Spring Semester Updates

On this page, keep up to date or catch up with the most recent updates to RWU's Reopening Roger website. We share the latest updates in a newsletter each week, linking to relevant sections so you can easily stay current as the University's plan evolves.

Last Updated: 6/30/2021 

June 30, 2021 Updates
  • Vaccinations: Students who, for medical or religious reasons, decline to get the COVID-19 vaccine must submit the RWU COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Request form by July 7, 2021. Medical exemption requests must be completed and signed by the student’s medical provider.

    Upload this form under the “immunization record” option in the drop-down. Students will be notified of exemption approval status on or before July 16, 2021.

Download RWU COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Request form

Download Health Forms and Insurance Waiver Instructions 

With spring semester wrapped up, we are looking ahead to summer on-campus research and fall semester. We will communicate updates on safety protocols in the weeks and months ahead. Have a great summer and we can’t wait to see you at our summer sessions and back on campus for an exciting fall!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 1 positive case and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.05%. Currently, we are managing 1 active case and have completed 91,255 tests this semester.
     
  • Testing: The testing center will be closed until next Tuesday to accommodate Commencement celebrations.

    RWU will continue to require tests for employees and students who are working and studying on campus this summer.
     

    Fully vaccinated individuals who are working on campus this summer and have provided their completed vaccination card to Human Resources will be required to test once every other week over the summer. Please resume testing immediately after any vacation period, and then continue to alternate testing weeks until further notice.

    Employees who are working on campus this summer and are not fully vaccinated or do not have their vaccination card on file with HR will be required to test once each week.

    Testing information for students residing on campus this summer will be sent directly to each student before the weekend.

    For summer, the testing center will have limited hours of operation and move to a different location. Beginning Tuesday, May 25, the testing center will relocate to the former ELS Language Center (building #23 on the campus map, behind the Campus Recreation Center).

    In Bristol, testing center hours of operation for the summer are as follows:

    Tuesdays: 8 to 11 a.m.
    Wednesdays: 2 to 5 p.m.

    In Providence, the Testing Center at our One Empire campus will remain on the second floor and the new hours, effective after Memorial Day, are Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

We can’t believe there are only four days left this semester! Together, we have achieved another incredible year, marked by your caring and support for one another’s health and well-being. We are finishing Spring 2021 strong – there have been zero positive cases identified in our campus community this past week and our overall positivity for the entire semester (now at 0.33%) always stayed under 1%. We are extremely proud of our students, faculty and staff.

Many of you will be returning home next week, while others will stay on campus to conduct summer research or join us online for our exciting lineup of summer courses. Next week, we will celebrate the commencement of our Class of 2021 and see them off to new careers and graduate school. As for the rest of you, we look forward to seeing you back on campus for an amazing fall, with more opportunities, less testing and fewer restrictions.

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 0 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.00%! Currently, we are managing 1 active case and have completed 88,637 tests this semester.
     
  • Testing: The testing center will close early, at 2 p.m., on Monday, May 17, in order to operate a Covid vaccine clinic. (More details about the Bristol vaccine clinic are in the vaccinations section below.) Please adjust your arrival time on that day to get tested before 2 p.m. It is not necessary to request a change to your testing schedule; just come in any time before 2 p.m.
     
  • Testing: The testing center hours of operation over the next week are as follows:


    Sunday, May 16: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
    Monday, May 17: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    Tuesday, May 18 to Thursday, May 20: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Please plan your testing accordingly to make sure you have been tested twice before Commencement ceremonies.
     
  • Vaccinations: A second RWU vaccine clinic will be held on Monday, May 17, from 3 to 7 p.m., in the Campus Recreation Center Upper Gym. If you have not yet scheduled your second Pfizer vaccine dose, please make an appointment at our on-site clinic via this registration link
     

    Students who received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine elsewhere, including at the Middletown State Site, may register for their second shot at our campus clinic. Once registration is confirmed, please immediately cancel your second shot appointment at the Middletown site, or any other location you had previously scheduled, by calling those locations directly. Please visit this website for information on how to cancel an appointment at a state vaccination clinic in Rhode Island.

    Any student keeping their Middletown appointment that needs transportation must make a reservation at shuttleservice@rwu.edu, so we can meet your needs. Our preference is for you to have the second shot at our on-campus clinic.

    Please arrive 5 minutes prior to your appointment time, entering through the main entrance of the Recreation Center and traveling down the ramp and up a flight of stairs to get to the Upper Gym. You must bring your driver’s license and health insurance information. There is no charge for the vaccine. 

    Anyone who is unable to take the stairs may use the following alternate route to access the Upper Gym. There is elevator access to the second floor of the rec center. Enter through the front door of the Rec Center, go down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp there is an elevator on the right that will take you to the second floor. When leaving the testing center, return to where you entered the testing center to access the elevator back to the first floor. 

All of our attention has turned now to the end of the semester, focusing on final exams and final project presentations, as well as celebrating this year’s accomplishments and making a few last memories on campus together. While we get to see our students’ academic excellence and leadership illuminated through presentations, performances and award ceremonies at this point of the year, we have also seen your spirit and resilience shine brightly over this entire year.

We have cared for each so well and worked together to keep our community safe. This past week, we identified only two positive cases through university testing. Keep making smart choices as we close out these last two weeks of the spring semester. Make sure to keep up with your twice weekly testing through finals and in preparation for Commencement. We got this!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 2 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.07%. Currently, we are managing 4 active cases and have completed 84,930 tests this semester.
     
