Campus Messages
COVID-19 Guidelines – Updated Fall 2023
September 5, 2023
COVID-19 guidelines effective September 1, 2023, are below. The college will update these precautions based on COVID trends, official guidance, expert advice, and consultation with campus stakeholders, including staff and faculty constituent groups.
Vaccinations
The CDC strongly encourages everyone to be fully up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations and annual flu shots, including booster doses when eligible. Vaccines are available at local pharmacies. Although the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine are not required, we know they are effective in reducing the severity of symptoms and mitigating the spread of the virus.
Masks
We will continue to have an indoor mask optional policy for all campus spaces.
If you are experiencing COVID-like symptoms or any other respiratory illnesses you should wear a mask.
Isolation
Community members who test positive should isolate according to CDC guidance.
Notification
Notification of a COVID-related matter is no longer required and reporting procedures for COVID are the same as for any other illness.
Students who test positive should contact their instructors to arrange for any work missed due to illness. We continue to ask faculty members to be flexible with students who are ill or recovering.
- COVID-19 Level Update - October 10, 2022
COVID-19 Level Update
October 10, 2022
There were 9 on-campus COVID-19 cases for the week ending October 2, marking the first time this semester there have been 10 or fewer cases in a week. If that level is sustained over the course of the next 4 weeks, then the campus will move from the current precaution level of “medium” to “low.” Right now, masking rules are not changing. Masking is still required in classrooms and other instructional settings until further notice. If “low” incidence is sustained both on campus and at the Chicago region for four weeks, masking will become optional across campus, with some classroom exceptions possible.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING CAMPUS DATA
Due to the fact some delayed case notifications can take place, the case total for any week is not finalized into late the following week. While the week ending October 23 would mark the fourth full week since the week ending October 2, the case total for the week ending October 23 will not be finalized until the following week.
Therefore, the college plans on announcing on October 28 whether we will move to a “low” precaution level starting on October 31. Again, for the campus to go to the “low” level, the City of Chicago’s COVID-19 risk level must have remained at low over the same four weeks that the college’s on-campus cases are at 10 or fewer.
Please visit the Back Together Columbia website for additional details on COVID-19 precautions.
- COVID-19 Precautions Level Medium - September 2, 2022
COVID-19 Precautions Level Medium: Masks optional outside of classrooms/instructional settings
September 2, 2022
Please be advised the campus COVID-19 precautions level will be at medium, effective Tuesday, September 6, based on the City of Chicago and campus COVID-19 data.
This means the first day of the Fall semester masking will be optional on campus outside of classrooms and instructional settings. Masks continue to be required in classrooms (except where an official exception has been approved by the Office of the Provost) and in instructional settings.
“Instructional setting” is defined as classrooms as well as spaces where formal interactions between college employees and students take place – this includes classrooms, studios and fabrication spaces (see the full list), faculty office hours, and off-campus indoor locations where instruction takes place—or where employees and students meet for appointments or where students drop in for support services.
Note: Masking requirements apply indoors only. Also note: The college’s COVID protocols continue to travel with us. For instance, a class on a field trip should observe campus COVID protocols while on the field trip.
Columbia announced risk thresholds in August that are determined by the number of weekly campus cases and/or with the City of Chicago risk level. Numbers need to be sustained for three weeks at “medium” before precautions are changed from high-level to medium-level precautions. As of September 1, the requirements – a City of Chicago level of medium and campus cases at or below 35 – have been met for three straight weeks.
Should the City’s or the campus COVID data return to “high” level between this announcement and September 6, a new communication will be issued. Barring a communication otherwise, medium-level precautions will be in effect on Tuesday.When the COVID-19 precaution level is medium, masks will be required in all instructional settings and will be optional elsewhere. Please see below for additional details.
This semester, 80 percent of our course offerings are in person and the college is entering a new phase of the pandemic by carefully relaxing some of our COVID-19 protocols. Our protocols reflect the institution’s desire to provide more campus opportunities and richer student experiences while also keeping the safety and well-being of our entire community a priority.
As we return to campus under new safety measures, be mindful that not everyone has the same comfort level regarding masking and other precautions. Please negotiate in-person interactions with respect, and while masking is not required outside of instructional settings, consider temporarily masking in formal group settings if you are asked by others, or taking other precautions like social distancing in lieu of masking. Similarly, individuals who choose to remain masked in mask-optional settings should respect the choice of those members of our community who choose to be maskless.
Protocols were developed based on guidance from the CDC, medical experts and in consultation with campus stakeholders.
Below are the college’s updated COVID-19 protocols for the Fall 2022 semester.
Additional details on level Medium protocols:Masks will be required in all instructional settings and will be optional elsewhere.
Classroom masking exceptions may be granted by the Office of the Provost as described above.
Individuals must be masked at all times when visiting the Student Health Center, the campus COVID-19 testing facility, or CareATC.
At the library, individuals should be masked when checking out books or meeting with staff, but can be unmasked in the book stacks, at computer stations and in the reading or study spaces.
Food will be allowed at college events or meetings at the medium precaution level under the following conditions:- Plated or buffet-style food is allowed at events and meetings but must follow (and not coincide with) any presentation or program or formal meeting, and where possible should be served in a separate part of the space or different space.
- Consider boxed meals as an alternative so people can eat isolated from others if they wish.
- Field trips should be planned to avoid communal eating by participants when possible.
- Third parties renting college spaces may serve food inside the space they rent at this precaution level, provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment. Similarly, third parties renting college spaces may set their own masking protocols for the event at this precaution level, provided it does not violate any government order and provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment.
- Students are required to be vaccinated. Students who are not vaccinated due to a college-approved exemption will have to be tested for COVID-19 on campus once a week.
- Boosters, while strongly encouraged, are not required for students, even if they live in the residence halls.
- Employees are no longer required to be vaccinated or boosted, though this remains strongly encouraged. This means employees who previously had to test weekly will no longer be required to do so.
SYMPTOMS AND TESTING
Do not come to campus with symptoms without having ruled out COVID-19 through testing. This means one of the following:- One negative PCR test – test immediately when symptoms appear
- Two negative rapid antigen/home tests 48 hours apart – take the first test as soon as symptoms appear
Even after a negative test, if you still have symptoms, you should continue to wear a mask until symptoms resolve; while you may not have COVID-19 you may still infect others with your illness.
If you were a close contact but have no symptoms, you must do one of the following:- Take a PCR test at Day 6 (where the day of close contact counts as Day Zero)
- Test on the day you find out you are a close contact, test a second time 48 hours after and a third time 48 hours after the second test.
- For students, the Student Health Center at 916 S. Wabash provides PCR tests with results usually within 24 hours (please call ahead to arrange for testing);
- For employees and students, the CareATC testing facility at 600 S. Michigan offers PCR tests and usually provides results within 48 hours.
- Students and employees can access tests on campus even if they are symptomatic.
Please know that supervisors (in the case of employees) and faculty or staff (in the case of students) could ask you to leave the office or class if you are obviously symptomatic and have not had a negative test.
Per the CDC, people with these symptoms may have COVID-19:- 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
- Close contacts who do not have symptoms must wear a mask for 10 days, but no longer have to quarantine for the first 5 days even if they are unvaccinated or unboosted. They are still required to get tested.
- If you are a close contact, you have to test either via a PCR test at Day 6 (where the day of close contact counts as Day Zero), or test negative three times on a rapid antigen/home test: The first time on the day you find out you were a close contact, the second time 48 hours after and the third time 48 hours after the second test. You should wear a mask at all times for the full 10 days even if you test negative.
- You must report that you are a close contact to the college.
- Anyone with symptoms that could indicate COVID-19 (see full list later in this communication) must get tested and isolate pending test results.
- People with symptoms may take one PCR test or may use two rapid antigen/home tests 48 hours apart as an alternative to a PCR test to rule out COVID-19.
- If using rapid antigen/home tests, you must test negative at least twice 48 hours apart on a rapid antigen/home test if you have symptoms. That means you must test when symptoms appear and, if negative, confirm your negative status with a second rapid antigen/home test 48 hours later.
- You must isolate while waiting for the result of the PCR or the result of the second rapid antigen/home test.
- Even after a negative test, if you still have symptoms, you should continue to wear a mask until symptoms resolve; while you may not have COVID-19, you may still be infectious to others with your cold or other illness.
