HR News

In recent weeks, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, the Onondaga County executive, and many of our national and New York state peer institutions have announced significant changes to public health guidelines. Primarily, these changes relate to reduced indoor masking requirements, including the elimination of mask mandates for children attending K-12 public schools across New York state.

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:

Thank you for your continued commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of our community throughout the COVID pandemic. As you are aware, shortly after the start of the fall semester, the University’s COVID level was elevated to “Red” based on increasing COVID cases, hospitalizations and test positivity rates on campus, in Central New York and across New York state. The University’s COVID level has remained at “Red” since Aug. 28. However, today I am writing to inform you that effective Monday, Feb. 21, our campus will transition to level “Blue.”

 

The seven-week, in-person class will begin on Friday, Feb. 25, and run through April 8. Participants must attend for all seven weeks.

Participants will gain skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics at all levels of an organization. These are conversations around work quality, time management, productivity, performance, sensitive issues, conflict or a strained relationship, for example.

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:

Today, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Department of Health will not extend the existing statewide order requiring that all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, are masked indoors while in public settings and venues. That statewide order expires tomorrow, Feb. 10. Masks will continue to be required in health care facilities and in public K-12 schools. The governor cited the significant decline in both new cases and hospitalizations as key factors that informed this decision.

For many parents, it’s one of the most important decisions they’ll ever make: Where do I send my child for daycare?

Heather Coleman, an associate professor and associate department chair of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, will be forever grateful that she chose the University’s Early Education and Child Care Center (EECCC) for her two children, who are now in the second and fourth grades at the HW Smith Pre-K-8 School in Syracuse.

Dear Colleagues:

Over these last two years, there has been a significant shift in the workplace. Many organizations, including Syracuse University, have responded to the pandemic in creative and innovative ways to meet the evolving needs of the workforce while sustaining and advancing core business functions. We have learned a lot. As a result, we are excited to announce that the University will begin a pilot program this semester to expand flexible work arrangements (FWA) for staff.

Every household in the U.S. is eligible to order free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. For more information and to submit your order, visit covidtests.gov.

In addition, new guidance from the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury requires group health plans, including Syracuse University’s employee health plan to cover the cost of FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 tests during this public health emergency as of Jan. 15, 2022.

Through Optum Rx, employees and their dependents who are enrolled in our health plan are eligible to be reimbursed for up to $12 toward the cost of a qualifying test purchased by submitting a manual claim request. Additionally, qualifying tests can be acquired at no cost from Optum Rx’s initial retail preferred partners, Walmart, Kinney Drugs, Rite Aid and Walgreens, with additional retail options expected to be added in the future. Each covered member can be reimbursed for up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests per month (without a prescription). For more information and to request a claim reimbursement visit optumrx.com/testinfo or contact Optum Rx at 866.854.2945 (TTY:711).

With this new guidance having just been released, processes and coverage rules may continue to evolve. Please visit the HR website for more information as it becomes available. For any questions, contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042.

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

Over the past month, countless members of our campus community have been hard at work planning and preparing for our students to return to campus and to begin the spring semester. Since the beginning of the pandemic, each semester has presented our community with new and different challenges—and spring 2022 will be no different. At the same time, two aspects of our planning and preparation are unchanged. We remain committed to prioritizing the health and well-being of our community, and to a decision-making process that is informed by science and the best guidance of public health experts.

There is still much we don’t know about the omicron variant. What we do know is that the omicron variant is highly infectious. At the same time, there is strong evidence to suggest that—for those fully vaccinated (including a booster shot)—the omicron variant poses a much-reduced risk to individual health as compared to prior variants of the virus. It is for this reason that we are requiring all members of our campus community to be fully vaccinated and boosted, and why we’re confident in our ability to sustain an in-person, residential learning experience throughout the spring semester.

