The indoor face covering requirement will be evaluated weekly by a team of physicians and scientists. The most recent update was communicated to the campus community on September 10, which continues the indoor face covering requirement until further notice. Be sure to check the Princeton COVID Resources page and Guidance on Face Coverings for the most up-to-date information.

Face coverings are not required outdoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Please do not make assumptions about the vaccination status of an individual who might choose to wear a mask in situations where it is not required. It is critical that we encourage a culture of understanding and respect, and not antagonize individuals who may not be able to be vaccinated or may choose to be more protective.

All faculty, staff, and students who work or study in buildings occupied by Princeton University must participate in weekly testing. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are tested twice per week, and those who are vaccinated are tested once per week.

Please ensure all of your staff know that they are in the testing program. Individuals who are new to the program must go to the testing clinic for their first test, so that they learn how to navigate the testing process and use the kit. Currently, the testing clinic is in a tent on the New South lawn and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. See the COVID Resources Testing page for more information and instructions.

Please review the Testing section of the covid.princeton.edu website in its entirety, using the navigation links on the left side of the screen to see complete information about:

• Eligibility and frequency of testing
• How to take the test, including instructional videos on using the app and using the test kit.
• Information about the clinic and how and where to pick up test kits. Please note that you can order test kits to be delivered to your building for everyone in your department or group.
• Where to drop off your sample, including a map of all of the drop box locations.
• How to receive and interpret test results.
• How to report absence from testing. If an employee misses a test, it will show up as non-compliance on the weekly testing compliance report. If the employee completes the online form to report that they will be away from campus and will not be testing during a period of time, it prevents a report of non-compliance.

As of August 2, 2021, everyone with a Princeton University ID will be able to use and submit a test kit. However, between August 2 and August 30, managers will need to ensure that individuals working on campus during those weeks are formally included in the testing program. Send an email with the names of employees new to the testing program to covidresumption@princeton.edu.

If it has been a while since faculty and staff have worked from your campus offices, walk through your building to ensure that it is ready for reoccupancy.

Contact the Facilities Service Center if you need help moving furniture back in place, need additional cleaning, or for other repairs or service.

If you have not done so, determine whether staff and faculty need to return to work on campus prior to August 30, 2021 and communicate with your employees.

Human Resources has updated the policy on Flexible Work Arrangements and guidance for managers and departments. These resources help managers determine whether and how to allow employees to work remotely if they are able to perform their duties as effectively or more effectively remotely compared to performing their duties without a flexible work arrangement.

Managers should also set expectations around in-person and remote meetings, including internal meetings, meetings hosted by the department, and meetings hosted by other departments and groups. For in-person meetings, determine whether there will be a hybrid option or a requirement for individuals to come to campus for the meeting.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated (received both doses of a two-dose vaccine, a single dose of a one-dose vaccine, and two weeks has passed since the final dose) need to be tested once per week and must wear face coverings indoors. This indoor face covering requirement will be evaluated weekly by a team of physicians and scientists.  

Those who are not fully vaccinated due to an approved accommodation must:

• Be tested twice per week
• Complete the Daily Symptom Check every day that they report to work in University buildings
• Wear a face covering inside buildings, except when alone in a room or cubicle or when eating or drinking.

Cabinet officers receive weekly updates of the vaccination status of individuals in their unit. This includes individuals who refused vaccination, those who received accommodations/ exceptions for medical or religious reasons, those awaiting decision about accommodations, those who stated their intent to be vaccinated, but did not submit records, and those who are in the process of completing vaccination. Work with your cabinet officer and your HR senior manager if there are questions or concerns about vaccine status.

Employees who refused vaccination or who are expected to, but have not provided vaccination records may not enter campus buildings. These individuals will have their card access to campus buildings revoked after warning from University Health Services and/or HR. Cabinet officers and workflow managers will be notified before an individual’s card access is revoked. Managers are expected to ensure that these individuals do not work on campus and should work with their HR senior manager to determine how to manage the individual’s work or required time off.

If an employee tests positive through the asymptomatic testing program, University Health Services (UHS) will notify the individual and if an employee is tested elsewhere, they must notify UHS at communityhealth@princeton.edu. In either case, UHS will notify them of the requirement to self-isolate at home. Generally, isolation is for at least 10 days from the start of symptoms or the date the individual provided the test that was positive.

UHS will also conduct contact tracing, identifying every person with whom they had close contact (within 6 feet, with or without a face covering) for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period during within a few days of testing positive or the start of symptoms, and UHS will notify each of these contacts. Close contacts will need to quarantine at home for at least 10 days if they are not fully vaccinated. Close contacts who are fully vaccinated will generally not need to quarantine.

