8.3.22
Dear UIS Students, Faculty and Staff —
I am writing to confirm our COVID-19 requirements for Fall 2022. For the past two years, UIS has been United in Safety as we’ve responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are most grateful to be out of the emergency phase of the pandemic—thanks to vaccines, rapid testing and therapeutics—and are excited to be ushering in a new academic year later this month.
Our approach this fall will include the following requirements:
COVID-19 VACCINES
As announced in May, UIS is requiring all students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated (defined as being at least two weeks past your last dose of the primary series) against COVID-19 for Fall 2022 unless they have an approved exemption. Exemptions from prior semesters will automatically carry over. Please refer to our vaccination policies for employees and students regarding the process to request an exemption and important deadlines to consider. New UIS students must upload their vaccine record or have an exemption request submitted no later than Sept. 1, 2022, to be in compliance with the policy.
COVID-19 TESTING
All students, faculty and staff who live, learn or work on campus and are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must test once per week. Testing will be monitored, and those out of compliance may face student or employee discipline. The university will be re-establishing a SHIELD saliva testing site on campus prior to the start of the Fall 2022 semester for students, faculty and staff. More specific information will be shared soon.
UIS will not be conducting contact tracing; all individuals who receive a positive test result should follow CDC guidance for isolation.
FACE COVERINGS
Face coverings will be required on campus in health-care settings (UIS Counseling Center, UIS Health Services, SHIELD site) and are strongly encouraged in classrooms during in-person instruction, especially when community transmission is high. In settings where face coverings are not required, any individual who makes the personal decision to wear a face covering will be fully supported; however, no additional requirements for face coverings should be implemented at the unit, facility or event level.
Any questions may be sent to covid19@uis.edu. Additionally, I will host a Zoom briefing at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, to cover our comprehensive Fall 2022 COVID-19 approach and answer questions. Login information will be sent via email next week.
Your continued commitment to supporting our United in Safety guidelines is much appreciated!
Thank you,
Janet
Janet L. Gooch, PhD
Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield