Move-In Information

This message is being shared with those of you who are planning to move back into ESU’s residence halls (Saturday, January 15 – Monday, January 17) for the Spring 2022 semester. By now, you should have received a message from Interim President Long outlining plans for classes and addressing the COVID requirements for all students, faculty, and staff. For those who are currently unvaccinated, please be reminded that we strongly support the CDC recommendations that you consider getting fully vaccinated to avoid hospitalization and/or serious illness. Consulting your personal medical care team for more information or to answer your questions is also a great idea.

Now, I’d like to share additional details with you regarding critical COVID testing requirements that you must follow prior to moving back to campus.

Testing for Residential Students Prior to Move-in

Move-in Weekend - All residential students, regardless of vaccination/immunity status, will be required to get tested prior to moving into the residence halls. All eCards for residential students have been deactivated and residential students will not have access to their rooms until they complete one of the following steps (Option 1 or 2). Students who arrive after 5 p.m. on any of the move-in dates and have not completed the testing protocol will not be allowed to enter the residence halls. Further, students may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and potentially removed from campus housing for failure to adhere to this requirement.

• Option 1: Getting a COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to returning to campus.
• Home tests are not permitted.
• This is the best option to expedite your move-in process.
• Make sure you provide your negative test results that are no more than 72 hours old
• Email those results to our covid results email (provided in your email), by 3 p.m. the day prior to your arrival

OR

• Provide a digital or hard copy of your negative results to the COVID-19 Team in the Kemp Library Parking Lot.
• Once you provide a negative test result within the given time frame, your eCard will be activated and you may move into your residence hall room.
• If you test positive, please remain home and isolate as recommended by the CDC.

• Option 2: If you cannot be tested for COVID-19 before you arrive, you must sign up ASAP to be tested on move-in day (or the Friday before) (link provided on your email sent to you). See schedule below.
  • At your appointed time, go to the Kemp library Parking Lot to receive an antigen test.
  • If you test negative, your eCard will be activated and you may proceed to your assigned residence hall room.
  • If you test positive, you will need to isolate off-campus, which may require you to drive back home.
  • Make sure you isolate as recommended by the CDC.
  • If you do not sign-up for an appointment, testing may be available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you may experience a long wait time, which will delay your move-in process.

If in either case (Option 1 or 2) you test positive, please complete the COVID-19 reporting form (link located in your email) so that you can be exempt from the required weekly surveillance testing.

Surveillance Testing Throughout the Spring Semester

• For students whose vaccination status has been voluntarily communicated to ESU, you will be exempt from the required weekly COVID surveillance testing. If you have not shared your COVID vaccination information with ESU’s Health & Wellness, but wish to do so now, please attach a copy of your completed vaccination card to an e-mail and send it to our covid results email (provided in your email), so we can add this to your record.
• The CDC’s definition of fully vaccinated has changed. Please review the updated CDC guidelines to determine whether or not you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated or there is no record of your vaccination status on file at ESU, as part of your agreement to live on campus, you will be required to participate in weekly COVID surveillance testing for the entirety of the Spring 2022 semester.
• Students may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and potentially removed from campus housing for failure to adhere to this requirement.
• You may voluntarily submit your vaccination status to our covid results email (provided in your email) at any time during the semester, upon which your requirement for surveillance testing will be withdrawn.
• If you tested positive for COVID-19 at any time prior to move-in, please report your positive case using the ESU COVID-19 Reporting Form (link provided in your email). This confirmation will inform ESU of your exemption from COVID surveillance testing for the designated period of time (90-days from date COVID-19 was medically detected).

Thank you for taking the time to review this move-in plan. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to e-mail us at our covid results email (provided in your email) prior to your return. I look forward to seeing you soon. Go Warriors!