EHS will send a notification to building occupants of the buildings where the individual who tested positive spent time during the period that they would have been able to spread the virus. The notification does not provide any identifying information or specific location of the individual who tested positive. EHS will also ensure appropriate cleaning takes place.

More information on procedures to follow if you or a close contact tests positive are available on the COVID Testing and Public Health Guidance page on the UHS website. 

Workflow managers receive two compliance reports each week. One is for the Daily Symptom Check, which is required for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. Each week, the report includes the names of individuals who are required to use the system each day and were out of compliance at least once during the week. This means that the individuals used their ID card to enter a building and did not complete a symptom check, even after receiving the reminder email.

The other is for the Asymptomatic Testing Program. The report provides a list of people who are expected to test twice a week and missed one or both tests the previous week, a list of people who are expected to test once a week and have not submitted a test in more than seven days, and a list of everyone who was in compliance.

As a manager, you are expected to follow up with individuals not in compliance. Work within your department, but if there is repeated non-compliance, work with HR to consider progressive discipline. This may include removing access to campus buildings or suspension or dismissal from the University.

Nearly all campus buildings with prox card access will be locked at all times. All faculty, staff, and students should be able to enter main doors to all academic buildings and most administrative buildings. After hitting a hotspot to update your card (mainly for interior door locks), check your access to the buildings that you and your staff need to access. Report any problems to Public Safety at 609-258-1000.

If your building exterior doors require keys instead of prox cards, and if your building is used for classes, check with Public Safety or the Service Point (609-258-8300 or thepoint@princeton.edu) to confirm any locking schedule.

Remind your staff to carry their ID card. If an individual’s card does not work, first check to see if they are in compliance with the requirement to enter vaccination information into VacStatus before advising them to reach out to Service Point or Public Safety.

Construction projects have impacted several parking lots, resulting in fewer or no available spaces in some lots. Until August 29, employees may park in most lots regardless of their usual assignment. As of August 30, employees are expected to park in their assigned lots.

If your usual parking locations are impacted, check with Transportation and Parking Services for advice and instructions. See Transportation and Parking Service’s Return to Campus website for more information.

Check the construction page for the latest updates.

There are few restrictions on conferences, events, and meetings, and outside visitors who are fully vaccinated are permitted. However, the host must follow the Guidance on Events and Gatherings, which includes a requirement for keeping and maintaining attendance and contact lists and for providing access to the event when the buildings are locked. The host is also responsible for ensuring that all visitors and outside guests have attested to being fully vaccinated. Review the requirements before committing to hosting events.

Food is permitted at events and meetings, indoors or outdoors. Please refer to the document referenced above for guidance on food vendors, food trucks, catering, serving, etc.

Your department or office may sponsor visitors who are fully vaccinated, but must follow the protocols outlined in the Visitor Policy. This includes formal approval of each visitor and obtaining an attestation that they are vaccinated. Review the policy and guidance before considering visitors.

Some employees will be returning to work on campus for the first time in more than a year. Others have been here throughout the pandemic and are worried about working on a more densely populated campus. Some have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Some have vulnerable people at home and others are vulnerable themselves. Some will be fearful of working around people who may not be fully vaccinated.

Transitioning to the fall semester is going to be a challenge for most workplaces on campus. Listen actively and objectively. Demonstrate empathy and compassion. Promote a culture of understanding and respect. Contact your HR senior manager for help managing issues as they come up. 

Just as we helped each other through the most challenging times of the pandemic, so too will we support each through the return to more normal operations at the University this fall. We will look out for each other and work together as we always have to make the fall semester a productive and rewarding one in the Princeton tradition of service to each other, to the nation and the world.

The Staff Town Hall Meeting takes place Thursday, August 12 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Attendees should register through Zoom.

The Faculty Town Hall Meeting takes place Friday, August 13 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Registration information will be sent to faculty members by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.

Please email questions in advance to townhall@princeton.edu. Additional questions will be addressed during the Zoom programs as time permits.

You will hear about returning to Princeton University, how the University is ensuring a healthy and safe workplace, and what to expect.

For added support, you can write to covidvaccines@princeton.edu for questions related to vaccination and to covidtests@princeton.edu for questions related to testing. The COVID Connector line is available at covidconnector@princeton.edu or you can call 609-258-7000 for other questions. You also can find complete information at Princeton COVID resources and in the Princeton Playbook.