Updated August 26, 2021<\/p>\n
As guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from New York State continues to be updated, the Coronavirus University Restart Team (CURT) and senior leadership have updated the guidance for the fall on the University\u2019s non-Medical Center campuses.<\/p>\n
Currently, Monroe County’s rate of COVID infections is \u201chigh,\u201d according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC), meaning wearing a mask indoors in public and shared spaces will maximize individuals\u2019 protection from the Delta variant. These guidelines will be updated as additional CDC, county and New York State guidance is distributed, so please check back regularly to the COVID-19 Resource Center<\/a> site. For the latest Medical Center updates, see the URMC Intranet<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Updated August 26, 2021 As guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from New York State continues to be updated, the Coronavirus University Restart Team…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[106],"tags":[996],"class_list":["post-70882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-updates","tag-aug-2021"],"acf":{"external":"","hide_featured_image":false,"related":"show_related","style":"","content_modules":[{"acf_fc_layout":"card_grid","anchor":"","css_class":"title-line t-below t-navy centered max-text-center","title":" Here are some of the ways the campuses will operate to start the fall semester. Click on the topics boxes below or scroll down the page to see more details.<\/p>","background_color":"#FFFFFF","width":"width-large","columns":"3","cards":[{"card_title":"Explore topics<\/h2>","description":"
Face masking<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#face-masking","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Dr. Chat Bot<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#dr-chat-bot","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Surveillance testing<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#surveillance-testing","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Dining options and spaces<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#dining","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Gatherings and events<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#gatherings","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Guests and visitors (in residence halls)<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#guests","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Travel policies<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#travel","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Quarantine and isolation<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#quarantine","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"
Plan for tracking and responding to infection surge<\/h5>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#f4f4f4","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"#monitoring","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"face-masking","css_class":"","title":"
Face masking<\/h3>","content":"On August 10, 2021, the University of Rochester reinstated a face-masking requirement for everyone indoors on the University\u2019s campuses and properties, regardless of vaccination status. This is intended to be a temporary safety measure until COVID transmission rates have declined sufficiently in Monroe County, and if COVID-19 case numbers remain low at the University; visit the University\u2019s COVID-19 Dashboard<\/a> for updates on confirmed cases on all University campuses.\n\nAll students, faculty, staff, visitors, and tenants\u2014including those who are fully vaccinated\u2014must wear a face mask while indoors on any of the University\u2019s campuses and properties. For full details on the face mask requirements on the Medical Center campus, see the COVID-19\/Redesigned intranet portal<\/a> (URMC credentials required).\n\nThis University-wide face-masking mandate differs from policies in place during the last academic year in that physical distancing is not currently part of the requirement. As part of the current mandate:\n
\n \t
Dr. Chat Bot<\/h3>","content":"Dr. Chat Bot is a brief daily health screening for COVID-19 symptoms that helps to keep the University community healthy and help UHS closely monitor student health and wellness on campus. Students complete Dr. Chat Bot on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.\n\nDr. Chat Bot participation continues to be required daily for all students<\/strong> who are physically on any University campus or property at any time of day or night, including fully vaccinated students. Students with a medical or religious exemption to the vaccine should complete Dr. Chat Bot every day, even if not on campus.\n\nTo access the Dr. Chat Bot screening tool, students should use this link<\/a>. Students should enter the credentials they use for University wireless (UR Connected). Dr. Chat Bot is also available through the UR Mobile app.<\/strong>\n\nDaily emails will help remind everyone to complete their Dr. Chat Bot survey, and text messages will be delivered to on-campus students who register their cell number in AlertUR<\/a>.","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"surveillance-testing","css_class":"","title":"
Surveillance testing<\/h3>","content":"The University has developed a plan for surveillance testing for the academic year. UHS will conduct random surveillance COVID testing of both on-campus and off-campus undergraduate and graduate students who have received a medical or religious exemption to the vaccine, and those who are in the process of completing their vaccination requirement (second dose, two weeks after final dose). The first test will be a rapid test and, if positive, a second PCR test will be used to confirm the positive rapid test. Fully vaccinated students will not be called upon, but this may be subject to change as the semester progresses.\n\nUHS will also continue to provide COVID tests to symptomatic students throughout the semester.","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"dining","css_class":"","title":"
