Summer and fall COVID-19 requirements for students

Dear students,

We trust that you have been following the news on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases worldwide, in the United States, and on our campus, and we are writing today to assure you that we are taking steps to protect everyone’s health and safety in preparation for an in-person autumn quarter. In compliance with public health orders, and in consultation with public health and medical experts, we have developed a set of health and safety requirements for students to minimize the prevalence and reduce the spread of COVID-19 on our campus.

Please read this message carefully! There are important changes that affect everyone; for example, all students living on campus, living in university provided off-campus student housing, or coming to campus will be required to test weekly beginning August 15, regardless of vaccination status. Working together, we can monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 at Stanford, adjust requirements as needed, protect our friends and family, and keep campus as safe as possible for in-person learning and activities this summer and autumn. If we need to make adjustments, we will let you know, so keep an eye on your Stanford email accounts for the latest information.

Here is what you need to know for this summer and fall:

• NEW! Surveillance testing required for all beginning August 15. Weekly testing with Color Genomics will be required for all students living on campus, living in university provided off-campus student housing, or coming to campus, regardless of vaccination status. Here is more information on testing for undergraduate students and graduate and professional students. If you develop symptoms, test immediately and complete a Health Check. Vaccinated students are no longer required to complete a daily Stanford Health Check; however, you must submit a Health Check when experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, have a positive COVID test, or are exposed to household members who have tested positive.
• NEW! Entry testing required for all new arrivals. Entry testing (testing upon arrival on campus) with Color Genomics is required for all students living on campus, living in university provided off-campus student housing, or coming to campus frequently, except those who have been living on campus or have been living in the area and coming to campus frequently this summer. This applies to vaccinated and unvaccinated students, and means testing on Day 0 (the day you arrive on campus) and Day 5.
• NEW! Restricted activity required for some new arrivals. Unvaccinated international students and other unvaccinated students traveling to campus from international locations should arrive 7 days before in-person activities to complete entry testing, vaccination, and a period of restricted activity. The university will reach out to these students with further instructions.
• Vaccination required for all. All students coming to campus this autumn are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The deadline for students to upload COVID-19 vaccination documentation has passed. If you missed the deadline, Vaden Health Services will place a hold on your Axess account that will prevent you from registering for fall quarter classes. Submit questions here specific to your circumstances.
• Face coverings required for all. All Stanford students, employees, and visitors are required to wear face coverings indoors, including lounges, dining halls, restrooms, laundry rooms, and elevators in student residences, except when alone in a private office or student room or actively eating or drinking. They may also be mandated at large events where the organizers specifically require them.
• Vaccination is recommended for spouses, partners and children aged 12 years and older. Spouses and partners who are living with students in R&DE-assigned housing are eligible to test at no cost with Color Genomics. Testing information is here. Vaccination resources are here. For testing information for children under the age of 18, please check in with the child’s primary care physician.

A few words on residential communities

We know many of you have this question: Will unvaccinated people be assigned to my residence? We cannot disclose the immunization status of one person to another, so you won’t know the vaccination status of other people in your residences. However, only a very small number of students living on campus this autumn will be unvaccinated. Face coverings and regular COVID-19 testing are required for all students. This is a highly sensitive self-test, with results provided within 24 hours, facilitating early diagnosis.

Vaccination provides a high degree of protection against serious illness from infection, and the large percentage of vaccinated students, faculty, and staff at Stanford protects our campus community as a whole. We will continually assess these measures and will notify the entire campus community if changes are needed. In summary, we are confident these public health measures will protect our campus community. If you have any personal questions or concerns, please submit a ServiceNow ticket.

In closing

Thank you for all you have done over the past year to work around all the challenges that have come your way. During this time, I have had the opportunity to get to know many of you over Zoom and in person and these experiences have reinforced in my mind the exceptional degree of caring and commitment to one another that exists in our community. This is an incredibly powerful strength as we look forward to being together on campus this fall for a year of learning, discovery, and community connection. I can’t wait to welcome you to the autumn quarter in person very soon!

Sincerely,

Susie Brubaker-Cole
Vice Provost for Student Affairs