Apply

Spring Semester Update

January 04, 2022
Submitted By: COVID-19 Planning Group

The following message was shared on Jan. 4.

 

Dear University Community,

We hope you are having a restful and healthy semester break.

We write to you today with important updates regarding the Spring 2022 semester. We are closely monitoring the rising cases in our region and the impact of the Omicron variant across the Northeast. As of now, we are optimistic that by taking every precaution together, we can open on time and in person.

The University has successfully managed the safety of our campus and has maintained in-person learning for several semesters throughout the pandemic. As the COVID-19 crisis has continued to evolve, we have been safe, flexible, and resourceful. We have made decisions quickly and in the best interest of our students, faculty, staff, and larger community. We know breakthrough cases will continue to occur; that is our new normal and requires us to think differently about case counts and management. However, with vaccines and boosters proven to reduce severe disease and hospitalizations, we feel confident in our ability to deliver the robust, in-person educational experience that our students and community greatly value, and do so in a manner that is as safe as possible for all.

Booster Requirement

All members of the University of Hartford community—students, staff, and faculty— will be required to show proof of a booster by the first day of classes on January 19 or within seven days of eligibility.

Eligibility is defined as six months after receiving your Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccination series or two months after a J&J vaccination. Vaccination was key to our ability to have a successful and enjoyable fall semester this year. Booster shots have proven to be safe and effective, and will be an important tool in maintaining a successful experience this spring. Boosters are readily available at locations across the country. Once you have received your booster, you must upload your vaccine documentation to the UHart Health Portal. Please visit our website for instructions.

Community members who have been previously approved for an exemption do not need to reapply for the spring semester. If you have a new medical condition that prohibits you from obtaining a booster, please submit an exemption request with supporting medical documentation to imrecords@hartford.edu by January 10. No other exemption requests will be considered. If you are a new community member this semester, limited exemptions may be granted for medical and religious reasons per our current policy. For more information on this process, please visit our website.

Residential Move-In and Testing

Similar to last year, all residential students will be tested upon arrival to campus. We are finalizing an expanded move-in schedule that includes on-site testing with additional information to be shared as soon as possible in the coming days. Students testing positive will not be able to move in or remain on campus. Therefore, we strongly encourage students, if you are able, to take a rapid test the same day prior to traveling to campus to avoid having to travel back home. Students must be symptom free following the isolation period to return to campus.

Additional testing protocols will be shared as they are finalized.

Mask Policy

Masks continue to be required for the foreseeable future. You must wear your mask over your nose and mouth anytime you are in the classroom, library, Sports Center, dining facilities (when not eating), and any other indoor location. Masks are not required outside but should still be worn when social distancing is not possible.

Some of the mask guidance has indicated that surgical-style masks are more effective than cloth masks. The CDC requests N95 surgical masks be reserved for medical professionals. The University will order and provide surgical-style masks in multiple locations across campus, but bringing or maintaining your own supply is also advised. We will share any updated mask guidance as it is available.

Additional Precautions

Additionally, for the first two weeks of the semester, only University community members (students, faculty, and staff) will be allowed to attend in-person, on-campus events. External visitors will not be allowed in the residence halls. Food will not be served at University events to allow students the opportunity to gather safely while still encouraging consistent mask wearing. Our mostly outdoor admission tours will continue with safety protocols in place. We will re-evaluate event attendance policies by February 1.

Of course, the University will remain poised to pivot if we need to. As we have throughout the pandemic, the University’s COVID-19 planning group—composed of representatives from across campus—is monitoring developments and data daily. We will continue to consult with public health experts and share additional details on move-in and residential life, as well as policy updates for testing, isolation, and quarantine, in the near future. If you have any questions, please email COVID19@hartford.edu.

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we move through the next phase of the pandemic together.

Sincerely,
COVID-19 Planning Group