- If positive, you must report your case to the college.
Upcoming COVID-19 Protocol Forums
September 2, 2022
Dear members of the Columbia College Chicago community,
As we begin the 2022-23 academic year under the Medium COVID-19 precaution level, the college is hosting two additional forums to answer your questions about protocols. Please join President Kwang-Wu Kim and members of the Incident Assessment Taskforce (IATF) to discuss the current level of COVID-19 precautions and other COVID-related plans for Fall 2022.
Please pre-register and submit questions in advance.
In-Person Forum (Mask Optional)
September 8, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
754 S. Wabash Ave., 5th Floor
Advance registration is preferred (walk-ins welcome). In-person Q&A will take place but pre-submitting questions via the registration link are recommended.
Register for the In-Person Forum.
Zoom Forum
September 8, 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Pre-submitted questions are recommended, but live questions may be asked via the chat function.
Register for the Zoom Forum.Sincerely,
Kwang-Wu Kim
President and CEO
- Updated Campus COVID-19 Precautions - August 15, 2022
Updated Campus COVID-19 Precautions
August 15, 2022
To reflect new CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance about COVID-19 regarding quarantine and testing that was issued on August 11, the college is updating the COVID-19 protocols announced on August 5 to be consistent with federal guidelines. We also provide an update on the City of Chicago’s COVID-19 risk level below.
By being on campus, you attest you are complying with testing and all other rules.
The changes stemming from the new CDC and FDA guidance are:
Close contacts who do not have symptoms- Close contacts who do not have symptoms must wear a mask for 10 days, but no longer have to quarantine for the first 5 days even if they are unvaccinated or unboosted. They are still required to get tested.
- If you are a close contact, you have to test either via a PCR test at Day 6 (where the day of close contact counts as Day Zero), or test negative three times on a rapid antigen/home test: The first time on the day you find out you were a close contact, the second time 48 hours after and the third time 48 hours after the second test. You should wear a mask at all times for the full 10 days even if you test negative.
- You must report that you are a close contact to the college.
- Anyone with symptoms that could indicate COVID-19 (see full list later in this communication) must get tested and isolate pending test results.
- People with symptoms may take one PCR test or may use two rapid antigen/home tests 48 hours apart as an alternative to a PCR test to rule out COVID-19.
- If using rapid antigen/home tests, you must test negative at least twice 48 hours apart on a rapid antigen/home test if you have symptoms. That means you must test when symptoms appear and, if negative, confirm your negative status with a second rapid antigen/home test 48 hours later.
- You must isolate while waiting for the result of the PCR or the result of the second rapid antigen/home test.
- Even after a negative test, if you still have symptoms, you should continue to wear a mask until symptoms resolve; while you may not have COVID-19, you may still be infectious to others with your cold or other illness.
- If positive, you must report your case to the college.
- Students living in the residence halls are no longer required to be boosted, due to the CDC lifting quarantine rules for unboosted close contacts.
The revised testing options are based on new guidance from the CDC and FDA based on a study undertaken by the FDA with the National Institutes of Health that found that while one rapid antigen/home test was not reliable in some cases, reliability improved with multiple tests – what the FDA calls serial testing – with the 48-hour intervals being crucial to increased reliability.
Because of the time periods associated with serial testing using rapid antigen tests, a PCR in most situations constitutes a faster way to get results and a more convenient “one and done” testing option. For instance, a student with symptoms may need to isolate for as little as one day while waiting for a PCR result from the Student Health Center, compared to 48 hours with a rapid antigen/home test. If someone is a close contact, they would need to isolate for 96 hours if using a rapid antigen/home test. PCRs are offered on campus as outlined below. If a person with symptoms or a person who is a close contact is not planning to come to campus for a few days, serial antigen testing at 48-hour intervals may be an option that does not require them to come to campus or leave their home to get tested.
Current COVID-19 risk level and implications for campus precautions:
On August 11, the City of Chicago lowered the COVID-19 threat level to “medium.” Per our protocols, the city must remain at “medium” for three weeks, accompanied with fewer than 35 on-campus COVID-19 weekly cases for three weeks, for Columbia to go to “medium” precautions (masking optional in non-instructional indoor settings at the medium level). Weekly on-campus cases have been below 5. The college will make an announcement on September 1 confirming the COVID-19 precautions level that will be in effect for the first day of the fall semester, which is September 6. For the time being, the campus remains on the “high” level.
While there would be a delay to come down from “high” to “medium,” precautions would revert to “high” as soon as we hit either of the “high” thresholds listed below.
VACCINATION AND BOOSTING- Students are required to be vaccinated. Students who are not vaccinated due to a college-approved exemption will have to be tested for COVID-19 on campus once a week.
- Boosters, while strongly encouraged, are not required for students, even if they live in the residence halls.
- Employees are no longer required to be vaccinated or boosted, though this remains strongly encouraged. This means employees who previously had to test weekly will no longer be required to do so.
MASKING
The college will peg masking precautions on campus to a combination of the city’s risk level and the COVID-19 situation on campus:- Masking will be required everywhere indoors when the COVID-19 risk is high
- Masking will be optional in non-instructional indoor settings when the COVID-19 risk is medium
- Masking will be optional across campus indoor settings when the COVID-19 risk is low (masking may continue to be required in some instructional settings)
Please note that the current risk level at Columbia is high. Regardless of the risk level, masking will be in effect in classrooms for the first two weeks of the semester.
Campus visitors do not need to be vaccinated, but should adhere to masking protocols in effect on campus at the time of their visit. Members of the campus community hosting visitors should continue to notify Campus Security about visitors in advance to facilitate guest access.
The college will issue an official announcement about a change from one level to another; members of the community should not deviate from protocols until an official announcement is made.
SYMPTOMS AND TESTING
Do not come to campus with symptoms without having ruled out COVID-19 through testing. This means one of the following:- One negative PCR test – test immediately when symptoms appear
- Two negative rapid antigen/home tests 48 hours apart – take the first test as soon as symptoms appear
Even after a negative test, if you still have symptoms, you should continue to wear a mask until symptoms resolve; while you may not have COVID-19 you may still infect others with your illness.
If you were a close contact but have no symptoms, you must do one of the following:- Take a PCR test at Day 6 (where the day of close contact counts as Day Zero)
- Test on the day you find out you are a close contact, test a second time 48 hours after and a third time 48 hours after the second test
- For students, the Student Health Center at 916 S. Wabash provides PCR tests with results usually within 24 hours (please call ahead to arrange for testing);
- For employees and students, the CareATC testing facility at 600 S. Michigan offers PCR tests and usually provides results within 48 hours.
- Students and employees can access tests on campus even if they are symptomatic.
Please know that supervisors (in the case of employees) and faculty or staff (in the case of students) could ask you to leave the office or class if you are obviously symptomatic and have not had a negative test.
Per the CDC, people with these symptoms may have COVID-19:- 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
DETAILS ON PRECAUTIONS AT VARIOUS COVID RISK LEVELS
When the COVID-19 risk is high
Masks will be required everywhere on campus when the city officially designates the COVID-19 risk level as “high” or if the campus is seeing more than 35 cases per week.
In consultation with departments and the faculty teaching a class, the Office of the Provost may grant masking exceptions for certain class sessions or activities. No unmasking can take place unless officially sanctioned by the Office of the Provost.
At this risk level, food and beverages at events and meetings should take the form of a boxed meal that participants may carry to a separate space during a meal break if they wish to eat isolated from others, or on a “to-go” basis for participants to take with them after the meeting or event.
Field trips must be planned to avoid communal eating by participants.
Third parties renting college spaces may serve food inside the space they rent at this risk level, provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment. Similarly, third parties renting college spaces may set their own masking protocols for the event at this risk level, provided it does not violate any government order and provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment.
The universal masking requirement and the food protocol will be in effect until the city is at “medium” risk for three weeks and cases remain below 35 a week on campus for three weeks.
When the COVID-19 risk is medium
When the city officially designates the COVID-19 risk as “medium” and weekly COVID-19 cases on campus are below 35, masks will be required in all instructional settings* and will be optional elsewhere.
*“Instructional setting” is defined as classrooms as well as spaces where formal interactions between college employees and students take place – this includes classrooms, studios and fabrication spaces (see the full list) and off-campus indoor locations where instruction takes place—or where employees and students meet for appointments or where students drop in for support services. At the library, individuals should be masked when checking out books or meeting with staff, but can be unmasked in the book stacks, at computer stations and in the reading or study spaces.
Note that the college will go from “low” to “high” as key thresholds are met, but numbers will need to be at “medium” for three weeks before the college will go from “high” to “medium” precautions.
Individuals must be masked at all times when visiting the Student Health Center, the campus COVID-19 testing facility, or CareATC.
Classroom masking exceptions may be granted by the Office of the Provost as described above.
Food will be allowed at college events or meetings at the medium risk level under the following conditions: Plated or buffet-style food is allowed at events and meetings but must follow (and not coincide with) any presentation or program or formal meeting, and where possible should be served in a separate part of the space or different space. Consider boxed meals as an alternative so people can eat isolated from others if they wish.
Field trips should be planned to avoid communal eating by participants when possible.
Third parties renting college spaces may serve food inside the space they rent at this risk level, provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment. Similarly, third parties renting college spaces may set their own masking protocols for the event at this risk level, provided it does not violate any government order and provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment.
For the college to go from the “medium” level to the “low” level, the city must be at “low” risk for four weeks and weekly campus COVID-19 cases must be below 10 for four weeks.
When the COVID-19 risk is low
Masking will be optional across campus indoor settings when the city’s risk level is at “low” and campus COVID-19 weekly cases are below 10.
There are no restrictions on food on campus or on field trips.
To go to this level of “low” from “medium,” the city must be at “low” risk for four weeks and weekly campus COVID-19 cases must be below 10 for four weeks.
Masking may continue in some instructional settings. The college will continue to discuss with campus stakeholders possible continued masking requirements in some instructional settings at this level.
These precautions are subject to change based on the health situation and government guidance. - COVID-19 protocols for the Fall 2022 semester - August 5, 2022
Dear members of the Columbia College Chicago community,
Below are the college’s updated COVID-19 protocols for the Fall 2022 semester.
The current stage of the pandemic allows us to consider a careful relaxation of some precautions as the COVID-19 situation permits. Our plans for the fall are guided by our desire to open more campus opportunities for students where possible. These plans also were informed by consultation with health experts, as well as discussions with the leadership of the faculty senate and the unions representing staff and part-time faculty.
We are clear-eyed that the health situation may change, and that COVID-19 must still be taken very seriously. We will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 trends and continue conversations with experts and campus stakeholders.
The college will schedule information sessions in the latter part of August for the campus community to discuss these new protocols.VACCINATION AND BOOSTING
- Students are still required to be vaccinated. Students who are not vaccinated due to a college-approved exemption will have to be tested for COVID-19 on campus once a week.
- Boosters, while strongly encouraged, are not required for the general student population, but are required for students living in Columbia’s residence halls.
- Employees will no longer be required to be vaccinated or boosted, though this remains strongly encouraged. This means employees who previously had to be tested weekly will no longer be required to do so.
Voluntary surveillance testing will remain available to all members of the campus community at the CareATC testing facility at 600 S. Michigan.
MASKING
The college will peg masking precautions on campus to a combination of the city’s risk level and the COVID-19 situation on campus:- Masking will be required everywhere indoors when the COVID-19 risk is high
- Masking will be optional in non-instructional indoor settings when the COVID-19 risk is medium
- Masking will be optional across campus indoor settings when the COVID-19 risk is low (masking may continue to be required in some instructional settings)
See below for details on each level.
These precautions will be effective starting August 15, 2022. Please note that the current risk level is high. Regardless of the risk level, masking will be in effect in classrooms for the first two weeks of the semester.
Campus visitors do not need to be vaccinated, but should adhere to masking protocols in effect on campus at the time of their visit. Members of the campus community hosting visitors should continue to notify Campus Security about visitors in advance to facilitate guest access.
The college will issue an official announcement about a change from one level to another; members of the community should not deviate from protocols until an official announcement is made.
SYMPTOMS AND TESTING
Do not come to campus with symptoms without having ruled out COVID-19 with a PCR test – not a home test or another rapid antigen test.
If you are symptomatic and test negative on a rapid home test or rapid antigen test, you cannot (per CDC) rely on this result and must receive a negative PCR test result as well.- For students, the Student Health Center at 916 S. Wabash provides PCR tests with results usually within 24 hours (please call ahead to arrange for testing).
- For employees and students, the CareATC testing facility at 600 S. Michigan offers PCR tests that usually provides results within 48 hours.
- Students and employees can access PCR tests on campus even if they are symptomatic.
Note that if you are positive with a rapid test, there is no need for a PCR test (this is because rapid antigen tests have a higher rate of false negatives in symptomatic people, but rapid antigen-test positive results are more reliable in symptomatic people).
Please know that supervisors (in the case of employees) and faculty or staff (in the case of students) could ask you to leave the office or class if you are obviously symptomatic and have not had a negative PCR test.
Per the CDC, people with these symptoms may have COVID-19:- 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
DETAILS ON PRECAUTIONS AT VARIOUS COVID RISK LEVELS
When the COVID-19 risk is high
Masks will be required everywhere on campus when the city officially designates the COVID-19 risk level as “high” or if the campus is seeing more than 35 cases per week.
In consultation with departments and the faculty teaching a class, the Office of the Provost may grant masking exceptions for certain class sessions or activities. No unmasking can take place unless officially sanctioned by the Office of the Provost.
At this risk level, food and beverages at events and meetings should take the form of a boxed meal that participants may carry to a separate space during a meal break if they wish to eat isolated from others, or on a “to go” basis for participants to take with them after the meeting or event.
Field trips must be planned to avoid communal eating by participants.
Third parties renting college spaces may serve food inside the space they rent at this risk level, provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment. Similarly, third parties renting college spaces may set their own masking protocols for the event at this risk level, provided it does not violate any government order and provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment.
The universal masking requirement and the food protocol will be in effect until the city is at “medium” risk for three weeks and cases remain below 35 a week on campus for three weeks.
When the COVID-19 risk is medium
When the city officially designates the COVID-19 risk as “medium” and weekly COVID-19 cases on campus are below 35, masks will be required in all instructional settings* and will be optional elsewhere.
*“Instructional setting” is defined as classrooms as well as spaces where formal interactions between college employees and students take place – this includes classrooms, studios and fabrication spaces (see the full list) and off-campus indoor locations where instruction takes place—or where employees and students meet for appointments or where students drop in for support services. At the library, individuals should be masked when checking out books or meeting with staff, but can be unmasked in the book stacks, at computer stations and in the reading or study spaces.
Note that the college will go from “low” to “high” as key thresholds are met, but numbers will need to be at “medium” for three weeks before the college will go from “high” to “medium” precautions.
Individuals must be masked at all times when visiting the Student Health Center, the campus COVID-19 testing facility, or CareATC.
Classroom masking exceptions may be granted by the Office of the Provost as described above.
Food will be allowed at college events or meetings at the medium risk level under the following conditions: Plated or buffet-style food is allowed at events and meetings but must follow (and not coincide with) any presentation or program or formal meeting, and where possible should be served in a separate part of the space or different space. Consider boxed meals as an alternative so people can eat isolated from others if they wish.
Field trips should be planned to avoid communal eating by participants when possible.
Third parties renting college spaces may serve food inside the space they rent at this risk level, provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment. Similarly, third parties renting college spaces may set their own masking protocols for the event at this risk level, provided it does not violate any government order and provided no Columbia employees or students are mandated to attend who are not comfortable being in a mixed-masking environment.
For the college to go from the “medium” level to the “low” level, the city must be at “low” risk for four weeks and weekly campus COVID-19 cases must be below 10 for four weeks.
When the COVID-19 risk is low
Masking will be optional across campus indoor settings when the city’s risk level is at “low”and campus COVID-19 weekly cases are below 10.
There are no restrictions on food on campus or on field trips.
To go to this level of “low” from “medium,” the city must be at “low” risk for four weeks and weekly campus COVID-19 cases must be below 10 for four weeks.
Masking may continue in some instructional settings. The college will continue to discuss with campus stakeholders possible continued masking requirements in some instructional settings at this level.
These precautions are subject to change based on the health situation and government guidance.
