CUNY and CSI COVID Guidelines: Fall 2022

CUNY and CSI remain dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff for the Fall 2022 semester. We continue to adhere to the latest CDC guidance and any requirements from New York State and New York City as well as CUNY’s policies and procedures.

The College of Staten Island is now in Phase 4 of our Reentry Plan; (details can be found on page 39 of the CSI Campus Re-Entry Plan, revised February 22, 2022*). In this phase some pandemic requirements will remain active in the effort to reduce spread of COVID19, such as the use of the SafeCircle/Cleared 4 verification process to enter the campus and contact tracing.  Other requirements and restrictions have been eased or lifted. Below are the specifics of what has changed and what is still required of our faculty, students, and staff on the campus.

Vaccination and Booster Requirements

All new students coming to campus for the first time in the fall for in-person and hybrid courses, or any other on-campus activities will be required to submit proof of vaccination, unless a religious or medical exemption has been approved. Students must upload proof of being fully-vaccinated prior to the start of classes for the fall term. A person is considered fully vaccinated:

• Two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna or;
• Two weeks after a single dose vaccine such as Johnson & Johnson (J&J),or;
• At the time specified in either in the FDA licensure or World Health Organization (WHO) approval, after the final vaccination of any other vaccines

Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to receive vaccine boosters, once eligible. The College of Staten Island continues to promote the benefits of vaccination and encourages their campus population to receive vaccinations and boosters.

Booster Eligibility:

• Those 18 and older are eligible for a booster shot at 5 months after the completion of two dose regimen of Pfizer, 5 months after the completion of two dose regimen of Moderna or 2 months after the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) shot. The Pfizer or Moderna booster is preferred in most situations.
• Those 12-17 year olds who initially received the Pfizer two dose regimen are eligible for a Pfizer booster 5 months after completing the regimen.
• Those 12 and older 5 months after the completion of a WHO-approved vaccine that is not authorized by the FDA, or 5 months after completion of a mix and match series of WHO-approved and FDA approved/authorized vaccines.

Note: Individuals who received a World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccination other than the three listed above must provide more information. Students can email our Campus Location Vaccination Authority (LVA) for details.

Masks

At this time, CUNY and CSI will not require face masks during the fall semester.

Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time. Masks will continue to be available on campus and in offices.

Faculty, staff and students who are still not vaccinated are urged to continue to wear a mask.  Mask requirements associated with isolation and quarantine as referenced later in these guidelines remain in effect.

Those who choose to wear a mask should continue to follow CDC guidance on acceptable face coverings.

Note, the college may still require employees to wear protective PPE masks due to the nature of their work. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards.

Social Distancing

Reduced capacity in the classrooms and communal spaces across the campus, including elevators, is no longer a requirement, and 6’ distancing is no longer required in lines or in stairwells.  Gradually signage indicating limited room capacity and 6’ distance requirements will be removed.

Housing and Communal Spaces 

Given that vaccines are mandatory for students living in campus housing, housing and dorms will resume normal operations with 100% of occupants fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated students may not live in campus housing. Campus housing will ensure that adequate space is reserved for those residents who may need to isolate or quarantine. Protocols, such as those suggested by the American College Health Association, are in place to care for those residents in isolation.

Cleaning and Disinfection

While many COVID restrictions have been lifted, CSI will continue to follow the sanitation guidelines set previously by the CDC to reduce the transmission of COVID variants and help maintain a healthy campus.  Those guidelines can be found on page 31 of the pdf CSI Campus Re-Entry Plan* (revised February 22, 2022).Contact Tracing

Contact Tracing

CUNY and CSI will continue to aid in the identification of exposures, and notify close contacts, as appropriate, of exposure as soon as possible after being notified that someone in the campus has tested positive or been diagnosed with COVID-19.

CDC Guidance that CUNY and Campuses will continue to follow:

• As soon as possible after they are notified that someone has tested positive for or been diagnosed with COVID-19, campuses should notify close contacts of exposure, in accordance with applicable privacy and other laws.
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms should isolate and notify their close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and refer close contacts to the state or local health department website to learn about the steps they should take because of the exposure.

Isolation and Exposure

CSI continues to follow the latest CDC guidance on isolation and exposure. Any students, staff or faculty who test positive with COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 must follow these guidelines, as outlined below, prior to returning to campus. If you are required to isolate, you must receive a negative test or doctor’s certification prior to returning to campus.

Test results will be accepted from CUNY testing sites or other licensed test providers.

• Isolation Guidelines if You Test Positive for COVID-19

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

• Notify COVID19@csi.cuny.edu
• Stay home for 5 days (day 0 is your first day of symptoms, or the day of your first positive test if you do not develop symptoms).
• If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
• In order to return to CUNY after isolation, you must receive a negative PCR or Antigen test (we strongly recommend an Antigen test, if available).
  • Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved.
  • If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. Following day 10 you must receive a negative PCR or Antigen test before returning to CUNY.
  • In lieu of a negative test, individuals may provide a doctor’s certification that they have recovered from COVID-19.
• Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 additional days; if you cannot wear a mask, continue to isolate for 5 days.
• If you have a fever, continue isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• If you were severely ill with COVID-19 you should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation.

