Dear students:

With the start of the academic year just a few weeks away, we wanted to update you on plans for fall.

While we are still in throes of the pandemic because of the surge in Delta variant cases, we hope to conduct a semester much closer to normal than the last academic year. That’s largely because New York state’s vaccination rate is among the highest in the nation, and because it’s even higher for our campus community.

By the start of the school year, more than 90% of our student body and 90% of our workforce will be fully vaccinated.

Of course, the surge in Delta variant cases and breakthrough cases for those who’ve been vaccinated could derail our plans, but we’ll at least be in a position of strength to begin the semester.

Below are important reminders about tasks students need to complete before returning, and information about COVID protocols for vaccinated and unvaccinated students. Please read this information carefully.

• Vaccinations:  All students — both residential and non-residential, except for fully online, non-residential graduate students — must have valid proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arriving on campus.  Unless a student has an approved medical/religious exemption, all unvaccinated students will not be allowed to check-in to residence halls, use campus facilities or attend classes.  Students that have received an approved medical/religious exemption must adhere to all the requirements outlined in their approval notification.

• Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

New Students:  All new incoming students must submit immunization records and required health forms. New York Public Health Law (PHL) Section 2165 requires students attending post-secondary institutions who were born on or after January 1, 1957, and registered for 6 or more credit hours to demonstrate proof of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Required records and forms are to be submitted through the Center for Student Wellness Patient Portal.

• Pre-Arrival Prevention Education:  All new and returning students must complete 3 mandatory online prevention programs prior to receiving their room key if they are residential or attending classes if they are a commuter/off campus student. The program modules are:

• Alcohol Edu
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Sexual Assault Prevention

IMPORTANT: The program links are emailed to students from Everfi. Students should check their junk or spam folder if they do not see the emails in their inbox.

• Campus Arrival: 

• New Residential Students:  First-year housing assignments will be sent out by Aug. 2 along with detailed move in instructions.  First-year students are to move into their assigned residence halls Friday, Aug. 27.  Students will be assigned a recommended arrival time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when moving help is available. Students may move in after 3 p.m. but moving help will not be available.
• New Transfer Students:  Transfer students are required to check in and move in on Saturday, Aug. 28, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at their assigned residence hall. Transfer student housing assignments will be sent out by August 2. 
• Returning Residential Students:  Returning students may pick up their room keys and move in on Saturday, Aug. 28, or Sunday, Aug. 29, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day. NOTE: Returning students may not move in prior to Saturday, Aug. 28, without approval from the Office of Residence Life and an on-campus department sponsor.

Check-in Locations for Returning Students

• Residents of Francis Hall, Garden Apartments and Townhouses will check in at Francis Hall parking lot near the Freshens Café (rain location: lobby by Freshens)
• Residents of Devereux Hall will check in at the Devereux Hall Arch (rain location:  Devereux lobby)
• Residents of Doyle Hall will check in at Doyle's north side lobby
• Residents of Shay Hall will check in at the Shay Hall lobby
• NOTE: Residential students may not move in prior to their designed day/time without approval from the Office of Residence Life.

• Regular Asymptomatic Testing:  Testing requirements will depend on vaccination status. 

• Vaccinated Students – Vaccinated students do not need to participate in surveillance testing.* Symptomatic testing will be available through the Health Center.
  
  

  *Surveillance testing of vaccinated students could be considered if we see an increase of breakthrough cases in vaccinated students, if COVID is spreading among a small group of individuals, if cases begin to spike in the surrounding community, or if we are directed to do so by Cattaraugus County or New York state public health officials.

• University-approved vaccine exempted students – Students that received an exemption from the University will be required to test for the entire semester or until they have submitted valid proof that they are fully vaccinated. Exempted students will be notified of testing specifics by the Center for Student Wellness.

• Face Coverings:  The wearing of face coverings will depend on vaccination status. (However, ALL students should bring a supply of face masks with them to school in case public health guidance dictates that we all need to begin wearing them again to stop the spread of the virus.)
  
  NOTE: Certain events or locations may require a face covering regardless of vaccination status, so all should be prepared to wear a face covering if/when requested.

• Vaccinated – Face coverings will not be required indoors or outdoors for vaccinated individuals unless stipulated by the University in particular circumstances, or unless state or federal guidance changes.
• University-approved vaccine exempt – Exempted students will be required to wear face coverings at all times when they are indoors including in residence halls (except in their rooms), classrooms and dining facilities (except while eating).

• Classes:  With few exceptions, all classes and labs will be in person with no virtual option. Students who have received an exemption from the University and are not vaccinated will be required to wear a face covering while indoors in the classroom. The unique, socially distant spaces created in non-academic locations on campus last year have been eliminated and classroom structures returned to normal.

• Visitation: Residential and non-residential students, whether vaccinated or exempt, will be able to visit within their residence halls and across campus to other halls.  Exempt students must wear a face covering at all times while in the residence halls. All other visitors in residence halls must be vaccinated and have proof of vaccination with them. It will be the responsibility of the St. Bonaventure student resident to ensure that any non-SBU guest is fully vaccinated.

• Clubs and Activities:  Clubs and activities will return to a normal schedule including intramural sports, residence hall activities, club sports, performing and visual arts and other campus clubs. Unvaccinated students may have additional restrictions put in place based on revised policies or the governing bodies of club sports.

• Information can be found at our COVID webpage by clicking here.  

If you have any questions, please email sbuinfo@sbu.edu. We will all have to remain flexible and be ready to adjust to new situations based on the virus and additional advisories from the CDC, state, county and University. 

We look forward to seeing everyone in the fall. Enjoy the rest of summer.

Sincerely,





Dr. Joseph Zimmer
Acting President
& the COVID-19 Task Force