6-17-21: Mid-Summer Update
Dear Wooster Students and Families,
We hope you are well and enjoying a great summer! Here in Wooster, things are good. We have 200 students living on campus, and, following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health, we are no longer requiring masks, distancing, quarantine or regular COVID testing for those who are fully vaccinated. (All students on campus this summer are fully vaccinated, as are over 70% of Wooster employees.) We are planning intensively for the fall, and very much looking forward to students returning to a vibrant campus, with courses, music, theater, athletics and other events operating safely, in-person. We can’t wait to see you!
From the beginning of the pandemic, we have been committed to doing all we can to enable students to have a strong Wooster experience, while keeping the community safe. We have done so by following expert public health guidance, and using all of the tools available, including masks, distancing protocols, and regular COVID testing. In early June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance for colleges and universities, and the NCAA released updated guidance for college and university athletics . In addition, the American College Health Association has recently released guidance for the fall semester.
Based on this expert health guidance, it is clear that safely resuming the campus life that is so important to Wooster depends on having as many people fully vaccinated as possible. To quote the American College Health Association: “Existing CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated persons who are exposed to COVID- 19 do not need to quarantine or, in most cases, be tested. With comprehensive vaccination, indoor classes, group sizes, residence hall occupancy, eating establishment operations, and sporting events may default to pre-pandemic guidance.” This is the campus life we all want to return to, and so, like many of our peers, the College has decided that all Wooster students will be required to be fully vaccinated before the start of the fall semester. Students who have medical, disability, or religious reasons why they cannot receive a COVID vaccine may apply for an exception to this policy.
We are so glad that the broad availability of effective vaccines will allow us to return to a campus where most students can gather, learn, compete, and enjoy life together free of mask requirements, quarantine, frequent testing and other limitations. We know that people have many different personal and health situations, and we continue to support anyone wearing a mask who chooses to do so.
We know that many families may have questions about fall planning. Dean Myrna Hernández and I will hold a webinar for students and families on Tuesday, June 22, from 7-8pm on Zoom. Check your email for registration details.
Below are more details and responses to frequently asked questions:
When is move in? The move-in date for new students is Sunday, August 22, Sophomores will move-in on Monday, August 23, and for all other returning students is Tuesday, August 24. (Students who need to request exceptions to these move-in dates should contact reslife@wooster.edu.) We will share more details about move-in, including whether any COVID testing will be required prior to arrival, by mid-July. Residence life information can be found on our website here.
Where should I submit my vaccine information? Fully vaccinated students should submit their vaccine record information here: Login to WebAdvisor (https://scotweb.wooster.edu).
Under “Vaccination Information”, select the link “Covid Vaccination Information.”
From the information on your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or other vaccine record enter:
- Which vaccine you received (select it from the pull-down options)
- Then for each dose (report both if you had a 2-dose vaccine)
- The lot number (it will be either on a sticker or handwritten on your card)
- The date you received the vaccine
- (optional) the Lot expiration date (you may or may not have this on your card. It typically appears on a vaccine sticker affixed to your card)
Check your information carefully, then click the “submit” button.
- Which vaccines satisfy the requirement? All World-Health Organization-approved vaccines meet the College’s vaccine requirement. (Currently listed vaccines are Astrazeneca, Sinopharm, Pfizer/BioNTech, Covishield/Serum Institute of India, Moderna and Janssen/Johnson&Johnson.) We will assist international students who cannot obtain access to an approved COVID vaccine before arrival in the United States with getting vaccinated upon arrival in Wooster.
- How do I apply for a medical, ADA or religious exemption to the vaccine requirement? Students who wish to apply for an exemption to the vaccine requirement may do so using the forms here. Note that documentation from medical professionals is required for the medical and ADA applications.
- What will be required for students who are not vaccinated? Students who are not fully vaccinated (those who have an approved exemption, and international students who do not have access to COVID vaccine prior to arrival) will still be able to participate fully in campus activities. However, they will be required to follow current public health protocols for unvaccinated people living in a congregate setting, which currently include wearing masks indoors, social distancing, regular COVID-screening testing, and quarantine if exposed to COVID. Depending on CDC guidance when the fall semester begins, there may also be other limitations for unvaccinated individuals.
Detailed information on fall planning, move-in, campus public health regulations and other processes can be found on our fall 2021 website, and will be regularly updated as public health guidance and planning continue to develop. We anticipate the next comprehensive update to take place in mid-July.
If you have questions, please write to wooster-covid19@wooster.edu and we’ll direct your inquiry to the right place for a response. We look forward to seeing you in August!!
With best wishes,
Sarah Bolton
President
Posted in Community Message on June 17, 2021.
