Dear Students,
I hope you had an enjoyable break and you are looking forward to returning to campus for the spring 2022 semester. While I know that you recently received information from Dr. Patrick Leahy, President of the University regarding entry testing for students living in residence and our covid-19 vaccination booster requirement, I thought it would be helpful to share some additional information as you prepare for your return. Please see the following:
Surveillance Testing:
Testing will continue to be required for all unvaccinated members of our community as we did during the fall semester. In addition, we will continue to provide testing at the Health Center for any student who is symptomatic. Students who are a close contact with an individual who is covid positive may also test at the testing center in Magill Commons as long as you are asymptomatic.
Beginning March 1, 2022 any student in the community who has been vaccinated for more than five months with Pfizer or Moderna, or for more than two months with J&J, and have not yet received the appropriate booster dose for their vaccination series will be required to test on a weekly basis. Please get your booster to avoid this weekly testing requirement!
Vaccination Booster Requirement:
Because of waning immunity considerations for individuals who were fully vaccinated more than five months ago with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or more than two months ago with the J&J vaccine, the University is requiring every member of the Monmouth community (i.e., students, faculty, staff) to get the appropriate booster dose for their initial vaccination series.
To help make the vaccine and booster readily available to our community, we will be hosting our next on-campus clinic on Thursday, January 27, and the Monmouth County Health Department will be offering walk-in clinics throughout the county during the month of January. The university will continue to work to add vaccination clinics on campus and will also communicate where boosters may be available in the community beyond the campus.
All students must provide up-to-date information on their vaccination status through the Health Portal by March 1 (Instructions). Please report your vaccination information as soon as possible to avoid any problems that may be caused by waiting until the last minute. Instructions regarding posting your vaccination or booster record are attached to this memo.
Any unvaccinated member of our community, including those who do not receive the appropriate booster dose for their initial vaccination series, will be required to comply with the heightened health and safety protocols put into place last semester, including regular surveillance testing, required quarantine periods if exposed to a covid positive person, etc.
Health and Safety Protocols:
Masking: The University’s indoor masking requirement remains in place until further notice. Under this requirement, all members of the Monmouth University community and guests to our campus – regardless of vaccination status – are required to wear masks indoors, except when actively eating or drinking and when in their private residence hall room. Masks must be worn properly – with mouth and nose fully covered at all times indoors. Gaiters or other such face coverings are not approved for use on campus in any classroom or indoor facility. Please consider wearing a KN95 mask or greater. If you wear a cloth mask, it should have multiple layers and you should pair it with a surgical procedure mask. In addition, in order to keep a strict masking policy in place there will be no eating or drinking in any classroom or other learning space.
Social Distancing: The University will continue, when possible, to establish and enforce a social distancing requirement of three feet wherever any in-person instruction is taking place on campus (e.g., classroom, lab, teaching space, etc.). Individual faculty and staff members may also require visitors to their respective offices to adhere to the three-feet social distance requirement. Dining facilities and other spaces on campus will also practice social distancing where possible.
Isolation/Quarantine: Members of the Monmouth University community who test positive or qualify as close contacts necessitating a quarantine period must follow the prevailing CDC and NJDOH guidelines on isolation and quarantine periods. More information on these guidelines is forthcoming from the Division of Student Life and the Office of Health Services.
We look forward to a safe, healthy and successful semester!
Mary Anne Nagy
Vice President for Student Life and Leadership Engagement
Student Life