  • Testing: The testing center will adjust its hours of operation during the final two weeks of the semester as follows:

    Sunday, May 9: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
    Monday, May 10 to Thursday, May 13: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    Sunday, May 16: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
    Monday, May 17 to Thursday, May 20:11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Please plan your testing accordingly to make sure you have been tested twice before Commencement ceremonies.
     
  • Vaccinations:  Students who have already been vaccinated may enter their vaccination information through the Health Services Patient Portal and upload proof of vaccination. Faculty and staff should send a copy of their vaccination card to human_resources@rwu.edu.

We saw a tremendous community effort this past week from staff, students and faculty volunteers to help get our campus vaccinated. Between transporting students to the Middletown site and an incredible turnaround of a pop-up vaccine clinic on the Bristol campus, we were able to get approximately 500 immunized in just the past few days. Many others have already been vaccinated or have made appointments elsewhere.

We are grateful to all who volunteered and worked to make this possible and look forward to seeing you again at the May 17 RWU vaccine clinic for the second dose. Our Hawks rock!

As more people are getting vaccinated across the state, the Rhode Island Department of Health has announced a phased loosening of restrictions. At the same time, RIDOH has also confirmed the presence of several variants on college campuses. As of right now, keep in mind all RWU protocols are still in place. 

We urge you to stay the course on campus safety protocols to get us through final exams. Keep your mask up, keep your guard up, and continue getting tested twice a week (even if you’ve already been vaccinated). Wear a mask at all times on campus, and maintain a 6-foot distance from anyone not in your residence. With only 18 days left in the semester, we should be mindful of the potential for variants and finish our remarkable year strong.

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 6 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.15%. Currently, we are managing 18 active cases and have completed 81,555 tests this semester.
     
  • Testing: The testing center will adjust its hours of operation during the final two weeks of the semester as follows:

    Sunday, May 9: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
    Monday, May 10 to Thursday, May 13: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    Sunday, May 16: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
    Monday, May 17 to Thursday, May 20:11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Please plan your testing accordingly to make sure you have been tested twice before Commencement ceremonies.

    We will share the post-Commencement testing center hours of operation soon. 
     
  • Vaccinations: A second RWU vaccine clinic will be held on Monday, May 17 in the Campus Recreation Center Upper Gym. If you have not yet scheduled your second Pfizer vaccine dose, please make an appointment at our on-site clinic via this registration link.
     
  • Vaccinations: Those who are seeking vaccination elsewhere in Rhode Island can use this link to find all available vaccine appointments in the state, courtesy of Professor Andy Rhyne. The document updates in real time to inform you of vaccine availability and vaccine brand by geographic location across the state.

We urge all students, faculty and staff who have not yet been vaccinated, to schedule an appointment now that eligibility has opened to everyone 16 years and older. Students who will be on the Bristol or Providence campus for Fall 2021 are required to be vaccinated. 

This Friday through Sunday, RWU is providing transportation for students with appointments at the Middletown, R.I., vaccination site – appointment slots are still available and the sign up link is provided in the update below. If you cannot make it to Middletown this weekend, stay tuned: RWU is working closely with RIDOH to offer dedicated vaccination opportunities for RWU students and employees and will share details of those opportunities soon.

There are only 26 days left in this semester – let’s get as many community members vaccinated as we can now!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 15 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.46%. Currently, we are managing 37 active cases and have completed 76,835 tests this semester. 
     
  • Testing: Continue to keep up with your twice weekly testing so we can finish the semester strong and in person. 
     
  • Vaccinations: All RWU community members are now eligible to receive a Covid vaccine. Undergraduate, graduate and law students interested in receiving both doses of a vaccine by the end of the semester will need to obtain the Pfizer vaccine (which requires a 3-week waiting period between receiving the first and second dose) and must schedule their first vaccine dose to occur by Tuesday, April 27. This will allow you to receive the second dose on Tuesday, May 18. 

    A comprehensive schedule for all vaccine appointments in Rhode Island is available in a document here, courtesy of Professor Andy Rhyne. The document updates in real time to inform you of vaccine availability and vaccine brand by geographic location across the state.
     
  • Vaccinations: RWU is providing transportation for students with vaccine appointments for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Middletown vaccination site on West Main Road. Continuous shuttle service will be available from the Bristol campus to the Middletown POD (point of delivery) site between noon and 5 p.m. daily. 

    There are many appointments still available at the Middletown POD site – you can schedule your appointment here. Plan to arrive in front of the Recreation Center 30 to 40 minutes prior to your vaccine appointment to travel on the university shuttle. Bring your license and health insurance information. There is no charge for the vaccination.

We urge all students, faculty and staff who have not yet been vaccinated, to schedule an appointment now that eligibility has opened to everyone 16 years and older. Students who will be on the Bristol or Providence campus for Fall 2021 are required to be vaccinated. 

This Friday through Sunday, RWU is providing transportation for students with appointments at the Middletown, R.I., vaccination site – appointment slots are still available and the sign up link is provided in the update below. If you cannot make it to Middletown this weekend, stay tuned: RWU is working closely with RIDOH to offer dedicated vaccination opportunities for RWU students and employees and will share details of those opportunities soon.

There are only 25 days left in this semester – let’s get as many community members vaccinated as we can now!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 15 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.46%. Currently, we are managing 37 active cases and have completed 76,835 tests this semester.
     
  • Testing: Continue to keep up with your twice weekly testing so we can finish the semester strong and in person.
     
  • Vaccinations: All RWU community members are now eligible to receive a Covid vaccine. Undergraduate, graduate and law students interested in receiving both doses of a vaccine by the end of the semester will need to obtain the Pfizer vaccine (which requires a 3-week waiting period between receiving the first and second dose) and must schedule their first vaccine dose to occur by Tuesday, April 27. This will allow you to receive the second dose on Tuesday, May 18. 
     
  • A comprehensive schedule for all vaccine appointments in Rhode Island is available in a document here, courtesy of Professor Andy Rhyne. The document updates in real time to inform you of vaccine availability and vaccine brand by geographic location across the state.
     
  • Vaccinations: RWU is providing transportation for students with vaccine appointments for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Middletown vaccination site on West Main Road. Continuous shuttle service will be available from the Bristol campus to the Middletown POD (point of delivery) site between noon and 5 p.m. daily.

    There are many appointments still available at the Middletown POD site – you can schedule your appointment here. Plan to arrive in front of the Recreation Center 30 to 40 minutes prior to your vaccine appointment to travel on the university shuttle. Bring your license and health insurance information. There is no charge for the vaccination.

With implementation of additional testing and safety protocols, we have contained a recent uptick in our positive cases.

It's great to see the overall downward trend in our daily positive cases. These added safety measures and your dedication to them, have brought our numbers back down to the low daily case counts we are used to. Monday’s testing identified 9 positive cases, followed by 5 and 1 from the next days of testing. And with the tent going up on the Commons quad and warmer weather, we can enjoy more time outdoors together.

Please keep in mind that this isn’t the case for other institutions (and Rhode Island, in general, continues to experience a higher infection rate). Around the state, many universities and colleges are still tracking a dozen or more daily positives and have overall positivity rates over 1.5 and 2 percent.

There’s only five weeks left until final exams, so keep making smart decisions!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 18 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.29%. Currently, we are managing 45 active cases and have completed 65,226 tests this semester. 
     
  • Testing: The testing center will be open tomorrow, Friday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After this week, the testing center will not be open on Fridays and will return to its normal operating hours.

    The testing center will relocate to the Upper Gym on Sunday, April 11. Please enter through the front of the Rec Center, go down the ramp and up the stairs to the second floor to access the testing center.
     
  • TestingBeginning on Sunday, students who had tested three times this week as a result of traveling home for the holiday weekend, may return to twice weekly testing.

    Spring season student-athletes will continue to be tested three times per week.
     
  • Dining: In-person dining at the Commons and all retail locations will continue to be paused through the weekend and is scheduled to resume on Monday beginning with breakfast unless students are notified otherwise.

    The tent is fully operational! Campus members will be able to bring takeout under the tent on the Commons quad, as well as use it for student events, activities, and admissions events. Please note that the tent has been reserved most weekends for University events including structured campus visits for prospective students.

  • Living: Inter-residence hall visitation will be permitted, starting tomorrow, unless students are otherwise notified by email due to campus testing results. Today, students should continue to keep socialization to your wing/floor living unit, suite, or apartment within residence halls. 

  • Athletics & Fitness: The Fitness Center will reopen today. Visit here for usage guidelines.

Dear students, faculty and staff,

This message from the Emergency Response Team will take the place this week of a Reopening Roger newsletter update, which will resume next week.

This week we continue to experience an increased level of positive cases and on Monday identified 17 positives among our community. After meetings with the President’s Cabinet and the Emergency Response Team, we want to share the following context about the positive cases and actions implemented to contain further spread and support prevention of additional new infections for the weeks ahead. 

Around our region, the Northeast is experiencing what public health officials are calling “a fourth wave” of the virus. The presence of variants (especially the UK variant which is 50% more transmittable) in our area is driving a much higher infection rate. What does this mean for us? At RWU last semester, the majority of close contacts we quarantined did not become positive for the virus; but recently the majority of close contacts that we are quarantining are testing positive a day or two into their quarantine. In other words, the virus is presently being transmitted more easily and at a much greater rate than previously. 

Through this tough stretch for RWU, our testing staff and contact tracing team have been truly amazing and are working hard to bring it under control. Throughout these increased numbers, we have still managed to keep our overall positivity rate under 1%. Of the 17 positive results on Monday, most (11) were already in quarantine and separated from the campus community prior to testing positive. Monday’s cases included 14 undergraduates, one Bristol campus employee, and two school of law students. Tuesday’s test results show 5 new student positives, all of which were also already in quarantine as close contacts. The system is working.  

This latest, more infectious variant of the virus is here with us. But through regular testing, thorough contact tracing and quarantine and isolation measures, we are acting quickly to isolate known positives and also remove close contacts that may become positive in quarantine, thereby containing deeper spread among our community. 

While we encourage all who can to get vaccinated for COVID, please remember that one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine does not immunize you; it also takes two weeks after the second dose of those and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to fully build up antibodies in your system. Students, faculty and staff who have been immunized for COVID must still continue to follow all safety protocols on our campus at this time. 

