Syracuse University will require weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students, faculty and staff during the fall 2021 semester. 

As of June 1, all students are required to be fully vaccinated in order to access campus, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced in a campus-wide email in April. 

SU allows medical or religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine, but those who are unvaccinated must participate in COVID-19 testing once per week, said Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, in a June SU news release. The university will regularly monitor compliance with this testing requirement, he said.

Testing for unvaccinated SU faculty, staff and students will occur in Kimmel Dining Hall. The university will continue to provide testing for all campus community members, including employees’ family members, regardless of vaccination status.

Beginning Aug. 30, the Kimmel testing center will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon to 7 p.m on Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Appointments are not required for testing. Those undergoing testing must bring their SU ID and refrain from brushing their teeth, using mouthwash, chewing gum, eating, drinking (including water) or using tobacco products 30 minutes prior to testing.

SU is currently under a “BLUE” level alert under its COVID-19 alert framework, which means unvaccinated students, faculty, staff and visitors are required to wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors in the presence of others. Vaccinated people are recommended to wear masks indoors when in the presence of others and in large groups outdoors. 

Additionally, everyone — regardless of vaccination status — is required to wear masks in academic settings and during non-academic events on a case-by-case basis at the current alert level.

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the university’s COVID-19 Project Management Office staff will make arrangements for them to enter isolation housing at no cost, according to SU’s COVID-19 response checklists page. 

If a faculty or staff member tests positive, they may not continue working in person and must stay home for the required isolation period until an HR Shared Services representative clears them to return to work, according to the page. Contact tracers will work with both SU employees and students to identify any close contacts and notify them of exposure.

More than 96% of students, faculty and staff are at least partially vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption, Syverud said in a campus-wide email on Aug. 20. 

Published on August 22, 2021 at 9:38 pm

Contact Shantel: sguzma01@syr.edu | @shantelguzman2