Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are incredibly proud that our W&J community diligently followed safe practices. As a result, we have experienced low positivity rates and, more importantly, unified as a community encouraging the efforts of individual members who took ample precautions to protect themselves and others. As of June 1, 83% of W&J faculty and staff were fully vaccinated or in the process of being vaccinated. We are confident in our ability to return to in-person instruction and on-campus work in the fall thanks in part to the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines. We will continue to consult with our W&J Clinical Advisory Panel as we formulate our plans for the upcoming semester. We will also continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and mandates from the State of Pennsylvania as we proceed. This policy is intended to comply with all federal, state, and local laws. This policy may be amended to follow updated CDC guidance and mandates from state and local health officials.
The College has determined that requiring the vaccination is the best way to ensure that we as a community will be as safe as possible with a high degree of immunity. On June 3, 2021, W&J announced that the COVID-19 vaccine is required for all students. As a W&J community, this requirement will also apply to all W&J employees. Therefore, W&J will require that all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated by September 29, 2021. In accordance with W&J’s commitment to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, we are adopting this policy to safeguard the health of our employees and their families, our students and visitors, and the community at large from infectious diseases that may be reduced by vaccinations. In making this decision, the COVID Response Team reviewed recommendations from the W&J Clinical Advisory Panel and local health officials on immunization best practices.
Until individuals are fully vaccinated, we encourage continued masking for safety. Before September 29, 2021, all employees must either (a) establish that they are fully vaccinated; or (b) request an exemption. To establish that they have received a vaccination, employees may present written evidence of immunization from the designated site or from another authorized healthcare provider. The process for uploading your COVID Vaccination Medical Card or for seeking an exemption can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccination Submission and Exemption Page.
Individuals seeking an exemption from this requirement for medical or religious reasons must complete a form that can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccination Submission and Exemption Page.
In accordance with this policy, we expect anyone who has not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 continue to wear a mask indoors, consistent with the guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also respect that vaccinated individuals may opt to wear a mask while on campus. These expectations apply to members of the W&J community, as well as guests, contractors, and visitors. Physical distancing requirements are no longer in effect. Individuals who are unvaccinated may wish to distance from others for safety but will do so individually.
Although we will not utilize a required daily symptom checker, community members are encouraged to monitor their health carefully. Employees should continue to take necessary measures to keep themselves and others safe. Employees who are not well should not report to campus for work.
Travel
Professional travel will fully resume, pending availability of travel funds. As has been the policy at W&J, college approval is required for employee travel to locations listed by the US Department of State at a level 3 or 4; the College permits travel to countries/locations with a level 1 or 2 designation.
Visitors to Campus
We will continue to utilize a Visitor/Guest Registration System for hosted guests of the college who are attending non-public events. This will permit CPS to know who is on our campus and for what purpose. The information provided is especially crucial in the case of an emergency. The Qualtrics form will be adapted to provide instruction to both our vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors.
Cleaning
We will continue to utilize our diligent cleaning methods in all common area campus spaces. Cleaning and sanitization materials will be available in common area spaces (classrooms, building lobbies, and offices), as was the case during the past year.
Additionally, a message detailing Return to Campus Information was sent to students on July 15, 2021. You can view that message on My W&J.
We thank you for your support and cooperation as we manage through this process together.
