Acting Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Director of Health Services provide updates to students on COVID-19 protocols for the Spring 2022 semester
Dear Students,
Congratulations on finishing the fall semester strong. I’m writing with two important updates on UMass Dartmouth’s COVID policies for Spring 2022.
COVID-19 Booster Requirement
With cases increasing across the SouthCoast and the emergence of the new omicron variant, the university is requiring all students, faculty and staff who wish to live, learn and work on campus in 2022 to supplement their COVID-19 vaccination with a booster shot when they are eligible to do so.
We expect students who are already eligible for a COVID-19 booster to obtain one by January 18, 2022. We strongly encourage you to make an appointment and get your booster shot as soon as possible over the winter break. The university expects students who are not yet eligible for a booster shot to obtain one within 30 days of becoming eligible.
You are eligible for a booster shot if you received the second dose of your Pfizer or Moderna vaccine six or more months ago, or if you received your Johnson & Johnson vaccine two or more months ago. Students who were granted COVID-19 vaccination exemptions last fall will remain exempt from this requirement.
Testing on Return to Campus
To ensure a safe start to the Spring 2022 semester, UMass Dartmouth will require all students, staff and faculty to be tested on campus for COVID-19 when they return to campus after the break. Faculty and staff will be tested prior to January 18. All residential students will be tested at our testing center in the Woodland Commons on arrival. Commuter students will be tested on the day of their first class. We will send further details of how to make your appointment for this required COVID-19 testing soon.
All our existing safety measures will remain in place for the Spring 2022 semester—the indoor mask mandate, enhanced cleaning of high-traffic areas, classroom airflow testing, and the weekly COVID-19 testing of vaccination-exempt individuals. We are happy to report that, because of your adherence to all these safety protocols, there were no document cases of transmission of COVID-19 on our campus last fall.
We want you to have a safe and healthy new year – please get your booster shot as soon as you are eligible, wear your mask indoors in public places, and wash your hands often. Monitor yourself for COVID symptoms and get tested if you feel ill or have been exposed to COVID-19. Enjoy the winter break with your family and friends, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus for the Spring 2022 semester in January.
Sincerely,
Mark Preble
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Marianne Sullivan
Director of Student Health Services