Dear Southwestern community,
Based on increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates and the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Southwestern University is updating many of our campus health protocols. All of the following changes will become effective immediately.
We will no longer require masks to be worn in outdoor areas on campus. Masks will continue to be required in indoor spaces, including classrooms, laboratories, the library, and all common areas. Those who are alone in private offices may remove their masks, unless others are present. We ask everyone to continue to be courteous and respectful of each other’s health by wearing masks in any indoor area that is shared or could be shared with others, including hallways, stairways, and elevators. Foot traffic flow through buildings and shared spaces will continue to be delineated with signage in order to minimize overcrowding.
Meetings, classes, laboratory work, and events will no longer be time-restricted as long as all attendees remain masked. Faculty, staff and student will no longer need to submit their travel plans to the travel registry. No one needs to quarantine after traveling.
Visitors, vendors, and consultants can now come to campus as long as they follow our masking, distancing, and other health protocols. As previously required, visitors must be invited and check in with the university office issuing the invitation upon arrival.
Weekly surveillance testing will continue over the summer. Students, faculty, and staff who have registered their COVID-19 vaccination will be exempted from testing. Students may confidentially submit their vaccine records through the patient portal on the
Health Center website or via email at
covidtesting@southwestern.edu. Faculty and staff may confidentially submit their vaccine records to Cynthia Nguyen, benefits coordinator, in Human Resources by interoffice mail or via email at
nguyen@southwestern.edu.
Thank you for your cooperation and diligence as we navigate the pandemic together. As always, we will continue to adjust our policies as the situation warrants. We anticipate additional refinements to our health protocols as we get closer to starting classes in the fall.
Sincerely,
