COVID-19 Community Guide

The health and wellbeing of our community and the neighbors with whom we interact are our top priority. This website serves as the central information hub to keep all members of our community informed of updates, policies, and protocols on the evolving circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Booster Requirement

All eligible students, faculty, and staff must receive a booster shot. Read more here. 

Summer Semester 2022

Beginning Monday, June 6, masks are required in most indoor spaces on our campus when there are two or more people present for a sustained period of time. 

Masks are required in all classrooms, instructional spaces, labs, studios, concert and lecture venues, libraries, Student Health Services, offices, and conference rooms. This will be in effect through at least early July.

Community members who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including a booster when eligible, will no longer be required to regularly test for access to academic buildings. Those who are not up-to-date (vaccinated but not boosted) and unvaccinated individuals with approved exemptions will continue to test throughout the semester.

There are specific situations when and where additional precautions will be taken.

• Entry Periods
  The beginning of each term and after long breaks pose new risks as our community returns to campus. During these brief periods, masks will be required in classrooms and negative tests will be required for academic building access. If and when conditions allow, campus policies will shift back to encouraged and optional masks and tests.

The specific dates of these entry periods will be announced in advance.

• Healthcare Spaces
  Masks will continue to be required to be worn in healthcare spaces, including Student Health Services, by everyone, regardless of vaccination status. 
• Isolation, Quarantine, and Exposure
  
• Those who are not up-to-date or unvaccinated with approved exemption

Visit our data dashboard for updates about the vaccination, testing, and positivity rates on our campus.

Guiding Principles

Our plan for a healthy and safe on-campus experience is guided by three core principles:

• Protecting the health and safety of the entire New School community — students, faculty, and staff — and the neighbors with whom we interact.
• Maintaining the highest-quality teaching, learning, research, and cultural expression in every college, department, and specialty.
• Ensuring equitable access to classes and other learning activities for all students.

Our Shared Responsibility 

Taking steps to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection is a shared responsibility and every member of our community must do their part to help keep each other safe. It is our goal to address non-compliance without escalation. Repeated or egregious disregard for university policies and procedures will be escalated to Human Resources for employees or the Office of Student Conduct for students. 

Departmental COVID-19 Coordinators

Faculty and staff can reach out to the following COVID Coordination Group members with questions about our spring 2022 health and safety protocols:

• Academic Affairs (including individual colleges): Provost@newschool.edu
• Business & Operations (including Finance, Facilities, and IT): Thomas Whalen, whalent@newschool.edu 
• Enrollment Management and Strategic Partnerships: Craig Tiede, tiedec@newschool.edu
• Human Resources, General Counsel, and Development & Alumni Engagement: Andrea Yenco Cabatotan, yencoa@newschool.edu
• Marketing & Communications, Continuing and Professional Education: Amy Malsin, malsina@newschool.edu
• Student Success: Susan Austin, AustinS@newschool.edu
  

Future Updates

This site will be updated on a regular basis. The university will continue to monitor the trajectory of the pandemic, especially virus prevalence in New York City, and we will share an update about our health and safety protocols by February 15.

In addition, the message feed on this page features community announcements from the president and/or provost of The New School.