Athletics

This document outlines a plan for Hunter College’s safe return to sports in accordance with guidance provided by CUNYAC, referencing applicable NYSDOH Recreation and Competition and NCAA guidelines, in accordance with Hunter College’s approved Focus on Campus Plan | Hunter College

1. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff and student-athletes
2. Reporting procedures (in conjunction with the federal, college, state, and local guidelines) of any staff or student-athletes who tested positive or experiences symptoms
3. Preventing the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines will be followed daily, and any changes from these guidelines that are necessary will be made and implemented immediately.

Based on NCAA, CUNYAC, and CUNY guidelines, Hunter College is returning to competitive sports for the academic year of 2022-2023. Consistent with our review of CDC and NYS guidelines and the College’s preparedness we will start with a regular 2022-23 athletic year with all 18 teams.

Hunter College’s Coronavirus Campus Coordinator shall serve as the site safety monitor, whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the safety plan and guidance. In addition, the Director of Athletics, Recreation, and Intramurals shall be assigned the role of the CUNYAC COVID-19 Communications Officer (CCO). The role of the CCO is to help coordinate communications between student athletes, coaches, ATCs, and other institutions.

Practices and Competitions for Sports will be held in both on-campus indoor, off-campus indoor, and off-campus outdoor facilities.  The Hunter College Athletics Facilities consist of the Athletics Complex in the lower levels of the West Building (B2, B3, and B4) and the North Pool.  These facilities will be prepared and maintained in accordance with the college’s Focus on Fall/Spring Plan, and wll be used for practice and competition for our teams.

When utilizing off-campus facilities, student-athletes and staff will be expected to follow the facilities’ safety plans and guidelines outlined in this plan.

Athletics, Recreation, and Intramural facilities will resume and will operate in accordance with CDC and NYS, CUNY, and Hunter College guidelines. In addition, operating schedules for the fitness center and B4 gym will be posted. Please check out the Athletics website for more information.

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 that 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.

All staff, coaches, student-athletes, and all visitors will be required to follow the guidelines put forth by Hunter College.

All new students coming to campus for the first time in the spring for in-person and hybrid courses or 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.

Hunter College Athletics will continue regular pre-participation and medical clearance.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• If a member of the travel party exhibits or reports COVID-19 symptoms while en route to the contest, protocol for symptomatic individuals will take effect.
  • The transportation vehicle will immediately return to its home institution
  • The contest will be postponed
• If a member of the travel party or the host’s staff member becomes exhibits or reports COVID-19 symptoms during the contest, the protocol for symptomatic individuals will take effect
  • The athletics trainer will assess if symptoms are consistent with COVID-19, if there’s a high suspicion of COVID-19, isolation protocol will take effect
• Immediately follow the Internal Reporting Procedure Chain Of Command

Any individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must report it to the athletic training and will be instructed to stay home. The individual will also be instructed not to return to campus until a negative PCR test result is obtained and submitted to the athletics training staff or have followed the isolation requirements for symptomatic individuals set by CDC.

Chain of Command:
Terry Wansart
Galia Galansky

Hunter College Athletics will begin the 2022-2023 athletic season with regular spectator attendance. All visitors will adhere to CUNY/Hunter College Visitor’s Policy:

Visitor Policy:
As of February 1^st, 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.

***The spectator policy will be reviewed as the season progresses and is subject to change.*** 

As of January 23^th , 2023, all decisions to discontinue athletics based on COVID-19 will be at the discretion of the campus based on guidance from CUNY Central and local government entities.