HR News

Dear Syracuse University Colleague:

The University will continue to offer a comprehensive set of benefits for 2022—a direct result of the work of many members of our University community—including the faculty and staff of the Benefits Advisory Council.

Each year, Syracuse University reviews its benefits program and makes revisions based on a thorough evaluation, which includes comparisons to the programs of other higher education institutions. Planned revisions to 2022 benefits enable the University to offer highly competitive benefits, continue important and strategic hiring and support the University’s priorities, including offering competitive salaries.

This benefits Open Enrollment period, Nov. 1-12, provides you with the opportunity to reflect on your benefit options, explore resources that provide additional support for you, connect with the Human Resources team to help make the decisions that best meet your needs and enroll for the coming year.

Visit openenrollment.syr.edu to learn about the top things you need to know about your 2022 benefits. Then, from Monday, Nov. 1, through Friday, Nov. 12, you can log in to MySlice and enroll.

If you have any questions, please contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042 or at hrservice@syr.edu. Thank you in advance for your participation and engagement in this process.

Sincerely,
Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

You have likely noticed the very positive data and trends reported on the Syracuse University COVID dashboard over the past several weeks. I call your attention to a few important data points:

·         The number of new cases being reported daily has declined and held constant at very low levels.

·         For two consecutive weeks, the seven-day COVID test positivity rate among those participating in our random surveillance program had held steady at 0.4% and this past week, it dropped to 0.2%.

·         Results from the University’s ongoing wastewater surveillance program affirm declining levels of on-campus transmission.

This is positive news. Our collective efforts, including your commitment to a vaccinated campus and adherence to ongoing COVID prevention protocols, are paying off. Thank you.

At the same time, the positive data and trends detailed above have generated questions about the University’s masking policy and what conditions would prompt the Public Health Team to recommend moving from the current RED-level masking requirement to a lesser masking status.

As I have shared before, there is no single metric or threshold that—by itself—would trigger a change to the COVID masking alert level. Instead, adjustments to the COVID masking framework are based on an ongoing assessment of campus and community testing data, wastewater surveillance, contact tracing information and other factors indicative of COVID prevalence and transmission within the campus and Central New York community. Many of the measures that the Public Health Team considers are, by most accounts, trending in a positive direction. However, the public health situation across Onondaga County and Central New York remains problematic. Specifically, Onondaga County has:

·         Reported 1,505 new COVID cases in the most recent seven-day period—or an average of 215 new cases per day.

·         Experienced a 5.1% positivity rate for the most recent seven-day period. This is significantly higher as compared to the period leading up to Aug. 28, the day we cited concern over increasing cases in the community as one of the major reasons for moving to the RED-level masking requirement on campus.

Given the current level of COVID infection and transmission within the Central New York community, the University’s Public Health Team continues to advise we remain at the RED-level masking status. Should the public health conditions in the broader Central New York community significantly improve, we expect to be in a position to reevaluate our current masking requirements. The Public Health Team will continue to monitor campus and community COVID data and recommend future changes to the masking requirement.

Thank you again for your collective efforts to keep our campus safe.
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

As part of our COVID-19 response, the University expects all faculty and staff to receive a flu vaccine before the start of the Spring 2022 semester. Find out more about where, when and how to get your flu vaccine on or off campus.

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

We are writing to share the 2021 edition of Your Safety and Security at Syracuse University. Required by The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (“Clery Act”), our report is now online and can be found by visiting the Annual Security Report webpage. This report is one of the many ways we communicate with our campus community about crime and fire safety data, crime prevention programs, student safety guidelines and important information on our campus safety reporting procedures.

All of us at Syracuse University remain dedicated to the safety of our campus community. Our goals are consistent year after year. They are:

• reduce crime by equipping our community members with personal and residential safety and security guidelines and recommendations;
• teach and encourage safe behavior and active bystander best practices;
• inform the campus community about programs, resources and services, because knowledge is a powerful crime-fighting tool;
• inspire and invite others to partner with us in our mission to minimize crime and increase safety on and near campus; and
• consistently work to improve and enhance a meaningful relationship with the community we serve.

We urge you to familiarize yourself with the information, resources and services contained within our report. And we ask that you be a vigilant partner in our ongoing and collective efforts to maintain a safe environment where all our community members can thrive.

To request a print copy of the Your Safety and Security at Syracuse University report, contact Nikki Cooter, regulatory compliance manager, at njcooter@syr.edu or 315.443.5476. Once you submit your request, your print copy will be delivered within 10 days.

Sincerely,
Robert Maldonado
Chief, Department of Public Safety

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

In recent days, our active COVID cases have declined significantly (44 as of today) and the positivity rate among those tested via our random surveillance testing program over the past week is less than .5%. At the same time, community members continue to present to the Barnes Center and other clinics with cold- and flu-like symptoms not related to COVID. This is a reminder that although we are experiencing success containing the transmission of COVID-19, cold and flu season is upon us.

First Flu Clinic Scheduled

With that in mind, as announced in July 2021, all members of our campus community are once again expected to receive a flu vaccination. Compliance with this requirement will be closely monitored. The University is poised, as it did last year, to make flu shots available on campus through a series of flu clinics. The details of the University’s first flu clinic are as follows:

·         Day: Friday, Oct. 1

·         Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

·         Where: Barnes Center at The Arch

·         Who: All students, faculty and staff are eligible to participate

·         How:

o    Students: Make an appointment by visiting the Patient Portal.

o    Faculty and staff: No appointments are required, but we ask that you please bring your completed Flu Vaccine Consent Form [PDF]. Of course, you are also welcome to receive your flu shot from your primary care physician, at a local pharmacy or at other locations providing vaccinations.

·         Don’t forget: Please bring your Syracuse University I.D. card and be sure to wear a face mask when you visit the flu clinic.

·         Exemptions:

o    Students with religious or medical exemptions: Visit the Patient Portal to download the Medical-Religious Waiver. Once completed, submit your waiver via the “Upload” option in the Patient Portal.

o    Faculty and staff: Please indicate your religious or medical exemption via the Faculty/Staff Attestation Survey.

There will be several more opportunities to get your flu shot! Additional faculty and staff flu clinics are already scheduled, and additional flu clinics for students will be held throughout the month of October with more details announced soon.

All the measures that are keeping our community safe (mask wearing, random testing, monitoring for symptoms) from COVID can have the same effect in our collective efforts to combat the spread of other contagious viruses. Receiving the flu shot is equally important. A concurrent outbreak of influenza and COVID-19 on our campus could have devastating consequences for individual and community health, make COVID-19 cases more challenging to detect and diagnosis, and also potentially overwhelm the capacity of the local health care system.

Eligibility Guidance for Pfizer Booster Dosage

Many members of our community have asked about the eligibility requirements for the booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Late yesterday, the New York State Department of Health issued guidance to health care providers and health departments in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations, which makes eligible the following populations to receive the booster shot at least six months after receiving their second dose:

·         People 65 years and older and residents of long-term care settings should receive a booster shot

·         People aged 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot

·         People aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot based on their individual benefits and risks

·         People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot based on their individual benefits and risks. These include:

o    First responders (health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)

o    Education staff (professors/instructors/teachers, support staff, daycare workers)

o    Food and agriculture workers (food services staff)

o    Public transit workers (bus and trolley drivers)

Given the above eligibility determinations, many in our campus community are now immediately eligible to receive a booster shot. This includes Syracuse University faculty, food services workers, residence life staff and other front line education staff working daily in direct contact with students. If you received the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, we encourage you to consider the CDC’s recommendation of a booster dose.

·         Faculty/Staff: Onondaga County has partnered with Kinney Drugs to provide booster shots. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Kinney Drugs website.

·         For Students: For those of you who may be eligible based on an underlying medical condition, please contact the Barnes Center to schedule a consultation and vaccination appointment.

The availability of Pfizer booster shots adds yet another layer of protection in the University’s ongoing public health strategy aimed at limiting and containing the spread of COVID-19.

We appreciate our community’s continued commitment to our collective public health. Please continue to do your part. The easiest step you can take at this time is getting a flu shot. It’s safe, simple and selfless. Don’t wait, take action today!

Sincerely,
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I write to remind faculty, staff and administrators about relevant laws, regulations and University policies affecting how the University and its employees engage in political discourse. This includes the ways in which the University and its employees may interact with government officials and political candidates.

The University values the rights of individual citizens to speak and assemble freely, and to participate in discussion on public policy issues. Each year, many members of the University make very important contributions to current public policy debates. However, as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Syracuse University is prohibited from participating or intervening in any partisan political activities. Therefore, it is important to remind members of the administration, faculty and staff of long-standing University policies designed to ensure that the activities and speech of individual members of our University community are not attributed to or mistaken for partisan political activities or speech on behalf of the University.

