OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR CAMPUS LIFE

OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE

TO:                    Undergraduate Students

FROM:             W. Rochelle Calhoun, Vice President for Campus Life; Jill Dolan, Dean of the College

RE:                   Update:  Personal Travel Restrictions Lifted

January 15, 2022

In our December 27, 2021, memo to students, we included a prohibition on travel outside of Mercer County or Plainsboro Township for personal reasons, except in extraordinary circumstances.  We said that we’d revisit and, if possible, revise this travel restriction by February 15.

This travel policy was implemented at a time when Omicron was widely reported to be on the rise outside of Mercer County and Plainsboro Township, which led us to prohibit outside travel through an abundance of caution.

At this time, communities outside of our immediate area are experiencing a welcome decrease in the spread of COVID-19.  As a result, we’ve reassessed the need for such a restrictive travel policy.

Starting immediately, undergraduate students are permitted to travel outside of Mercer County and Plainsboro Township for personal reasons without University approval.  If you’ve been denied travel under the old policy, you’re now free to make your plans.  Bear in mind that the policies for permissible University-sanctioned travel remain unchanged.

Any student planning personal travel should continue to take the necessary steps to keep themselves and others safe.  Students who are symptomatic or ill should not travel.  Those who end isolation after five days should continue to avoid travel until the tenth day after the onset of their symptoms.  We also ask that you carefully consider the risk of disruption to your studies and/or co-curricular activities, should you test positive as a result of your travels and are required to isolate.

Student groups that currently have events planned outside Mercer or Plainsboro should contact their sponsoring office for guidance. 

We hope this change will be welcomed news.  We hope this will reassure you that as promised, we’re reviewing our policies on a regular basis.  We’re glad when circumstances permit us to loosen necessary restrictions.

Please do continue to be considerate of more vulnerable, at-risk members of our community when you make any personal or student group travel plans.

Our best wishes as we prepare for the coming semester,

V.P. W. Rochelle Calhoun & Dean Jill Dolan