COVID-19 and Vaccine Resources

2 Key Things:

1. Read why we’re still talking about face masks – and what it means for our semester.

2. Any student feeling sick should contact Student Health Services about scheduling a COVID test. Quickly confirming symptomatic cases is key to minimizing spread.

Who would have thought 551 days into the pandemic we’d still be talking about face masks.

None of us wanted to see a return to indoor mask wearing. But, this one very simple act is key to preserving the big step we have taken toward a “normal” college experience this fall. I think we’d all agree the in-person experiences we’re enjoying this semester far outweigh the inconvenience of having to wear a piece of cloth over our mouth and nose.

And yes, as our COVID Task Force Medical Adviser, Dr. David Hill, would remind us, the mask must also cover your nose. Or it’s not really doing its job.

I’m concerned that some students are not wearing their mask properly, and in some cases not wearing one at all. Let’s show off the kind, caring Quinnipiac student body that I know you all are. Wear your mask whenever indoors and wear it properly.

• Do it for your classmates, some of whom may have health risks unknown to you;

• Do it for your professors, many of whom have young children or extended family members they’re caring for at home;

• Do it because it’s how we will preserve an in-person, more normal semester together.

One local college recently went fully virtual for up to two weeks after a rise in COVID cases, and lack of wearing face masks during large indoor gatherings was found to be one of the main drivers. So please, keep that mask on and avoid large risky gatherings indoors.

Student conduct guidelines

I’m hopeful every student will support our face mask policy and respect the reminders of faculty or staff to wear their mask and cover their nose. However, our student conduct process will be used in cases when a student violates our rules and jeopardizes others. Members of our community can submit a CARE and Conduct Incident Reporting Form which will initiate a conduct case. Each case will be reviewed to determine the appropriate outcome. Violations of our policy will be taken very seriously.

Faculty/staff expectations

All faculty and staff are held to the same expectations for our indoor face mask policy. Please be a role model for the behavior we are asking of all our students. Members of our community can email Anna Spragg, Associate VP of Human Resources, if they have a concern with a university employee adhering to our face mask policy. Again, each case will be reviewed to determine the appropriate outcome and violations taken very seriously.

Not feeling well? Get tested

Students are reminded that if they’re not feeling well and have any kind of symptoms, they should contact Student Health Services to schedule a COVID-19 test and SHOULD NOT ATTEND CLASS. When in doubt, get tested. It’s quick and easy! It’s hard to know whether it’s seasonal allergies, a cold or flu, or possibly COVID. But the safest step is to get tested because quickly confirming symptomatic cases is key to minimizing spread.

Let’s spend our semester engaged in-person in the classroom, cheering for our sports teams, attending our favorite clubs and organizations, and so much more. Thank you for doing your part and masking up!

Tom Ellett
Chief Experience Officer

Elicia Spearman
General Counsel and VP for Human Resources

3 Key Things:

1. We anticipate reaching close to a 95% community vaccination rate across full-time faculty, staff and students – thank you!

2. Observing our indoor masking policy is critical. Lax adherence to this policy risks setting our efforts backward.

3. Review quarantine protocols and how they relate to your vaccination status so you’re informed and prepared.

Dear Quinnipiac community,

Welcome to the new academic year. Thank you to students, faculty and staff for supporting our health protocols and policies as our fall semester gets underway. These health protocols are the key to sustaining so many of the in-person, on-campus activities and experiences we’ve all worked so hard to bring back this fall.

Following are a few updates and important reminders. We will send these updates periodically throughout the semester to keep our community informed and safe and will regularly update our COVID-19 and vaccine-related information on this web page.

Near-universal vaccination

We greatly appreciate our community’s response to getting vaccinated! We expect to achieve close to a 95% community vaccination rate across full-time faculty, staff and students. We will report our final data once our fall semester census is completed in a few weeks. We are also seeing some students who received an approved exemption now get vaccinated, which will further increase our community vaccination rate.

Indoor masking: an important preventive measure

Please remember all members of our community must wear a face mask when indoors in all campus spaces regardless of vaccination status. This includes in our classrooms and when walking through the residence halls and common areas. When worn properly — which means covering your mouth and nose — face masks can be a significant preventive measure in helping us minimize the number of new COVID cases.