What We Are Doing 

We have taken the following steps to contain the virus and are keeping RIDOH informed of our current situation: 

  • We continue to encourage all students to stay on campus during this three-day weekend. This also applies to faculty and staff and the choices we all need to make when not on campus. 
  • If your regular testing schedule is Thursday, come today instead to get tested so you get your result tomorrow before departing campus. While you are home, please try to get a rapid test on Saturday if you are able so you know you are returning to campus negative 
  • Look for a communication Sunday night where we will detail some protocols in place next week to make sure we continue to manage and settle back to lower case rates on campus. It will include guidance on expanded testing dates and hours for the week and student guidelines for fitness center, dining, and other updates. Reminder that the university testing center will not be open on Sunday, April 4.  
  • We encourage everyone to begin double-masking while on campus. This is proving effective to cut down on transmission of the virus. 
  • All in-person dining on the Bristol campus has been paused until April 8 with only take-out will be available. We will assess dining options and our Covid rate at that time when also the outdoor tent will be back in place on the Commons quad on April 9, allowing for ventilated outdoor seating for the remainder of the Spring semester.

Wherever you go, we remind you to be protecting yourself and others. Now is not a time to let your guard down or let COVID fatigue set in. It may be tempting to see family and friends we haven’t been with in a while, or to take your mask off with people you know. But we must hold on for a little while longer and remember in most cases they are not in our testing program, and even if family and friends are vaccinated, there is still risk of COVID spread. 

Keep making the smart choices that have brought us this far. Just 48 days to go until our spring semester is over: wear your mask properly at all times on campus – consider double-masking for greater protection of yourself and others; keep distance from others, and keep your social circles small and close contacts as few as possible. This goes for employees as well when you are home this weekend and at other times during the semester. What we do at home and in the community is just as important as what we practice on campus. 

We are taking these steps for everyone’s safety, health and well-being. Whether we can contain the spread now and get your cooperation in following safety protocols will determine the course of the rest of the semester. 

Show up with your Hawk strength! We got this! 

Thank you, 
Emergency Response Team 

 

Covid infections are rising across most states as new strains of the virus are taking hold and are more transmissible. While Rhode Island is improving, just four days ago, Rhode Island was ranked 2nd highest in U.S. for coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents.

RWU is not immune to what is happening around us. After several consecutive successful weeks with a very low infection rate, we have 47 positive test results at RWU during the past 8 testing days. Yesterday, we identified 13 positive cases and two of the previous days showed nine positive cases each day – more daily than we were finding during our first week of clearance testing at semester start near the peak of the pandemic regionally.

In addition to taking swift action to isolate positive cases and quarantine close contacts, we are implementing immediate steps to contain spread of the virus among our community. Hopefully, the restrictions below will be temporary. That is up to all of us. Your recommitment to strictly following university guidance and regular Covid testing will determine whether we return to a very low infection rate and be able to loosen restrictions.

To help us get there, we are urging students to not go home during the three-day weekend, April 2-4. By remaining on campus or with your roommates in off-campus housing, you will reduce your risk of exposure and also the possibility of returning to campus with an infection.

Let’s work together, make smart choices, and finish the final eight weeks of semester strong and in person.

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 39 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.66%. Currently, we are managing 52 active cases and have completed 52,614 tests this semester.  
     
  • Living: During the upcoming three-day weekend, April 2-4, we urge students to remain on campus or in off-campus housing in order to reduce exposure to individuals not in a testing protocol. Students who choose to travel home, please do all you can to reduce close contacts and practice the same prevention measures in place on campus (masking, distancing, staying out of crowded venues and crowds) and return to campus COVID negative. 

    In order to contain virus from spreading on campus, the best preventive action is for students to not leave campus in advance of the three day weekend. But if you do, make sure to test twice next week before departing, and to test twice during the first four testing days upon returning, beginning on Monday, April 5, and through Thursday, April 8.

  • Dining: In-person dining in Upper and Lower Commons will be paused at the conclusion of lunch today. There will be no in-person dining in the Commons for dinner tonight. This will be in effect until at least Friday, April 9, at which time we will assess a full week of test results and reevaluate in-person dining.

    The dining tent in front of the Commons will return on Thursday, April 8, and provide expanded outdoor seated dining. This will support dining, student life, clubs and organization events, admission events, and end-of-semester celebrations.

  • Athletics & Fitness: Several sports teams have had contests canceled this week. Spring sports are in jeopardy without a full-fledged recommitment to prevention strategies and behavior changes.

    We have delayed the start of outdoor intramural sports.  

    The Fitness Center capacity will be reduced by 10 slots per hour.

  • Vaccinations: Faculty and staff who receive the vaccine should forward a copy of that information to Sue Guilmette in Human Resources as part of their employee records.

    Students may enter their vaccination information through the Health Services Patient Portal and upload proof of vaccination.

  • Vaccinations: Some community members who have received the vaccine have reported experiencing side effects similar to COVID symptoms and are, therefore, being flagged when completing the daily screening form. The COVID daily screening does not adapt its replies to you based on symptom cause – due to the COVID vaccine or due to the presence of COVID-19 or other.

    For those who are experiencing side effects following vaccination: If you are feeling sick, do not come to campus. If the sickness is a direct result of the vaccination, employees may use COVID sick days for this brief absence. 

    Vaccine side effects typically subside within a day or so following the inoculation. Assuming this occurs, individuals should return to campus normally. If vaccine information has been reported to Human Resources or Health Services, individuals can return to campus and to the testing program without issue.