The purpose of today’s message is to provide our community with important information necessary to inform your planning for the spring semester. This is a necessarily lengthy message. I encourage you to read it carefully, and plan accordingly. Specifically, in today’s message I will address the following:

• Pre-Arrival Testing for Students
• Check-In and Arrival Testing for Students
• Enhanced Surveillance Testing
• On Demand Testing
• Masking Framework
• Isolation and Quarantine Guidance and Space
• Booster Shot Requirement
• Flu Vaccine Requirement
• Continued Flexibility for University Community

Pre-Arrival Testing for Students

As we announced prior to the winter break, all students, regardless of housing location, are required to provide proof of a negative COVID test, administered prior to arriving on campus. Qualifying pre-arrival tests include:

• A PCR-type test, administered within 72 hours prior to arrival
• An antigen-type or at-home test, administered immediately prior to travel to the Syracuse area

Any student who tests positive on pre-arrival testing should submit their test result to the Patient Portal and will be directed not to travel to campus until symptoms of illness (if any) have resolved and they have completed the required isolation period. Students who have tested positive within 90 days of the date of their arrival are exempt from the pre-arrival test requirement but must submit documentation of their prior positive status to the Barnes Center in advance of arriving on campus. If a student arrives at check-in as noncompliant with the pre-arrival testing requirement, they will be prohibited from proceeding with the move-in process.

Check-In and Arrival Testing for Students

All students, including those who live in off-campus housing, are required to participate in arrival testing upon their return to Syracuse. For students residing in campus housing, you will be tested at the Ensley Athletic Center during the check-in process. For students residing off campus, you will be directed to test at the Stadium Testing Center no later than Jan. 25. Consistent with prior policy, any student who is noncompliant with the arrival testing requirement will lose access to on-campus technology resources.

Students will receive an email message later this week providing additional details related to the pre-arrival and arrival testing requirements and the check-in and move-in process, as well as a detailed move-in schedule. Please check your email regularly and review all information carefully.

Enhanced Surveillance Testing

Given the current surge of new COVID cases locally and across the U.S., Syracuse University will continue and expand its on-campus COVID surveillance testing program for fully vaccinated individuals beginning Jan. 24. Like the fall semester, each week a group of students, faculty and staff will be selected for testing and directed to visit the Stadium Testing Center. However, given the current surge of new COVID cases stemming from the omicron variant, the number of vaccinated individuals required to test each week will be expanded to start the spring semester.

As a reminder, students, faculty and staff who access campus under a medical or religious vaccine exemption are required to participate in routine COVID surveillance testing once per week. In addition, this requirement is now also extended to any individual who is not yet fully vaccinated and boosted. Community compliance with the requirements of the surveillance testing program will be closely monitored.

On Demand Testing

High-quality, PCR-type testing on demand will continue to be available to students, faculty, staff and families of employees through the University’s Testing Center. Further, the University’s on-campus PCR testing can now be considered confirmatory for the purposes of generating an isolation order and notifying Human Resources of a positive COVID test. Testing through Friday, Jan. 14, will be available at Kimmel Dining Hall. Testing will resume at the Stadium Testing Center beginning on Sunday, Jan. 16. Please visit the Get Tested page on the Stay Safe website for testing location, hours and availability.

Masking

In accordance with the New York State public health order issued on Dec. 10, 2021, and consistent with the University’s masking framework, all members of our campus community must continue to wear a mask when indoors, and outdoors when in the presence of others. This will remain in place until, at a minimum, the statewide masking order is rescinded.

Given the highly infectious nature of the omicron variant, the University is strongly encouraging double-masking or use of a well-fitted KN95-type mask while indoors on campus. Additional masking guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is available on the CDC’s website.

Isolation and Quarantine Guidance and Space

The CDC recently issued updated guidance as it relates to quarantine and isolation time periods. Late last week, that guidance was adopted [PDF] by the Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) following New York State’s endorsement of the revised CDC policy. As such, Syracuse University has revised its isolation and quarantine guidelines (for those who test positive and those exposed) for members of the campus community for the spring semester. The most significant change is the reduction in isolation from 10 to five days for individuals who test positive for COVID. Symptomatic individuals may need to isolate longer, depending on the progression of their symptoms. The University’s full isolation and quarantine guidance for faculty, staff and students can be found on the Stay Safe website. As a reminder, the Onondaga County Health Department is discontinuing its contact tracing; however, the University will continue to contact trace transmission that occurs involving students and classroom operations.