- Face Masks on Campus - February 8, 2022
With the spring semester underway and the added safety precautions for returning to campus safely, we are reminding everyone that masks are required indoors in all college buildings regardless of vaccination status.
The college strongly encourages all individuals to follow current CDC guidance outlining the best type of mask to use and the importance of a properly fitting mask.As a reminder, a mask that fits properly should:
- Completely cover your nose and mouth
- Fit snugly against the sides of your face without any gaps
- Have a nose wire to prevent air from leaking out of the top of the mask
The college is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community. We appreciate your patience and vigilance in keeping our campus safe as we move forward through this pandemic together.
- Home COVID-19 tests now accepted for vaccinated employees - January 21, 2022
Due to the high demand for and limited access to COVID-19 testing in many parts of the country, Columbia will now accept home tests as one of the ways to satisfy the negative test requirement. The test cannot be older than 3 days before you first swipe on campus.
Everyone—even those who are fully vaccinated and boosted—is required to upload a one-time negative test.
Vaccinated employees can satisfy this requirement the following ways:- Test off-campus at a third-party testing facility and upload the result – the test cannot be older than 3 days before you first swipe on campus.
- Test at home with a any rapid test brand—the test cannot be older than three days before you first swipe on campus. (see below for instructions)
- Test on-campus at 618 S. Michigan Avenue before going to any other campus location – appointments are required (see contact information and hours). Upload of the on-campus test to Covid Navigator is still required.
*Students and employees who have access to off-site testing should consider the uploading option to avoid delays or waits on campus.
Unvaccinated employees with a college-approved testing exemption cannot use home tests as part of their regular testing regimen. Unvaccinated employees must test every two days at CareATC.
Testing Options
Home tests for vaccinated employees
Vaccinated employees can now use home testing to fulfill the following requirements:- One-time test required upon first return to campus
- The weekly test for unboosted individuals
- As notification to the college that a student is sick with COVID-19
How to upload your home test: (Click here for visual step by step examples)
- Go to COVID Navigator
- Scroll down to add test screening result
- Enter “At Home Test” in field labeled Healthcare Provider Information
- Enter your home address in place of Healthcare Provider Address
- Continue with prompts
- Submit photo (refer to below example)
Please send a single image with:
- Your negative test result indicator including the test name as printed on the test, i.e., SARS/COVID-19 test (any test brand is acceptable)
- Campus Card complete with photo and My Columbia ID number
- Date stamp cannot be older than three days before the employee’s return to campus — If a phone’s camera does not come with the date/time stamp feature, free photo apps can be added that offer that capability, such as DateStamper for iPhone or Open Camera for Android.
On-campus testing options
Free COVID-19 testing will continue to be available via CareATC at 618 S. Michigan Avenue. On-campus tests can be scheduled online via ColumbiaQ or by calling (844) 766-3775. Please refer to the website for testing hours.
Please schedule your test in advance to secure a spot that is timed to reflect a negative COVID-19 test result that is no more than 3 days old prior to entering campus for the first time after winter break. Employees should upload their test result to COVIDNavigator.
Off-campus / third-party tests
Third-party COVID-19 tests must reflect a negative result within 3-days prior to entering campus for the first time after winter break. Employees should upload their test result to COVIDNavigator.
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19:
Those with positive test results need to stay off-campus and notify the college’s contact tracing team. Employees, please inform securitycommand@colum.edu and your supervisor.
The college’s contact tracing team will advise individuals who test positive to quarantine as per the CDC’s newly recommended isolation and/or quarantine guidelines.
90 Day Testing Exemption
Any student or employee who had COVID-19 within 90 days, and reported this to the college, will be exempt from testing for 90 days from the onset of illness. (People who have COVID-19 can continue to test positive for up to 90 days after the onset of illness even though they no longer pose a risk to others.)
Those with an existing college-approved vaccination exemption do not need to upload and should continue with their regular testing regimen on campus.
REMINDER: GET BOOSTED OR GET TESTED
Those who are currently eligible for their booster and have not yet uploaded, could face a number of potential disruptions to their studies and work schedules at the beginning of the semester:- Per newly updated CDC quarantine guidelines, anyone not boosted will now need to quarantine if they are identified as a close contact to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 – boosted individuals will not need to quarantine.
- Anyone who is booster eligible and has yet to boost will need weekly testing. Given large testing volumes on campus, there may be delays and/or disruption to your ability to access campus buildings, classes, and work spaces.
The best way to avoid disruption is to receive a booster and upload evidence of it – while boosters do not prevent infection in all cases, they have been found to prevent severe illness in most people, in contrast to more severe cases overall among un-boosted people.
COVID-19 boosters are available on-campus at CareATC. Vaccine appointments can be scheduled through ColumbiaQ or by calling (844) 766-3775.
Please be aware that the booster requirement is in addition to the one-time negative test that is required to re-enter campus in January. Everyone, including those who are fully vaccinated and boosted, are required to get a negative, Rapid-antigen or PCR test that is no more than 3-days old at the time you first enter campus after the winter break. Vaccinated employees can now use a home test.
Those who are not yet eligible for a booster before January 24 will not need to test weekly. However, weekly testing is required once individuals are past their booster deadline and until such time as booster evidence is uploaded. Vaccinated students can now use a home test.- Employees boosting on-campus do not need to upload booster evidence.
- Employees boosting on-campus or off-campus need to upload to COVIDNavigator.
- Test off-campus at a third-party testing facility and upload the result – the test cannot be older than 3 days before you first swipe on campus.
- Home COVID tests now accepted for most students at Columbia – employees to follow - January 20, 2022
Home COVID-19 tests will now be accepted for vaccinated students at Columbia – but evidence of the test will be required. Unvaccinated students cannot use a home test or third-party test because their test needs to be linked to their ID, which can only happen with an on-campus test.
Acceptance of home tests by Columbia is effective immediately for students; an effective date will be announced for employees once required system changes have taken place.
Students can use the home tests to satisfy three college COVID-19 testing requirements (see the next section below for properly documenting your home test):- The one-time test required upon first return to campus – the test submitted to the college cannot be older than three days before the student’s return to campus. This option is available to all students, even those who reside in the residence halls.
- The weekly test for unboosted individuals.
- As notification to the college that a student is sick with COVID-19.
Note: Per CDC and other guidance, if you are symptomatic, you must still seek a PCR test (available through community resources or through the Student Health Center on campus) if your home test comes back negative. Any negative rapid test in a symptomatic person must be confirmed via a PCR test.
What to include in your photo:
Please send a single image with:
- Your negative test result indicator including the test name as printed on the test, i.e., SARS/COVID-19 test (any test brand is acceptable)
- Campus Card complete with photo and My Columbia ID number
- Date stamp cannot be older than three days before the student’s return to campus — If a phone’s camera does not come with the date/time stamp feature, free photo apps can be added that offer that capability, such as DateStamper for iPhone or Open Camera for Android.
If a student's at-home test is positive, students need to email securitycommand@colum.edu and email it to studenthealth@colum.edu.
How to upload your home test:- Upload the picture to MedProctor. By uploading, you are also attesting the information you provide is true and accurate.
The decision to add home testing capability was made in light of the continued difficulty to access testing in many communities, and the fact that the White House is making home tests more widely available to the public.
Other ways to test:
The following additional options are still available for testing:- Get a test at a testing center and/or pharmacy where you live and upload it. (Note: The test submitted to the college cannot be older than three days before the student’s return to campus.)
- Test on campus (available dates and times below) — this option is not available to residence hall students first returning to the residence halls; residence halls students can only use the home test or third-party test options upon first returning (they can use the campus testing center for regular testing after that if it is applicable to them):
Note: Testing appointments may not be available at all desired dates and times due to capacity constraints.
On-Campus Testing Location and Hours
618 S. Michigan Ave., 101F
Expanded Testing Hours
January 21 – February 4, 2022
Monday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.How to schedule an appointment
Schedule an appointment online through ColumbiaQ.
You may also schedule an appointment by phone at 844-766-3775 (phone line is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; leave a message on the weekends--no appointment guarantee).