Across the world, we are seeing an uptick in COVID cases as we pass the one year mark of the pandemic.  Warm weather, mask fatigue, and other factors are behind the spike. If you look at our COVID dashboard, you'll see that RWU is not immune to this shift, and over the last seven days we have experienced our own slight increase in positive cases. It serves as a reminder to us all that we need to keep making smart choices to limit exposure to our community. Although we have had a month of very few infections and our overall positivity rate is incredibly low compared to our surrounding communities and other college campuses, we are not out of the woods yet.

Contract tracing has revealed that various recent cases were due to off-campus exposure. Having fewer contacts is the key to prevention. If you’re experiencing any flu-like symptoms, please stay home or in your residence hall.

We have successfully made it halfway through the spring semester and continue to open up more opportunities for activities and socialization because of your dedication to each other’s safety and well-being. Let’s keep it up! 

  • Testing:  In the last seven days, we have had 21 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.39%. Currently, we are managing 28 active cases and have completed 46,481 tests this semester. 
     
  • TestingThe testing center will temporarily relocate to the Field House Sunday, March 21, to Thursday, April, 8. Visit the Testing page for the hours of operation.

    Please enter through the side doors of the Campus Rec Center to access the Field House for testing.
     
  • Vaccinations: Last week, the State of Rhode Island expanded eligibility for Covid vaccines to anyone 16 years old and older who has an underlying health condition. A full list of underlying conditions is available here

    More information on how to register for a vaccine and vaccine locations in Rhode Island is available here: covid.ri.gov/vaccination
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: In coordination with the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), RWU is excited to announce that we will hold varsity athletics games for the spring season. In collaborative planning with athletic directors in the CCC, we have decided that fans will not be permitted to attend events for the health and safety of our student-athletes and coaches and to provide the best opportunity for a successful  season. We will revisit the spectator policy later in the season.

We are nearing the end of peak flu season, while successfully continuing to keep our positive Covid cases down. But it remains critical that we continue twice weekly testing, masking and safe-distancing measures.

As progress is being made with vaccinations, we are providing some guidance from the University and the Rhode Island Department of Health that we have received to date.

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 2 positive cases and our 7-day moving average for the positivity rate is 0.06%. Currently, we are managing 4 active cases and have completed 39,566 tests this semester. 
     
  • TestingThis is a reminder that the testing center will temporarily relocate to the Field House Sunday, March 21, to Thursday, April, 8, and adjust its hours Thursday, April 1, and Monday, April 5, and to be closed on Sunday, April 4. Students who are regularly scheduled to test that Sunday are asked to come in Monday, April 5, for your first test of the week. Visit the Testing page for the hours of operation. 

    Please enter through the side doors of the Campus Rec Center to access the Field House for testing.

    On Sunday, April 11, testing will return to the Upper Gym.
     
  • Vaccinations: Students or employees who have received the first or second dose of any of the current Covid vaccines should provide that information to the University. 

    Students may enter their vaccination information through the Health Services Patient Portal and upload proof of vaccination. 

    Employees may send a scanned copy of their vaccination card to human_resources@rwu.edu. Those receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine should send a copy of the vaccination card to Human Resources after each dose is administered to keep your records up to date.
     
  • Vaccinations: The Rhode Island Department of Health has issued guidance to universities and colleges across the state that employees working at higher education institutions are not currently eligible as “educators” to receive the vaccine at this time. Rhode Island’s current administration plan for vaccination related to educators is specific to K-12 (public, private, parochial, and independent schools, and licensed child care providers), not universities. In general, members of the RWU community are currently only eligible through their municipality or by their specified-age groups. Please refer to state and municipal websites and our Reopening Roger newsletter for continued updates as valid sources of information. RWU continues to monitor this regularly and advocate for our priority status with RIDOH on a regular basis.

A year ago, as Covid-19 emerged as a burgeoning threat to public health, Roger Williams University acted quickly to take immediate steps to protect our campus community. On March 6, 2020, we held our last day of in-person classes and then made the hard decision not to reopen our campuses for the rest of the semester. Over this past year, our shared commitment to a healthy and safe way forward has brought us together in amazing ways. We are so proud of our Hawks and your dedication to making the smart choices that continue to keep us together!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we have had 7 positive cases and our 7-day moving average for the positivity rate is 0.16%. Currently, we are managing 12 active cases and have completed 33,885 tests this semester. 
     
  • TestingThe testing center will temporarily relocate to the Field House Sunday, March 21, to Thursday, April, 8, and adjust its hours for some dates in April. Please enter through the side doors of the Campus Rec Center to access the Field House for testing.

    While in the Field House, the testing center will follow regular operating hours, with the exception of dates around the University holiday weekend, from Thursday, April 1, to Monday, April 5. Please adjust your testing schedule accordingly for the testing center hours of operations on the following dates:

    Thursday, April 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Testing will close early this day.  
    Sunday, April 4, Closed.
    Monday, April 5, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Testing will stay open later this day.

    On Sunday, April 11, testing will return to the Upper Gym.

    A reminder about the change in location and operating hours for the testing center during March and April will be included in your scheduled testing day email notification.
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: Correction: Last week’s issue incorrectly reported that the Fitness Center open to students only. The Fitness Center is open to students, faculty and staff. You still must reserve a time to work out.

We continue to be on good footing one month into the spring semester. Our twice weekly testing and incredibly low positivity rate is allowing us to continue bringing back opportunities for students on campus.

At the same time, the University is taking additional steps to monitor and ensure testing compliance and increase resources for contact tracing to help us stay on track for the rest of the semester. Keep making smart choices!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we’ve had 5 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.11%. Currently, we are managing 7 active cases and have completed 27,990 tests this semester.
     
