Summer quarter message and policies for graduate and professional students

Dear graduate and professional students,

We are writing today to share a preview of campus life and our health and safety protocols for students who will be living on campus or coming to campus during the summer quarter. While nearly all courses will continue to be taught virtually, there will be much you can do as a campus resident. You’ll find details below. Here’s a quick summary:

• We strongly recommend COVID vaccinations to all students living on campus this summer and will require vaccinations this fall. You can learn more on our vaccination FAQ page. (Some programs require summer quarter vaccination, including MSx and STEP; more information is available from the respective schools.)
• Stanford Health Check will continue to be required for all students daily throughout the quarter. The tool allows our community to self-report the presence or absence of symptoms, test results, and exposure to people who may have COVID.
• All students will be required to test once weekly with Color Genomics for the first four weeks of summer quarter, and then vaccinated students will no longer be required to test if the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus and in the Bay Area remains low.
• Students arriving on campus for the first time in the current academic year ending in September 2021 will be required to complete a Color Genomics COVID-19 test on the day they arrive.
• The Campus Compact for COVID-19 will not be required for students this summer and in subsequent quarters, but some health and safety requirements will remain in place. For example, face coverings will be required indoors in common spaces.

As COVID-19 conditions in California and Santa Clara County improve, our guidance will change accordingly. Excellent resources for timely information are the university’s Health Alerts website and the student section of our internal news site, Stanford Today.

We would once again like to thank everyone on campus for doing their very best to follow our health and safety protocols. The incidence of COVID-19 has been remarkably low for all university community members as shown on our COVID dashboards. Let’s continue to do all we can to care for one another as we begin summer quarter, and plan for fall.

Sincerely,

Mona Hicks
Senior Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students

Dr. James Jacobs
Executive Director, Vaden Health Services

Campus activities and resources 

• We have good news. It is likely we will be able to end the essential visitor and student households policies. This will bring campus much closer to “normal” when it comes to seeing friends. We will provide additional information on gatherings in the near future, after relevant state and county policies are updated.
• Shirley Everett, senior associate vice provost for Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) is pleased to share that dining halls (Wilbur, Stern and EVGR) will be open between quarters and throughout the summer. In addition, Axe & Palm, Market at Munger, EVGR Marketplace, Coffee Bar at the Clark Center and SLACafe will be open. Check here for dining and retail hours. The Pub and Beer Garden in EVGR will have a soft opening in June; beer and wine will be available by fall.
• Many campus amenities will be open including the dining halls (Coupa Cafe, CoHo at Tresidder Memorial Union, Stanford Recreation and Wellness, The Stanford Bookstore, and Cantor Arts Center. Our outdoor volleyball and basketball courts will also be available to you.
• The Graduate Life Office (GLO) will be offering in-person and virtual events, programs and support services throughout the summer. Community Associates will be here to welcome and support students as well.

Summer Quarter COVID-19 requirements

Stanford Health Check requirement

• Stanford Health Check is required daily for all students living on campus or coming to campus frequently (including those using Stanford Libraries). Students coming to campus occasionally should complete Health Check on the day they plan to be here, before they arrive.
• Health Check helps track your health daily and identify any symptoms of illness early on, thereby limiting the viral spread of COVID-19. Widespread use of this tool across the university helps us ensure that everybody here is in a safe environment to the greatest extent possible. All information entered is secured and protected.
• On the Health Check homepage, you will see a link to your “onsite access badge.” Students should be prepared to show their badge upon entering any Stanford location, including libraries and dining halls. Health Check is available on the university’s official mobile app.
• The badge color is either green or red. Your badge will be green when you have not reported COVID symptoms and you are in compliance with our COVID testing program as described below. Students with questions or concerns about their Health Check badge can submit a ServiceNow ticket.

Required course for student employees

• COVID-19 Hygiene Best Practices (EHS-2470-WEB) is a 10-minute, online course covering facts, hygiene practices, physical distancing, self-care, and workspace cleaning. It is required for student employees including those who are doing field research, working on an on-campus research project, or doing individual research for a faculty member. Here’s where you can learn more.

Face covering requirements

(Updated June 10, effective June 26)

• Face coverings and physical distancing will be required for all students in academic, research, and administrative buildings, dining halls (while not eating) and other select locations.
• Maintenance, custodial and other workers who need to enter student residential areas to work, will ask students to step out of the room or space while the work is being done.
• Face coverings will not otherwise be required for fully vaccinated students in residential areas, both indoors and outdoors.
• For the latest information, please check Health Alerts.

COVID-19 testing and restricted activity requirements

• Color Genomics will be our summer quarter testing provider for all students. This is a self-swab test. Each week, you will pick up test supplies and drop off your sample at one of several Stanford locations. Registration is mandatory and opens June 4.
• Continuing graduate and professional students are required to continue testing weekly with Color Genomics regardless of vaccination status until further notice. There will be no period of restricted activity for this group.
• All graduate and professional students arriving on campus for the first time in the 2020-21 academic year will be required to:
  (1) complete a Color Genomics COVID-19 test on the day they arrive
  (2) test again on Day 5-7 with Color Genomics, and then
  (3) test weekly with Color Genomics regardless of vaccination status until further notice.
• There will be no period of restricted activity for fully vaccinated new graduate and professional students who are arriving from other locations in the United States. Vaccination records must be submitted and verified by Vaden Health Services via the Vaden patient portal.
• All international travelers and all unvaccinated new graduate and professional students are required to restrict their activities as they await their arrival and Day 5-7 test results. Restricted activity means remote learning and research. You may leave your residence only for the following activities: COVID testing, medical care, laundry and trash, solo outdoor exercise, meal pick-up if you have a Stanford Dining meal plan or pick-up of grocery or prepared food deliveries.
• After the first four weeks, if the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus remains low, fully vaccinated students will be exempt from ongoing testing. Unvaccinated students will be required to test once weekly with Color Genomics. Vaccination records must be submitted and verified by Vaden Health Services via the Vaden patient portal.
• Short-term, alternate housing is available for students with Stanford housing contracts who are sharing an apartment with other students waiting for the results of their first tests. Please complete this form.
• Isolation and quarantine housing will be provided to students who test positive or who have been exposed to students who test positive. While there, students will receive meal delivery through R&DE Dining at no cost and support from the Graduate Life Office.

Requirements for students traveling during summer quarter

• This guidance applies to students traveling outside the state of California for any reason, personal or other, during summer quarter and then returning to campus. Please 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.
• International travel supported by Stanford resources for essential education and research may be permitted with prior approval. Read the latest travel policies here.
• Unvaccinated students are required to restrict their activities while they await the results of their first and second tests. Restricted activity means remote learning and research. You may leave your residence only for the following activities: COVID testing, medical care, laundry and trash, solo outdoor exercise, meal pick-up if you have a Stanford Dining meal plan or pick-up of grocery or prepared food deliveries.
• Short-term, alternative housing is available for students with Stanford housing contracts who are sharing an apartment with other students waiting for the results of their first test. Please complete this form.
• The Stanford travel channels are required for university-sponsored trips, and a great option for personal trips.

What happens if I do not meet these requirements?

• Students are expected to follow all university public health requirements, which are university policies subject to accountability processes administered through the Dean of Students office as articulated in the Residence Agreement, Fundamental Standard and Office of Community Standards policies.
• COVID-19 testing compliance will be monitored by the COVID Compliance Team and the Dean of Students office. If you are out of compliance, your building access will be restricted and faculty and staff members in your academic department will be notified.
• Please review the residence agreement guest policy. Other than those with medical exceptions, students on a leave of absence are not permitted on campus.

Questions?

You can reach us here with your general suggestions, comments and concerns about this unique year. If you have a personal question, please submit a ServiceNow ticket.