University Announcement - Important COVID and Vaccination Policy Updates

March 3, 2023

Date: March 3, 2023
To: University Community
From:  Michelle Rogers, Vice President for Administration and the COVID Task Force

I am writing today to provide a few COVID-related updates.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policies for Employees and Students

Given the new primary series vaccines contain new formularies to address Omicron variants, effective immediately, we are maintaining our vaccination requirement but are eliminating the booster requirement. You are considered fully vaccinated by the University once you receive the required doses of an FDA (or like non-US entity) authorized SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination. However, we encourage individuals to get a booster when eligible. Boosters remain an important method for protecting yourself and others from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19.

The revised policies are available online:

• Employee Vaccination Policy
• College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Student Vaccination Policy
• School and Graduate Student Vaccination Policy

COVID-19 Employee Policy

We have updated the COVID-19 Policy for All Employees to reflect the termination of California’s State of Emergency declaration, which expired on February 28, 2023, and to better align with treating COVID as a manageable risk rather than a crisis. These updates include the following key items:

• Vaccination policy – Updated to remove booster requirement.
• Face coverings – Updated locations/situations when a mask is required.
• Temporary sick hours (Non-accruals) – The University is no longer required to provide non-accrual sick time for COVID-related absences. Employees should no longer use the UltiPro SCKC19 code and rather should follow standard sick and vacation reporting per University policy.

COVID-19 Reporting, procedures, and cases

At this time, we are still requiring individuals to report positive test results. If you have tested positive for COVID, do not come to campus (regardless of whether you are symptomatic), isolate, and complete a reporting form.

If you test positive, please follow the updated isolation procedures.

• Isolation Procedures for Confirmed Positive COVID-19 Test

If you are identified as a close contact or if you are symptomatic but have not yet tested positive, please follow the updated procedures.

• Procedures for Exposure (Close Contact) to COVID-19 or Symptomatic Individuals (Not Positive)

As a reminder, employee exposure notifications are housed online on the Exposure Notices webpage, located on the University’s COVID response website. Additionally, you can continue to view employee and student case numbers, by visiting the COVID-19 Dashboard, which is updated weekly.