Syracuse University to Adopt New York State Public Health Guidance May 24

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:

As shared earlier this week, the New York State Department of Health released amended COVID-19 policy guidance, consistent with the most recent recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I am pleased to share that following Commencement weekend and beginning on Monday, May 24, Syracuse University will implement significant changes to our existing on-campus COVID practices and protocols related to mask-wearing, distancing, capacity constraints and other restrictions that came to define our daily routines over the past year. As public health guidance evolves even further, we will continue to update our protocols as needed.

Effective Monday, May 24

Beginning on Monday, May 24, and until further notice, Syracuse University’s existing public health policies are amended as follows:

Masking Outdoors

• Fully vaccinated members of our campus community (students, faculty and staff) do not need to wear a mask while outdoors on the Syracuse University campus.
• Unvaccinated members of our campus community should continue to wear a mask while outdoors in the company of others on the Syracuse University campus.
• All individuals, regardless of vaccine status, will be supported if they choose to wear a mask while outdoors on the Syracuse University campus.
• All visitors to campus (i.e., campus tour groups, other short-term visitors) must adhere to the masking policy above while on campus in outdoor settings.

Masking Indoors

• Fully vaccinated members of our campus community (students, faculty and staff) do not need to wear a mask or social distance while indoors on campus.
• Unvaccinated members of our campus community (students, faculty and staff) should continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing indoors.
• All individuals, regardless of vaccine status, will be supported if they choose to wear a mask while indoors on the Syracuse University campus.
• All visitors to campus (i.e., campus tour groups, other short-term visitors) must adhere to the policy above while inside buildings on campus.

Shared Space Guidance

• Conference Rooms, Offices and Classrooms: Conference rooms, offices and classrooms may operate at full capacity, assuming adherence to appropriate masking and distancing described above.
• Cubicle Workspaces: Cubicle workspace areas may operate at full capacity, assuming adherence to masking and distancing described above.
• Research Labs: Research labs may operate at full capacity, assuming adherence to masking and distancing described above.
• Elevators: Elevators may operate at full capacity, assuming adherence to appropriate masking. We ask that members of the campus community be considerate of individuals who do not feel comfortable riding on a crowded elevator.
• Communal/Shared Food in Employee Areas: Communal kitchens that have been closed during the pandemic may reopen, and shared food is permitted in staff/faculty spaces. Employees should adhere to appropriate masking and distancing policies.
• Trolleys/Buses: Consistent with current New York State Department of Health guidance, masks should be worn while on all forms of mass/group transportation, regardless of vaccination status. This includes Centro buses and the Syracuse University Trolley.

Dining Halls, Recreational Spaces, Religious Services and Other Gatherings

• Dining Halls: Fixed capacity restrictions are replaced with a maximum capacity limit based on the requirement to maintain 6 feet of distance between dining patrons or parties of dining patrons.
• Gym and Recreation Facilities: Fixed capacity restrictions are replaced with a maximum capacity limit based on the requirement to maintain 6 feet of distance between gym patrons or parties of gym patrons.
• Religious Services: Fixed capacity restrictions are replaced with a maximum capacity limit based on the requirement to maintain 6 feet of distance between patrons or parties of patrons.
• Gatherings:
  • Indoors: Indoor gatherings are limited to 250 people and must adhere to applicable masking policy.
  • Outdoors: Outdoor gatherings are limited to 500 people and must adhere to applicable masking policy.
  • Larger Indoor Gatherings: Indoor gatherings above these limits (i.e., stadium events) may only occur if all individuals over the age of 4 present proof of full vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result, as outlined in New York State guidelines. PLEASE NOTE: These new policies do not apply to this weekend’s Commencement-related activities, which are governed by other New York State guidelines.

Travel

• Staff/Faculty Business Travel: Staff and faculty should speak with their immediate supervisor or department chair to ensure the intended trip meets the definition of essential travel. The supervisor or department chair will then seek approval directly from their dean or senior vice president on behalf of the traveler. After completing this step, staff and faculty must submit their University Travel Application. The applications will be periodically reported to each of the deans and senior vice presidents for their records. Once a staff or faculty member has submitted their University Travel Application, please complete the required Syracuse University Travel Registry to submit the details of travel plans.
• Travel Including Students: Guidance for travel that includes students should be discussed directly with Seth Tucker, director, Global Safety and Support, at satucker@syr.edu, who can provide information on the process for approval.
• Research Travel: Approval to travel for research purposes should be sought through the Office of the Vice President for Research. Information on that process can be found on the Office of Research website.
• Personal Travel: University-connected individuals should comply with New York State travel guidelines for any personal travel.

Effective Tuesday, June 1

Additionally, beginning June 1, the following changes will be made to the University’s COVID-19 testing program:

Testing

• Testing for Faculty and Staff: Fully vaccinated employees are not required to participate in surveillance testing.
  • Unvaccinated employees accessing campus (with a valid exemption) will participate in surveillance testing at an interval to be determined and communicated shortly.
• Testing for Students: Fully vaccinated students are not required to participate in surveillance testing.
  • Unvaccinated students accessing campus (with a valid exemption) will participate in surveillance testing at an interval to be determined and communicated shortly.

It is true that here in Syracuse and in too many places across the globe, the COVID health emergency is far from over. At the same time, in the coming days, on our campus we will begin the process of removing or amending many of the public health signs, decals and message boards that have served as a persistent reminder of what we “could not do”—as individuals or together—throughout the COVID pandemic.

Now as those signs come down, what remains is to say thank you. Thank you for your cooperation, commitment and fortitude throughout the past year. Together, we persisted and achieved so much more than most thought was possible.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation