July 25, 2022

Fall 2022 COVID-19 Updates & Reminders

Dear Goucher community,

We are eager to welcome all new and returning students, faculty, and staff to campus this fall. However, while there are many new, exciting aspects on campus this year, we are also still keenly aware of the impact of COVID-19 on our community. Therefore, it has been imperative for the COVID-19 Taskforce to continue monitoring changes and implement mitigating protocols based on the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance concerning isolation times, face masks, and other preventative measures.

Masking

From August 6 to September 16, 2022, we are requiring all faculty, staff, and students to use N-95, KN95, or KF94 face masks indoors. We will have masks available on campus, but campus-issued masks cannot be your sole supply. Therefore, everyone should procure their own supply of masks in addition to those provided by the College to account for individual needs.

Isolation Housing

We will continue to have isolation housing available on campus. Students that test positive for COVID-19 will still have the option of isolating off-campus in addition to on-campus in our isolation spaces or their on-campus housing space if they have a private bathroom.

Pre-Arrival Requirements

Students, faculty, and staff are not required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to arriving on campus. However, it is strongly recommended that everyone take an at-home COVID-19 test to determine if they should delay their arrival to campus. Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 should not travel to campus, but instead notify the Student Health Center or Human Resources that you have tested positive for COVID-19 and then isolate for five days and are not presenting any symptoms before returning to campus.

U.S. residential households are now eligible for another order of free at-home tests on USPS.com. Each order now includes eight (8) rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Similar to last year, we will also be procuring a limited number of at-home tests for local students, faculty, and staff to administer at home.

Goucher College continues to recognize that COVID-19 vaccination is one of the most effective methods for creating a safe environment and reducing the risk of serious COVID-19 infection. Therefore, all students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption. Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff are required to receive the COVID-19 booster as eligible or have an approved medical or religious exemption.

Students must submit proof of COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster shot by August 5, 2022.

  1. Log into your Medical account (https://goucher.medicatconnect.com/) to update your Immunization records.
  2. Within your Medicat account, upload a picture of your COVID-19 vaccination card and booster verification.
  3. Once the Student Health Center receives this information, they will verify your immunization record, and confirm you are in compliance with Goucher’s return to campus COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please note that verifying your record may take up to 48 business hours.
  4. For new incoming students requesting a medical or religious exemption to the vaccine requirement, please email vaccine@goucher.edu to receive the exemption request form.
  5. If you request an exemption, you must have your form signed by your provider (for medical exemption requests) or your clergy (for religious exemption requests). All exemption paperwork is due by August 5, 2022.

Close Contact Testing

We will conduct contact tracing and testing for students throughout the semester when there is a positive case report and exposure and/or evidence of high transmission across campus. Students are notified via email when required to come for contact testing.

We hope that by deciding to require masks indoors, continuing wastewater testing, isolation housing, and at-home pre-arrival testing, we can ensure a healthy, successful start to the fall semester.

Please use the Covid-19 Policy Violation Reporting Form to submit concerns about any student, faculty, or staff members in the Goucher community who may not follow Goucher College COVID-19 policies. You can submit anonymously. Please provide enough information for us to follow up with your concern.

Faculty and staff concerns are forwarded to the Office of Human Resources. Concerns about students are sent to the Office of Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students and handled through the Student Accountability process.

For additional information or questions, please contact the following offices:

Once again, thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe and allowing us all to enjoy each other’s company back on campus this year.

Stay safe, be well, and see you on campus soon!

Kent

Kent Devereaux, President