As President DeGioia shared in his January 21 message, we look forward to resuming in-person instruction on Monday, January 31, 2022. We are writing to share updated public health guidance, effective January 31. As part of our phased return, while we return to in-person instruction, we will continue certain temporary measures to protect the health and safety of our community through Friday, February 11, 2022.
Please review the important details below and refer to the University’s Public Health and University Operations page for additional information. We continue to monitor public health conditions on campus and in the local region, as well as any new guidance from the CDC and the DC Department of Health, and we will provide updates when needed.
Instruction
In-person instruction will resume on Monday, January 31, 2022. Courses will be taught in-person, unless the course has been previously approved by the University to be taught online.
Research
During this phased return, when research activities require in-person work, faculty and staff should consider scheduling work in such a way that allows for reduced density, maintain physical distancing when possible and wear a properly-fitted, high-grade mask inside at all times. Graduate students conducting research should continue as scheduled. Access for study participants visiting Georgetown for research purposes continues as planned.
Staff/AAP Mode of Work
As of January 31, staff/AAP employees should return to the mode of work designations they were assigned for the 2021-22 academic year. Supervisors have discretion to make temporary, short-term changes to mode of work for their units or departments as may be appropriate, and will be in touch with their units/departments as needed. Staff/AAP employees will need to get tested prior to arriving on campus for the first time after winter break, as described below.
As we shared previously, we have extended the GUCares Dependent Care Assistance Grants through June 30, 2022, for faculty and staff who have a qualified need related to child or dependent care. We encourage you to review this January 7 message, which has more information about dependent care resources available to our community. In addition, beginning January 31, on-campus PCR testing via One Medical will be open to children under the age of 5 of full-time, benefits-eligible employees. We will provide additional information about this new support service later this week.
Vaccination Requirement
Georgetown requires students, faculty, staff and visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot by January 21, 2022, or when eligible, or to have an approved medical or religious exemption.
COVID-19 Testing
Arrival Testing: Students, faculty and staff arriving on campus for the first time after the winter break will need to get tested prior to their arrival, following the University’s arrival testing protocol, regardless of their vaccination status or whether they have traveled or remained in the local area.
Asymptomatic Testing: Weekly asymptomatic testing will restart the week of January 31, 2022.
- Fully vaccinated, booster-eligible students, faculty and staff who have not yet been boosted because they have received an exemption or deadline extension from the booster shot requirement will need to test once per week.
- Students, faculty and staff who are exempt from vaccination for religious or medical reasons will need to continue to test twice per week.
- All other students, faculty and staff will be randomly selected for asymptomatic testing each week.
Masks
Individuals, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask indoors in University-owned or operated buildings, except when eating or drinking, when alone in a private office, or when in their personal residence. Given the respiratory nature of COVID-19 transmission, students, faculty and staff should wear a properly-fitted, high-quality mask (e.g., N95, KN95, KF94) while on campus. Individuals cannot wear a cloth mask, or a mask with a vent or valve, because these masks do not sufficiently reduce the transmission of the virus from exhaled droplets and aerosol particles that might contain the virus.
Symptom Monitoring
When experiencing any symptoms, students, faculty and staff should stay home or in their on-campus residence; complete the COVID-19 Symptom Check-In survey through the GU360 mobile app or website; call the Student Health Center (if a student) or their physician, if needed; schedule a COVID-19 test; and not return to class or work until cleared by their physician or after a consultation with the Care Navigator team.
Students, faculty and staff should also complete the COVID-19 Symptom Check-In survey upon exposure to a known COVID-19 case.
Individuals with a medical or religious exemption from the vaccination requirement should complete the COVID-19 Symptom Check-In Survey each day they are on campus.
International Students
Students should, in all cases, make every effort to arrive by the start of in-person instruction to ensure their ability to make academic progress. Students who are traveling from an international location and who are delayed for reasons directly related to the pandemic may contact their academic department or dean to request late arrival and must enter the United States within 30 days of the start of Spring 2022 classes. For classes that began on Wednesday, January 12, the arrival deadline is Thursday, February 10. Students in programs with different start dates should consult their program leadership. F-1 and J-1 students who will arrive late should contact the Office of Global Services (OGS) for immigration support. Those students unable to get a booster shot in their home country can receive one upon arrival at the University.
Libraries and Study Spaces
Through February 11, 2022, libraries will be open only to Georgetown University community members. Students will need to keep at least six feet apart while studying in libraries or study spaces on campus, such as Sellinger Lounge in the Leavey Center. Certain Main Campus classrooms will also be available for students as study spaces in the evenings and on weekends so that students may maintain physical distancing. Masks must be worn in indoor public spaces on campus, and no eating or drinking is allowed in communal areas, including libraries, classrooms and study spaces.
Dining
Through February 11, 2022, University food establishments will continue to be open for grab-and-go dining only. Residential students should eat their meals in their private residence or outside in the tents on campus. Food and beverage consumption in indoor communal spaces, including libraries and student center study areas, is not allowed at this time. Public Health ambassadors will be monitoring these areas to ensure mask wearing at all times. We strongly encourage community members to eat outside in the tents on campus. For information on hours of operation on the Main Campus, please visit the Hoya Hospitality website.
Events, Meetings and Visitors
Through February 11, 2022, please follow the guidance below for University-sponsored events and meetings, including meetings with visitors. Updated guidance for events scheduled for after February 11 will be shared in early February.
Events: All University-sponsored events, including those organized by student groups, must be held virtually or outdoors, with limited exceptions explicitly approved by university leadership. University-sponsored events that are primarily social in nature, including those organized by student groups, that are scheduled to be held in-person should be postponed until after February 11.
Class Guests and Visitors: Guest lecturers or other visitors invited by faculty to participate in an in-person class may attend the session, provided that they comply with the University’s visitor vaccination requirement and process.
Academic and Administrative Meetings: While in-person instruction will resume on January 31, we recommend that any meeting, including those between or among students (including meetings of student organizations), faculty or staff, be held virtually when possible. If meetings must take place indoors, we recommend that attendance be kept to 50% of the total room capacity. Meetings may also be held outside or in one of the tents on the Main Campus so long as six feet of distance is maintained. Masks are required to be worn at all times while meeting indoors, and we strongly encourage masks to be worn while meeting outside or in the tents.
Event Authorization: If seeking an exception to the event policy outlined above, please share information about your event with the Public Health team so they can review the request with University leadership and provide additional tailored guidance.
Religious Services
Beginning January 30, 2022, religious services will resume on campus as they had during the Fall 2021 semester. Some reduced density may be necessary.
Campus Recreation
Through February 11, 2022, Yates Field House and Kehoe Field on the Main Campus are open with limited hours and occupancy, and the Scott K. Ginsburg Sport & Fitness Center at the Law Center is open with limited hours and occupancy, including a registration requirement.
We hope this detailed information helps you to prepare for the resumption of in-person instruction on January 31. We are grateful for the many ways in which our community has come together to respond to this challenging moment in the pandemic, and we appreciate your continued care for one another as we return to in-person learning and work this semester.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves
Provost
Edward B. Healton
Executive Vice President of Health Sciences
David Green
Interim Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer