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.
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
After a careful review of President Joe Biden’s executive order mandating vaccines for federal contractors and guidance issued by the federal Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, Penn State has determined that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate already in place at seven campuses must be extended to two additional campuses — Berks and Schuylkill. The vaccine mandate also applies to all Penn State Extension employees across the commonwealth.
All employees, as well as undergraduate and graduate students supported on wage payroll, who have a disability or medical condition that they believe prevents them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine can now request accommodations by completing an online request form on or before Friday, Nov. 12.
As part of Penn State's COVID-19 mitigation plans, COVID-19 tests will be required for all students moving into on-campus residential housing who have not shared with the University that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provided a positive COVID-19 test result from the last 90 days prior to arrival.
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.
Penn State has announced plans to transition its masking and physical distancing requirements on June 28 to more closely align with changes recently announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health that relax COVID-19 restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals.
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.
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.