- Booster Shots and Expanded Testing Hours at CareATC - January 13, 2022
CareATC will be expanding its hours for free COVID-19 testing for a two-week period during these dates and times:
Friday, January 21 - Friday, February 4
Monday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Additionally, CareATC will be offering the Moderna booster vaccine between 8 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on the following days:- January 13, 14
- January 18, 19, 20, 21
- January 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
The Moderna booster shot is approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for individuals who completed a sequence of the Pfizer, the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, as well as the Moderna vaccine.
Free COVID-19 testing and boosters are available at CareATC for Columbia students, employees, independent contractors and special guests/lecturers at the College. Note: Anyone who tests or gets a booster shot off-campus should upload their results immediately and not wait until just before they return to campus.
On-Campus Testing and Booster Vaccine Info
The on-campus site is located at 618 S. Michigan Ave. on the first floor. To schedule a COVID-19 test or to receive the booster vaccine, please call 844-766-3775 or make the appointment online via ColumbiaQ.
Anyone who tests on campus must download the NAVICA App in order to receive their test results. Abbott's NAVICA app can be accessed from the App Store or Google Play by searching NAVICA or scanning the QR code.
What Is NAVICA and how does it work?
NAVICA is an app that you can use when you get tested that allows you to view and share results from some Abbott rapid COVID-19 tests. If you’ve had a recent negative COVID-19 test result from the college’s testing site, you will receive a digital NAVICA Pass, similar to an airline boarding pass. This is what you will share with Campus Security to verify the authenticity of your recent negative COVID-19 test results.
If you do not have a smartphone, instructions on what to do will be available at the Campus Testing Facility at 618 S. Michigan Ave. - Employee Remote Work Extended through Jan. 14 - January 4, 2022
The remote work schedule for employees is being extending through January 14.
Staff and administrators not designated to be on campus for J-term will resume their normal flexible schedules the week of January 17.
This additional week of remote work will help the college reduce its footprint and help ramp up towards a larger testing volume which is expected for the beginning of the spring semester on January 24.
A negative, one-time, Rapid-antigen or PCR-test result to access campus is still required. Please adjust any existing appointments to occur within 48 hours of your first return day the week of January 17.
Self-administered at home tests will not be accepted.
There are two ways to satisfy this requirement, both include uploading results to COVID Navigator:
1. Test off campus at a third-party testing facility and upload the result – the test cannot be older than 48 hours before you swipe on campus. Please upload your results to COVID Navigator.
Employees who have access to testing off-site should consider the uploading option to avoid delays or waits as they return to campus.
2. Test on campus at 618 S. Michigan Avenue prior to first going to any other campus location – appointments are required. On-campus tests can be scheduled online via ColumbiaQ. You may also schedule an appointment by phone at 844-766-3775.
Employees who test on campus must download the NAVICA App in order to receive their test results.
Abbott's NAVICA app can be accessed from the App Store or Google Play by searching NAVICA or scanning the QR code.Once test results are obtained on NAVICA, take a screen shot and upload the image to COVID Navigator.
What Is NAVICA and how does it work?
NAVICA is an app that you can use when you get tested that allows you to view and share results from some Abbott rapid COVID-19 tests. If you’ve had a recent negative COVID-19 test result from the college’s testing site, you will receive a digital NAVICA Pass, similar to an airline boarding pass. This is what you will share with Campus Security to verify the authenticity of your recent negative COVID-19 test results.If you do not have a smartphone, instructions on what to do will be available at the Campus Testing Facility at 618 S. Michigan Ave.
If your third-party test result is positive, do not come to campus—instead, report your positive case to securitycommand@colum.edu.
The college’s contact tracing team will advise individuals who test positive to quarantine as per CDC guidance.
- Reminder: Campus Entry and Testing Procedures - September 3, 2021
Dear Student,
We are so excited to welcome you to campus! This message contains important reminders to help you prepare to enter campus buildings.
Remember, a Campus Card is required for entry to all campus-owned buildings (excluding residence halls). There are no exceptions to this, so please make sure you have your Campus Card. If you have questions regarding your Campus Card, please email columbiacentral@colum.edu.
Campus entry policy varies according to your individual situation:
If you have received all required doses of your COVID-19 vaccine and more than 14 days have lapsed since your last dose: Your Campus Card will allow you to enter all buildings on campus and no testing is required for entry.
If you have received all required doses of your COVID-19 vaccine and it is 14 or fewer days since your last dose: You must present both your Campus Card and an on-campus test that is no more than 2 days old to be admitted to campus-owned buildings (testing details below). You will be required to test until more than 14 days have lapsed since your last dose.
If you were granted a religious or medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination: you must have an on-campus test that is no more than 2 days old to be admitted to campus-owned buildings (testing details below).
If you were granted an online-only exemption: you cannot enter campus under any circumstance for the duration of the Fall 2021 semester.
If you received the first dose of your COVID-19 vaccination on or before August 24 but are not yet fully vaccinated (defined as all required doses +14 days): you may be admitted to campus-owned buildings beginning September 7 if you have an on-campus test that is no more than 2 days old (testing details below). Remember, if you have a two-dose vaccine, you must submit your completed COVID-19 vaccination card to MedProctor as soon as you receive your second dose. You will be required to test until more than 14 days have lapsed since the last required dose of your vaccine.
If you received the first does of your COVID-19 vaccination on or after August 25 and are not yet fully vaccinated (defined as all required doses +14 days): you cannot enter campus-owned buildings until the second week of classes. Beginning the second week of classes, you may be admitted to campus-owned buildings if you have an on-campus test that is no more than 2 days old (testing details below). Remember, if you have a two dose vaccine, you must submit your completed COVID-19 vaccination card to MedProctor as soon as you receive your second dose. You will be required to test until more than 14 days have lapsed since the last required dose of your vaccine. Make sure to reach out to your instructors to ensure that you do not fall behind in your courses.
COVID-19 Testing Procedures
An appointment is required for on-campus testing, so it is important that you plan in advance. Call 844-766-3775 to make your testing appointments. If you are required to test for campus building entry, your on-campus test must be no more than 2 days old on the day you are entering campus. For example, if you are entering campus on a Wednesday, your test must be from Tuesday or Wednesday of that week.
Please note: there is no on-campus testing available on Monday, September 6. This means that if you have class on Tuesday, September 7, you must have an on-campus testing appointment on Tuesday.
For reference, below are CareATC Hours for next week and regular hours going forward:
September 7 - 9
7:15 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday, September 10
8 a.m. 5 p.m.
Saturday, September 11
9 a.m. - Noon
Sunday, September 12 - CLOSED
Going forward (after Saturday, September 11):
Mondays - 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. - Noon
Sundays CLOSED
To participate in on-campus testing, you must download the NAVICA app. Once you download the NAVICAA app, you will set up a username and password for the app. Your on-campus COVID-19 test results will be provided on the app, and you will use the app to show your negative test result to the security guard along with your Campus Card for building entry.
Top 5 Topics about COVID-19 Protocols
September 3, 2021
Today, we answer the questions around the five topics we hear from the campus community the most when it comes to COVID-19 protocols. These are:
- Social distancing
- Unvaccinated people
- Eating
- Masking
- Visitors
No, because our medical consultants tell us that is not necessary given the precautions we have in place. Our experts, Dr. John Segreti from Rush University Medical Center and Dr. Emily Landon from the University of Chicago, tell us that the effectiveness of vaccination and masking allows for a relaxation of social distancing, especially because of our other COVID-19 measures (testing for the unvaccinated, reduced capacities, our air assessment work and contact tracing). Distancing is not required in either the State’s or the City’s current masking guidance.
The college has capped classroom and event-space capacities at 85 percent of the number of people allowed in normal times (capacities are lower than 85 percent in many instances). This was done so people could still socially distance if they choose especially unvaccinated individuals who should strive to socially distance when possible as an added precaution.Should I be concerned that I will be in the same space as unvaccinated people?
Our fall semester COVID-19 protocols were developed using public health guidance and in consultation with Rush University Medical Center and University of Chicago epidemiologists. As part of these protocols, unvaccinated people will be tested every other day they are campus, and will – like everyone else – be required to be masked at all times. This provides a very high level of safety, especially in the context of a campus that is nearly 97 percent vaccinated, as Columbia is (that figure translates to the fact that 98 percent of classes will have three unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals or fewer).
The experts emphatically told the college’s COVID-19 response team that the combination of masking and having a largely vaccinated campus is the most effective way to protect against COVID-19. Dr. Emily Landon from the University of Chicago told our COVID-19 response team that the combination of masking and vaccination reduces the risk to “infinitesimal.” Dr. John Segreti from Rush University Medical Center told us that the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 8 fold, and that he estimates that adding masking brings that to 20 fold.
We should all be mindful that a small number of our community members cannot be vaccinated. Columbia does not tolerate any negative treatment, recrimination, or discrimination against the unvaccinated.Eating in classrooms is not allowed. Drinking in classrooms is allowed if a mask is only removed very briefly to ingest the liquid; the mask should be replaced immediately after. No food is allowed at events and meetings.
Eating is only allowed in designated areas: private office spaces and designated eating areas. If you have an office, eat alone.
Eating a meal at one’s desk in shared work areas is not allowed. Drinking and snacking at your workstation is permitted if you remain masked when you are not actively eating or drinking. Full meals should be consumed separately in a designated eating space.- Distancing is strongly recommended when dining in designated eating spaces in the presence of others.
- Maintain six feet distance from individuals or groups seated in the same space.
- Limit the time spent eating with other people.
- Refrain from sharing food and drinking from a shared coffee pot.
- Clean the table or desk before and after eating.
- Sanitize your hands immediately before and after using shared appliances such as microwaves and refrigerators.
- Avoid contact between your water bottles and shared water dispensers.
The locations for designated eating spaces on campus can be found here.
The college is not mandating specific masks, but gaiters or masks with vents or any other type of openings are strictly not allowed. It is important – and a sign of respect and care toward others – to ensure you wear a mask that fits you properly. The mask should cover your mouth and nose at all times – if the masks frequently slides off your nose, you should find a better-fitting kind of mask to wear on campus. Per CDC, it is recommended to wear a mask that has a nose pinch so it fits snuggly on your nose, and does not have gaps where it comes in contact with your cheeks.
The college will not provide masks for students and employees who forget them, except that a limited supply of masks will be available at security for faculty who are without a mask and have an imminent class to teach. Masks can be purchased at the bookstore, ShopColumbia, or beginning September 7, at a vending machine located at the south end of the Student Center lobby.
Students who may need assistance with purchasing masks can also have access to some masks (limited supply) through the ColumbiaCares program where students can get clothing and food items, and now masks.
Taking masks off is allowed when class or a meeting is held outdoors, but only if the participants in the class or meeting are socially distanced (6 feet apart).The college welcomes all visitors (including unregistered students) to engage with the campus community. Masks are required indoors at Columbia College Chicago regardless of your vaccination status.
Student facing visitors (lecturers, artists, models, etc.) should show their host proof of vaccination or test before the start of their session. One-time approved campus visitors (coming to meetings, tours, etc.) do not need to test or show proof of vaccination.
Some events may have additional specific requirements or restrictions. Any questions may be directed to the appropriate Dean or AVP. If necessary, the Dean or AVP can seek additional guidance from their leadership and the Incident Assessment Task Force (IATF).
Contractors issued college campus ID cards are subject to vaccination and testing requirements. Other contractors may have specific requirements or restrictions. Any questions may be directed to the appropriate Dean or AVP. If necessary, the Dean or AVP can seek additional guidance from their leadership and the IATF.
For legal and privacy reasons, Columbia cannot maintain medical information about non-students and non-employees. This includes not having emails where third parties disclose their vaccination status to a person affiliated with Columbia.
Campus Events
The same aforementioned guidance will be in place for all college events with no limit on capacity. Any non-Columbia visitor attending a college event must follow all college guidelines and protocols.
Private, non-Columbia events hosted on campus, which do not involve any Columbia students or employees, are not subject to COVID-19 vaccination, masking and testing protocols, however, visitors are required to follow city and state guidance.
All outside events held on campus where Columbia students or employees are present must strictly adhere to Columbia COVID-19 protocols.
If you're part of a Columbia class at an off-site location, you're still required to comply with the college's COVID-19 safety protocols.
To learn more about the college's Fall 2021 Return to Campus Plan, visit the Back, Together Columbia website.
- Reminder: Masks Now Required on Campus Regardless of Vaccination Status - August 4, 2021
Columbia students, faculty and staff,
Cook County, home to Columbia College Chicago, reached the CDC-defined "substantial" level of COVID-19 community transmission. Accordingly, based on guidance from both the CDC and State of Illinois, masks are now required indoors at Columbia College Chicago, which went into effect on July 30. This applies regardless of your vaccination status -- please disregard any signage you may see on campus allowing some individuals to be unmasked.
"Substantial" is defined by the CDC as between 50 and 99 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous week. Cook County is now at roughly 52 cases per 100,000.
The fall semester begins on September 7; we cannot predict how long Cook County and Chicago will stay at a "substantial" level of COVID-19 transmission, and therefore it is too soon to know what the impact of the new mask requirement may be on some aspects of in-person classroom instruction this fall. We will continue to analyze guidance and pandemic numbers, coordinate with local health officials, and announce any necessary changes to our fall semester plans.
It is important to stress that we remain committed to a vibrant in-person experience at Columbia this fall, both inside and outside the classroom. A sizable majority of faculty, staff, and students have already verified their vaccination status, adding to our confidence and optimism that we can safely return this fall to the vibrant mix of in-person interactions that define the Columbia experience.
As a reminder, Columbia has put in place many precautions: requiring vaccination for students, requiring unvaccinated employees to be tested regularly, a system to track who is vaccinated, as well as continued lower classroom capacities. We are confident these measures will allow us to have a successful semester regardless of masking requirements.
Please refer to colum.edu and @columbiachi social media handles for the most up-to-date information about masking requirements, vaccine status reporting, and ways to test on campus.
Thank you for your continued cooperation in our collective efforts to prioritize the health and well-being of our campus community.
- Successful Vaccination Card Upload and Information Security - July 15, 2021
Dear Employee:
We look forward to reuniting next week and want to remind you of a few items below related to vaccination that should be checked off your “to-do list”. Reviewing and completing these items as soon as possible can help you make a smoother transition back to campus. If you have already uploaded your vaccination card but want to double check to make sure it uploaded successfully, click here.
We have also received inquiries regarding Medikeeper’s ability to keep personal information secure. MediKeeper is a premier health information management company retained by the College because it is a secure and industry certified system used to verify an employee’s vaccination status. The information management company has earned Certified status for information security by the Health Information Trust (HITRUST) Alliance which is “the most widely-adopted security framework in the U.S. healthcare industry as it meets key healthcare regulations and requirements for protecting and securing sensitive private healthcare information.” To learn more about the security of the MediKeeper wellness portal visit MediKeeper’s website.
Upload your vaccination card
If you are fully vaccinated but have not yet reported your status, log in to COVID Navigator and upload a copy of your vaccination record. You can check to see if your card was uploaded successfully here.
Note: It will take 24 hours before your vaccination status has been processed and for your card to be activated. If your card is not activated, you will not be permitted to enter campus.Student employees can find instructions for submitting their records on the Immunization website.
Note: It will take 5 business days before your vaccination status has been processed and for your card to be activated. If your card is not activated, you will not be permitted to enter campus.If you are partially vaccinated (received one of two doses) - Log in to COVID Navigator and upload a copy of only the front of your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card reflecting the date of your first vaccine. If you upload a copy of the front and back of the card you will need to delete a photo the next time you log in to update your card with the second vaccine information. Click Save and Finish Later, your vaccination status will be reflected as Incomplete until you receive your second dose.
Note: You must comply with the College’s testing requirement for unvaccinated individuals prior to your return to campus the week of July 19 and you will be required to comply with the guidelines for on-site testing every three days, until two weeks past the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, and two weeks past the J&J dose. Information for compliance with the College’s testing, including how to use the Navica app can be found here.Upon receiving the second dose, log in again and upload the updated copy of the vaccination record card reflecting the date of your second vaccine. Your status will reflect Vaccinated.
Note: It will take 24 hours before your vaccination status has been processed and for your card to be activated. If your card is not activated, you will not be permitted to enter campus.
- COVID-19 Testing Available this Week - February 1, 2021
Free COVID-19 testing is available by appointment only at the College's testing sites this week.
The hours of operations this week are:
Monday – Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.Thursday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The testing sites are located at 618 S. Michigan Ave., 101F and 1312 S. Michigan Ave., 1st floor.To make an appointment, please call 844-766-3775 (phone line is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.). Based on availability, the schedulers will attempt to make your appointment at your preferred location.
