Dear TC Community Members,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Teachers College is taking an additional step to help minimize the spread of the virus. Following the example of a similar process taking place at Columbia University, TC is implementing a COVID-19 Random Testing Program effective Monday, October 25.

This program will consist of regular, randomized PCR testing for eligible individuals. Please read this email carefully to learn how the program will affect you.

Every Monday, beginning October 25, a random sample of 5% of the TC community will receive a selection email with the subject line “ACTION REQUIRED: You have been selected for TC’s COVID-19 Random Testing Program.”

If you receive this email, you must:

1. Schedule a COVID-19 PCR test (not a rapid test) either at CU Health (your UNI is required to make an appointment) or at a testing location near you.
2. Submit your results via this form within the two week deadline.
   
   Please note: All PCR tests that the College requires - either for the Random Testing Program or for any other reason - will now be submitted via this form; they will no longer be submitted via email.

The following TC community members are eligible to be called upon for testing:

• ALL faculty and staff (working both on campus and remotely)
• Students who are accessing campus
• TC affiliates

Students who are approved for remote learning this Fall or enrolled in Online Degree Programs will be exempt from the testing pool. Individuals with approved vaccine exemptions already submit weekly test results and, thus, will not be part of the random testing program. Employees who are approved for telework as a disability-related accommodation through the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities (OASID) may be eligible for a COVID-19 Random Testing Program exemption. If this applies to you, please email oasid@tc.edu if/when you are selected for testing.

If you do not submit your PCR test results within two weeks of receiving your selection email, your TC ID card will be deactivated and you may face further disciplinary action detailed here.

It will take approximately two days for our staff to verify test results, so we strongly recommend that you schedule your PCR test within 48 hours of receiving your selection email. If you wait to submit your results during the weekend that they are due, you will risk receiving a “red X” on the Daily Health Screening until a staff member is able to verify your results.

If, at the time of receiving your selection email, you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, you should not submit new test results for the Random Testing Program. Instead, please send proof of your previous positive test result to the TC Environmental Health and Safety Team at tcrandomtesting@tc.columbia.edu.

Read full details about the Random Testing Program on the TC Preparedness site.

Thank you for your cooperation as we continue to work to keep our communities, both on campus and beyond, safe and healthy. Please keep an eye on your email inbox on October 25, and every Monday thereafter, to see if you have been randomly selected for testing that week.

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