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Cornell University

Conference and Event Services

Cornell COVID-19 Practices – Summer 2023

Effective beginning May 20, 2023, Cornell will no longer require students or employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and/or obtain a medical or religious exemption. Students will not need to provide proof of vaccination prior to beginning their studies. See the university's April 28 announcement here.

Students are still strongly encouraged to follow CDC guidelines for stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination continues to be an important part of Cornell's strategy to keep our campuses safe and provide protection against severe disease.

Our campus goals over the summer are to reduce the number of people infected and decrease the severity of potential illness, to limit academic, research, and employment disruption. Prevention of COVID-19 infection and transmission is a personal responsibility. Institutional policies and program leadership can support that. These provide a framework for leaders to build from.

To achieve our goals, we will:

  • Require self-isolation of known cases (per TCWH Policy)
  • Encourage but not require full vaccination + boosters for all on campus
  • Provide limited support for isolation (as noted below)
  • Provide free and accessible test kits to those with Cornell NetIDs*
  • Provide masks free of charge to all program participants*

The specific expectations we have of all persons using the Cornell campus this summer include:

Cornell Responsibility

Vaccination: Vaccination and Boosters Strongly Encouraged 

  • Boosters strongly encouraged

Not tracked

Antigen Testing: Expected

  • Pre-arrival testing (stay home if positive)
  • If experiencing COVID-19 symptoms

Negatives are not tracked

Symptom Monitoring: Expected

  • People should not come to campus if experiencing COVID-like symptoms
  • People should access/use COVID-19 tests to assess

Not tracked

Isolation in place: Required

Tracked in Daily Check(Summer session and living in campus housing)

Cornell hosts three different groups of people on campus over the summer; the COVID-19 management expectations for each are consistent but differ in implementation.

Traditional Summer Programs with live-in SCL supervision
(PSSP, Summer Session, REU)

Vaccination + Booster: Strongly encouraged
  • Organizers asked to encourage participants

Testing: Expected
  • Pre-arrival testing expected (not reported); Communicated to participants pre-arrival
  • COVID antigen tests may* be available to students, faculty and staff who wish to test following travel, attendance at large gatherings, illness or potential exposure.
  • Free testing for those with netid may* be available on campus (no reporting of negative test)
  • Positive test: reported to Daily Check
  • Cornell Health offers PCR tests for symptomatic students who meet the clinical testing criteria.

Symptom Monitoring: Expected
  • Communicated to participants pre-arrival
  • Communicated to participants while here

Isolation in Place: Required

  • Isolation policy communicated before start: program responsibility
  • COVID-19 Etiquette for Students
  • Isolation in place upon positive
  • Instructions automated through Daily Check includes guidance on meal access and self-care, as well as guidance for when to reach out to Cornell Health. There are no regular check ins with students in isolation; Program Coordinators may check in with students in isolation as needed, required if they are minors.
  • Student/visitor informs they are leaving campus (sign-out)
  • Students with questions will contact Cornell Health, 607-255-5155.
  • Anyone who needs travel documentation can utilize NYS Attestation forms.

Conferences, Cornell programs, 3rd party programs w/residential components

Vaccination + Booster: Strongly encouraged
  • Organizers asked to encourage participants.

Testing: Expected
  • Pre-arrival testing expected (not reported); Organizers asked to communicate to participants
  • Organizers should have antigen tests and masks available for all participants and should encourage testing when participants are symptomatic. If test kits are still available*, order bulk kits here.

Symptom Monitoring: Expected
  • Organizers asked to encourage participants to be aware, know what to do if symptomatic (test)

Isolation in Place: Required

  • Organizers are responsible for:
  • Communicating and coordinating isolation instructions, assuring isolation in place or departure from campus occurs
  • support for Unaccompanied Minors, cannot be left alone in halls
  • support for people who need to isolate beyond end of program

Other
  • Organizers should consider how to manage potential understaffing (staff in isolation) and sick participants (particularly unaccompanied minors and those who cannot easily travel home to isolate)

Commuter Programs, Cornell programs, 3rd party programs without residential components       

Vaccination + Booster: Strongly encouraged
  • Organizers asked to encourage participants

Testing: Expected
  • Pre-arrival testing expected (not reported); Organizers asked to communicate to participants
  • Organizers should have antigen tests and masks available for all participants and should encourage testing when participants are symptomatic. If test kits are still available*, order bulk kits here

Symptom Monitoring: Expected
  • Organizers asked to encourage participants to be aware, know what to do if symptomatic (test)

Isolation in Place: Required
  • Individuals will need to isolate in their off-campus location and are responsible for their own logistics and support.

Other
  • Organizers should consider how to manage potential understaffing (staff in isolation) and sick participants (particularly unaccompanied minors and those who cannot easily travel home to isolate)

*Cornell’s COVID policies and the availability of free antigen test kits on campus are subject to change based on NYS and Tompkins County Whole Health guidance and supplies.

Summer 2023 Covid Meal Policy

Summer guests with meal swipes may use the self-serve to-go option at a residential dining room. Guests should communicate with the door checker that they would like a sick tray.  Please wear a well-fitting mask and return to your room or apartment to eat.  

If you are feeling particularly ill, and can not come to the dining hall yourself, you can use the full sick tray process option, detailed below.  

Summer guests with Summer Bucks may use the self-serve to-go option at a residential dining room. Guests should communicate with the door checker that they would like a sick tray.   Please wear a well-fitting mask and return to your room or apartment to eat. If you are feeling particularly ill, and can not come to the dining hall yourself, you can use the full sick tray process option, detailed below.

If they have access to the GET app may order a meal to go and pick it up, masked, at the retail facility.

Summer Guests without meal plans, if remaining on campus during their isolation, may order take out food from local establishments and leave their room, masked, to receive the food.

If the guest is a minor, the program they are here with is responsible to ensure the guest has food for every meal.

**Sick trays are available to students who are ill and unable to come to a dining unit for a scheduled meal. Sick trays can be picked up at any residential dining room at breakfast, lunch, or dinner by emailing another student and copying dining@cornell.edu to request the sick tray. The email must include student name, card ID number and any allergies or food sensitivities. The student can either bring the paper email or show the email on their phone to pick up the sick tray.  One meal will then be deducted from the plan's weekly meal balance. The student will not be permitted to use another meal in the dining rooms for that meal period.