Dear Members of the TC Community,
As we prepare for the start of the fall semester in just under two weeks, we write to remind you of our campus access requirements and several other safety measures the College has put in place for the protection of our community.
Campus Access Requirements
TC COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
The deadline to meet TC’s vaccination requirement has passed. If you have not yet submitted proof of vaccination, or your request for medical or religious exemption, please do so now. Individuals not in compliance will not be permitted on campus.
PCR COVID-19 Test
Gateway Test: If you are returning to campus for the first time since May 17, you must submit a negative PCR COVID-19 gateway test for campus access. If you have not accessed campus since May 17, your PCR test must be administered within 14 days of your return to campus. Faculty and staff should submit test results to: Covidtesting@tc.columbia.edu; students should submit results to: CovidStudentCare@tc.columbia.
Mandatory Weekly Test: Individuals with approved exemptions are required to submit weekly negative COVID-19 PCR tests. If a negative test is not submitted every week, they will not be permitted on campus.
Community Health and Safety Training
Access and complete TC’s mandatory Health and Safety Training. Please find the training for students here, and the training for faculty and staff here.
Daily Health Screening
Complete TC’s Daily Health Screening each day before accessing campus. Install the myTC App on your phone for easy access to the Daily Health Screening.
Other Campus Health and Safety Measures
Face Covering Requirements
All individuals are required to wear face coverings in most indoor settings on the Teachers College and the main Columbia University campuses regardless of vaccination status. TC’s face covering requirements and guidance are available here.
Protocol for Positive Case(s) on Campus & Contact Tracing
TC’s Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), in collaboration with Human Resources (HR) and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, continue to lead in the identification and tracking of any positive COVID cases on campus. Any employee or student who tests positive will be required to isolate for 10 days and be cleared by a doctor before returning to campus. Please familiarize yourself with the full protocol here.
Process to Evaluate and Determine a Campus Shutdown
TC will continue to monitor the federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidance, as well as to communicate with our colleagues and medical professionals at Columbia University, to ensure that we can make informed and timely decisions to protect the health and safety of our community. We will continue to communicate any new changes in policies or actions the College is taking, including any measures in the event that external governing agencies or internal monitoring of health conditions on campus warrant a phased or more full shutdown of the campus. Learn more about the process for evaluating and determining the shutdown of the campus.
For additional information about returning to campus, please continue to visit our Preparedness site. General questions and concerns should continue to be directed to returntocampus@tc.edu.
Thank you again for your cooperation and compliance with our health and safety requirements. Each required protocol is important, but collectively they provide substantial protection for our community that enable our return to campus. Together, we look forward to coming back stronger than ever this fall!
Sincerely,
Lisa Seales
Vice President for Administration
Co-Chair, COVID-19 Working Group
Hank Perkowski
Vice President for Finance and Operations
Co-Chair, COVID-19 Working Group