Spring 2022 Reopening / Campus Access Plan

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This document is John Jay’s COVID-19 Safety Plan. This plan is subject to change.

We have an on-campus population that includes people who have received booster shots, people who are fully vaccinated but not yet boostered, and people who are not fully vaccinated. We aim to serve all members of the community; to protect their health, safety and well-being; and to advance our values, vision, and each goal of our Strategic Plan.

This revised plan includes higher rates of in-person instruction, managed access to workspaces for faculty and staff (up to 70% occupancy starting Feb. 25, 2022), increased access to campus workspaces for students, and increased access to on-site support services. We aim to increase in-person instruction toward 70% of in-person classes. We aim to maintain staffing levels on campus at 50% at the start of Spring 2022, and to increase that level to 70% after February 25, 2022.

Governance

In January 2022, President Mason created a Spring 2022 Reopening/Campus Access Committee (Chaired by Provost Li and VP & COO Mark Flower) to coordinate planning and oversee major implementation decisions for on-campus presence in Spring 2022. This Committee included individuals (most of whom served on previous reopening committees since 2020) with authority over facilities, public safety, the academic program, faculty governance, unions, human resources and environmental health and safety. That Committee approved this plan on January 21, 2022.[1]

Process for Reporting and Evaluating Concerns

We have an anonymous online system for reporting unsafe conditions or any violation of this plan. This system is monitored by the Campus Coronavirus Coordinator, with staff designated to route complaints appropriately. Complaints about insufficient resources, such as empty sanitizing stations or missing signage are routed to and addressed within 48 hours by Facilities. Complaints about individuals violating this safety plan are routed to the supervising VP for staff, the Provost for faculty, and the Dean of Students for students. Complaints that call into question the College’s compliance with this plan are immediately routed to the President.

Campus Access

Definition

1. “Fully vaccinated” means at least two weeks have passed since you received your single Johnson & Johnson shot, or since you received the second of your Pfizer or Moderna shots. 

   If you received a different vaccine, contact Malaine Clarke at maclarke@jjay.cuny.edu (for students) or Human Resources at ashkhr@jjay.cuny.edu (for faculty and staff) to find out if you are “fully vaccinated.”

 

Campus Access for Faculty and Staff

• You may come to campus if either (i) you are fully vaccinated, have uploaded your proof in CUNYfirst, and have had that proof approved; or (ii) you have received a negative PCR test from a CUNY testing site in the past seven days.
• Instructions for faculty and staff to upload proof of vaccination can be found here. All faculty and staff who have provided proof of vaccination, and whose proof is approved, can swipe their ID cards for access at any John Jay campus entry point.
• Fully remote work agreements can be requested and will be considered, though approval is not guaranteed. These requests should be submitted to Human Resources.

 

Campus Access for Students

• You may come to campus if either (i) you are fully vaccinated, have uploaded your proof in CUNYfirst, and have had that proof approved; or (ii) you have received a negative PCR test from a CUNY testing site in the past seven days and you have an approved medical exemption or religious exception.
• If you do not meet the criteria above, you may not enroll in an in-person or hybrid class, nor may you use any of the campus facilities (like the library or athletic facilities).
• Instructions for students to upload proof of vaccination can be found here. All students who have provided proof of vaccination, and whose proof is approved, can swipe their ID cards for access at any John Jay campus entry point.

 

Campus Access for Visitors

• Every visitor, whether accessing indoor or outdoor spaces, must provide proof that they (i) are fully vaccinated or (ii) have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab no more than 7 days prior to the visit.
• Visitors can upload their proof here: https://doitapps2.jjay.cuny.edu/COVIDDocsUpload/
• Visitors must comply with all other University, government, or campus policies regarding COVID-19, including any masking and distancing requirements and any isolation or quarantine rules.

 

Upcoming Vaccine Mandates

In addition to the student vaccine mandate that is already in place, two mandates, new in early 2022, are being implemented. First, students enrolled in any in-person or hybrid class must get the COVID-19 booster shot when they become eligible. Failure to get the booster and upload proof may result in inability to register for summer or fall classes. Second, all full- and part-time faculty, all non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, NTAs, CLTs and those in the HEO series), and personnel in the Executive Compensation Plan, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to remain employed by the University. Some exceptions may apply, and implementation details are being finalized.