The information below provides guidance on relevant laws, regulations and University policies affecting how the University and its employees can engage with government officials and political candidates.

Please direct any questions about this memorandum or the issues contained herein to the Office of Government Relations at 315.443.3919 or gcr@syr.edu.

Guidance on Government Relations, Political Activity and Lobbying

A. Partisan Political Activity
As a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Syracuse University is prohibited from participating or intervening in partisan political activities on behalf of or in opposition to any particular government official or candidate for public office. Participation or intervention include, but are not limited to, making financial contributions and publication or distribution of written or oral statements in favor of or opposition to a particular official or candidate. Violation of this prohibition may result in monetary fines and exposes the University to possible revocation of its tax-exempt status. This prohibition for the University extends to elections, officials and candidates at all levels—federal, state and local. Members of the University community are free to engage in partisan political activity on their own behalf, provided that they specify that they are acting in their capacity as private citizens and are not speaking or acting on behalf of the University. This includes any statements, written or verbal, that could be construed as an endorsement of a particular political party, candidate or partisan cause. For additional guidance, please review a copy of the University’s policy on partisan political activity, available on the policies website.

B. Use of University Property or Resources by Syracuse University Employees
University resources, including funds, property, event spaces, letterhead, email and information technology like computers and websites, should not be used for individual or personal political activity. Individuals may not host political events on University property—or use University funds, information technology or other resources to plan or promote such events—in their capacities as private citizens. Schools, colleges, and academic and administrative departments within the University may not sponsor or host partisan political events and may not use University property or resources for such events.

For additional guidance, please review the University’s policy on partisan political activity and the University’s policy governing events on University property.

C. Lobbying
Because of its ongoing engagement with public officials and agencies to advance its mission, Syracuse University is a registered lobbying organization with both New York State and the federal government. Lobbying may be summarily defined as communications with federal, state or local government officials that are intended to influence: (a) the passage or defeat of legislation or local law or ordinance (including state or federal budget bills); (b) the adoption or implementation of any public policy, rule, regulation or executive action; (c) the awarding of a contract; or (d) the outcome of any rate-making proceeding. Lobbying includes indirect contacts with government officials in the form of “grassroots lobbying,” which means encouraging or soliciting others to deliver messages to government officials.

As a registered lobbying organization, the University must publicly report all lobbying activity that occurs at the federal, state and local levels. For this reason, all faculty and staff engaged, or seeking to engage, in lobbying activities on behalf of the University are required to report expected (prior to contact) and actual (after contact) communications or interactions with public officials or their staff to the Office of Government and Community Relations. In addition, social media posts mentioning or tagging public officials may constitute lobbying, so faculty and staff should take care to present their individual social media accounts as their personal opinions and not those of the University.

The Office of Government and Community Relations, in conjunction with the Office of University Counsel, is responsible for determining which, if any, communications or interactions with a federal, state or local elected official, staff member or agency/department are considered reportable lobbying activities. The reporting responsibilities outlined in this paragraph are not intended to limit individuals’ rights of expression or academic freedom, including rights to engage in political or civic activity or interact with public officials as private citizens.

No public or governmental funds may be used for lobbying activity, which includes travel expenses and any expenses related to preparing for meetings or other communications with public officials. This includes all federal sponsored research funds. For example, faculty or staff may travel to Washington, D.C. in connection with a federally sponsored program; however, they may not engage in lobbying activity during that time if federal funds are used to pay for travel, meals and lodging.

For more information about the University’s obligations as a registered lobbyist organization, please see University policy here.

D. Reportable Business Relationships
New York’s Public Integrity Reform Act requires the University, as a registered lobbyist, to disclose any compensation over $1,000 paid to a public official in a single year. In higher education, these types of compensation relationships most often arise in the context of a university employing a public official as an adjunct faculty member. They can also arise from transactions between the university and outside businesses in which a public official may be a partner or shareholder, e.g., law, accounting or engineering firms. If you are aware of any compensation being paid from the University to a public official—either directly or through an outside vendor—you must disclose the transaction(s) to the Office of Government and Community Relations.

