Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about returning to campus
FAQs for returning to campus
These FAQs have been compiled to help the Oglethorpe community prepare for returning to campus. View the sections below for information on university policy and COVID-19 vaccines.
Indoor masking is optional in all instances on campus even in classes. People should feel comfortable continuing to wear a mask, and those seeking additional protection may want to consider upgrading their mask while in the classroom. When worn consistently and properly, N95, KN95 and KF94 masks offer the highest level of protection from airborne particles, including the virus that causes COVID-19.
Indoor masking is optional in all instances on campus. In one-on-one meetings, we recommend that both parties ask about comfort with being unmasked. You may consider moving meetings outside or hosting it on Microsoft Teams. Those seeking additional protection may want to consider upgrading to the recommended N95, KN95 or KF94 masks.
Following baseline testing for campus residents and those who are not fully vaccinated, the university will continue to test a randomized percentage of the campus population who are not up to date on their vaccines on a weekly basis. Individuals will be notified via email when they are selected and must submit a valid test result as instructed in the email.
Please contact Sandy Butler for questions on COVID-19 testing for faculty and staff. Please contact [email protected] for questions on COVID-19 testing for students.
Please note, that any individuals who are not currently vaccinated, but become fully vaccinated at a later date will then be exempt from these testing protocols. If you would like to update your vaccination status, please do so using the appropriate form below.
Individuals can order free at-home COVID-19 tests through covidtests.gov. Up to four tests can be distributed to each home address for U.S. residents. Students should include their campus P.O. Box when ordering. It takes 7-12 days for kits to be shipped.
Insurance companies are required to cover or reimburse for at-home COVID-19 tests purchased on or after January 15, 2022 (some insurance companies may have reimbursed tests purchased prior to that date). More information about this program can be found here.
COVID-19 testing is also available through many sources, including private physician offices and pharmacies (where there may be a charge) and county departments of public health (where they are generally free). Find a COVID-19 testing site near you.
For anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please inform your instructors or supervisor and stay home as you monitor your symptoms. In the event that you test positive for COVID-19, please follow the reporting instructions outlined below.
Students who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must report their case to [email protected]. Faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must report their case to HR Director Sandy Butler. Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate, regardless of vaccination status.
Residents who relocate to a temporary housing assignment on campus will have access to support services (dining, educational, etc.). Please contact your Resident Assistant (RA) or Campus Life staff for more details.
Please refer to this helpful infographic as a quick reference to distinguish the difference between isolation and quarantine. Isolation refers to those who have tested positive for COVID-19. Quarantine refers to those who are determined to be a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19. Quarantine protocols differ for individuals depending on vaccination status.
Note: The CDC has updated its vaccine guidance with the following terms:
- Up to datemeans a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.
- Fully vaccinatedmeans a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
Further details, along with additional information on isolation and quarantine, can be found in the COVID-19 Handbook.
University Events:
While certain events may take place on campus, remote or virtual options will be encouraged where feasible. During periods of high risk of transmission, in-person, indoor events may be limited. Attendees at any sanctioned indoor university event, including athletic events, must adhere to mask requirements, and efforts should be made to allow for social distancing.
Student Events:
Remote or virtual events continue to be recommended for student-sponsored events or gatherings. Student events are otherwise subject to the same policies outlined for university events. Any gathering on Greek Row must be specifically approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs.
COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all who are eligible (see details). To ensure that our campus community has the highest level of protection against COVID-19 and its variants, all faculty, staff and students were required to receive a COVID-19 booster by January 31, 2022, or when eligible. Those in compliance with the fall 2021 vaccine mandate should now be eligible for a COVID-19 booster.
Update your vaccination status or apply for a medical or religious exemption through the appropriate method below. If you already received a medical or religious exemption, you are exempt from the booster and do not need to resubmit your information. Additionally, if your vaccination status has changed, or you now have your booster, you must also update your status through the appropriate method below.
- Student vaccine acknowledgment form (students log in using Slate ID)
- Employee vaccine acknowledgment through PayCom (contact HR Director Sandy Butler for further questions)
FOR FACULTY/STAFF: Please update your vaccination status and your completed vaccination card through the module in Paycom if you have not done so already (you should have been prompted to do so from Paycom). If your booster is on a separate card, then include both cards when you upload the photo of your completed vaccination card(s).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all who are eligible (see details). To ensure that our campus community has the highest level of protection against COVID-19 and its variants, all faculty, staff and students were required to receive a COVID-19 booster by January 31, 2022, or when eligible. Those in compliance with the fall 2021 vaccine mandate should now be eligible for a COVID-19 booster.