Public Health and Safety Considerations

Face masks

John Jay encourages the use of high-quality masks, like N95 or KN-95 masks. Public Safety along with Facilities will try to maintain a supply of KN-95 masks and offer them to anyone who comes to campus wearing a cloth mask.

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must:

• Wear a face mask when inside any CUNY building.
• Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others (for example, while attending a CUNY gathering or sporting event). 

 

The only exceptions to wearing a mask inside are:

• If a fully vaccinated person is alone in an enclosed space such as an office, conference room, or dorm room. This exception DOES NOT APPLY to anyone who is not yet fully vaccinated.
• Briefly while eating or drinking, provided physical distancing is maintained.

 

Physical Distancing

Physical distancing means keeping space of at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) between yourself and others. Physical distancing is not required for classroom and educational settings, except that people who are not fully vaccinated must practice physical distancing. Physical distancing where possible, even where not required, is strongly encouraged.

Food Services

The cafeteria is open. There are no self-service operations—food is served by the cafeteria staff. Buffet style food service is not available. Food at meetings is only allowed where physical distancing can occur, and only in prepacked, individual servings. Physical distancing is required while eating.

Classrooms, Science Labs, Research and Study Spaces.

The use of shared workstations and/or laboratory equipment will be limited to the extent practicable. Shared workstations or equipment will be cleaned and disinfected by the user after each use with disinfecting wipes provided by Facilities.

Elevator and Small Space Usage.

Signs are posted in elevators noting the maximum number of occupants. Signs are posted in elevator waiting areas noting density limits and encouraging the use of stairs and escalators. Signs are posted on stairwells to encourage physical distancing and minimize two-way traffic.

Signs are posted on bathroom doors to indicate occupancy restrictions. Single occupancy restrooms continue to operate as such.

Signage

Signs are posted throughout campus, consistent with CDC COVID-19 signage, to remind people to:

• Wear a mask while on campus
• Maintain physical distancing
• Report symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19, and how they should do so
• Follow hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection guidelines
• Follow appropriate respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette 

 

Ventilation

John Jay continues following CDC guidelines on air quality and ventilation.

• We have increased the amount of outside air to reduce the amount of air recirculation.
• Where the HVAC fan operation can be controlled at the thermostat, we have set the fan to the “on” position instead of “auto.”
• We have improved our air filtration by installing MERV 13 or greater filters.
• We have installed portable high-efficiency air purification fan/filtration systems to enhance air cleaning in classrooms.
• We have installed portable high-efficiency air purification fan/filtration systems to enhance air cleaning in office spaces that have been identified to have poor air circulation.
• We have extended the run times of HVAC systems before and after the building is occupied.

 

Hand Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfecting

Touch-free hand-sanitizer dispensers containing at least 60% alcohol are installed throughout campus, including at entrances, exits, and elevators. Signage is placed near hand sanitizer dispensers indicating that visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and water because hand sanitizer is not effective on visibly soiled hands. Restrooms include sinks with running warm water, disposable paper towels, and a lined garbage can.

Disinfecting wipes are placed throughout campus for use on shared objects, such as equipment, machinery, materials, and vehicles, as well as shared surfaces, such as touchscreens. When such objects must be shared, individuals must wipe down the surfaces before use. Disinfecting wipes will also be available in classrooms and for use in office spaces. Requests for refills can be made here: https://doitapps2.jjay.cuny.edu/COVIDComplaint/

Rigorous cleaning and disinfection will be conducted by Facilities on a regular basis, with more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk areas used by many individuals and for frequently touched surfaces. Logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection will be maintained for common areas and individual classroom and laboratory spaces. Facilities uses disinfectants on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s list of products identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as effective against COVID-19. Facilities follows CDC and NYDOH recommendations. All full-time custodial staff have completed the New York State COVID-19 training. PPE has been secured for staff use and issued accordingly. The College’s cleaning equipment has been and continues to be maintained and available for use.

Please see Table 1 below for cleaning schedule.