One potential implication of the highly infectious nature of the omicron variant is to create significantly more demand for University-provided isolation housing. Therefore, as a contingency, over winter break the University converted all rooms in both our on-campus isolation residence halls—Sky Hall 1 and Sky Hall 2—from single to double occupancy. COVID-positive students who require University-provided isolation housing will be assigned single rooms based on availability. However, if the student need for University-provided isolation housing exceeds our capacity to provide single-occupancy rooms, some students isolating in the Sky Hall buildings may be assigned to a double-occupancy room during their isolation period. Additional supportive services and resources for students in quarantine and isolation are available on the Stay Safe website.

Booster Shot Requirement

As shared on multiple occasions, all students, faculty and staff who routinely access any Syracuse University campus location or facility are required to receive a COVID-19 booster shot (or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file) prior to the start of the spring semester, or as soon as they become eligible.

For individuals who are not yet eligible to receive a booster by Jan. 24, you will be required to receive a booster shot during the academic semester, within one week of becoming eligible. Students who do not comply with this requirement will not be able to access campus during the spring semester. All students, faculty and staff are required to demonstrate proof of their booster compliance. To upload your information, including your booster and vaccination documentation, follow these steps:

• Students: Upload documentation of your COVID booster to the Patient Portal at your earliest convenience. This must be completed before your return to campus. Review step-by-step instructions for uploading proof of your COVID booster.
• Faculty/Staff: Document your COVID vaccine series (including your booster) or apply for a medical or religious exemption in MySlice by following these detailed instructions. Faculty and staff must certify their vaccination status by Monday, Jan. 24, to avoid disciplinary action.

Flu Vaccine Requirement

All members of the campus community are expected to be vaccinated against the flu to provide additional protection against the spread of illness this winter. Under the Stay Safe Pledge, all students accessing campus are required to have the flu vaccine prior to the start of the Spring 2022 semester. If you haven’t already done so, please get a flu vaccine at your earliest convenience. Here’s how:

• Appointments are available weekdays at the Barnes Center Pharmacy by calling 315.443.5691.
• You can also get the flu shot at a doctor’s office, pharmacy or anywhere else in the community offering the vaccine.

The only exceptions to this requirement are for those with religious or medical exemptions. Students can document their flu vaccine status (or exemption) in the Patient Portal and faculty and staff can do so by logging in to MySlice, clicking on the Employee Resources tile and then the Flu Vaccine Status tile. For individuals who receive the vaccine on campus, no further documentation is required.

Continued Flexibility for University Community

In December, supervisors were encouraged to extend flexibility to work remotely to their teams, as appropriate to their duties and departments. Originally, this was slated to remain in place until Tuesday, Jan. 18. However, given that the University has pushed back the start date of the spring semester to Monday, Jan. 24, if practical supervisors are now empowered to allow their teams to work remotely until that start date, if their positions support this kind of arrangement. Staff who have questions or concerns should reach out to their supervisors directly; supervisors with questions should contact their unit’s senior human resources business partner.

As a reminder: Staff who must be on campus to perform their duties, including but not limited to student-facing roles, food services, facilities management, public safety, parking, etc., as determined by their departments, should continue reporting to campus per their regular schedule. If you are uncertain if your position requires you to be on campus, please contact your supervisor directly to discuss.

In the days to come, you will continue to receive frequent communications from me and others addressing the most current public health guidance, policy updates and other actions proposed to safeguard health, wellness and our campus community experience. Please continue to visit Syracuse.edu/staysafe for all the latest information about the University’s public health strategy.

We look forward to welcoming our community back to campus.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

Yesterday Syracuse University announced that for the next two weeks, the Stadium Testing Center will provide access to free testing for Central New York residents. At the same time, continuing to provide quick and efficient COVID testing to members of the Syracuse University community remains one of our key public health priorities. For that reason, I’m writing to remind you that during the period we are offering testing to the public at the stadium, we will simultaneously operate the testing center at Kimmel Dining Hall for the use of Syracuse University students, faculty, staff and families.

Please note: Testing at the Kimmel Dining Hall is available to members of the Syracuse University community during the following hours, through Friday, Jan. 14.