E. Gifts and Meals
With few exceptions, University policy and federal and state law prohibit the giving of gifts to public officials or other government employees. New York State also places restrictions on gifts to third parties at the request of public officials. Gifts include but are not limited to athletic tickets, meals, travel, entertainment or lodging. Also not allowed are tokens of appreciation or recognition, or providing travel or meals related to official University events or business, without first contacting the Office of Government and Community Relations. For more information about gifts, please see the University gift policy here.

Any questions regarding the aforementioned guidance should be directed to Office of Government Relations at 315.443.3919 or gcr@syr.edu.

Sincerely,
John Liu
Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff: As we all settle into our routines and the change of seasons, it is heartening to see so many in our community working so hard to keep themselves and everyone around them safe. That hard work is yielding encouraging results in all the critical metrics the Public Health Team monitors and assesses daily. For the time being, our public health guidance remains the same. Should any change be made to our COVID Level, we will communicate it broadly to our community. Moving forward, I will begin each message with an update on these three critical metrics. 1.   Active Cases: We continue to experience a positive trend with regard to total active cases on campus. As of today, we have 68 active cases, the vast majority among vaccinated students. That is significantly lower than the peak we experienced earlier this semester of 163. 2.   Random Surveillance Program Testing Positivity Rate: The positivity rate among those participating in mandatory surveillance testing is trending downward this week. With one day remaining in this week’s reporting period, the positivity rate is currently just under 0.5%. That is a 50% decline in positivity as compared to last week. We are hopeful and cautiously optimistic that this trend will continue. 3.   Testing Rate: We have seen a sharp increase in the number of tests we’re performing per day. As of today, we are averaging more than 1,000 tests per day on campus. This does not include individuals who are testing through other means, like at urgent care clinics. This is another positive sign. I can’t stress enough the importance of participating in the surveillance program when you are assigned to do so. This data helps us identify potential trends and clusters and allows us to work quickly to contain further transmission. We will continue to track and make public health decisions based on this data, and other important trends and guidance from local, state and federal public health officials. In the meantime, today I will provide updates on: ·         Pfizer Booster Shots ·         Dashboard Changes ·         Frequently Asked Questions Pfizer Booster Shots: This week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized several groups who have received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination to get a booster shot. Last night, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added more groups to the eligibility list. We expect to learn more about the booster shot plan from the White House later today. We will update our community when we know more. Changes to the Dashboard: The COVID-19 Dashboard has been updated to incorporate two new metrics. First, the positivity rate from the prior week’s random surveillance testing is now displayed and will be updated each Tuesday. In addition, the daily tests administered are now reported on the top bar graph of the dashboard, just above the daily cases. These updates will better allow our community to understand the current public health conditions on our campus. Frequently Asked Questions: The frequently asked questions section of the Stay Safe website was updated again this week to address some common questions and concerns. We will continue to update frequently asked questions and alert our community via this message when we have done so. Thank you for your continued attention and commitment to our collective public health. Our community continues to prove—time and time again—that simple, selfless acts are key to protecting the health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and neighbors. Please continue to mask up, monitor your health and test. Have a great weekend. It’s looking to be a great one!

Sincerely,
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Syracuse University will celebrate faculty and staff with $5 football tickets at the stadium on Friday, Sept. 24, when the Orange take on Liberty  at 8 p.m. Faculty and staff and their guests are invited to the Shaw Quad prior to the game to enjoy the Pride of the Orange Marching Band performance and food and beverage concessions.

The first 350 full-time, part-time or temporary faculty and staff with a faculty or staff SU I.D. to visit the University’s pregame Faculty and Staff Appreciation tent on the Shaw Quad will receive a game day gift and a $5 concession coupon.

A few days prior to the game, a drawing will be held to invite faculty and staff members to enjoy an enhanced game-day experience. Those who have purchased tickets prior to Sept. 20 will be eligible for the drawing. Winners will be notified prior to game day.

Additionally, the Campus Store in the Schine Student Center will offer a 20% discount to faculty and staff on Sept. 24.

Tickets

The ticket price is $5 each for University faculty and staff, their children and their guests (up to a limit of 10). Faculty and staff may purchase tickets online. Tickets can be purchased until the day of the event. For more information on public health protocols in place for game day, please review the stadium’s COVID-19 guidelines on Cuse.com.