Table 1.  Campus Cleaning Schedule

CLEANING SCHEDULE
Science Labs Cleaning Schedule:
	Monday through Saturday, general cleaning will be done on a daily basis. This will be supplemented by individual users’ cleaning of materials they touched, using cleaning supplies provided by the College.
Study Areas and Library Cleaning Schedule:
	General cleaning will be done on a daily basis.
	Sanitizing wipe canisters will be installed in a secure dispenser in designated public spaces of these areas. This will allow individual users to supplement by cleaning their own workspaces before/after use.
L2 Computer Labs Cleaning Schedule:
	General cleaning will be done on a daily basis.
	Sanitizing wipe canisters will be installed in a secure dispenser in designated public spaces of these areas. This will allow individual users to supplement by cleaning their own workspaces before/after use.
Entrances & Common Areas Schedule:
	General cleaning will be done on a daily basis.
Restroom Cleaning Schedule:
	Monday through Saturday, all actively used restrooms will be disinfected/cleaned by assigned custodians and maintained at a minimum of 4x times per day.
Classrooms
	General cleaning will be done on a daily basis.
	Sanitizing surface wipe canisters will be installed in a secure dispenser in each classroom. This will allow individual users to supplement by cleaning their own workspaces before/after use.
Office Areas
	Routine cleaning such as the emptying of garbage cans, vacuuming, dusting will be done on a normal routine basis. Office desks will be the responsibility of the occupant to clean.
	Sanitizing wipe canisters will be installed in a secure dispenser throughout office areas. This will allow individual users to supplement by cleaning their own workspaces.

 

Additional cleaning supplies will be distributed to various departments to assist in overall cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning and disinfection supplies (i.e., single-use disinfecting wipes; spray surface cleaners) will be provided for regular cleaning of shared and frequently touched surfaces. Employees are encouraged to use these supplies following the manufacturer’s instructions before and after contact with these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.

If cleaning or disinfection products or the act of cleaning and disinfecting causes safety hazards or degrades the material or machinery, individuals using such objects will be required to wear gloves, the number of individuals using the object will be limited, and hand hygiene stations will be placed nearby.

Where someone with COVID-19 has accessed campus, Public Safety will notify Facilities of affected areas, which will be closed off, cleaned and disinfected. Additional cleaning and disinfection will include, at minimum, all heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g. lab tables, elevators, facility entrances, badge scanners, turnstiles, restroom handrails, equipment, door handles).

Campus Research

Researchers wishing to conduct on-campus research should check with their chairs. Any research—on-campus or off—involving in-person activities with human subjects must be cleared with the Office for the Advancement of Research. 

Contact Tracing

State and local health departments will be notified of any John Jay affiliate or visitor who has accessed campus and tests positive for COVID. Notification will be carried out by Public Safety or Student Health Services. The College will cooperate with contact tracing as required.

If you test positive or develop COVID symptoms, and you accessed campus within four days of your positive test or the start of your symptoms, you must contact Campus Liaisons Malaine Clarke maclarke@jjay.cuny.edu or Diego Redondo dredondo@jjay.cuny.edu.

CUNY will continue to aid in the identification of exposures and will notify close campus contacts as appropriate (without identifying the COVID-positive individual). You are a close contact if you were within 6 feet for 10 minutes or more, or if you shared a classroom space during an in-person class.

If you have come into close contact off-campus, with a person with COVID-19, you must contact Malaine Clarke maclarke@jjay.cuny.edu or Diego Redondo dredondo@jjay.cuny.edu.

Isolation and Quarantine Procedures

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

• Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

 

Definitions

1. As defined earlier, “fully vaccinated” means at least two weeks have passed since you received your single Johnson & Johnson shot, or since you received the second of your Pfizer or Moderna shots.

   Again, if you received a different vaccine, contact Malaine Clarke at maclarke@jjay.cuny.edu (for students) or Human Resources at ashkhr@jjay.cuny.edu (for faculty and staff) to find out if you are “fully vaccinated.”
    

2. “Up to date on COVID vaccinations” means you have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.
3. Day 0: the day of your exposure to someone who had COVID-19.
4. Day 1: the first full day after your last contact with a person who had COVID-19.

