Back to On-Campus Work Guide, Testing Reminders, and Spring Events and Visitor Policies
From Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
and Gary Nicksa, Senior Vice President for Operations
We hope that all of you have enjoyed a restful winter break and that you remain safe and healthy. We are approaching the spring semester with a sense of optimism.
One reason for this is our confidence that the extraordinary efforts made by all faculty and staff during the fall semester – efforts that enabled our community to carry on teaching, living, and learning together despite the enormous hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic – can accomplish the same outcome for the spring semester. Another reason for our optimism is the arrival at BU of COVID-19 vaccinations and the establishment of a vaccination program for faculty, staff, and students. President Brown has convened a COVID-19 Vaccine Preparedness Group that is working out logistical issues and overseeing distribution of the vaccines strictly in accordance with state-mandated distribution policies, priorities, and timelines.
Back to On-Campus Work Guide
Detailed information about vaccine distribution and about important changes to University policies, including travel guidelines, Paid Family and Medical Leave, and parking options, can be found in the newly updated Back to On-Campus Work guide. We encourage everyone to visit the guide and learn what’s new. As we have written in every communication since the beginning of the pandemic, more changes are likely and all of them will be added periodically to the Back2BUwebsite.
One thing that will not change for the spring semester is the importance of the health and safety protocols that carried us safely through the fall. We must continue to wear masks and maintain physical distance; we must observe all of the protocols and strategies that are epitomized by our comprehensive screening, testing, and contact tracing program.
In that vein, we write to share couple of additional reminders about testing as you return to campus, as well as updated campus events and visitor policies for spring 2021.
Testing Reminders
For those of you who will be returning to campus in the coming weeks, please review this BU Today article containing reminders about testing and quarantine expectations for faculty, staff, and students.
In particular, please note that due to significant increases in community COVID transmission in Massachusetts and across the country, the University is encouraging faculty and staff to get tested and receive a negative test result before returning to work on campus at the start of the semester. After returning to campus, faculty and staff are asked to take two COVID-19 tests per week during each of their first two weeks on campus.
As at the start of the fall semester, all students will be tested upon return to campus and advised to shelter in place until they have received multiple negative test results in a row.
Spring 2021 Events and Visitor Policies
The Policy on University-Sponsored Campus Meetings, Events, and Gatherings has been updated for the spring 2021 semester and can be found on the Provost’s Office website. This policy is effective beginning today, January 22, 2021.
Please note that the Campus Visitor Policy that was instituted last fall remains in effect for the spring 2021 semester.
We recognize the tremendous sacrifice the COVID pandemic has required both at home and in your professional lives. These have been very hard times. We thank the entire BU community for your efforts and for your commitment to one another’s health and safety. We look forward to a second safe and successful semester.
Back to On-Campus Work Guide, Testing Reminders, and Spring Events and Visitor Policies – 1.22.21