  • TestingThrough a new testing compliance tracking system, we are monitoring each community member's scheduled test days, and are now comparing each individual's testing schedule to their actual testing participation on campus.

    If an individual does not complete a test within 24 hours of their scheduled test day, we now send text reminders notifying them that we have recorded their missed test day and urging them to test as soon as possible. For students who missed a scheduled test, if we do not see the test made up within 24 hours, students names are referred to a newly created compliance team in Student Life. 

    Students and employees who regularly don’t meet our testing expectations will face consequences. With students, those consequences include restrictions from campus facilities and events, as well as having students reimburse the University for the cost of tests missed.
     
  • Contact Tracing: We now have 31 certified contact tracers, greatly expanding our contact tracing capabilities to immediately and effectively identify close contacts, and to isolate and quarantine individuals when needed.

    We appreciate those who are serving in this important role, on top of their regular full-time responsibilities, as they are part of the large team of health services professionals and more than 50 staff and faculty volunteering to staff our testing centers who have made possible our current exceptionally low positivity rate.

  • Dining: Lower Commons is now open for dine-in seating for students only. Students may take advantage of dining in pods of four or fewer. (Employees and Law School students may dine in the School of Law Bistro.)
     
  • Living: Student Programs, Leadership & Orientation continues to expand in-person meetings for student clubs and organizations. Masking, distancing and 100% testing compliance will be required.
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: The Fitness Center has increased reservation capacity from 35 to 45 students per hour. This enables more students access to the facilities throughout the day and will reduce the waiting list for available time slots. At this time, the Fitness Center is only open to students.
     
  • Social GatheringsAn important reminder to students about weekend visits home: The University continues to request that students refrain from traveling home, except for critical appointments or family emergencies. 

    If students must go home, it is critical that they mask and physically distance around all family members and friends outside of RWU, beginning with the ride home and continuing with the return to campus. Please do not have any close contact with anyone who is not part of the RWU community. Family members and friends from home are not participating in regular testing for Covid, nor in a structured environment with high mask and distancing compliance – these interactions are considered to remain risky at this time. 

    Weekend visits home were one of the key variables that resulted in an increase of cases and community spread near the middle to end of last semester.

Your smart choices are keeping our momentum moving in the right direction. We are continuing to see very few positive cases – one or none identified per day for the past week – and have now achieved a 0.38% overall positivity rate. By testing twice weekly and following safety protocols, we’ve been able to reopen seated dining and allow socialization between residence halls. We’re so proud! Keep it up!

  • Testing: In the last seven days, we’ve had 3 positive cases and our 7-day moving positivity rate is 0.05%. Currently, we are managing 10 active cases and have completed 21,621 tests this semester.
     
  • Dining: Seated dining has been made available at select locations across campus and for certain community members.

    The Upper Commons allows seated dining in pods of four or fewer for students only for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    The School of Law Bistro permits seated dining during lunch for the SOL community and employees only. Dinner will remain takeout only for undergrads on meal plan or using credit, debit or points. 

    Commuter students have reserved seating for dining in the commuter lounge in Stonewall 4, as well as the tables in the Campus Recreation Center Hawks’ Nest.
     
  • Living: Students living in University housing now may enjoy full inter residence hall visitation access (that is, between residence areas), consistent with last semester’s approach. Resident students may visit friends in other residence areas. Room capacities remain the same as last semester as determined and communicated by Residence Life.  

    Commuters and Off-Campus Students: Unfortunately, commuters and off-campus students may not visit residence halls, and resident students who violate that expectation will forfeit their guest privileges for the remainder of the semester.
     
  • Living: Under the coordination and direction of Student Programs, Leadership & Orientation, a phased, gradual and conservative return to in-person meetings for RWU clubs and organizations has begun. Masking, distancing and 100% testing compliance will be required.
     
  • Social Gatherings: Applying to off-campus social gatherings, the State of Rhode Island has expanded indoor social gathering sizes to two households from one household, and outside social gathering sizes to three households. Fines of $500 for exceeding these social gathering guidelines are still applicable. The increase in indoor gathering sizes ONLY impacts students living in off-campus housing, as residential students must continue to follow room occupancy guidelines established by residence life.
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: After a successful opening of the new ice skating rink last weekend, the University is excited to open it again for student use – while wearing masks and socially distanced – on Saturday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 21, from noon-5 p.m.  On Saturday, from 1-4 p.m., the Student Senate, Hawks’ Herald, and Student Programs, Leadership and Orientation (SPLO) invites students to come out and skate while enjoying a cup of coffee or hot chocolate from the Presto Strango Coffee Truck. Bring your skates!

    Don’t forget to complete an ice skating waiver before coming to the rink; it only needs to be completed once for the season.   

    Keep an eye on your email for announcements of the weather-dependent skating rink operating hours.

We have made it through critical clearance testing and are experiencing a continued decrease in positive cases and an incredibly low positivity rate. In-person classes have been convening now for a week, and we are happy to have begun a phased return to seated dining for small groups.

It’s important to recognize that many other schools, in Rhode Island and across the country, have not had the same experience; significant increases in positive cases have forced them to go fully remote with quarantine lockdowns soon after they started this spring.

While the beginning of the semester has gone well for us, the situation can still quickly change. Keep making smart choices and remain dedicated to testing, masking, distancing and cleaning, and we will continue to enjoy more time together and less restrictions over these next months.

