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August 11, 2021
Dear Colleagues:
We write today to provide information about plans to help protect the health and safety of our campus community during the coming academic year.
The University will require all students, faculty, and staff—regardless of vaccination status—who will be on campus during the fall semester to be tested for the coronavirus this month, as we did a year ago and in January. (The only exception will be those individuals who have tested positive via a valid PCR test and have recovered within the previous 90 days.) Testing will take place in Conte Forum August 16-29, with the first week devoted to faculty, staff, graduate/professional students, and undergraduates living off campus. The second week will primarily be for undergraduate students in University housing, and will be tied to their scheduled residence hall move-in times. Residential undergraduate students must be tested before they will be allowed into their campus housing.
During the week of August 16-21, faculty and staff testing will be available in Conte Forum on a walk-in basis. The schedule for next week is as follows:
- Mon 8/16
8 am – 5 pm
- Tue 8/17
8 am – 5 pm
- Wed 8/18
6:30 am – 4 pm
- Thu 8/19
10 am – 6 pm
- Fri 8/20
8 am – 5 pm
- Sat 8/21
9 am – 3 pm
Faculty and staff may also seek testing in Conte Forum August 22-29, but should expect longer wait times due to student volume:
- Sun 8/22
9 am – 5 pm
- Mon 8/23
8 am – 7 pm
- Tue 8/24
9 am – 7 pm
- Wed 8/25
6:30 am – 7 pm
- Thu 8/26
9 am – 7 pm
- Fri 8/27
8 am – 7 pm
- Sat 8/28
9 am – 7 pm
- Sun 8/29
10 am – 5 pm
To access the testing center, all faculty, staff, and students will have to present the BC symptom check via the BC Check app upon entry to Conte Forum, and will need to wear a mask while in Conte for testing. Upon completion of the test, wristbands will be distributed, which we ask all members of the BC community to wear through September 3. All who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days must acquire a wristband at the Conte Forum test site. (Faculty and staff must provide documentation of a positive PCR test to University Health Services in Conte.) BC will utilize its on-campus laboratory and continue to work with the Broad Institute to analyze the tests; individuals who did not do so during the 2020-2021 academic year must sign a consent form prior to testing, either at check-in or electronically at bc.edu/consent.
This baseline testing of all students, faculty, and staff who plan to be on campus this fall–regardless of their vaccination status—is central to our efforts to help ensure the health and well-being of all members of the BC community.
Following this initial testing, the University will be conducting limited mandatory weekly COVID-19 asymptomatic surveillance testing throughout the semester, with a particular focus on “high contact” groups, such as dining workers, housekeeping staff, resident assistants, etc. If selected and notified via email, faculty, staff, and students will be required to complete a COVID-19 test as instructed. Volume and frequency of testing may be modified during the semester as needed. Those individuals with a University-approved vaccination exemption will be required to test more frequently, and University Health Services will communicate directly with this particular group.
Given the possibility of “breakthrough” COVID-19 cases, faculty, staff, and students should once again monitor their health on a daily basis utilizing the BC Check app (bc.edu/check), which may be required for access to certain venues on campus. During the daily self-check, faculty, staff, and students who indicate that they have no symptoms will receive a green “OK” notice on their smartphone. Anyone who indicates symptoms will be instructed not to travel to campus; students living on and off campus will be directed to phone University Health Services for consultation regarding next steps.
At this time and subject to change, fully vaccinated faculty, staff, and students will not be required to wear masks on campus, but should feel free to do so if they prefer, including in offices and classrooms. Those with approved University COVID-19 vaccination exemptions must wear masks outdoors and while in all campus buildings. Non-BC guests visiting campus who are not fully vaccinated must also follow this mask policy.
As has been the case since the start of the pandemic, the University may need to modify policies and procedures because of changing conditions and guidance from local, state, and federal officials. We ask that faculty, staff, and students remain flexible during the academic year for the sake of our community and the surrounding neighborhood.
Please be alert for additional information from various departments and offices on campus. The BC Forward site will continue to be a resource for important updates and communications.
Thank you for your cooperation as we work together to begin the fall semester on August 30.
David Quigley
Provost and Dean of Faculties
Michael Lochhead
Executive Vice President