Dear Lawrentians,
We hope that you all have had a relaxing and rejuvenating summer, and we look forward to welcoming our new and returning students back to campus. As members of our community will begin to arrive within the next week, we write today to provide updates on our health protocols for the academic year.
Based upon the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College Health Association (ACHA), and our regional health department—and consistent with the Lawrence Campus Community Pledge—personal responsibility will be key to our pandemic response strategy this year. With the availability of testing and continued development of vaccines and boosters, combined with our own experiential knowledge we have gained over the last two years, we are confident that we can adjust our approach while also keeping the health and wellbeing of our community at the forefront of our efforts.
As noted in the June 22 message to the community, we will start the academic year fully in-person. This means that all curricular and co-curricular activities will be in-person and proceed using each room’s full capacity limits. Courses, rehearsals, or lessons will not be held virtually or asynchronously unless warranted by a change in operational status, and students who test positive for COVID-19 will follow standard guidelines for illness as outlined in the Course Catalog.
Campus Community Pledge
Lawrence’s success in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the Lawrence campus can be attributed to our community’s dedication to Honor the Pledge. The pledge outlines the living, learning, and working tenets for all members of our campus community and asks each of us to take an active role in the care, health, and wellbeing of ourselves and fellow Lawrentians. Vaccinations, daily symptom monitoring, and personal responsibility are key components of the pledge. We encourage members of our community to familiarize themselves with the Pledge before arriving on campus.
Vaccination Protocols
As we have learned over the last year, vaccination is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves healthy and reduce the severity of a COVID-19 infection. As such, all members of the Lawrence community are required to be fully vaccinated—meaning all students, faculty, and staff have received all vaccination doses in the primary series and a booster if eligible—prior to arrival on campus. Exemptions may be granted to individuals based on a medical condition, strong religious or sincerely held belief, or personal conviction.
Additional information about updated or new boosters may be forthcoming this fall, and we will communicate any changes to our vaccination requirements as soon as possible, including new deadlines for required boosters.
Proof of vaccination, including a booster dose, must be submitted to the university. Students are required to provide vaccination documentation to Wellness Services at WellnessServices@lawrence.edu, and employees are required to provide this information to Human Resources at HumanResources@lawrence.edu.
Arriving on Campus
All new and returning students are encouraged to be tested within 72 hours prior to traveling to campus. If you test positive prior to your arrival, please email the Dean of Students at DeanofStudents@lawrence.eduto make alternative arrival plans.
- All students will be provided with two rapid response tests upon arrival on campus.
- One will be used for testing immediately upon arrival; the second is to be saved for use if symptoms develop.
- If students test positive upon arrival, immediately contact Wellness Services at WellnessServices@lawrence.edu for further instructions.
Employees who are returning to campus after an extended absence should take a test prior to your arrival. If you test positive, contact Human Resources and your supervisor, and isolate accordingly.
Symptom Monitoring
As is highlighted in the Pledge, self-monitoring is one of the most important steps we can take to remain a healthy community:
- Monitor symptoms daily.
- If symptoms develop, take a rapid test, self-isolate, and mask.
- Follow isolation and quarantine protocols.
Students should contact Wellness Services if they test positive. Please see the Wellness Services webpagefor additional details. Employees should contact Human Resources if they test positive. Employees do not need to report a negative test result.
Testing
Wellness Services and Campus Safety will have tests on-hand for students if needed. Employees can purchase tests at their local pharmacy. You can also order tests for free from the federal government or use health insurance. We will not conduct regular surveillance testing during fall term and ask that all community members living, learning, or working on campus Honor the Pledge.
Masking Protocols
We plan to start the fall term as a Mask Friendly campus. Being a Mask Friendly campus means that masks can be worn by anyone at any time on our campus but are not universally required. Additionally, individuals may determine their own guidelines for their individual space, meaning that:
- Faculty may require masks in classrooms based on room capacity, air ventilation, and/or personal preference.
- Students may require guests to wear masks in their residence hall rooms.
- Employees may require others to be masked in individual offices.
- Meeting and event organizers may also require the use of masks.
- Printable signage is available in the Communications Tool-Kit if needed.
As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our community, follow the most current guidance from the CDC and ACHA, consult with local health agencies, and adjust our protocols if necessary.
To stay up to date on all COVID-19 protocols and information, we encourage you to visit the COVID-19 News webpage regularly. In addition, please read the weekly LU Insider e-newsletter, as well as emails from Wellness Services. Any questions or concerns regarding our fall plans or other issues can be emailed to coronainfo@lawrence.edu. As always, be well and stay well.
Sincerely,
Rich Jazdzewski
Dean of Wellness Services
