One Emerson: Boston Campus Overnight Travel Policy, Spring 2021

Hello,

I wanted to share a new policy with regard to overnight travel from the Boston campus, which will be in place as of the start of Spring semester 2021. 

We have learned through our experiences with COVID-19 transmission over the course of the Fall semester that people who participated in travel were much more likely to contract the virus or be identified as a close contact. This includes not only trips out of state, but also short-term trips in and around the Boston area. These types of overnight stays can often lead to increased contact with individuals that lead to exposure to the virus and or being identified as a close contact.

To mitigate this avoidable risk, we are instituting new regulations regarding travel by members of the student community. The full policy is outlined below and includes these major points:

1. Students are asked to refrain from travel overnight, away from their assigned on-campus room or designated off-campus residence.
2. If travel is necessary, students are asked to fill out a travel registration form.
3. Upon return, students would need to complete a quarantine and testing protocol before access to campus buildings would be restored. (*on-campus residents are able to access their room upon return).

We know that some travel is necessary and important, but our hope is to reduce the frequency and better support the safe reentry of students upon return to campus.

Please review the full policy, which is noted below, and let us know of any questions.  The link to the travel registration form will be available at the start of the spring semester.

All the best to everyone in these last few days before the coming break.

Take care,
Jim Hoppe
Vice President and Dean, Campus Life

 Boston Campus Overnight Travel Policy, Spring 2021

The College asks that during the Spring 2021 term, students do not travel away from their on- or off-campus residence overnight. Students who plan to be away from their campus residence (on- or off-campus) overnight are required to complete the Emerson College Travel Registration Form prior to leaving. This applies to any student (graduate or undergraduate) who is enrolled in Flex Learning courses or who visits campus routinely. *This applies to travel to any location inside or outside of the state of Massachusetts, including within the Boston region.

After completing the form, a student’s access to campus buildings will be turned off beginning at the time of departure indicated on the form.  

Upon return from their travel, students must complete the following steps:

1. Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form (if they have traveled to any other state or country)

2. Quarantine in their room or off-campus residence until they have taken a COVID-19 test at the Emerson/TMC Testing Center and received a negative test result.

3. Campus access will automatically be restored once receipt of a negative test result is logged into the CareEvolve system.

4.  Please note that on-campus residents must make independent arrangements for meals upon their return to campus. On-campus residents will be permitted access to their residential assignment upon return but will be restricted from all other areas of campus until a negative test result is received. During this time students should not visit with others. 

5. Students should make appropriate arrangements with professors for any in-person class time they will miss as a result of quarantine.

Students who are found to have violated this policy will be referred to Community Standards. Those who are found responsible can face sanctions up to and including suspension from housing, suspension from the College, or separation from the College. 

This policy is in place for Spring semester 2021 and will be reviewed and updated as necessary.