Following are the only times it is permissible not to wear a face mask:

• When outdoors

• When you are inside your living space or alone in a private office or a partitioned cubicle

• When actively eating in a dining hall (masks must be worn at all other times in dining halls)

Observing isolation and quarantine

Our isolation and quarantine guidelines for the fall semester align with the latest CDC recommendations, which take into account vaccination status.

If you are unvaccinated:

• You must isolate for 10 days if you test positive for COVID-19.

• You must quarantine for 10 days if you are a confirmed contact of a positive case and will be tested on Day 8 of your quarantine. If you are observing quarantine at home, you must obtain your own PCR test on Day 8 and upload the result to the Student Health Services patient portal.

• QU has limited isolation/quarantine housing available for residential students. Students may need to isolate or quarantine at home or off campus at their own expense if university housing is not available.

If you are vaccinated:

• You must isolate for 10 days if you test positive for COVID-19.

• You DO NOT have to quarantine if you are a confirmed contact of a positive case unless you are symptomatic. The university will administer a COVID test on Day 1 (upon notification of being a contact) and again on Day 5.

  • You must wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, including common areas within your living spaces, for 14 days or until you test negative.

  • You may go to the dining hall to get your meals, but you cannot eat in the dining hall. Students must eat their meals in their room (or outdoors) since they are not permitted to take their face mask off around others while observing quarantine.

Contact tracing

We again have a team of nurses from UST Global dedicated to QU to perform timely contact tracing. To determine whether quarantine is necessary and whether you’re considered a confirmed contact, they will assess criteria such as vaccination status, whether exposure occurred indoors or outdoors, the duration and proximity of the contact, and whether masks were worn by both the person who has COVID and the potential contact.

Thank you

Thank you again for all you’re doing to create a safe and engaging living and learning environment for our university community.

David R. Hill, MD
Senior Medical Adviser, COVID-19 Task Force
Professor of Medical Sciences

3 Key Things

• All unvaccinated students with an approved exemption must participate in weekly on-campus testing and are required to obtain their own PCR test within 5 days before returning to campus and upload their negative test result to the Student Health Services patient portal.

• It is strongly recommended all students, including those who are vaccinated, get tested at home within 5 days before returning to campus given higher rates of the delta variant currently seen in communities.

• Support of our fall health protocols will enable us to proceed as planned with move in, in-person classes and many other campus activities.

Dear Quinnipiac community,

Our faculty and staff are busy making their final preparations for our fall semester together. With our university community’s full support of our fall health policies and protocols, we expect a return to many of our favorite traditions, activities and experiences.

Our return to indoor masking was an appropriate step, but it does not change our intentions for move in, in-person classes, attendance at athletic events and many other campus activities. Please review this communication to ensure you’re familiar with these policies and have taken the necessary actions.

The importance of vaccination

We greatly appreciate our students’ response to getting vaccinated and uploading their vaccination records because having a highly vaccinated campus allows us to resume nearly all previous activities.

• Students who do not upload their vaccination record will not be allowed to move into their university housing.

• We will engage in student conduct conversations with those who have not uploaded their vaccination records and assess other penalties until they provide the required information.

COVID-19 testing

For unvaccinated students with an approved exemption:

• They must obtain their own PCR test within 5 days before returning to campus and upload their negative test results to the Student Health Services patient portal. If a student tests positive, they must notify Student Health Services and isolate at home for 10 days.

• They must participate in weekly testing performed on campus by QU. Students will be charged a $100 fee each time they miss or do not participate in this required testing.

Testing will be available in Student Health Services for any student who experiences COVID-related symptoms during the semester.

The university strongly recommends all students, including those who are vaccinated, be tested for COVID-19 on their own at home within 5 days before returning to campus given the greater transmissibility of the delta variant and the limited isolation housing available on campus this semester.

Isolation, quarantine and contact tracing protocols

For unvaccinated students with an approved exemption:

• They must isolate for 10 days if they test positive for COVID-19.

• They must quarantine for 10 days if they are a confirmed contact of a positive case.

• QU has limited isolation/quarantine housing available for residential students. Students may need to isolate or quarantine at home or off campus at their own expense if university housing is not available.

For vaccinated students:

• They DO NOT have to quarantine if they are a confirmed contact of a positive case unless they are symptomatic, and the university will administer a COVID test within 3-5 days, per current CDC guidelines. They must wear masks in all indoor public spaces, including common areas in their living spaces, for 14 days or until they test negative.

• They must isolate for 10 days if they test positive for COVID-19.

Face mask policy

Quinnipiac is requiring all members of our community, including visitors, to wear a face mask when indoors in all campus spaces regardless of vaccination status. This includes in our classrooms. Following are the only times it is permissible not to wear a face mask:

• When outdoors.

• If you are alone in a private office or a partitioned cubicle or workspace, or in your living space.

• When eating in a dining hall (masks must be worn at all other times while in dining halls).

• We are hoping this is a temporary measure as we monitor rising case rates and the prevalence of the delta variant.

Frequently asked questions

Please review our frequently asked questions for additional details about the fall semester and these health protocols. Thank you again for all you’re doing to create a safe and engaging living and learning environment for our university community. Safe travels during your return to Hamden in a few weeks!

David R. Hill, MD
Senior Medical Adviser, COVID-19 Task Force
Professor of Medical Sciences

Tom Ellett
Chief Experience Officer

Dear Quinnipiac students, faculty and staff,

Over the last 18 months, we all have learned to be flexible given the fluid nature of the pandemic. Quinnipiac has continuously monitored health guidelines based on the latest science and data to ensure a healthy and safe living and learning environment.

Upon review of the most recent guidance issued by the CDC and the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Quinnipiac is updating its face mask policy and is again requiring all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a face mask when indoors in all campus spaces, effective immediately. This includes in the classroom.

Following are the only times it is not needed to wear a face mask:

• When outdoors

• When alone in a private office or a partitioned cubicle/workspace, or in your living space

• When eating in dining halls (masks must be worn at all other times in dining halls)

Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for our fall semester together and what we expect will be a return to many of our favorite traditions, activities and experiences. We’ll see you in a few weeks!

David R. Hill, MD
Senior Medical Adviser, COVID-19 Task Force
Professor of Medical Sciences

Tom Ellett
Chief Experience Officer

4 Key Things

1. All students must upload a copy of their COVID vaccination record by Aug. 1

2. Students without a COVID vaccination record or approved exemption on file will not be allowed to move into their university housing and will be restricted from QU’s campuses and classrooms.

3. Unvaccinated students with an approved exemption must obtain their own pre-arrival PCR test within 5 days of returning to QU and have it uploaded to the patient portal. These students will be tested again on campus and will likely be required to participate in weekly COVID testing.

4. Everyone should remember to bring a supply of face masks with them to campus.

Dear Quinnipiac families,

We are eagerly preparing to welcome students to our campuses for our fall semester together. Requiring all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated was key to enabling our university community to finally get back to the in-person, on-campus experiences we enjoy inside and outside the classroom.

We each have a personal obligation to do all we can to help protect the health of one another given the close living environment and personal interactions that make our university campus such a special place to live and learn.

Upload your COVID vaccination record by Aug. 1

A copy of your COVID vaccination record must be uploaded to the Student Health Services patient portal by Aug. 1. If you have already uploaded your information, thank you! 

1. You can upload your vaccination record in three, easy steps

2. Take a picture of your vaccination record using your phone

3. Log into the Student Health Services patient portal

Upload the picture of your vaccination record under “COVID vaccine card/record."

You can also log into MyQ and upload your vaccination record there.

What happens if a student does not have a vaccination record or approved exemption on file?

Students who do not upload their vaccination record or receive an exemption will not be allowed to move into their university housing for the fall semester and will be restricted from QU’s campuses and university facilities, including classes. The university is updating its data daily to monitor compliance with this important health requirement. Any student arriving for move-in who does not have the necessary documentation on file will be asked to return home, and housing and dining contracts will not be amended or canceled.

What are the COVID protocols this fall for UNVACCINATED students?