• If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

• You do not need to quarantine.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days.
• Get tested at least 5 days after your close contact (the date of your exposure is considered day 0); if you test positive, stay home and isolate per guidelines above.
• If your exposure is from someone you live with, you must reach out to COVID19@csi.cuny.edu
• If you develop symptoms, get a test, stay home and follow the isolation guidelines above.

Travel

• All individuals should follow the CDC domestic travel recommendations and international travel recommendations before reporting to work or campus and notify their manager in advance of the travel dates and should quarantine be required.
• Any students, faculty or staff engaging in official travel on behalf of CUNY must follow the latest approval requirements for domestic and international travel.

Metrics and Early Warning:

CUNY will continue to monitor campus and community infection rates. CUNY Central Office will consult with campus leadership to determine the best course of action for additional safety protocols or scaling back campus activity, if necessary. Any decisions on shutting down particular buildings/areas within campuses, individual campuses, or multiple campuses, as appropriate, will be made by the Chancellery/COO’s Office in consultation with local/State authorities.

CSI has a shutdown plan in place to respond rapidly. CSI will rely on the plans previously developed according to the Reclosing Protocols: CUNY’s Guide for Safely Closing On-Campus Operations, where additional information on criteria for shutdown and shutdown protocols can be found

Testing:

CUNY and CSI will continue its robust testing program using various testing models for the safety and convenience of the CUNY community.

• All students are expected to test before returning to campus.
• Student athletes and students in residence halls will be required to submit a negative PCR test before returning to campus.
• Weekly testing will continue for those who are unvaccinated and expand to cover students in residence halls, regardless of vaccination status.
• Overall random testing of 10% of the on-campus population. Participation in the random surveillance testing is mandatory and failure to participate will result in the removal of the individual’s Cleared4 access pass to CUNY spaces.

To facilitate testing for required medical clearance to return to campus, tests will continue to be accepted from non-CUNY testing providers as well as from CUNY safeCircle test sites. Testing to return to campus should only be done at CUNY safeCircle test sites when you are symptom free to protect you and others in the CUNY community.  If you are recovering from COVID-19, you should not get tested until you have completed your isolation requirements and are symptom free. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to visit a public testing site near your home or use an at-home test kit.

Rapid tests will be available for approved screening circumstances when unanticipated entry to campus is required.  The rapid tests will be distributed to CUNY testing sites and to selected locations on campus and will be tracked through the testing system for inventory and usage management.

For more information about CUNY’s COVID-19 testing program, please see the Testing FAQ. For a list of testing locations, visit here. For general frequently asked questions, please refer to the Getting Back to Working in Person FAQ. If you still have questions, please contact your HR office or COVID19@csi.cuny.edu.

Self-Screening

Before coming to campus, each member of the community is expected to monitor your symptoms, stay away from others if you feel sick, and get tested at a public testing site if you have any symptoms. CUNY safeCircle testing sites should not be used if you have symptoms.

Visitor Policy

CUNY’s Visitor Policy is designed to restrict anyone who has not been fully vaccinated or has not received a recent negative COVID-19 test from entering a CUNY campus or office.

Definition of Visitor

A visitor to a University campus is someone who is not a CUNY student, faculty or staff member. Examples of visitors include, but are not limited to:

• vendors and other individuals coming to campus to perform activities related to a contract with or in support of the University;
• employees of related entities of CUNY including without limitation auxiliary enterprise corporations, colleges associations, and child care centers;
• unpaid college interns;
• community members and other individuals coming to a campus to use University facilities such as pools and gyms, or to attend activities on campus; and
• family members or friends of CUNY students, faculty, or staff.

Rules for Visitors

Every visitor to a CUNY campus, whether accessing indoor or outdoor spaces, must provide proof to CUNY that they (i) are fully vaccinated or (ii) have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab no more than 7 days prior to the visit. “Fully vaccinated” means:

• Two weeks after a second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; or
• Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine; or
• At the time specified in either the FDA licensure or World Health Organization approval, after the final administration of any other vaccines.

Visitors are also required to comply with all other University policies and codes of conduct, as well as government and/or campus-specific rules and protocols, applicable to individuals on campus that are intended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including by way of example:

• any masking requirements; and
• complying with any applicable federal, state or local quarantine rules.

Before coming to a CUNY campus, visitors are encouraged to consult the campus’ website to review the most current access rules and protocols. A link to each campus plan can be found on CUNY’s Spring 2022 Reopening Plans page.

Exception for Short Visits with No Close Contact

Visitors who are on campus for 30 minutes or less per visit do not have to comply with any COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing requirements applicable to CUNY staff unless the visitor expects during that time to be less than 6 feet distant of another person for a total of 15 minutes of more.

Policies for Minors under 5 Years Old

Athletics

For safety protocols and updates regarding CUNY’s athletics programs, see the CUNY Athletic Conference Return to Sport Plan.  All athletes will be required to produce a negative test before returning to campus for the Fall semester.

For additional information on safely participating in athletics, schools may consult the NCAA’s Training and Competition Guidelines.

General Guidelines for Healthy Facilities

CUNY and CSI will maintain many approaches to limit the spread of communicable disease. These include regular and enhanced cleaning, safe disinfection when necessary, improved ventilation and maintaining healthy facilities.

*(For an accessible copy of the PDF, contact the Division of Campus Planning, Facilities Management and Operations)