Parking

University parking permits will be honored for free game day parking at the Skytop parking lot. For faculty and staff who do not already have University parking permits, a single one-time-use complimentary Skytop parking pass will be available for game day. These permits will be available for pickup on Wednesday, Sept. 22, and Thursday, Sept. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Office of Human Resources, Skytop Office Building, with proof of a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day game ticket and an SU I.D.

For questions about Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, contact the HR Service Center at 315.443.4042 or email hrservice@syr.edu. For questions about football tickets, call the Dome Box Office at 315.443.2121.

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

The first week of classes is behind us—it is wonderful to see our campus come to life for the new semester. We continue to learn new lessons about how to make the most of our time together on campus, while assuming the shared responsibility for the health and safety of our friends, colleagues and neighbors. Today’s message summarizes key COVID-related protocols, policies and recommendations in effect on campus and provides important updates, including:

1.   Surveillance Testing for Vaccinated Individuals

2.   Testing Requirements for Vaccine-Exempt Individuals

3.   Stadium Testing Center Hours and Protocols

4.   COVID-19 Response Checklists

5.   COVID-19 Dashboard

6.   Information Hub

7.   Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan

Randomized Surveillance Testing for Vaccinated Individuals: The University has implemented a randomized surveillance testing program for vaccinated individuals. This program includes vaccinated Syracuse University faculty, students and staff, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, and has been implemented in response to the increasing number of “breakthrough” infections recorded among the vaccinated population across the U.S. Each week a subset of the vaccinated campus population will be randomly selected to test and will receive an email directing them to visit the University Testing Center during the week. As we conclude the first week of this important surveillance program, I’m happy to share that testing compliance has been very strong. Thank you.

As a reminder, the Stay Safe COVID-19 Testing webpage includes testing details, requirements and hours of operation for the Testing Center. Weekday testing is being held at the stadium (enter through Gate P); Sunday testing will continue to be held at Kimmel Dining Hall.

Testing for Vaccine-Exempt Individuals: As a reminder, ALL unvaccinated students, faculty and staff (also known as vaccine-exempt) who plan to access campus under a medical or religious exemption are required to participate in routine COVID-19 surveillance testing once per week until further notice. Compliance with this requirement is monitored regularly.

Stadium Testing Center Closed Monday, Sept. 6: In observance of the Labor Day holiday, the University’s Stadium Testing Center will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6. The Stadium Testing Center will resume its scheduled hours on Tuesday, Sept. 7, beginning at 10 a.m. Testing hours are as follows:

·         Monday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium; closed Monday, Sept. 6, for Labor Day)

·         Tuesday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium)

·         Wednesday: noon-7 p.m. (Stadium)

·         Thursday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium)

·         Friday: 8:30-10:30 a.m. (Stadium)

·         Saturday: Closed

·         Sunday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Kimmel Dining Hall)

Important: Taking a COVID-19 test is quick, simple and painless. However, to ensure our laboratory is able to provide an accurate test result—and to avoid being recalled a second time to the Testing Center—it is important to provide a viable and non-contaminated saliva sample by following these simple instructions:

·         Do not eat, chew gum, drink, use mouthwash or use any tobacco products for 30 minutes before testing.

·         Deposit enough saliva to reach the line marked on your tube.

·         Be sure you only deposit saliva into the tube (not mucus or phlegm).

·         It is recommended to hydrate well earlier in the day before you test to prevent dry mouth.

If you do not follow these instructions closely, there is a chance that your sample can’t be analyzed. In such an instance, you will be notified to return to the Testing Center to provide a new sample. If you have questions, please ask a testing assistant for help. For more information, please watch this short video.

COVID-19 Response Checklists: Quickly identifying, isolating and tracing instances of COVID-19 exposure is critical to mitigating the spread of the virus. As a reminder, the University developed a series of COVID-19 checklists for students, faculty and staff to provide direction in situations where a member of the Syracuse University community has tested positive for or suspects they have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The checklists can be found on the Stay Safe website. While these checklists cannot always fully address the unique nature of every situation, they are intended to provide general guidance related to the most appropriate and required actions in response to positive test results or suspected exposure to the virus. Members of the community should contact the Syracuse University COVID-19 Project Management Office (PMO) at 315.443.6180 or SUcovid@syr.edu with additional questions or concerns or to receive further guidance.