• Tuesday, Jan. 4: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 5: noon-7 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 6: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 7: 8:30-10:30 a.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 8: CLOSED
• Sunday, Jan. 9: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 10: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 11: 10 a.m-3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 12: noon-7 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 13: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 14: 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Please continue to visit Kimmel to participate in our COVID testing. Thank you for your cooperation as we work to support our neighbors and the Central New York community.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

Earlier today, you received a message from Chancellor Syverud regarding the University’s decision to delay the start of the spring semester. We are taking this action based on the counsel we’ve received from many experts, given projections that transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and in particular the omicron variant, will intensify and likely surge following the holiday break.

As we look ahead to the spring semester, we are fortunate that more than 98% of our campus community is vaccinated. At the same time, the omicron variant has proven to be highly transmissible and now accounts for 73% of COVID cases in the U.S. We experienced firsthand the highly transmissible nature of the omicron variant on campus over the past week. All this is to say that we will continue to closely monitor the pandemic conditions and remain nimble and flexible with regard to planning for the spring semester.

With that in mind, and given Chancellor Syverud’s earlier message, I am writing to share with you some additional information and other important updates that include:

• Spring Semester Schedule
• Booster Requirement
• Pre-Arrival Testing Requirement

Spring Semester Schedule

As shared in the Chancellor’s message, public health experts are warning the first several weeks of January will be among the most difficult of the COVID case surge occurring now as a result of this quick spread of the omicron variant. With the semester starting later, there are additional key dates you need to be aware of, including:

• The first day of classes will be Monday, Jan. 24, with the exception of the College of Law, which will begin its semester online on Jan. 10. Law students will receive additional information about their on-time, online start from College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise.
• International students can begin moving into their on-campus residence halls and apartments on Thursday, Jan. 20; all other students can move in on Friday, Jan. 21.
• Spring break will occur as scheduled from March 13-20.
• The last day of instruction will be Wednesday, May 4.
• Final exams will take place May 6, 9, 11 and 12.
• Commencement 2022 will now be held on Sunday, May 15; all other activities, including Convocations, will occur that weekend as well.

We will continue to evaluate conditions in the coming weeks and communicate any additional changes should they become necessary.

Booster RequirementAs previously announced, all students, faculty and staff who routinely access any Syracuse University campus location or facility are required to receive a COVID-19 booster shot (or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file) prior to the start of the spring semester. While breakthrough cases of COVID continue to occur, individuals who have received a booster of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) have significantly more antibodies than those who haven’t yet been boosted. The latest data shows the Pfizer booster provides a 25-fold increase in antibodies, while the Moderna booster provides a 37-fold increase. These increased antibody levels result in greater efficacy and a significantly reduced risk of serious illness. The decision to require boosters is informed by public health experts, the latest science and the most current data. Given today’s announcement regarding the revised start of the spring semester to Jan. 24, 2022, we are also amending the date by which students, faculty and staff must be compliant with the booster shot requirement to Jan. 24. For individuals who are not yet eligible to receive a booster by Jan. 24, you will be required to receive a booster shot during the academic semester, within one week of becoming eligible. Individuals who do not comply with this requirement will not be able to access campus during the spring semester. All students, faculty and staff are required to demonstrate proof of their booster compliance. To upload your information, including your booster and vaccination documentation, follow these steps: Students: Upload documentation of your COVID booster to the Patient Portal at your earliest convenience. Review step-by-step instructions for uploading proof of your COVID booster. Faculty/Staff: Document your COVID vaccine series (including your booster) or apply for a medical or religious exemption in MySlice by following these detailed instructions. Pre-Arrival Testing The University previously announced all students would have to participate in arrival testing when they return to campus. The schedule for arrival testing will be revised to accommodate the delayed start of the semester. In addition, given the anticipated post-holiday surge of the omicron variant, we are also announcing that returning students will be required to demonstrate a negative COVID-19 test prior to returning to campus. We recognize that in many communities, testing options are still limited. We are currently working to determine how to best support students who may have limited testing options in their own communities, with regard to complying with this requirement. You will receive an email in early January with more information on pre-arrival testing. The pandemic continues to challenge us as individuals and as a community. Please know that we remain focused on one thing: safeguarding the health and well-being of our campus and neighboring communities, while at the same time ensuring a robust living, learning and working experience for our students, faculty and staff. Please continue to visit Syracuse.edu/staysafe for the most up-to-date public health guidance and stay tuned for additional communications from the University. Please stay safe this holiday season and enjoy time with your families, friends and loved ones. Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation