Public Health Behavior Expectations

The University at Buffalo is a community, like your hometown, and as a community all members will need to adhere to public health guidance as it relates to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 infections. If we all work together, we can build and sustain a culture that takes our health, public health and the safety of others seriously. Following a shared set of behavioral expectations helps to reduce risk. As part of the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and UB’s plan for a safe return to campus, health and safety guidelines were implemented across the university.

 UB student requirements include:

1. Students are required to obtain and wear a high-quality, tight-fitting, high-filtration mask when aboard a UB bus or shuttle or in a clinical health care setting in accordance with current health and safety guidelines. Masks indoors and in other public campus settings are optional
2. Students who are regularly on campus and not fully vaccinated are required to participate in surveillance testing.
3. Students are required to abide by New York State, federal and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel restrictions and precautionary quarantines.
4. Students are required to stay home if they are sick.
5. Students are required to follow campus and public health directives for isolation or quarantine. 
6. Should a student need to miss class due to illness, isolation or quarantine, they are required to notify their faculty to make arrangements to make up missed work.
7. Living on campus is a privilege that comes with additional requirements. Residential students are required to follow specific Campus Living rules as outlined in the Campus Living Housing Agreement, the Guide to Campus Living and any posted signage.
8. Students dining at on-campus facilities are expected to follow posted information on any additional requirements specific to the dining environment. 
9. Students are responsible for following any additional directives in settings such as labs, clinical environments etc.

To prevent and respond to non-compliant behavior, University officials should inform students of this public health policy during regular messaging regarding public space and classroom requirements. In particular, faculty or other instructional staff should clarify these public health standards as requirements of class, either in the syllabus, or by referencing the requirements cited in this policy or other relevant policies. Public spaces include but are not limited to: all common areas, lounges, meeting rooms, offices, classrooms, libraries and UB busses/shuttles.

The university recognizes that faculty members, building managers and other university officials are responsible for effective management of the public space and classroom environment to promote conditions that will enhance student learning and promote community health. Fortunately, student non-compliance in public spaces and classrooms is rare and seldom leads to disciplinary actions. For this policy, the term “public health compliance” means “behavior that has widely been adopted by the University and in New York State public settings for prevention of COVID 19 infection spread,” including the expectations listed above.

Occasional mistakes and inadvertent non-compliance may happen from time to time. However, pursuant to UB’s Student Code of Conduct, when students refuse to comply with a reasonable request of a University official in campus public space, classroom or at other university functions, or when the health or safety of members of the campus community is endangered, the administration has approved the following:

• If a student is not complying with public health directives they should be asked to comply and warned that continuing such behavior can result in disciplinary action. Many students may be unaware of the need to comply with public health directives; therefore, a private conversation with the student is often effective and preferable as an initial step.  
• Should the non-compliant behavior continue, the University official is authorized to ask the student to leave the public space or classroom.
• If a student refuses to leave the area after being instructed to do so, the student should be informed that this refusal is a separate violation subject to additional penalties.
• If, in the University official’s best judgment, the student refuses to comply with public health directives, refuses to leave the classroom or public space, and/or the behavior creates an imminent public health or safety risk the university official should contact University Police (UPD) to assist in removal of the student for that day and UPD will make a referral for student disciplinary action as appropriate.

There might be an occasion where it is appropriate for you to confront someone who is not following the Student Compliance Policy for COVID-19 Public Health Behavior Expectations. On such occasions, remember the following:

• Be polite and compassionate. Most students will likely apologize and comply with your request.
• Speak firmly and directly. A student may not realize that they are not following expectations.
• Thank the student once they comply. We are stronger together and together, we are UB!

An example of a confrontation interaction might be:

• "I noticed that you don't have a mask on today. To ensure the health and safety of everyone around on this UB bus, please put your mask on. If you don't wear a mask, I will have to ask you to leave. Thanks for cooperating!"

If an interaction becomes disruptive or, in extreme cases, threatening, you may contact University Police (UPD) at 716-645-2222 and UPD will make a referral for student disciplinary action as appropriate.