Students who have received an approved exemption and are not vaccinated must adhere to the following COVID-related protocols this fall semester:

• Pre-arrival test – Students must obtain their own PCR test within 5 days of returning to campus and upload their negative test result to the Student Health Services patient portal before returning to QU

• Arrival test – Students will be tested by the university shortly after their return to QU

• Weekly testing – Students will likely be required to participate in weekly on-campus COVID testing; we will communicate a decision by the start of the semester.

• Mask policy – Students must wear a face covering when indoors and when riding the university shuttle. Masks are not required in a student’s own living space or when eating in the dining hall.

• Isolation space – We will have limited isolation/quarantine housing available for residential students who are unvaccinated and test positive for COVID-19, or who are unvaccinated contacts of a positive student. Students may need to isolate or quarantine at home or off campus at their own expense if university housing is not available.

What are the COVID protocols this fall for VACCINATED students?

• Mask policy – Face coverings are not required for vaccinated students except for when riding the university shuttle. There may be some classroom or laboratory settings and university-sponsored meetings/events that will require all participants to wear a mask, and this will be communicated in advance by the faculty member or meeting/event organizer. Students can choose to wear a mask at their discretion. Mask policies may change if public health guidelines change.

• Quarantine – Current health guidance indicates vaccinated students who have been exposed to an individual testing positive for COVID-19 are not required to quarantine.

Closely monitoring the delta variant

We have been closely monitoring the latest developments and health guidelines as the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus continues to spread. We will communicate any updates in our health protocols as necessary. Protecting the health of our community and preventing the spread of the virus has always been the goal behind our vaccination requirement.

We greatly appreciate everyone’s ongoing support as we plan for your return to Quinnipiac this fall. Enjoy the remainder of your summer!

David R. Hill, MD
Senior Medical Adviser, COVID-19 Task Force
Professor of Medical Sciences

Tom Ellett
Chief Experience Officer

4 Key Things

1. Effective July 6, 2021, fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks indoors or outdoors, but those who are not vaccinated must continue to wear masks when indoors.

2. Remember to upload your vaccination record before Aug. 1.

3. We will return to normal capacity for classrooms, events and athletics.

4. Students granted an exemption from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will need to provide a negative PCR test administered within 5 days of their arrival to campus.

Dear Quinnipiac families,

We hope you’re having a relaxing summer. We look forward to seeing you back at Quinnipiac this fall as we plan for a safe return to so many facets of campus life that we enjoyed before the pandemic. We continue to review the most recent public health guidelines and recommendations on both the vaccine and COVID-19 virus. We also want to share our plans for the fall semester as well as the policies and expectations we’ll have in place for our university community. The policies below are effective beginning today, July 6, 2021.

Wearing a mask

Effective today, fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks indoors or outdoors, but those who are not vaccinated must continue to wear masks when indoors. This is consistent with the latest state policies and CDC recommendations.

• If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask please do so. The university fully supports the continued use of face masks by any individual.

• There may be some classroom or laboratory settings and university-sponsored meetings/events that will require all participants to wear a mask. This policy will be communicated in advance by the faculty member or meeting/event organizer.

• Masks must be worn by everyone when riding the university shuttles.

Upload your COVID-19 vaccination record – Aug. 1 deadline

All students, faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated prior to the fall semester. If you have not already done so, please remember to upload a copy of your vaccination record.

• Aug. 1 – Deadline for all students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated and to upload their vaccination records. Students must upload to the Student Health Services portal and employees to the HR portal.

• Student exemptions – Exemption requests are due by today, July 6. Complete the Medical Exemption Form or Religious Exemption Form as well as the Acceptance of Risk Form waiver and upload them to the Student Health Services portal. Students who have been granted an exemption agree to the following conditions:

  • to engage in reasonable risk mitigation practices as required by the university (such as the use of PPE, mask wearing and physical distancing).

  • to provide results of a COVID-19 test prior to moving back to campus and to participate in regular COVID-19 screening if required by the university.

  • to immediately notify Student Health Services if they test positive for COVID-19 or have a known or suspected exposure to someone with COVID-19.

  • to quarantine off campus at their own expense if required by the university.

• Employee exemptions – Email EmployeeCOVIDHR@qu.edu and an HR representative will respond to your exemption request.

Students who are fully vaccinated, as well as those who have received an approved exemption, will be able to equally participate in all university activities and events this fall. While masking and testing policies will differ for non-vaccinated individuals in some situations, we want everyone to safely enjoy all QU has to offer both inside and outside the classroom.

COVID-19 testing, isolation/quarantine

The university will no longer perform weekly COVID-19 testing of students, but reserves the right to require students to attend testing if conditions warrant.

• Students granted an exemption from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine must obtain on their own a negative PCR test administered within 5 days of their arrival to campus for the Fall semester. A copy of your negative test result must be uploaded to the Student Health Services portal. These students may be required to be tested for COVID-19 during the semester.

• During the fall semester, we will have limited isolation/quarantine housing available for residential students who test positive for COVID-19 or who are non-vaccinated contacts of a positive student. Students may need to isolate or quarantine at home or off campus at their own expense if university housing is not available. Vaccinated students who have been exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine.

• Student Health Services will be available to perform COVID-19 tests for any student experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms.

Visitor policy

Visitors are permitted on campus grounds and in all university buildings and facilities, including residence halls. Outside visitors are defined as anyone who is not a Quinnipiac student, faculty or staff member. Visitors must observe our mask policy — fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask, but individuals not vaccinated must wear a mask for indoor events.

• Students are allowed overnight visitors and guests provided they register them with Residential Life.

Event capacity — student events, programming, athletics

We will remove capacity limits on university- and student-sponsored events and the number of spectators attending athletics as long as conditions hold at very low virus rates. All attendees must observe our mask policy — fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks but individuals not vaccinated must wear a mask for indoor events.

QU Symptom Checker

The QU Symptom Checker app will no longer be used this upcoming academic year.

Dining halls

All university dining halls will return to 100% capacity.

Please enjoy the remainder of your summer, and we hope you find some time to rest and recharge with family and friends. We cannot wait to get our QU family back together this fall for a return to many of the pre-pandemic activities and traditions we enjoy so much!

David R. Hill, MD
Senior Medical Adviser, COVID-19 Task Force
Professor of Medical Sciences

Tom Ellett
Chief Experience Officer

Dear students,

As recently communicated, Quinnipiac is adding the COVID-19 vaccination to the list of required vaccinations to attend in-person classes or participate in on-ground activities in the Fall 2021 semester. This decision is based upon the scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to protect those who are vaccinated, and to help prevent further spread of the virus. However, we understand there may be some students who cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical or religious reasons.

Process for requesting an exemption


Following is the process for requesting such an exemption. All exemption requests are due by July 6:

• Complete the Medical Exemption Form or Religious Exemption Form.

• Complete the Waiver and Agreement Form.

• Upload both your completed exemption form and your waiver and agreement form to the Student Health Services patient portal.

Important notices for students receiving an exemption

If you are approved for an exemption from being vaccinated against COVID-19 please note:

• You agree to engage in reasonable risk mitigation practices as required by the university,  such as the use of PPE, mask wearing and physical distancing.

• You agree to provide results of a COVID-19 test prior to moving back to campus and to participate in regular COVID-19 screening if required by the university.

• You agree to immediately notify Student Health Services if you test positive for COVID-19 or have a known or suspected exposure to someone with COVID-19.

• You agree to quarantine off campus at your own expense if required by the university.

Deadlines to remember

• July 6 – Deadline to upload the exemption form and the waiver and agreement form.

• August 1 – Deadline for students to upload their vaccination records confirming they are fully vaccinated.

If a student has not uploaded a vaccination record and has not received an exemption, they will not be allowed to move in for the fall semester and their access to QU campuses and university facilities will be restricted.

Please review our frequently asked questions if you have additional questions about QU’s vaccination requirement. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself, our university community and our neighbors safe and healthy.

3 Key Things

1. Students, faculty and staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Aug. 1, 2021, to participate in the fall 2021 semester.