The CDC has updated its vaccine guidance with the following terms:
- Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.
- Fully vaccinated means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
Students, faculty and staff at Oglethorpe are expected to be up to date in receiving their COVID-19 vaccines.
Update your vaccination status or apply for a medical or religious exemption through the appropriate method below. If you already received a medical or religious exemption, you are exempt from the booster and do not need to resubmit your information. Additionally, if your vaccination status has changed, or you now have your booster, you must also update your status through the appropriate method below.
- Student vaccine acknowledgment form (students log in using Slate ID)
- Employee vaccine acknowledgment through Paycom (contact HR Director Sandy Butler for further questions)
FOR FACULTY/STAFF: Please update your vaccination status and your completed vaccination card through the module in Paycom if you have not done so already (you should have been prompted to do so from Paycom). If your booster is on a separate card, then include both cards when you upload the photo of your completed vaccination card(s).
No. As with other mandatory vaccines, a personal or philosophical exemption does not qualify for an exemption.
A medical exemption is based on the determination of your treating physician, APRN, or PA. Healthcare providers typically evaluate this need for individuals with weakened immune systems, severe allergies to a vaccine or vaccine ingredient, or serious past reactions to vaccines.
You can request your exemption through the form for acknowledging your vaccination status. Follow the prompts for submitting your exemption request.
- Student vaccine acknowledgment form (students log in using Slate ID)
- Employee vaccine acknowledgment through Paycom (contact HR Director Sandy Butler for further questions)
No, previously testing positive for COVID-19 does not qualify for an exemption. It is unclear how long antibodies last in those who have had COVID-19. As such, those who have previously tested positive should also be immunized.
The CDC has updated its vaccine guidance with the following terms:
- Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.
- Fully vaccinated means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
Students, faculty and staff at Oglethorpe are expected to be up to date in receiving their COVID-19 vaccines to ensure that our campus community has the highest level of protection against COVID-19 and its variants. All faculty, staff and students were required to receive a COVID-19 booster by January 31, 2022, or when eligible. Those in compliance with the fall 2021 vaccine mandate should be eligible for a COVID-19 booster.
From the CDC:
Everyone 5 years and older is recommended to receive a primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.
For children 5 years through 17 years of age, a primary series consists of 2 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. For persons 18 and older, a primary series consists of:
- A 2-dose series of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or
- A single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine)
Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (COVID-19 mRNA vaccines) are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.
Near Oglethorpe:
- Brookhaven COVID-19 vaccination site: 3371 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30319. The vaccine is offered every day of the week EXCEPT for Wednesday. View details.
- On Wednesday only, the Santa Fe Mall off Venture Drive in Gwinnett County is offering the Pfizer vaccine with no appointment and no cost. No insurance is needed. View details.
- Lenox Mall on the ground floor of the Bloomingdale’s parking garage – request appointment.
- Cumberland Mall in the parking lot across from Planet Fitness – request appointment.
- Perimeter Mall – request appointment.
Find a vaccine near you:
- Use vaccine.gov to locate a vaccination site near you.
The goal is for campus to be as high of a vaccination rate as possible. While visitors and guests are not asked to provide proof of vaccination at this time, they must wear a face mask while indoors and follow other COVID-19-related guidelines. Guests at athletic events may also be required to follow SAA/NCAA guidelines. Residents will work with their Resident Advisor (RA) to determine guest guidelines for individual residence hall rooms.
The CDC states that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and provides the following information.
- Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history. This monitoring includes using both established and new safety monitoring systems to make sure that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. View the CDC COVID Data Tracker.
- More than 543 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been given in the United States from December 14, 2020, through February 7, 2022.
- COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization (EUA).
- The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines will continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in US history. This monitoring includes using both established and new safety monitoring systems to make sure that COVID-19 vaccines are safe.
- The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full FDA approval for ages 16 and older as of August 23, 2021.
Not necessarily. A full return to campus includes in-person learning, an important part of the Oglethorpe experience. Students and instructors should be prepared for in-person courses.
Yes, many other institutions are also mandating vaccination. Here are a few:
- Agnes Scott College
- Brown University
- Clark Atlanta University
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- Emory University
- Georgetown University
- Morehouse College
- Morehouse School of Medicine
- Spelman College
- Yale University
View additional institutions requiring the COVID-19 vaccine.