 

Quarantine Requirements for Those Exposed to COVID-19

There are three different scenarios, depending on whether: (i) you are not up to date on COVID vaccinations; (ii) you are up to date on COVID vaccinations; or (iii) you had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (tested positive using a viral test). 

 

If you are exposed to COVID-19 and are NOT up to date on COVID vaccinations:

FIRST STEPS	NEXT STEPS	PRECAUTIONS UNTIL DAY 10
Stay home and quarantine for at least 5 full days. Wear a well-fitted mask if you must be around others in your home. Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested, using the PCR test at one of 20 CUNY testing sites, at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.	Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitted mask around others.	Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are at high risk

 

If you are exposed to COVID-19 and are up to date on COVID vaccinations:

FIRST STEPS	NEXT STEPS	PRECAUTIONS UNTIL DAY 10
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms. Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested, using the PCR test at one of 20 CUNY testing sites, at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.	Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitted mask around others.	Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are at high risk

 

If you are exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (tested positive using a viral test):

FIRST STEPS	NEXT STEPS	PRECAUTIONS UNTIL DAY 10
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.	Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitted mask around others.	Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are at high risk

 

Isolation Requirements for Those Who Test Positive for COVID-19

When you are in isolation, you should, to the extent possible: wear a well-fitting mask when you need to be around other people; stay in a separate room from other household members; use a separate bathroom; take steps to improve ventilation at home; avoid contact with other members of the household and pets; avoid sharing personal household items like cups, towels, and utensils.

Isolation rules are the same for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

FIRST STEPS	NEXT STEPS	PRECAUTIONS UNTIL DAY 10
Stay home for 5 days and isolate from others in your home. Wear a well-fitted mask if you must be around others in your home.	If you were severely ill with COVID-19. You should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation if you were not severely ill but you did have symptoms. End isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving. Ending isolation if you did NOT have symptoms. End isolation after at least 5 full days after your positive test.	Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are at high risk

 

Although isolation may end before day 10, if you want to return to campus before day 10, you must test negative (preferably with an antigen test) on day 4 or later. If your test result is positive, you must continue to isolate until day 10.

 

COVID Testing

• Student athletes must test on a weekly basis.
• Weekly testing will continue for faculty, staff, and students who do not have approved proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst.
• Random testing will increase to 20% of the vaccinated on-campus population. Participation in the random surveillance testing is mandatory and failure to participate may result in loss of access to CUNY spaces. This testing must be done at one of the 20 CUNY testing sites.
• Negative tests required to return to campus will continue to be accepted from CUNY testing sites or non-CUNY testing providers.

Communication

This Safety Plan will be posted on the John Jay College website https://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/coronavirus-updates/. Information about campus access, physical distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning will be communicated to the John Jay community via email and the John Jay website. FAQs have been posted on the campus website and are updated as needed. Individuals will be reminded verbally and by signs about physical distancing, the use of face coverings, and other considerations.

Emergency contact will be conducted through the CUNY Alert system and information posted on the John Jay homepage and coronavirus-updates pages. John Jay will use the following communication means to reach each stakeholder group:

• Administrators, department leaders, faculty, staff: email, virtual forums/town halls
• Students and parents: email, texting, social media, virtual forums/town halls, website/hotline
• Alumni: email, website/hotline
• Local community: email, social media 

 

Considerations for Campus Closure or Scale Back

Although it is no longer a New York State requirement, CUNY will continue to monitor campus infection rates. In addition, CUNY and campuses will continue to monitor community spread via the CUNY Safety Tracker. The Reopening/Campus Access Committee is responsible for monitoring health conditions and, if appropriate, recommending any scale back or shut down. CUNY Central Office will consult with campus leadership to determine the best course of action for scaling back campus activity. Final decisions on shutting down particular buildings within campuses, individual campuses, or multiple campuses, will be made by the Chancellery/COO’s Office in consultation with local/State authorities. Additionally, if the Board of Trustees calls for partial or full closure, the College will activate our plans. Closure decisions will be widely and rapidly communicated to the JJ community.