COVID-19 Dashboard: As of yesterday, Thursday, Sept. 2, we have transitioned to providing public updates to the University’s COVID dashboard daily, Monday through Friday. Updates to the dashboard will be posted by 5 p.m. each weekday. Monday’s update will include any new data resulting from weekend testing. Please continue to regularly visit the COVID-19 Dashboard to get the most up-to-date information about testing and active cases at Syracuse University.

Information Hub: I encourage you to bookmark Syracuse.edu/staysafe. This site will continue to be the hub for information about campus operations, public health and safety, testing information, the COVID-19 Dashboard and the answers to the most frequently asked questions, which are updated on a weekly basis (and more frequently, as new questions arise).

Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan Now Available: In response to the New York Health and Essential Rights (NY HERO) Act, the University has established a new Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan. The plan follows New York State’s Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard and their model plan for private education. It outlines the range of actions Syracuse University may take to eliminate or minimize employee exposures to airborne infectious agents in the event of a declared airborne infectious disease outbreak. The plan will be implemented if a highly contagious communicable airborne infectious disease is designated by the New York State Commissioner of Health as presenting a serious risk of harm to public health. As of today, the state has not issued this designation. Please contact Environmental Health and Safety Services at ehss@syr.edu with any questions about the plan.

Thank you for your continued attention and commitment to our community’s public health. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, happy and healthy Labor Day weekend.

Sincerely,
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

It’s exciting to see so many students back on campus. Our law students, as well as some graduate students, have already begun classes, but in just a few short days, the Fall 2021 semester will be in full swing with all students back in the classroom.

As students, faculty and staff resume normal routines on campus, we recognize that the recent increase in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. and Central New York is unsettling for some. As we have throughout the pandemic, please know that the University is closely monitoring public health conditions. We are in constant communication with public health officials, and our decision-making will continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our campus community.

We have learned a lot over the last 18 months and have applied that knowledge to the University’s COVID response for the upcoming academic year. While we can’t predict every turn of the virus and variants, I can say with confidence that we are prepared. The vast majority of the public health strategy that guided the 2020-21 academic year remains in effect this semester, with some additions and modifications, including:

·         Randomized surveillance testing of vaccinated students and employees

·         Required testing for unvaccinated individuals

·         Wastewater surveillance testing

·         Testing on demand for any student, faculty and staff member, or their family members who share a residence

·         Contact tracing to identify, isolate and quarantine those exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19

·         Quarantine and isolation protocols consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policies and county health directives

·         Enhanced cleaning, sanitizing and air filtration

·         Tent and outdoor convening spaces for academic and extracurricular activities

For those of you who are new to our community, you will receive frequent updates from me and other leaders regarding the evolving nature of the pandemic. For those returning to campus for the first time since spring, thank you for your continued attention to this important information and commitment to health and safety. Today, I will address some very specific public health areas, including:

1.   Testing Requirements for Vaccine-Exempt Individuals

2.   Surveillance Testing Program for Vaccinated Individuals

3.   Testing Center Location and Hours

4.   Isolation and Quarantine Procedures and Resources

5.   Update on COVID Alert System and Masking

Testing Requirements for Vaccine-Exempt Individuals

Testing continues to be a central component of our strategy to lessen exposure, transmission and COVID illness on our campus. The University’s testing infrastructure remains prepared to conduct thousands of COVID tests per week on campus. For any unvaccinated member of our campus community, meaning those with approved medical and religious exemptions, you are required to participate in ongoing surveillance testing once per week (every seven days). Individual compliance with this requirement is closely monitored.

·         Vaccine-exempt students who do not comply with the weekly testing requirement will be prohibited from attending in-person classes and accessing any campus building, and will lose access to all online and digital resources, including Wi-Fi and Blackboard.

·         Vaccine-exempt faculty and staff who do not comply with the weekly testing requirement are subject to disciplinary actions as determined by the University’s chief human resource officer and vice chancellor and provost.

Surveillance Testing Program for Vaccinated Individuals

Given the increasing number of “breakthrough” COVID cases among vaccinated individuals, the SU Public Health Team has recommended that the University initiate a randomized COVID surveillance testing program that includes vaccinated members of the campus community. We will implement this recommendation beginning on Monday, Aug. 30.

Specifically, each week a subset of our on-campus population (inclusive of students, faculty and staff) will receive an email directing them to visit the Testing Center during the week to receive a COVID test. This data will be utilized to better understand the prevalence of breakthrough infection on campus, and in turn inform the most appropriate mitigation strategy.

