campus screening programs. Yet, while there have been numerous examples where wastewater monitoring on a university campus has detected evidence for infection among community members, there are few examples where this monitoring triggered a public health response that may have averted an actual outbreak.

Student perceptions of independent living skills development as a result of the residence hall experience

This mixed-methods case study examined how students perceived the development of independent living skills because of their residence hall experience. Using Astin's (1993) Inputs-Environment-Outputs (IEO) framework to guide the research methodology and analyze data, this study highlighted the importance of students living with, and among, their peers in shared living space. Sharing living spaces with peers was found to be a key contributor to developing interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Students expressed the importance of the residence hall experience during their first year and highlighted the relationship with their Resident Assistant as the most significant residence hall intervention strategy. Upperclass students discussed wanting fewer points of contact with residence hall staff, resources, and programs. Lastly, residence hall leadership positions (Resident Assistant and Hall Government involvement) were noted as significant contributors to developing independent living skills associated with interacting with others. Findings will inform adjustments to the Resident Assistant role in upperclass student living areas and help address specific learning strategies that students shared some helpful perspective and insight regarding their effectiveness (e.g., roommate agreement). This study established a research framework that will support future research regarding the residence hall experience.

Averting an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a university residence hall through wastewater surveillance

A wastewater surveillance program targeting a university residence hall was implemented during the spring semester 2021 as a proactive measure to avoid an outbreak of COVID-19 on campus. Over a period of 7 weeks from early February through late March 2021, wastewater originating from the residence hall was collected as grab samples 3 times per week. During this time, there was no detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR in the residence hall wastewater stream. Aiming to obtain a sample more representative of the residence hall community, a decision was made to use passive samplers beginning in late March onwards. Adopting a Moore Swab approach, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in wastewater samples on just two days after passive samplers were activated. These samples were also positive for the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) Variant of Concern (VOC) by RT-qPCR. The positive result triggered a public health case finding response including a mobile testing unit deployed to the residence hall the following day with testing of nearly 200 students and staff, which identified two laboratory-confirmed cases of B.1.1.7 variant COVID-19. These individuals were re-located to a separate quarantine facility averting an outbreak on campus. Aggregating wastewater and clinical data, the campus wastewater surveillance program has yielded the first estimates of fecal shedding rates of the B.1.1.7 VOC of SARS-CoV-2 in individuals from a non-clinical setting.

Higher viral load drives infrequent SARS-CoV-2 transmission between asymptomatic residence hall roommates

ABSTRACTIn 2019-2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread to over 200 countries in less than six months. To understand the basis of this aggressive spread, it is essential to determine the transmission rate and define the factors that increase the risk of transmission. One complication is the large fraction of asymptomatic cases, particularly in young populations: these individuals have viral loads indistinguishable from symptomatic people and do transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but they often go undetected. As university students living in residence halls commonly share a small living space with roommates, some schools established regular, high density testing programs to mitigate on-campus spread. In this study, we analyzed longitudinal testing data of residence hall students at the University of Colorado Boulder. We observed that students in single rooms were infected at a lower rate than students in multiple occupancy rooms. However, this was not due to high rates of transmission between roommates, which only occurred approximately 20% of the time. Since these cases were usually asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis, this provides further evidence for asymptomatic transmission. Notably, individuals who likely transmitted to their roommates had an average viral load ∼6.5 times higher than individuals who did not. Although students were moved to separate isolation rooms after diagnosis, there was no difference in time to isolation between these cases with or without transmission. This analysis argues that inter-roommate transmission occurs in a minority of cases in university residence halls and provides strong correlative evidence that viral load can be proportional to the probability of transmission.

The impact of residence hall leadership on international students' cross-cultural adaptation

International students experience cross-cultural difficulties as they seek to adapt to U.S. campuses. Past research has indicated that residence halls can have both positive and negative impacts on students' educational experiences. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study explored the lived experiences of 13 international students and 20 residence hall leaders from three Midwestern colleges, exploring the impact that residence hall leaders have on the cross-cultural adaptation of international students. Results demonstrated that residence hall leaders can foster international students cross-cultural adaptation through providing useful information that helps the students to become familiar with and understand better the new environment. Residence hall leaders who provide meaningful personal conversation with international students can also contribute to their cross-cultural adaptation through conveying value and acceptance of the student into the residence hall community. Providing residence hall community activities that help build intercultural relationships, establish cultural support networks, and promote a sense of community foster such cross-cultural adaptation as well.

Sustainable Post-Occupancy Evaluation Survey (SPOES): An Approach to Human Factors in Minnesota State-funded Buildings

An interdisciplinary team from the Interior Design (ID) and the Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR), University of Minnesota developed a tool to inform sustainable design practices in state-funded buildings. The internet-based questionnaire called Sustainable Post Occupancy Evaluation (SPOES) provides both quantitative and qualitative analysis of building occupants’ satisfaction, health, and wellbeing via 12 indoor environmental quality (IEQ) categories. Since 2009, SPOES has provided business and building owners, architects, interior designers, facility managers of 60 state-funded workplace, classroom and residence hall buildings IEQ scores of occupants’ satisfaction to help them better engage building occupants and bring employee health and wellbeing to the forefront of their practices. This presentation will cover the SPOES questionnaire and report formats, results from workplace, classroom, residence hall buildings, and implications for evaluating the impacts of building designs on occupants’ health and wellbeing.