The Margaret Walker Center and the COFO Civil Rights Education Center at Jackson State University have both reopened to the public and invite visitors in limited numbers and with the following safety precautions in place as the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following include four sets of requirements for visitors including safety measures for:
- Jackson State University and the College of Liberal Arts
- Margaret Walker Center
- COFO Center
- MWC archival access for researchers
General Safety Requirements for Jackson State University and the College of Liberal Arts
- Masks must be worn in all common spaces at all times by faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
- Hand sanitizing stations must be accessible near entry doors, by elevators, and on halls with classrooms.
- All faculty and staff entering the main campus must complete the Safr screening survey prior to entering the campus each day and provide the QR code to campus safety officers at the campus entrances.
- All faculty, staff, students, and visitors entering campus must agree to a temperature check by campus safety officers upon entering either of the campus entrances.
- All faculty, staff, students, and visitors will use the hand sanitizer provided throughout all locations prior to entering offices, classrooms, computer labs and any other designated areas.
- Departments and centers will have disinfectant spray available in their departments. (Provided by JSU)
- If a person has an elevated temperature (100.4° F/37.8° C or greater), they must report to the JSU Health Center for testing or their health care provider.
- Report all elevated temperatures either by email to liberal.arts@jsums.edu or by phone to the Dean’s Office at 601-979-7036.
Additional Safety Requirements for the Margaret Walker Center in Ayer Hall
- All visitors will have a temperature scan upon entering the building, and elevated temperatures must follow the existing University and College of Liberal Arts protocols.
- All visitors will be socially distanced. Seating will be arranged in the reading room on the 2nd floor in order to maintain a minimum of 6 feet between each visitor for social distancing.
- Only 10 visitors will be allowed on the 2nd floor of the building at a time. The porch and green space in front of Ayer Hall will be used for waiting areas. In case of bad weather, people will be able to wait under the porch, in their vehicles or on the first floor under supervision.
- Only 5 visitors at a time will be allowed in the other exhibit spaces on the 3rd and 4th
- Additional hand sanitizing stations will be on the 1st and 2nd floor of Ayer Hall, and all visitors will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering the building.
- Groups will provide a roster of visitors for contact tracing.
- A separate door will be marked in the primary museum space on the 2nd floor for the entrance and the exit.
- On the 2nd floor, the left door in the foyer will be opened with a door stop so that people do not have to touch the doors. Similarly, other door stoppers will be used throughout the building to decrease touching.
- All spaces will be sprayed with disinfectant after a group moves through any exhibit space.
- The elevator will have a maximum capacity of 2 people.
- Guests who are able will be asked to use the stairs
- Stanchions will be place around the building with signage to direct traffic.
- Disposable gloves will be worn by staff when handling cash and checks for purchases.
- Online sales and digital monetary transactions will be accommodated and encouraged in order to limit touch points.
Additional Safety Requirements for the COFO Civil Rights Education Center
- All visitors will have a temperature scan upon entering the building, and elevated temperatures must follow the existing University and College of Liberal Arts protocols.
- All visitors will be socially distanced. Seating will be arranged in the primary exhibit space with signage in order to maintain a minimum of 6 feet between each visitor for social distancing.
- Only 20 visitors will be allowed in the building at a time. The sidewalk and visitor vehicles will be used for waiting areas.
- Signage will be placed on the seats in the central reception area in order to maintain a minimum of 6 feet between each visitor for social distancing.
- The conference table in the central reception area will be moved against wall, and the extra seating there will be removed.
- The external door in the primary exhibit space will be used for entrance, and the external door in the central reception area will be used to exit.
- All spaces will be sprayed with disinfectant after a group moves through any exhibit space.
- A minimum of 2 staff members will be required to meet with any group so that proper protocols may be maintained.
- Disposable gloves will be worn by staff when handling cash and checks for purchases.
- Online sales and digital monetary transactions will be accommodated and encouraged in order to limit touch points.
Researchers Requesting Archival Access
- Remote research is encouraged whenever possible and aided by the ongoing digitization efforts of both the MWC Archivist and Oral Historian.
- Individual researchers who wish to access the premises may do so by scheduling a visit via a Google form: https://forms.gle/yhRCV8LEkhadJGdJA
- When contacted for confirmation of the visit date/time, the researcher may request specific documents or books to be pulled in advance of the visit.