COVID-19 and Vaccine Resources

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.