Dining options and spaces<\/h3>","content":"Students living and\/or taking classes on the University\u2019s River Campus or Eastman School of Music can again expect full occupancies at campus dining locations, and some limited dining space will be available for those who wish to be physically distant.\n\nWhen eating in Rochester Dining locations or other public or shared spaces on campus, everyone should remain masked up to the point of starting a snack, or meal, remove their face mask to eat, and then re-mask when done. For more information about the opening of Dining Services campus operations, please check the Dining Services website<\/a>.\n\nThe shared kitchens on River Campus residence hall floors are open with access to microwaves and sinks.\n\nEating in a classroom during instruction is not permitted, and drinking (water bottles, coffee, etc.) should be minimized as much as possible. This update, which applies to classrooms on all campuses, is made in effort to minimize the potential of COVID transmission. Classes with formal events or other activities with food are allowed and should follow\u00a0University rules<\/a>\u00a0about events and gatherings.","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"gatherings","css_class":"","title":"
Gatherings and events<\/h3>","content":"Currently, there are no limits on the number of participants for events and activities, but this is subject to change based on guidance from New York State or the CDC. The University of Rochester Calendar<\/a> contains all event listings for happenings, performances, classes and programs, and more throughout the University, and indicates whether the format of the event is in-person or virtual.\n\nIn AS&E, Wilson Commons and Eastman Student Activities are continuing to plan events and activities to engage students. All events will be listed on CCC<\/a> and can be filtered by in-person, hybrid, and remote activities. The beginning of the semester will feature the Rochester tradition Yellowjacket Weekend<\/a>, featuring a carnival on Wilson Quad food, games, rides, and giveaways.\n\nThe Goergen Athletic Center\u2019s tennis courts, pool, fitness center and additional exercise areas are fully open. Face masks are required indoors.\n\nEastman students will receive detailed information about music-making protocols, including practice room and ensemble procedures, in coming days. The update will be posted shortly on Eastman\u2019s COVID -19 policies page<\/a>.","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"guests","css_class":"","title":"
Guests and visitors (in residence halls)<\/h3>","content":"Currently, there are no COVID restrictions against having another student or visitor in a residence hall room, other than everyone must be masked. And existing Residential Life policies related to guests and visitation remain in effect.\n\nThis is subject to change, however, as the conditions of the pandemic change over the course of the semester.","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"travel","css_class":"","title":"
Travel policies<\/h3>","content":"With all travel, individuals must adhere to any standards and travel advisories set by New York State and the CDC and meet any additional restrictions required by the state and local jurisdiction to which they are traveling.\n\nEveryone traveling internationally should review the entry requirements of the destination and considerations for an intended return to the US. If your visa has expired, your return trip could be delayed as many US Consular offices remain closed or with limited services available (look up visa wait times by location<\/a>). Additionally, travelers from certain areas are subject to US entry restrictions, which can change with little notice (see State Department\u2019s summary of\u00a0coronavirus travel proclamations<\/a>\u00a0and national interest exceptions). Students on visas sponsored by the University should contact the International Services Office (ISO)<\/a>\u00a0prior to travel to secure any needed travel authorizations for visa purposes.","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"quarantine","css_class":"","title":"
Quarantine and isolation<\/h3>","content":"For undergraduate students, the University has reserved some quarantine and isolation space for suspected or confirmed COVID cases in its campus housing in Whipple Park. UHS will continue to support students in quarantine and isolation, arranging plans for routine follow-up care.\u00a0Telehealth visits can be arranged with the Campus Counseling Center (UCC).\u00a0Students who require higher level health care will be referred to Strong Memorial Hospital.\n\nWhen a student enters Whipple Park for quarantine or isolation, support will be provided by units including the CARE Network and Dining Services, among others. Dining will share all options for food which will be delivered to the student\u2019s room.\u00a0Care and support coordinators in each of the schools will coordinate support and services for students.","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"monitoring","css_class":"","title":"
Plan for tracking and responding to infection surge<\/h3>","content":"The University will follow CDC, New York State, and Monroe County guidance as warnings of a COVID surge in Monroe County or among the University community become apparent, The CURT and the University Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) will continue to coordinate University planning.\u00a0 These groups will respond to significant changes with consideration of additional control interventions (e.g., limitations on gatherings, limitation on in-person instruction, shutdown certain operations or areas) and\/or enhanced surveillance (e.g. asymptomatic testing).","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-medium"}]},"yoast_head":"\n