Dear UIS Students and Colleagues –

Thank you for helping us start the Spring 2022 semester United in Safety. I cannot adequately express just how proud and thankful I feel regarding your efforts to prioritize a safe return to campus following our winter break. 

As you know, one of our “re-entry” mitigations was a temporary period of expanded testing requirements for all. I extend my sincere thanks to our fantastic testing team for staffing the testing site during a very busy time period, with a focus on providing excellent customer service to the hundreds of UIS community members and the public who visited the site nearly every day in January. 

Because of everyone’s commitment to our health and safety protocols, we have had a successful re-entry period and are able to relax our testing requirements in the coming weeks. Thank you for making this possible! In the past week, both our daily and rolling positivity rates have dropped significantly, and we are holding steady at an acceptably low rate during this Omicron stage of the pandemic.

I’m happy to announce that, at the recommendation of the COVID-19 Rapid Response Team and the Chancellor’s Cabinet, I have approved the next phase of our COVID-19 testing strategy, effective Feb. 14. Until this date, everyone must continue to meet their entry-testing requirements to the best of their ability (keeping in mind, this week’s weather event will allow for some leniency).

Beginning Feb. 14, our new testing requirements for students, faculty and staff who are learning, living, working or training on the UIS campus or in UIS facilities will be:

• Individuals who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations (those who have received a booster shot, or those who have received the initial series of vaccine but are not yet eligible for a booster): Testing will be optional unless otherwise directed by the CRRT or campus contact tracers (such as for purposes of isolation or quarantine protocols). 

• Individuals who are NOT up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations (those who have not received the full initial series of vaccine or who are eligible for the booster but have not received it) and have approved exemptions or extensions allowing them on campus: Testing will be required twice per week, with at least one day between tests if possible, unless otherwise directed by the CRRT or campus contact tracers.

Again, these new requirements take effect Feb. 14; until then, please continue with current requirements for testing frequency based on vaccination/booster status.

Our ability to make this change is a great step in the right direction. Thank you for doing your best to adhere to our multilayer approach to being United in Safety. Our efforts are working!

Karen

Karen M. Whitney, PhD
Interim Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield