February 15, 2022

Dear GSAPP Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators:

We are writing to share essential updates for the rest of Spring semester. By now, you will have already completed return-to-campus safety protocols, including the ReopenCU app that is required to access campus, return to in-person instruction, pursue your research, or carry out your critical administrative role. As previously announced, faculty and students will meet in person for all class sessions. Classes will be conducted face-to-face in campus classrooms.

Faculty and staff are important role models for our students. To that end, we highlight below some key COVID-19 requirements that are critical to maintaining our in-person activities. Foremost among these is that Columbia community members are expected to follow the Columbia Community Health Compact at all times, including when off campus. Safe behaviors are just as critical when away from campus, which minimizes the risk of disruption to on-campus activity and ensures the safety of our community.

Vaccination and Booster Mandate
Everyone must provide proof of vaccination or apply for a religious or medical exemption. Those granted an exemption are required to participate in weekly testing. We remind you that all faculty, staff, and students must receive their vaccine booster dose (if eligible) by February 28, 2022. Details regarding the availability of booster doses and testing venues for University affiliates may be found here.

These COVID safety campus policies will continue until further notice:

• Events and gatherings with visitors without Columbia ID require approval.
• Green Pass via daily attestation is required.
• Weekly testing for unvaccinated individuals with University approved vaccination exemptions.

Face Coverings and Distancing:
Effective January 18, 2022, cloth masks will not be acceptable protection in indoor Columbia University settings. All Columbia affiliates must wear surgical masks at all times in indoor settings in Columbia facilities, regardless of vaccination status, through March 31, 2022. (Individuals may choose to wear other mask types such as KN95 or KF94.) We strongly encourage masking outdoors in large gatherings. Columbia provides surgical masks to University affiliates, which you can pick up in 157 Schermerhorn Extension during regular business hours. Faculty have the option to teach without face covering, provided they can maintain six feet of physical distance from their students in the classroom. As soon as the class is finished, face covering must resume.

Gatherings, Visitors, and Travel
Academic, research, and administrative gatherings are allowed with no capacity restrictions, and social gatherings are allowed with no capacity restrictions.

GSAPP faculty and program managers may invite program-organized event speakers, guest lecturers, and critics for midterm and final reviews to campus. As per the University guidance all visitors, including those who enter any campus facility for any period of time, must be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination and booster. Please follow these steps:

1. Ask the visitor to complete a week in advance of visit this form to show proof of vaccination and booster
   
2. GSAPP Office of Academic Affairs will review completed form and contact visitor in case of missing information
3. GSAPP Office of Academic Affairs will share the list of approved visitor(s) with program office at least two days prior to planned visit(s), at which point you can contact your program office as needed
4. Please do NOT contact GSAPP Office of Academic Affairs, so as to minimize potential delay – we appreciate your support for this unprecedented process.
   

Travel to destinations with high incidences of COVID-19 should be deferred, if feasible, and travel-related testing and quarantine requirements must be followed. GSAPP has approved field trips and course related travel only to domestic locations following University Guidelines.

Please continue to monitor the University guidelines and GSAPP’s COVID-19 website that includes communications, resources, and information for the GSAPP community related to the impact of COVID-19. Thank you for your cooperation and efforts to keep our community safe and healthy.

Janet Reyes
Senior Associate Dean of Administration and Faculty Affairs

Danielle Smoller
Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs