Health and Safety Requirements

Face Coverings

The use of face coverings throughout the New Jersey campuses — in classrooms and elsewhere — is no longer required except in health-care settings and any other settings mandated by law. While the face covering requirement is no longer in effect, as case numbers continue to rise with the spread of more transmissible variants, we encourage the use of face coverings in indoor public spaces and promote a mask-friendly environment where anyone who wishes to wear a mask can and should do so.

General Use and Requirements of Face Coverings

  • The Center for Disease Control’s mask recommendations include the following:   
    • Check that your mask fits snugly around your nose, mouth, and chin. 
    • Add layers of material; for example, wear one disposable mask under a cloth mask. 
    • Knot and tuck ear loops of a three-ply mask. 
    • Please refer to the CDC website re: effective masks:  for additional guidance with the new mask recommendations as outlined above.  
  • Face coverings must be worn no longer than one day at a time and cloth masks must be properly laundered daily before being used again. 
  • FDU recommends that students have a week’s supply of face coverings. 
  • All community members should have face masks available at all times in case others may request them to wear one.  
  • FDU will provide face masks on a limited basis for individuals (including visitors) who have forgotten a mask. Disposable masks will be available at key distribution locations during normal business hours and at Public Safety at all times. The use of disposable masks is not a substitute for bringing one’s own mask and will not be allowed on a repeated basis. 
  • Plastic face shields or plexiglass shields in or around a desk do not replace a face covering.  

Social Distancing

In general, social distancing is not required on campus. Individuals with a vaccination exemption are encouraged, however, to maintain six feet social distancing when practical, especially indoors when actively eating or drinking without a face covering on.

Vaccination

Students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to be up-to-date with their vaccinations, which means getting a booster shot as soon as they are eligible.

In April 2021, FDU issued an announcement that all students who attend either the Metropolitan or Florham campus must be fully vaccinated before the fall semester begins. The requirement applies to all students who are on campus to live, attend classes, or engage in any in-person activities. “Fully vaccinated” means that two weeks have elapsed after the final injection of an FDA-authorized vaccine.  

Faculty and staff who are assigned to be on campus must also get vaccinated. All individuals must upload their vaccination records to Medicat as soon as the first shot is received. The record must be updated after receiving the second shot, for vaccinations involving two doses. FDU recognizes medical and religious exemptions from the vaccination requirement through a standard process. For more information, see the vaccination policy page

Symptom Screening

All individuals on campus – whether or not they are fully vaccinated – are required to monitor their symptoms daily prior to leaving their residence hall room or arriving on campus. Symptoms include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

All individuals, whether or not fully vaccinated, should do the following: Students with symptoms should call Student Health Services, and, unless instructed otherwise, should remain in their rooms on campus (or should remain off-campus, for those students who experience symptoms while residing off-campus). All faculty and staff with symptoms should first notify their primary care provider, then Human Resources, and should remain off-campus unless otherwise instructed. Students with symptoms of COVID-19 should not visit Student Health Services until after contacting them first and being directed to do so. Students with symptoms who are directed to go to Student Health Services for testing will be required to bring their “five-day supplies” with them in case they are moved to an isolation space.

  • Students, faculty, or staff who test positive at home with a rapid antigen test should notify Student Health Services (students) or their primary care provider and Human Resources (faculty and staff) and isolate at home for 5 days or until symptoms improve and you are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
  • Individuals should continue wearing a mask in public for an additional 5 days; anyone who is unable to wear a mask should isolate for a full 10 days.
  • If you are an older adult or at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID, ask Student Health Services (students) or your primary health care provider (faculty and staff) about available treatments, even if symptoms are initially mild.
  • If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation). If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.

COVID-19 Testing

Symptomatic testing is available for students who are displaying symptoms. Students should follow the instructions outlined above to get tested on campus.

Care and Management of Students

  • If a resident student has tested positive for COVID-19 (whether or not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations):
    • The student will be notified of the positive result.
    • The student will be required to isolate (given choice to either go home or isolate per designated isolation location on or off campus).
      • Students will be offered to isolate on campus to avoid spread of COVID-19. Students will be educated about the risks of isolation and potential spread to family members if isolating at home versus on campus.
    • The student will be screened for symptoms and educated on symptoms that may require immediate emergency care.
    • The student will be provided with a list of recommended belongings to pack. Students will relocate to their home or temporary on-campus room. Housing will coordinate available space.
      • If remaining on campus: Students will be asked to relocate themselves from point A to point B.
    • Students isolated on campus must order all food through Aramark Dining.
    • Laundry facilities will be unavailable to students in isolation (symptomatic or tested positive).
    • Telemedicine monitoring services will be offered 9am-5pm Monday-Friday by Student Health Services.
    • Student being removed from isolation:
      • Student Health Services will have discretion, based on guidance from student’s primary care provider or the Department of Health, and provide clearance/notification to remove student from isolation.
  • Close contacts
    • If you have been exposed to a person with COVID-19, wear a high-quality mask and contact Student Health Services on the fifth day after exposure to get tested. If you have symptoms, you should contact Student Health Services to be tested immediately.
    • In keeping with our evolving practices, the University will not conduct contact tracing nor issue notifications or public announcements concerning routine positive cases.

Please also note that in the event of an outbreak on campus, exempt resident students may be asked to leave campus. An outbreak is defined as an expanding number of COVID-19 cases over a short period of time from one source. This is dependent on the number of resident students and advice from the local health department.

Hygiene Protocols

According to the CDC, one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 from person to person, and throughout the entire community, is to engage in proper hygiene including the following:

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, after touching an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, and after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when soap and water are not available. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and wash your hands after touching your face, and cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow.
  • Clean and disinfect high touch areas routinely.
  • Avoid using shared refill cups and do not share utensils and tools/equipment with colleagues.

Cleaning Protocols

Classrooms and common areas, including restrooms, will be cleaned on a daily basis by the University’s cleaning contractor. Offices and office areas will be cleaned weekly by the University’s cleaning contractor. Cleaning will include the use of an EPA-registered disinfecting product on all high common touch points. Sanitizing wipes and/or alternate disinfecting products will be available in classrooms and office suites for individual work area cleaning.

Residence Hall Regulations

Residential students must comply with health and safety regulations noted above, and guidance adopted by FDU Housing as it relates to public health crises, including COVID-19.

Students must comply with FDU protocols regarding:

  1. practicing proper hand hygiene.
  2. cleaning and disinfection protocols.

All resident students:

  • Must routinely self-monitor their symptoms each day, and must be free of any symptoms potentially related to COVID-19 before entering campus or leaving their residence hall room.
  • Must contact Student Health Services immediately if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19. Any student who develops symptoms of or tests positive for COVID-19 will need to self-isolate either on campus in designated isolation housing or off campus at their own expense. Student Health Services will advise the student regarding how long to stay in isolation and what other measures to take to safeguard their health.

Note that all FDU students, both when on- and off-campus, must at all times comply with restrictions and guidance issued by the New Jersey Department of Health and other governmental authorities as well as applicable FDU policies. FDU’s practices and requirements in these regulations may change to keep current with evolving conditions and governmental guidance.