2. Medical and religious exemptions will be granted upon review.

3. Students must upload their vaccination record to the Student Health Services patient portal while employees should upload to our HR portal.

Dear students, faculty and staff,

We eagerly look forward to your return to on-campus life, learning and work in the fall. Because scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to protect those who are vaccinated, and to help prevent further spread of the virus, Quinnipiac is adding the COVID-19 vaccination to the list of required vaccinations to attend in-person classes or participate in on-ground activities. We also will require that all university employees be vaccinated.

Students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated for the 2021-22 academic year by Aug. 1, 2021, and exemptions will be granted only for medical and religious reasons.

By having universal vaccination with limited exemptions across the Quinnipiac community, we will be able to return to virtually all facets of life on campus. Teaching, learning, research and student life will be able to occur in person, on campus, and with few restrictions.

How to upload your vaccination record

Vaccination records must be uploaded by Aug. 1, 2021. Simply take a picture or scan a copy of your vaccination card.

• Students – Upload your vaccination record to the Student Health Services patient portal. In the portal, click “Immunization Record” on the menu to upload your vaccination.

• Employees – Upload your vaccination record to our HR portal and your information will be retained by the Office of Human Resources.

Visit our vaccine resources page for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine and locally available resources for vaccinations if you have not already been vaccinated.

Medical and religious exemptions

Quinnipiac will work with students or employees who cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical or religious reasons.

• Students – A form will be shared within the next week detailing the guidelines to request an exemption for medical or religious reasons. The form will then be reviewed by Student Health Services. All student requests for exception will be handled confidentially by Student Health Services.

• Employees – Exemption requests should be sent to employeeCOVIDHR@qu.edu. An HR representative will respond to your request, discuss the exemption guidelines and provide the necessary form to complete. Employees can also contact Anna Spragg, Associate VP of Human Resources, with questions about the vaccination requirement. All faculty/staff requests for exception will be handled confidentially by HR.

Vaccinations for international students

We understand that it may be difficult for some of our international students to obtain vaccination overseas. Students who are unable to secure vaccinations in their home countries can request a temporary exemption to get vaccinated upon their return to the U.S. In accordance with CDC guidance, all vaccines approved by the World Health Organization are acceptable to fulfill the vaccination requirement for our international students.

Benefits of vaccinations

Vaccinations protect your health and, as importantly, protect those around you in the university community and among our neighbors, especially individuals who are medically compromised and cannot receive the vaccine. With our students, faculty and staff vaccinated, our campus can largely return to pre-COVID academic and social interactions, and we will be able to remove most of the substantial burdens of managing a community under the threat of a pandemic.

Here are several indicators of a more “normal” fall semester that we anticipate will be possible with universal vaccination:

• Student programming will be greatly expanded, from athletics and recreational activities to guest speakers, performances and more opportunities for clubs and organizations.

• Our classrooms will return to normal capacity.

• We will eliminate weekly COVID-19 testing for all vaccinated students. The level of testing for any vaccine-exempted student will be determined by our medical experts.

• COVID-19 testing will be available for symptomatic individuals through Student Health Services.

As we get closer to the start of the fall semester, the possibility of a one-time test for all students at the start of the semester is currently being assessed. Masking requirements will be determined in alignment with state rules and medical advice. Regardless of a campus-wide decision, any individual can elect to continue to wear a face mask.

Showing consideration for others

Easing back into our “normal” routines and behaviors will take time, and we recognize that individuals will have different comfort levels as we make these transitions. We ask that everyone be respectful and supportive of others’ choices within the bounds of campus requirements.

We have also posted frequently asked questions to address questions you may have about this vaccination requirement. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself, our university community and neighbors safe and healthy. Please enjoy your summer and know that we cannot wait to welcome you back in August — to the extraordinary academic and campus experience for which Quinnipiac is known, and that we all love!

Judy Olian
President

Dr. Debra J. Liebowitz
Provost

You can upload your vaccination record in three easy steps:

1. Take a picture of your vaccination record using your phone.
2. Log into the Student Health Services patient portal.
3. Upload the picture of your vaccination record under “COVID vaccine card/record.”

You can also log into MyQ and upload your vaccination record there.