Testing for Symptomatic Students
Students who are symptomatic should call the Student Health Center at 312-369-6830 for assistance. After screening by phone or telehealth visit, COVID-19 testing will be available by appointment for symptomatic students at 916 S. Wabash Ave, 5th floor. The Student Health Center offers COVID-19 testing to students who meet the criteria. Please visit the Student Health Center website for more information.
Who can be tested?
Testing is limited to one test per week and is reserved for asymptomatic individuals who fall into one of the following categories:
- Students living in the residence halls
- Employees working on campus for at least part of the week
- Students taking in-person and/or hybrid classes
- Students and employees coming to campus for other reasons
For additional information about the College’s testing requirements, visit the Spring Testing Requirements website.
- COVID-19 Vaccinations - January 21, 2021
(Announcement sent to faculty and staff)
Hello,
As the State of Illinois’ and the City of Chicago’s COVID-19 immunization plans come into sharper focus, we are writing to update you about plans to vaccinate members of the Columbia community.
Our goal is to provide vaccines to our employees and students who wish to receive them, adhering to the priority groups designated by government health officials. Getting the vaccine is voluntary. More information about the vaccine is available here.
The college will be a vaccination site for its employees and, when the time comes, students. There is no cost to members of the Columbia community to receive the vaccine. Vaccinations will be handled by our partner CareATC. The college will not be able to procure doses directly; we will receive doses from the State and/or City. There is no obligation to get vaccinated at Columbia. Employees who want to be vaccinated elsewhere can do so.
We will be communicating with employees eligible for the vaccine under each phase. The college will be sending a confidential survey to help determine how much vaccine to apply for and help guide our planning for vaccination efforts on campus. The step of taking a survey is a recommendation of both health officials and our partners at Rush University Medical Center.
Phasing of employee vaccinations
Vaccinations are currently in what officials call Phase 1A, reserved for health care personnel and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Immunizations of employees in Columbia’s Student Health Center have begun.
Phase 1B is getting started next week. Per the State and City, Phase 1B includes our security personnel and all employees age 65 and over. We have had several meetings with health officials, and they have no projected dates for when these immunizations will take place.
While the federal government released guidelines under which “education” was included in Phase 1B, it was left to state and local officials to define who was included. The State of Illinois and City of Chicago decided to include K-12 education in Phase 1B. Higher education is included in Phase 1C, which we have been told would likely begin later this spring or this summer.
Because we have faculty and staff working in person with students now, we have renewed our requests made in 2020 that they be included in Phase 1B, a step that several states, including some of our neighbors, already have taken.
Phasing of student vaccinations
Under the City’s and State’s plan, students with health conditions making them more susceptible to COVID-19 will be eligible for the vaccine in Phase 1C. Other students will be eligible under phase 2. There is no available information as to when these phases will begin.
Requirements for two-step vaccination
Two doses of the vaccine will be required. It is likely that the Moderna vaccine will be used, which requires two doses, 28 days apart. If you choose to get vaccinated through the college, you must take both doses on campus. You cannot finish the process with another provider, and the college will not be administering second round vaccines to anyone who received their first dose via another provider.
Persons wanting to get immunized on campus should plan on being able to access campus for both doses. If a person will not be in the Chicago area 28 days after their first dose, they should not begin the immunization process at Columbia, and should instead make plans to be vaccinated in a locale where they will be available for both doses. This may apply to some employees and students if we receive doses to administer close to the end of the semester, and may apply to students and employees who may leave the Chicago area less than 28 days after they would receive their first dose. We will share more information on this as it becomes available.
Vaccination planning survey
You will be receiving a separate email containing a brief survey which is designed to determine the percentage of Columbia employees interested in receiving the vaccine on campus. Students will be surveyed at a later date. The email will be sent from the office of Institutional Effectiveness with the subject line, “COVID-19 Vaccination Survey.”Ron Sodini
Associate Vice President of Security
Co-Chair, Incident Assessment Task ForceLaurent Pernot
Chief of Staff
Co-Chair, Incident Assessment Task ForceADDENDUM
Below is an overview of phases provided by the City of Chicago, which is identical to the State’s phasing plan.
NOTE: Both the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois are defining “education” under Phase 1B as K-12 employees; higher education employees who are not 65 years old or more, and those not involved in security, are not included in Phase B. They are instead included in Phase 1C. Students with underlying conditions are included in Phase 1C. Other students are in Phase 2.
- Reminder of Campus Safety Procedures
September 18, 2020
Dear campus community,
We are very excited to be opening for in-person instruction Monday, September 21. As a reminder, before entering campus buildings, you are required to complete the campus training, quiz, and attestation and the Daily Pre-Check.
Training, Quiz, and Attestation
To complete the training, quiz, and attestation:- Go to: https://training.knowbe4.com/login and log in using your credentials.
- Navigate to the upper right corner and click on “My Training”.
- You will need to click on the Attestation and Quiz by clicking review.
- When you click on the Attestation, you will need to click Accept and Submit to complete the training.
- When you have passed the quiz, you can close out the window.
If you require any further assistance, email Technology Services at ts@colum.edu.
Daily Pre-Check
Visit colum.edu/precheck or scan the code below to complete the screening on your mobile device.
Face Coverings
Columbia requires everyone on college property to wear a face covering, including at all times in classrooms, shared workspaces, or common areas. Persons without a face covering will not be allowed to enter campus buildings. Bandanas, neck gaiters, knitted masks, and exhalation vent masks are not permitted on campus.
Have you received your two free masks?
Columbia Face Covering Distribution
916 S. Wabash, South Door
Students: Please show your Campus Card to receive two free reusable face coverings from Columbia.
Faculty and Staff: Two free reusable face coverings were mailed to your address on file with Columbia. If you did not receive your face coverings, you can stop by face covering distribution with your Campus Card to pick them up.
For additional information about the campus reopening, visit colum.edu/reopening.
- Welcome to the Start of the Fall Semester
September 8, 2020
To the Columbia College Chicago community:
The beginning of a new academic year is an occasion for celebration as our incoming students begin their academic and creative journeys and as we embark together on another year of discovery. This year is no exception, and I hope that you share my sense of excitement about the possibilities of what lies ahead.
That said, we are starting this particular semester in a climate of uncertainty that would have been unimaginable just one year ago.
We are experiencing a global pandemic -- the greatest public health challenge any of us have faced in our time. To be responsible in the face of our new COVID-19 realities, we have had to rethink the ways in which we interact, work, and celebrate with one another. For now, spontaneous, casual interaction has been replaced by carefully planned, choreographed encounters, a test of our patience and our adaptability.
Following George Floyd’s brutal killing in May, we have experienced a summer of turmoil; across the country and indeed the world, protesters continue to demand social and racial justice, a reckoning with the history of police brutality against Black people and communities of color, and an undoing of the crushing legacy of structural racism that lies at the heart of our country’s history.
In the lead-up to this year’s national elections, we continue to witness the extreme polarization and division that has become our political reality, accompanied by an ugly rhetoric of hate and fear and even sporadic episodes of violent confrontation, as individuals become more deeply entrenched in their political allegiances.
At such a time, I believe we must look to our commonly held values for guidance, clarity, and strength.
As a college for creatives, Columbia College Chicago understands that a vibrant educational community requires a multiplicity of creative practices and voices. Such diversity is antithetical to any hierarchical privileging of experiences, perspectives, value systems, narratives, or histories based on false assumptions of cultural or racial superiority. While we may witness and experience hatred of the Other in the world around us, our collective and individual response must continue to be, “Not at Columbia.”
We also know that in order to achieve their full potential, our students must develop an authentic awareness of who they are and how they define themselves in relation to the world. As I have said on many occasions, this is difficult work: it requires them to constantly challenge and question their assumptions and to engage deeply with other individual and communal identities and expressions of self with which they may be unfamiliar. Only then, however, will they be truly able to realize the promise of a creative education that is intended to prepare them, in the words of our mission statement, to “author the culture of their times.”
