Administrative Policies

AD101 COVID-19

Policy Status: 

Active

Subject Matter Expert: 

Kelly Wolgast, kaw466@psu.edu

Policy Steward: 

Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff

Contents

PURPOSE

To establish and define the University’s requirements and expectations with respect to masking, social distancing, surveillance testing, contact tracing, gatherings and other measures intended to reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus within the University community.

SCOPE

This policy is applicable to all employees and students on and visitors to all University campuses. This policy does not apply to Penn College of Technology or to Penn State Health and its subsidiaries, each of which has its own applicable policies. Employees and students of, and visitors to the Penn State College of Medicine may also be required to abide by policies and practices mandated by Penn State Health. 

POLICY

  1. Definitions.  For purposes of this Policy, the following defined terms shall have the meanings set forth below.
    1. "Face Covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is wrapped around the lower face. Additional specific requirements with respect to Face Coverings is available at Environmental Health and Safety's Face Covering Guidance.
    2. “Non-instructional gatherings” do not include co-curricular or extracurricular instructional or educational activities designed for student participation if such gatherings are in compliance with the other elements of this Policy and are approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee.
    3. “Physical Distance” means keeping a six-foot distance between yourself and other people who are not from your household at all times when feasible in offices, classrooms, laboratories, hallways, restrooms, common areas, and outdoor spaces. 
  2. Vaccination. Employees are currently strongly encouraged to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccination and provide that data to the University. Additional information may be found at https://virusinfo.psu.edu/vaccine-information.
  3. Masking. The University strongly recommends face masks be worn indoors on campuses in counties designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to have high COVID-19 Community Levels. Even on campuses in counties with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, the University encourages anyone who wishes to wear mask indoors on these campuses to continue to do so.
    1. Specific exceptations for masking are noted in the Exceptions and Exemptions section below.
  4. Physical Distance.  Physical distancing is no longer required inside most Penn State buildings or outside on campus property.  All designated health care facilities will retain physical distancing requirements.
  5. Testing.  All employees and students must submit to COVID-19 testing if requested to do so by the University. When Penn State determines that it is in the best interests of public health or safety, Penn State may disclose the results of an individual’s COVID-19 test and vaccine status to individuals involved in the University’s COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts and to public health officials, as more fully described in the University’s Privacy Policy, AD53. Additional testing requirements are found in https://virusinfo.psu.edu/testing-support/.
  6. Contact Tracing.  All employees and students must fully and candidly cooperate in contact tracing, when called upon to do so by the University. Additional contact tracing requirements are found in https://virusinfo.psu.edu/contact-tracing/.
  7. Gatherings. Gatherings are permitted at normal building capacity limits and normal outdoor venue capacity limits.  Large group gatherings will follow the guidance found in https://virusinfo.psu.edu/campus-visitors-meetings-and-events-and-tours/#meetingseventsgatherings.  
  8. University Sponsored Travel.  All employees must comply with University requirements with respect to University sponsored travel, as set forth in the document attached at https://virusinfo.psu.edu/travel-guidelines/.
  9. Application.  This Policy shall become effective immediately and shall remain in effect until further notice. 

EXCEPTIONS AND EXEMPTIONS

  1. The use of Face Coverings should not create an unsafe condition for an employee when operating equipment, executing a task, or by restricting their ability to breathe while working. Employees should notify their supervisor and/or Safety Officer if wearing a Face Covering presents a health and safety concern when conducting a work activity or impedes their vision.
  2. If a medical or other condition may affect an individual’s ability to adhere to this Policy, individuals must consult with University Health Services (for students) or the Department of Occupational Medicine (for employees) to request reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

POLICY VIOLATIONS

  1. Students. The Penn State Student Code of Conduct outlines sanctions, including suspension or expulsion from the University, that may be imposed upon failure to comply with University Policies, including this Policy, or reasonable directives from University officials.  Student concerns should be reported to the Office of Student Accountability & Conflict Response.
  2. Any employee found in violation of this Policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.  Faculty concerns should be reported to the academic unit head (chief academic officer, department head, director of academic affairs, school director, division head, or associate dean for academic affairs) or Human Resources.  Staff concerns should be reported to the supervisor or to Human Resources.
  3. Additional guidance with respect to the enforcement of this Policy may be found at Conduct Information for Faculty and Staff.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For questions, additional details, or to request change to this Policy, please contact Kelly A. Wolgast.

CROSS REFERENCES

Other Policies may also be referenced, especially the following:

AD53 Privacy Policy

AD88 Code of Responsible Conduct

SY01 Environmental Health and Safety Policy

Most Recent Changes

  • August 18, 2022 - Update Masking to indicate that the University is no longer mandating mask wear in most indoor spaces unless required by law.

Revision History (and effective dates)

  • March 29, 2022 - Updated sections 2 and 3.  
  • February 9, 2022 - Updated section 3, Masking, to clarify that masking does apply for employees conducting University business or hosting events at off-campus settings; Updated section 5, Testing, to add the disclosure statement; Added AD53 Privacy Policy to Cross References.
  • January 18, 2022 - Updated information on cloth mask guidelines and link to EHS document on face coverings; updated guidance on employee vaccination requirements.
  • August 24, 2021 - Edited Section "Policy 1C" (Social Distance changed to Physical Distance), Section "Policy 3" (Physical distancing no longer required), Section "Policy 4" (Testing added); added Item 1 under "Exceptions and Exemptions". Updated link to policy enforcement guidance in under Policy Violations, item 3.
  • April 12, 2021 - Edited to add double-masking under Policy Section 2, Masking. Also added information on face covering requirements in cubicles, agricultural fields and open areas under Exceptions and Exemptions, Section 1.
  • August 24, 2020 - New Policy.

Date Approved: 

August 24, 2020

Date Published: 

August 24, 2020

Effective Date: 

August 24, 2020