Skip to main content

Five pre-spring break announcements and reminders

Vice Provost for Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole encourages students to take steps to stay safe and healthy and then shares spring quarter party planning reminders.

Hello Stanford students,

I am writing today with 5 pre-spring break announcements and reminders. Here’s what I’ll cover:

  1. How we’re preparing for a smooth start to spring quarter
  2. What you can do to help (hint: pickup your free rapid tests!)
  3. What you can do to prepare (hint: involves food!)
  4. COVID testing guidance for students new to Stanford this spring
  5. What’s open on campus during spring break

I’ll end the message with information and reminders about spring quarter student gatherings. But first, here’s an important safety reminder: it is terribly dangerous to get anywhere near drugs that might be laced with fentanyl. Five West Point cadets recently overdosed on fentanyl during their spring break. Please take good care and make good choices, for yourself and for everyone you know and love around you. Always call for help in emergency situations.

Pre-spring break announcements and reminders

1 – How we’re preparing for a smooth start to spring quarter. We know undergraduates need a quick, easy guide for what to do if you test positive for COVID-19 during spring quarter, and we are refining a tier system to streamline communications depending on Stanford’s COVID conditions. More information will be shared after the break. Currently, we’re in the lowest tier, given low case counts. Let’s do our best to stay there! For example, face coverings are required at Vaden Health Center for the foreseeable future and in classrooms through at least the first few weeks of spring quarter, and remain strongly recommended elsewhere on campus, regardless of vaccination status.

2 – What you can do to help (hint: pickup your free rapid tests!). Traveling anywhere off campus during spring break? Help us start strong this spring quarter by keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible. Graduate and professional students will receive an email from their schools or departments with directions on when, where and how to pick up two free rapid tests. Undergraduates should pick up two rapid tests at the AFDC, AOERC or EVGR-B Color test kit locations. Take a rapid test before you return to campus. If you test positive, do not travel! Isolate in place for 10 days. Contact the Financial Aid Office if travel disruptions present a financial hardship, and update your professors and academic advisors. Here’s more on our spring break travel and return testing guidance.

3 – What you can do to prepare (hint: involves food!). Shop now for frozen, canned and shelf-stable groceries in case you need to quarantine (if you’re a close contact/have symptoms) or isolate (if you test positive). Dining Services will continue offering meal delivery to students who test positive, but our dining halls will sunset to-go meal boxes beginning April 11. To-go service is no longer essential given improved COVID conditions and because we all want to support environmental sustainability by reducing the waste produced by take-out containers.  

4 – New to Stanford this spring? Here’s what we need you to do.

  1. Test for COVID-19 before you travel to campus. If you test positive, do not travel! Isolate in place for 10 days. Contact the Financial Aid Office if travel disruptions present a financial hardship, and update your professors and academic advisors. 
  2. Test twice when you arrive on campus, using university-provided Color lab tests. You’ll find detailed information on Color testing here. 
  3. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are required, unless you have an approved extension or exemption. You’ll find detailed information on vaccinations here. 
  4. Receive your allotment of 4 free, at-home COVID-19 rapid tests when you check into housing. These tests are for your use when you have symptoms or are a high-risk close contact. Here’s more information on COVID exposure and symptomatic testing.
  5. Color testing will remain available, up to two tests per week, for anyone who wishes to continue to use Color for regular asymptomatic testing. Twice-weekly testing is required for students who are not fully vaccinated and boosted. 

5 – What’s open on campus during spring break? Many campus favorites!

  • Arrillaga Family Dining Commons, Wilbur Dining and Lakeside Dining will be open regular hours. 
  • The Axe & Palm, Union Square @ Tresidder Memorial Union, EVGR Pub & Beer Garden, EVGR Marketplace, The Market at Munger, Starbucks, Panda Express, Subway, Kikka Sushi and Curry Up Now will be open. Here are their spring break hours.
  • CoHo, the Treehouse, Ray’s Grill and the Stanford Bookstore will be open.
  • Arrillaga Outdoor Education and Recreation Center will be open. Here’s AOERC’s spring break hours.
  • Most Stanford Libraries and the Cantor Arts Center will be open.
  • In addition, Resident Directors (undergraduates), the Graduate Life Office (graduate and professional students), Vaden Health Services and these mental health resources will remain available to you.
  • Undergraduate and graduate student Housing Service Centers will remain open during the break.

Spring quarter gatherings

Registered in-person gatherings and parties hosted by student organizations and residential groups will be permitted beginning April 1 outdoors, and April 8 indoors. Thinking about organizing an event for your student org or residence? Now’s a great time to prepare. Here’s what you need to know:

In closing, I’d like to thank you for doing your best navigating the past two years of pandemic challenges. As we transition from winter to spring, it’s been really heartening to see students enjoying each other’s company, and trading coats and boots for shorts and flip flops. I hope each of you finds time to rest and do something that brings you joy during the break. We look forward to welcoming all of you back here on Monday, March 28, for spring quarter when classes resume  – in person!

Sincerely,

Susie Brubaker-Cole
Vice Provost for Student Affairs