Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:
I hope that you have enjoyed a healthy and productive summer. As we welcome our newest members of the Monmouth community over the next few days, I write with updates and reminders on our campus health and safety measures for the fall semester.
As we have done since the very start of the pandemic, we will continue to follow recommendations from the CDC related to our campus health and safety protocols. Recently, the CDC issued new guidance on quarantine requirements for individuals who are exposed to someone positive for COVID-19, which is reflected in our updated protocol below.
Protocol Updates
Quarantine/Isolation
Members of the Monmouth University community who test positive must follow the prevailing CDC and NJDOH guidelines on isolation periods. Since the University will have limited isolation housing this fall, impacted individuals who live within 150 miles from campus must make alternative arrangements to satisfy their isolation requirement. The COVID-19 Response Team will communicate directly with faculty if a student is required to isolate and will be missing their class during the mandatory five-day isolation period.
Members of the community who are exposed to someone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, must also follow the prevailing CDC and NJDOH guidelines on follow-up precautionary measures. These impacted individuals are required to wear a high-quality, properly fitting mask for 10 days following exposure, monitor their symptoms throughout this 10-day period, and get tested at least five full days after exposure. These individuals do not need to quarantine during this time.
Protocol Reminders
Since we have continued to effectively manage the number of COVID-19 cases on campus, thanks to the collective support and diligence of our community, we will continue to enforce the University’s current health protocols, which are detailed below for reference.
Masking
Due to the high vaccination rate among our campus community, and given the reduced community level of COVID-19 in Monmouth County, the University will maintain a campus-wide mask-optional policy for all indoor spaces, including classrooms. Depending on risk levels in the future, we may reinstate the indoor mask requirement or other restrictions, as needed.
Individual faculty and office staff may request – but not require – masking in their respective classrooms and office spaces. It is our hope that by continuing mask-optional, everyone will feel comfortable making their individual choice while keeping the well-being of our community in mind – and trusting that others are doing the same. It is important that we all respect and support the decisions made by each other in this regard.
Vaccination
We will continue to require all members of the community to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to stay up-to-date with vaccination recommendations, including booster doses. We will also continue to allow for individual exemptions on the basis of approved medical or religious reasons. All students and employees will be required to inform the University of their COVID-19 vaccination status on the health portal to ensure that the University can respond appropriately to any outbreak situation on campus, consistent with prevailing CDC guidelines.
Testing
We will continue to test all symptomatic individuals at the Health Center. If anyone is exhibiting symptoms, they are encouraged to seek immediate medical treatment – either directly from their physician or through Health Services. If anyone tests positive – even through a home test – they are required to report their test results within 24 hours to health@monmouth.edu. The Health Center will continue to maintain records of new COVID-19 cases.
Vaccine Clinics
The University will offer COVID-19 vaccine clinics several times throughout the fall semester, scheduled for September 27, October 13, November 10, and December 7. The University will also host a series of seasonal flu vaccine clinics this fall, scheduled for September 22, October 26, November 16, and December 8. Please monitor your Monmouth email for more information on these vaccine clinics.
All of these health protocols are subject to adjustment in the future if we determine that public health circumstances necessitate a change. As we prepare to welcome our newest Hawks to campus, I remain grateful to each of you for your individual efforts in keeping our community healthy and safe over the past two-and-a-half years. I appreciate how challenging the uncertainty of this period has been, and I am grateful for your patience, understanding, and concern for our collective well-being.
My best wishes to you for a restful holiday weekend. I look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks as we embark on a new academic year at Monmouth!
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President