As students plan their return to Penn State campuses for the fall 2022 semester, the University continues to provide resources to help individuals stay safe and healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Based on public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face masks are no longer required to be worn indoors at the University Park, Great Valley, Lehigh Valley, New Kensington, Schuylkill and Scranton campuses, effective Friday, June 3.
Face masks are now required to be worn indoors on five additional Penn State campuses, in accordance with public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that advises that masks be worn in counties with high COVID-19 Community Levels.
Enrolled students who are noncompliant with the weekly required testing will lose access to Canvas until they become compliant. Continued noncompliance will result in additional disciplinary sanctions, up to and including conduct suspension upon the completion of a formal student conduct process.
In alignment with the recent announcement from the White House on federal vaccination requirements, all Penn State employees at all locations are now subject to a federal COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The deadline for employees to receive their final dose of a vaccine is Jan. 4, 2022
Recognized student organizations may return to holding in-person activities, including meetings, tabling, and other events for the fall semester. Students are expected to follow all current masking requirements on their campus during these activities.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently announced the dates for phases 1B, 1C and 2 of the commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution program and Penn State is strongly encouraging all students, faculty and staff to sign up to get a vaccine as soon as they are eligible to receive one.
During the first two weeks of in-person learning (Feb. 15 to Feb. 26), Penn State will conduct universal COVID-19 testing of all students who are taking in-person classes or who are taking a fully remote or online course load while living in Centre County or within a 20-mile radius of a Penn State campus.
As part of the University’s comprehensive testing strategy for the spring semester, all Penn State students must meet requirements for COVID-19 testing prior to their return or if they are already living in their campus community.
Penn State has developed a comprehensive spring 2021 COVID-19 testing strategy for all campuses that includes both required and voluntary testing during the remote learning period and the in-person portion of the spring semester.