  • TestingThis semester, we’ve had a total of 75 positive cases, and 15,732 negative results. Our positive case rate overall is 0.50% and we currently are managing 20 active positive cases.
     
  • TestingDue to inclement weather, we have needed to adjust testing center hours occasionally. Check your email regularly for updates on testing center operation. Please continue to come during your scheduled time, and to remember that the testing center is not open on Fridays and Saturdays. 
     
  • Dining: Seated dining in pods of four of fewer is now permitted for breakfast only in the Upper Commons. Additional updates on seated dining for lunch and dinner will be shared on WQRI-FM 88.3 today at 3:15 p.m., during a new, weekly radio show providing updates on how our campus is overcoming the challenges of COVID this semester and striving forward. 
     
  • Living: A projected return to inter-residence hall visitation (visits between residence halls) will also be announced during the WQRI show today at 3:15 p.m. 
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: We’re excited to share that the ice skating rink will be open tomorrow through Sunday. The University’s new addition to outdoor wellness, the rink is located on the upper tennis courts, behind North Campus Residence Hall. It is first-come, first-served, with a 25-person capacity limit. Complete a waiver form before your arrival.

    The rink will be open:

    Friday, Feb. 12, 3 to 7 p.m.
    Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14, noon to 5 p.m.

    We’ll watch the weather to see when the rink will open again after this weekend. Don’t forget your skates!

The start to our spring semester has been a little more challenging than it was in the fall. But by hunkering down and limiting interactions, we are starting to see our positive case count settle down. Every day, we all must take important steps to limit community spread and minimize ourclose contacts.

Continue to be vigilant and make smart choices – limit your interactions to your residence hall, wear masks at all times, keep physical distance from others, and wash your hands.

As we end this first week of classes, let's make sure we strengthen our commitment to each other and build a solid foundation for another successful semester. This may be hard now, but things will get easier as we move toward warmer weather and being together outdoors for lunches and strolls along the shell path.

  • TestingThis semester, we’ve had a total of 57 positive cases, and 10,152 negative results. Our positive case rate overall is 0.59% and we currently are managing 38 active positive cases. 
     
  • TestingKeep in mind, it is not necessary to come at the beginning of your assigned testing time slot. You may arrive at any point during your scheduled time slot.
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: The Fitness Center reopened on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Read the full guidelines and restrictions here.

With COVID infection rates higher nationally, we are expecting to see more positive cases during these first days back for spring semester. Which means our clearance testing is doing its job. We’re catching the asymptomatic positive cases of returning students and employees, allowing us to contain and isolate positives before students and faculty begin interacting inside classrooms. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to work with the state toward opening up students’ social circles across residence halls. 

Thanks for your participation in our testing program and your awesome dedication to following the health and safety protocols that help protect us all. We’ve got this!

TestingThrough clearance testing, we’ve identified 29 positive cases, and 3,057 negative results. Our positive case rate overall is 0.98% and we are managing 29 active positive cases. All positive cases are in isolation, and close contacts are being monitored in quarantine. 

Check out the new and improved RWU COVID Testing Data dashboard.

Testing: All students who will be on campus, or living off campus with other students, are required to sign up for your regular semester testing by Feb. 1.

RWU expects 100% compliance from students learning or working on campus. Those who have not registered for testing by end of day on Monday, Feb. 1 will be restricted from campus facilities, including classrooms, until they are registered and participating in regular testing at RWU. 

Find the Jan. 14, 2021, invitation link to testing registration in your RWU email.

Testing: All students and employees who will be on campus need to get a negative COVID result before starting classes or returning to work on campus.

These are the final clearance testing days for students: 

  • Friday, Jan. 29: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Jan. 30: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Sunday, Jan. 31: 5 to 9 p.m.

Once you have completed your second clearance test, you may start your regular testing schedule that you signed up for. If your second clearance test is this Saturday or Sunday and your first regularly scheduled testing day of the week is the next day (Sunday or Monday), please wait one extra day to begin your regularly scheduled testing day to avoid testing on consecutive days.

Please note: Students who arrived on Wednesday, Jan. 27 can take their second clearance test either on Saturday morning, Jan. 30, 9 a.m. to noon, or Sunday evening, Jan. 31, 5 to 9 p.m., when regular semester testing hours begin. 

For faculty and staff: You must get a negative result through the university clearance testing, or have a recent negative result from an external testing location, before returning to campus-based work.

TestingThe testing center will be relocated to the Upper Gymnasium, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 31. To access the testing center, use the main entrance of the Campus Recreation Center, walk down the ramp and then up a flight of stairs. The entrance to the Upper Gymnasium is directly across from the stairs.

As a reminder, all faculty, staff and students need to present their RWU ID or driver's license at your COVID testing appointment – simply holding it up near the plexiglass for the volunteers.

Keep in mind it is not necessary to come at the beginning of your assigned testing time slot. You may arrive at any point during your scheduled time.

Student testing, beginning Sunday, Jan. 31, is as follows:

  • Sundays: 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Fridays and Saturdays: NO TESTING

In Bristol, faculty and staff testing is available: 

  • Mondays to Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In Providence, testing is on a walk-in basis, no appointment required.

  • Tuesdays: 7:30 to 10 a.m. 
  • Wednesdays: 3 to 6 p.m. 

