Graduate and professional students to test with Color Genomics

Dear graduate and professional students,

Please read this message carefully as we are making a significant change to our COVID-19 testing program: Effective March 19, all graduate and professional students currently required to test with Verily Life Sciences will switch to testing with Color Genomics. This switch will provide graduate and professional students with greater flexibility, including self-administered tests without the need to schedule appointments.

We are including step-by-step instructions in the infographic shown here. You can find more details below and on this website. Thank you for your role in helping to keep our campus community as safe and healthy as possible.

All undergraduate testing during spring break and during spring quarter will continue with Verily Life Sciences at Tresidder Memorial Union. Undergraduates who have been testing with Verily should continue to do so, twice weekly.

Our COVID-19 testing requirements have not changed
Students living on campus or coming to campus frequently are required to test twice weekly and to complete a daily Stanford Health Check. Those coming to campus infrequently are required to test the day they come to campus and to complete a Stanford Health Check before they arrive. These requirements apply to everyone, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. The university is studying CDC guidance and will update the campus community about any changes.

Coterms
Coterm students living on campus in Stanford graduate housing or off campus must comply with graduate and professional student testing requirements and are required to test with Color. EVGR-A is considered undergraduate housing during spring 2021, and all undergraduates living on campus or approved to come to campus are required to test with Verily.

Student athletes, clinical medical students and MSPA students
Testing requirements for student athletes, clinical medical students and MSPA students may vary; refer to your respective administrative units for details.

Partners and spouses
COVID testing with Color is available for non-student partners and spouses living with you in R&DE-assigned housing. Here is more information. Sharing kits with non-students and non-student partners and spouses living in R&DE assigned housing is not permitted.

Why we’re making the change
We are introducing a more flexible and easy-to-use self-administered testing tool for graduate and professional students. You will pick up and drop off self-testing kits at your convenience at one of these designated locations. Each test kit is self-contained and includes easy-to-follow instructions for collecting a swab sample. We believe this fits well with the varied academic, research, work, and family schedules of our graduate and professional students. Staff, medical students, and a pilot group of graduate students who have been testing with Color during winter quarter have reported good experiences.

When the change takes effect
You can start testing with Color on March 15, and you are required to do so by March 19. You will meet our testing requirements whether you test with Color or Verily during the transition period from March 15-19. After March 19, Verily will no longer be available to graduate and professional students. To get started with Color, just follow the step-by-step instructions in the infographic. Note that you must use your primary Stanford email address (no alias emails) when creating your Color Genomics account. You will find more details, including helpful how-to videos and privacy information, on our student testing website.

What to do if you travel during spring break
If you plan to travel more than 150 miles away from Santa Clara County’s borders during spring break, pick up Color testing kits before you leave so that you are prepared to resume testing twice weekly upon return. You are required to take your first test immediately upon return, submitting your sample to one of our 24-hour drop-off sites. You are required to take a second test five days later. While you await the results of your first and second tests, you may leave your residence for medical care, to pick up meals if you have a Stanford Dining meal plan or if you have groceries or prepared food delivered, and for solo outdoor exercise. If you share an apartment with other students, please discuss your travel plans prior to departure. Roommates can request short-term, alternative housing by completing this form.

Our weekly giveaway program continues
Thank you for meeting our student testing requirements to keep our community, especially in student housing, safe and healthy.  We appreciate the extra effort everyone is making to work through this together.  To encourage compliance, we will continue to randomly select a few students who are testing responsibly to receive giveaways like DoorDash gift cards, AirPods, and other student-friendly items.

Questions?
We would like to thank the Graduate Student Council and the COVID-19 Graduate Student Advisory Committee for helping us plan this change. We welcome your feedback and questions. The best way to reach us is by submitting a ServiceNow ticket.

Sincerely,

Mona Hicks
Senior Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students

Dr. James R. Jacobs
Vaden Medical Services Executive Director