Focus on Campus

The plan set forward is in compliance with all NYS and CUNY guidance, including the University’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. Should this guidance change, Hunter College will adjust the capacity of approved activities, modify additional higher-risk activities, and/or implement additional safety precautions, as needed.

Decisions to modify services and capacities on campus will be initiated by the administration in consultation with the Campus Reopening Committee, with CUNY approvals and governmental approvals when required.

CUNY remains dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff for the Spring 2023 semester. We continue to adhere to the latest CDC guidance and any requirements from New York State and New York City.

All new students coming to campus for the first time in the spring 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 spring 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. Colleges should continue to promote the benefits of vaccination and encourage their campus populations to receive vaccinations and boosters.

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

At this time, CUNY does not require face masks.

Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time. Due to the increased rates of COVID-19, seasonal flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the NYC Health Department strongly recommends the use of masks. Masks will continue to be available on campus and 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, campuses may still require employees to wear protective PPE masks due to the nature of their work. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards.

Given that vaccines will be 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 must 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, should be in place to care for those residents in isolation.

CUNY 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.

• 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

CUNY 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:

• 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 your Campus Coronavirus Liaison.
• 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.

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.

Campuses must have a shutdown plan in place to respond rapidly. Campuses should rely on previously developed shutdown plans and consult the Reclosing Protocols: CUNY’s Guide for Safely Closing On-Campus Operations, for additional information on criteria for shutdown and shutdown protocols.

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

• All students are encouraged to test before returning to campus.
• Weekly testing will continue for those who are unvaccinated
• Overall random testing of 5% 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.

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.

CUNY will no longer require a proof of vaccine or recent negative test for visitors. CUNY’s campuses and buildings should return to their standard protocols for visitors.

For safety protocols and updates regarding CUNY’s athletics programs, see the CUNY Athletic Conference Return to Sport Plan.

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

CUNY 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.