Health and Safety Protocols: Students should remember that the Roger Compact – a pledge to uphold COVID safety standards – applies off campus as well. We remain Hawks and committed to each other and our community, regardless of whether we are on campus, living off campus or taking a trip to the local grocery store. Following the same rules and vigilance to safety measures is how we will get through this pandemic.

Health and Safety Protocols: We need everyone’s help to reduce the environmental impact from COVID safety measures. We can adapt to these temporary necessities – takeout meals and increased package delivery – with a spirit of sustainability and by taking the following actions:

  • RWU – Recycle With Us using the color–coded recycling bins placed around campus, residence halls and offices.
  • Open your packages and leave the packing materials and boxes in the mailroom to be recycled.
  • Break down boxes before placing them in the dumpster. Use the space efficiently, compacting to fit as much as you can inside the dumpster.
  • Do not place recyclables inside plastic bags – the presence of plastic bags will send the entire dumpster load to the landfill instead.

Quarantine & Isolation Procedures: RWU has updated its PDF guides for students in isolation or quarantine, on or off campus, based on current state and federal guidance.

Thanks to all of you, we had a remarkable fall semester, and we have spent the last months laying the foundation to repeat our success this spring. With coronavirus cases in Rhode Island and much of the country higher now than when we ended fall semester, we have strengthened our health and safety protocols and added resources to our testing and contact tracing programs. And we expect you to do your part in protecting yourself and the campus community. You know the drill: get tested, wear masks, wash your hands frequently and keep distanced from others.

Keep making the smart choices that resulted in us having the lowest reported positivity rate during fall for colleges and universities in Rhode Island. We remained on campus together without having a closure or to shift to fully remote. Not many institutions were able to do that, and it’s a testament to how much you care about our community. Let’s keep it up!

  • Testing: We will be testing all students and employees returning to campus.
    • Students will be tested during their move-in date, 72 hours later, and possibly a third time prior to the start of in-person courses.
    • Employees must receive clearance testing and a negative result before they can resume campus-based work.
    • Visit the Testing page for information on pre-testing and signing up for your regular weekly testing schedule.
       
  • Testing: Check out the new and improved RWU COVID Testing Data dashboard. New features allow us to now share data and graphs on:
     
    • The number of RWU community members that are in campus quarantine and campus isolation;
    • Charting our daily positivity rate trend throughout the semester;
    • A day-to-day comparison of our positivity rate between the fall and spring semesters;
    • Daily positivity rates in RWU, Bristol, Providence and Rhode Island to provide a look at how the campus community is doing among our surrounding communities and the state in general.
       
  • Testing: We must be able to contact you quickly if you have tested positive or have been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive. All students and employees must provide a cell phone number to the University through RogerCentral. Additionally, the R.I. Department of Health will use the contact information. To check your info, log into Roger Central, click on your name in the top right corner, select “User Profile” and then scroll down to “Phone Numbers.” To submit a number, choose “Add New Phone”; or to update existing information, click on the pencil icon to make changes.
     
  • Testing: You will now also receive your university COVID testing results by text from the R.I. Department of Health, in addition to emailed results from Care Evolve. When you get the RIDOH text, it will prompt you to click on a portal link, portal.ri.gov/results, where you enter your name, date of birth, and date of test. After a secondary security authentication, you will learn whether you have tested negative or positive, receiving state guidance on further steps if positive. Based on the timing of day that the University’s testing program results are provided to RIDOH, you may not yet have been contacted by an RWU contact tracer about your positive result. It’s critically important to provide your cell phone number through RogerCentral, so we have the information on hand to contact you as quickly as possible.
     
  • Learning: In order to assess the status of the virus among returning community members, we will be holding the first two days of undergraduate and graduate Bristol courses, on Feb. 1 and 2, fully remotely. Professors will reach out to students with specifics about their classes for those two days. During this quiet time on campus, students will be required to restrict their contact to only their residence hall roommate and to not gather in common areas, until everyone has received at least two or three negative tests. Then we will have the information and confidence to begin in-person classes and allow for further socialization – while still keeping a 6-foot distance, wearing masks at all times, and washing your hands frequently.
     
  • Social Gatherings: Residential students start spring semester with intra-residence hall visitation privileges, meaning students living in a residence area may visit with other residents of that same residence area, while honoring room capacities, mask wearing and distancing rules.
     
    • Off-campus students are subject to the state’s “within one household” expectation. That means socializing should be limited to the people you live with in your off-campus housing.
    • Commuters and off-campus residents do not have residence hall visitation privileges at this time. 
    • These policies will be reviewed in the coming weeks, based on state guidance, and positivity rates on campus and beyond.
       
  • Dining: To assess the status of the virus among returning community members, from move-in through at least Feb. 8 students should plan on take-out only at all dining locations.
     
  • Athletics & Fitness: Pack your ice skates and helmet! Student Life, Athletics and Facilities have collaborated to sponsor and build a 60-by-100-square-foot ice rink for recreational skating as well as non-skating broomball intramurals. Opening on Jan. 27, weather-depending, on the tennis court nearest North Residence Hall, the rink will operate on weekdays from noon to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a capacity for 25 skaters at time. Students can complete a waiver and sign-up for a reservation time through Hawk Link. Student Programs & Leadership will be sponsoring special events at the rink during the beginning of the semester.
     
  • FAQ: In addition to updated information we’ve made throughout the Reopening Roger site, we also added answers to many questions you’ve been asking in the FAQ, including what we can share now about information on vaccines. We will continue to update vaccine information as we learn more.


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