Health and Safety Guidelines

• Semester start-up testing requirement. All students (including graduate and professional) who will have a regular physical presence on campus must get tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to their arrival on campus. The test can be a PCR or antigen (either laboratory performed, rapid or at-home test kit). This test must be taken no more than 72 hours (three days) prior to your return to campus.  

• Surveillance testing requirement. Weekly surveillance testing will be conducted among all those with a regular physical presence on campus who are not up to date with their vaccinations. 
  • Mandatory weekly testing will be required for students and employees who are not up to date with their vaccinations and have a regular presence on campus.
  • Individuals who are up to date with their vaccinations are not mandated to complete surveillance testing once they provide proof that they are up to date. Students should submit proof through the UB Health Services Patient Portal.
  • Students who need to miss class due to COVID-19 illness, isolation or quarantine are responsible for contacting their instructors and making arrangements to make up missed work.

Students who need to miss class due to COVID-19 illness, isolation or quarantine are responsible for contacting their instructors and making arrangements to make up missed work.

• UB has designated space in residence halls where students will be required to isolate or quarantine.
  • Students will be provided food and care while they are in quarantine.
  • High-speed Wi-Fi and access to all remote learning resources will be available so students can meet their academic commitments.

• Off-campus students will be advised to quarantine or isolate at their residence. The university will assist any off-campus student who has difficulty obtaining food and care.

• Employees who test positive or who are a close contact of someone who has tested positive should stay home and isolate and quarantine.

• All students and advisers living in residence halls and university-owned-and-operated apartments are required to be up to date with their vaccinations before moving in to their assigned residence. Students may request an exemption due to medical reasons or religious beliefs.
• UB will plan to designate space for quarantine and isolation uses. CDC guidance indicates that individuals who are up to date with their vaccinations and are exposed to COVID-19 do not have to quarantine unless they are symptomatic.
  • individuals who are up not to date with their vaccinations who test positive must must follow the CDC’s guidance for quarantine and isolation.

Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will no longer be required to attend events at UB.

Effective immediately, spectators do not need to show a vaccination card upon entering sporting events at UB Stadium or Alumni Arena, or to attend cultural events at the Center for the Arts and Slee Hall.

This also applies to students and guests attending commencement ceremonies in May.

Masks are no longer required at UB events, either, part of an earlier decision to lift that mandate for most campus settings on March 5, based on updated guidance from the state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Non-UB students: Non-UB students in summer camps are required to follow current UB masking guidelines and follow the current vaccination / testing guidelines of their local school districts or colleges as authorized by NYS local health departments. Home schooled students and those attending private schools would follow the rules for the school district in which they reside.
• UB students: UB students in summer camps are required to follow current UB masking and vaccination / testing gudelines.

• Vaccinations:
  • Non-UB students: Summer camp directors are not collecting vaccination related information for these students.
  • UB students: Registered UB students have already uploaded COVID-19 vaccine documentation to their medical record via Health Services' patient portal in order to enroll  summer camps.
    
• Masking: COVID related precautionary measures (i.e., any masking requirements, distancing, etc.) will be based on current guidelines in place at the time of the camp and are subject to change.

Any student who receives a positive COVID-19 test result should isolate and report it via UB’s confidential reporting form.

If students need to miss class due to illness, isolation or quarantine, they must notify their instructor by email as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after missing class. Residential students may request assistance from Campus Living to provide faculty notifications.

Residential students have the option to isolate/quarantine in designated on-campus housing. See Quarantine Information for Residence Hall Students for more information.

• The spread of infection is expected to be low on campus due to vaccine requirements. However, positive COVID-19 cases on campus are anticipated.
• Notifications will not necessarily be sent out for each reported case.
  
• The university will continue to report the number of on-campus positive cases to the COVID-19 dashboard.

• Students enrolled in clinical rotations or other placements off campus are advised to check with the clinical partner agency regarding its health and safety requirements.
• Site partners have the discretion to waive COVID-19 vaccination requirements for students who are participating remotely in their rotations, but such students are not guaranteed an exemption.
• All students, including graduate and professional students, who will have a regular physical presence on a UB campus must comply with all UB COVID-19 health and safety regulations, including the spring semester start-up testing, vaccination and booster requirements.