In 2014, we placed our commitment to valuing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the core of our strategic plan. Since then, we have made significant progress in advancing this commitment. Seventy percent of our faculty and staff have attended Undoing Racism workshops led by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond as a basis for a college-wide discussion of racism. We have put DEI at the center of revised faculty recruiting and hiring practices, successfully recruited more students of color, allocated more resources to students in need, expanded the Columbia Core curriculum to highlight DEI issues, and built a staff and committee infrastructure to support this work. Still, there is still much to be done and many have asked: What’s next and how can I be a part of it?
Today, I am pleased to announce two new initiatives which I believe will advance our college’s purpose at this critical moment in our history.- Over the summer, twenty-four faculty, staff, and administrators, led by Rocky Monroe and Folayemi Wilson, co-directors of academic diversity, equity, and inclusion, worked with staff from Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training (CROAR) to develop a plan for moving the college towards our goal of becoming an anti-racist institution. I have formally approved the plan and Rocky, Folayemi, and members of the planning group will announce it shortly, providing further context for what we mean by anti-racist and how we define the work necessary for the college to become an anti-racist institution.
- To convene the college around our collective efforts to connect creative practice to a commitment to social justice, I have asked Provost Marcella David to design and implement a college-wide initiative that will allow students, faculty, and staff to actively explore social justice issues. While she will also be making an announcement soon, I know that she has been envisioning curriculum, special events and exhibitions, student and faculty work, guest speakers, and symposia as possible vehicles for this initiative. I have also asked her to work with Sharon Wilson-Taylor, Vice President for Student Affairs, to assess where the college needs to invest new resources to support the success of students who begin their college experience at heightened risk of not persisting to graduation.
At Columbia, we affirm that Black Lives Matter. As a community, we denounce all systems of oppression and inequity. Now is the time for our college to publicly declare its values and to join those voices calling for a more just, equitable future. This social justice initiative will seek to provide our college community with this much-needed opportunity.
Facing a challenging year together, let us remember that embracing uncertainty and ambiguity is who we are and what we do as creatives. If there were ever a time to be bold, surely it is now. When are we likely to have a better opportunity to test ourselves as creatives and to truly participate in shaping what’s next?
Let us also take heart that we are members of a caring, supportive community. I ask that we each fully accept the challenge of taking responsibility, not just for ourselves but for each other. That is how we will guarantee our success.
Welcome to the first day of the fall semester. Here’s to a great year!Sincerely,
Kwang-Wu Kim
President and CEO - Message to Faculty and Staff
August 10, 2020
Friends, we are a week away from the All Campus Meeting, the official kickoff to the fall semester. I write today to share important updates to the schedule and the beginning of the fall semester.
The Fall Schedule: Last week I provided the opportunity for chairs to update the fall schedule to make changes in light of current conditions, best pedagogical practices, our commitment to re-opening our campus for creative practice, the need to provide balanced options for our students, and faculty teaching requests.
Those schedule changes are now being input, and we are inviting our students to review their schedules and make adjustments. The additional schedule changes mean that we will continue to be able to offer a programming mix for our students, combining WEB, hybrid, and face-to-face learning opportunities. We will continue to offer a significant number of classes with on-campus components. Importantly, we are confident that the expected attendance in our on-campus classes will allow us to operate safely, and provide rich access to creative spaces, study and workstations, and our library resources.
Students will understandably appreciate more details about what to expect this fall. At this moment, I encourage faculty to reach out to students, to share with them specific details about how your course will operate whether the format is WEB, hybrid or fully face-to-face. Please connect with your chairs about suggested content or connect with Academic Technology if you need any assistance.
Shift in Timing: Our dedicated Residence Life staff have been working tirelessly to plan to safely welcome students to our residence halls this fall. We have reduced the occupancy of our suites so that every student will have a private bedroom and extended and streamlined move-in to reduce contact. Guest access will be limited, and students will be expected to maintain social distancing protocols when in public spaces of the residence halls.
The City of Chicago has established a quarantine protocol for those traveling to Chicago from identified states experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections. Under that protocol, students from affected states are able to isolate at home before coming to Chicago; in addition, we are inviting them to sign up for move-in slots beginning a week earlier than typical, to facilitate their transition.
In order to allow all our students, whether living in off-campus housing or in our residence halls, the time to comply with the City quarantine protocol, all classes will be taught online only for the first two weeks of the semester, with hybrid and face-to-face classes starting on-campus components beginning September 21. Student access to campus will be limited until September 21.
I believe this phased start will enable us all to settle in, create new rhythms and patterns, and get our semester off to a successful start.
Thank you all for your continued nimbility – ability to be nimble – as we safely navigate the next steps together.
Sincerely,
Marcella David
Senior Vice President and Provost - Important Information for International Students
July 9, 2020
Earlier this week the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that international students will not be allowed to be or stay in the country if they are solely taking courses online this fall. International students must take a mix of face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses to comply with the new regulation; those students who fail to comply with this guidance may face deportation. We are currently assessing how this new regulation impacts our international students, and contacting students to confirm their schedules, update their schedules as necessary, and update their immigration documentation. If you are an international student and have immediate questions, please reach out to our International Student and Scholar Services.
Columbia values our international students and we are committed to supporting them wherever they are. We have online options for students who are unable to get to Chicago, and we will offer face-to-face courses for as long as it is allowed by the city and the state.
Importantly, we support ongoing efforts to reverse the new regulations and restore the full range of options allowing international students visiting this country to chart the current educational environment on their own terms, according to their individual health concerns and scholarly interests. Their planning should not depend upon circumstances beyond their control: the varying programmatic choices made by educational institutions to respond to the evolving pandemic.
Columbia College is coordinating with our state and national educational associations advocating for reversal of this rule. We are closely monitoring legal actions being pursued to stop the implementation of the new rule. We encourage community members to also consider contacting their Congressional representatives to urge them to act.
In the meantime, we will meet this new challenge as we always do: with creative solutions that reflect our compassion for our students and dedication to our mission.Sincerely,
Marcella David
Senior Vice President and Provost - 2020-21 Academic Year Tuition Update
July 2, 2020
To Columbia College Chicago students and their families:
I am pleased to announce that the Columbia College Chicago Board of Trustees has approved lowering tuition for the 2020-21 academic year back to its 2019-20 level. The trustees took this action in recognition of the fact that students and their families are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying economic downturn. Your financial aid package for 2020-21 will be unaffected by this change, which applies to undergraduate and graduate tuition.
Please note that it may take a couple of weeks to adjust student accounts and update the information that is published on the MyColumbia portal. Your next e-bill will reflect the new 2020-21 tuition rate.
In a related matter, the Chicago Transit Authority has made participation in the Ventra U-Pass program optional for the fall 2020 semester. Columbia Central will remove the automatic $153 U-Pass charge for fall 2020 from eligible full-time students’ accounts and will issue instructions to those students about how to enroll in the program if they wish.
Columbia’s buildings have re-opened on a limited basis, the first step in a phased process that will culminate when you are welcomed on campus in the fall - with everyone wearing a face covering and maintaining social distancing, of course. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to review and become familiar with the college’s re-opening plans and to complete the Together, Columbia campus re-opening training that is now required of all members of the Columbia community before they enter the campus for the first time. (You should have received a link to the training module via your Columbia email account.)
I wish you a safe and healthy summer and I look forward to seeing you in the fall.Sincerely,
Kwang-Wu Kim
President and CEO - Required Daily Pre-Check Before Entering Campus
June 25, 2020
Dear Campus Community,
Before entering campus, you must certify daily that you are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. For reference, here's the flyer you will see on campus with instructions, and for convenience, instructions are provided below.
You can complete the Building Access Pre-Check questionnaire via the College’s website, mobile app, or QR code.
You can also stand in line to complete the questionnaire upon arrival, but we strongly encourage you to Pre-Check. This will help to eliminate long waits in lines.
Pre-Check Made Easy- From your home computer: Simply complete the Building Access Pre-Check on your home computer, print a copy of the page indicating you are cleared to enter campus buildings and bring it with you to show to Campus Security.
- Using a mobile device: After completing the pre-check, take a screen shot of the page indicating you are cleared to enter campus buildings and show it to Campus Security.
As a reminder, if you have any COVID-19 related symptoms:- Do not come to campus.
- If you are a student, call the Student Health Center or your personal health care provider and notify Campus Security and Student Relations.
- If you are an employee, call CareATC or your personal health care provider.
Columbia College Chicago