Testing Center Location and Hours

The University Testing Center is now located at Kimmel Dining Hall. The hours are:

·         Aug. 27: 8 a.m.-noon

·         Aug. 28-29: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

·         Beginning Aug. 30:

o    Monday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

o    Tuesday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

o    Wednesday: noon–7 p.m.

o    Thursday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

o    Friday: 8:30–10:30 a.m.

o    Sunday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

·         Please visit the Stay Safe COVID-19 Testing webpage to learn more about campus testing and how to prepare to take a test.

Isolation and Quarantine Procedures and Resources

The isolation requirement for those who test positive for COVID remains unchanged relative to last year. If you test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, you will be directed by a legal order from the Onondaga County Health Department to isolate for a period of 10 days. Similar to last year, the University is fully prepared to provide isolation housing for students living on campus, and for those who cannot safely isolate in their off-campus apartments.

Importantly, the CDC and Onondaga County Health Department’s quarantine requirements for vaccinated persons exposed to a COVID positive individual have changed relative to last year. Those quarantine guidelines for vaccinated individuals are as follows:

·         Exposed, but no symptoms of illness (asymptomatic):

o    If you have come into close contact (as determined by a contact tracer) you have two options:

o    Wear a mask for 14 days from the date of exposure, or

o    Test 3-5 days after exposure (and wear a mask, until your test results are available)

§  If you test positive, you must isolate for 10 days prior to resuming standard prevention measures (this includes wearing a mask, washing your hands, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, maintaining distance and avoiding contact with sick individuals). Faculty and staff should report a COVID-19 positive test to HR Shared Services.

§  If you test negative, you may resume standard prevention measures.

o    If you are not a close contact, you can continue your standard prevention measures; no other action is necessary.

·         Symptomatic/Vaccinated

o    If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms, you should stay home and test immediately. Only leave your home, apartment or residence hall to be tested.

§  If you test positive, you must isolate for 10 days prior to resuming standard prevention measures. Faculty and staff should report a COVID-19 positive test to HR Shared Services.

§  If you test negative, you should retest 3-5 days after exposure.

1.   At that point, if you test positive, you must isolate for 10 days before resuming standard prevention measures.

2.   If you test negative on the second test, you may resume standard prevention measures.

For any unvaccinated individual exposed to someone with COVID-19, the quarantine requirement remains unchanged from last year. Specifically, you will be required by a legal order from the Onondaga County Health Department to quarantine for 10 days. Once you are released from quarantine, you may resume standard prevention measures.

I recognize this is A LOT of information, but it’s important you know what to do in the event you are exposed. To learn more about quarantine and isolation protocols, please visit the Stay Safe COVID-19 Response Checklists webpage.

To our students, if you find yourself in this situation, there are ample resources and supports available to you. To review how the University will support you if you’re exposed, please review the materials located on the Support Resources for Students in Quarantine or Isolation webpage.

Update on COVID Alert System and Masking

On Aug. 13, the University introduced a four-tiered COVID alert system and associated masking framework, designed as a tool to refine and communicate campus masking requirements over time, based on an ongoing assessment of rates of new infection, testing data and contact tracing information unique to our campus and local community.

We have received several questions related to this new framework, that I want to answer here for all members of our community:

Why isn’t the University currently recommending masking for all when indoors?

Currently, the University is recommending masking indoors for all individuals. The University’s current COVID alert level is BLUE, which corresponds to a recommendation of indoor masking, inclusive of those vaccinated members of our community. Further, at the current alert level masking is mandatory for all in classrooms and other venues where academic instruction takes place. Our approach does allow that in certain settings and circumstances—for example, possibly when studying with a vaccinated group of friends in a residence hall lounge or when meeting with a group of vaccinated colleagues in a conference room—that vaccinated adults can choose to unmask if all members of the group are comfortable doing so.

How often will the University’s Public Health Team reassess the current COVID alert level?

The SU Public Health Team will reassess the COVID alert level at least three days a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The SU COVID Dashboard is also updated on these days.

Who are the members of the University’s Public Health Team for the 2021-22 academic year?

A complete listing of the SU Public Health Team can be found on the Stay Safe website.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the health and safety of our campus and Central New York community. You will receive additional updates from the University in the coming days and weeks, as we continue to monitor pandemic conditions. Please bookmark Syracuse.edu/staysafe and visit it regularly.

Sincerely,
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation