After over a year of limited on campus operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, campus is reopening in full for the fall 2021 semester. The class of 2025 joins Stevens as the largest freshman class in history at 1,147 students. Stevens has outlined policies and procedures to ensure the health and wellness of students and faculty, while simultaneously issuing a new smoke-free campus policy, validating several years of student efforts for the policy.
Return to campus plans
In an email sent to The Stute by Associate Provost Cindy Chin and Vice Provost David Zeng, Stevens administration is “planning for a full return to campus and [does] not plan to offer hybrid or online courses.” All students were required to submit evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination by August 16, 2021, while employees had to submit their proof by August 1 to be able to return to campus this fall. Stevens is currently accepting all COVID-19 vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organization.
As detailed in the Stevens application for vaccine exemption, members of the Stevens community may be exempt from vaccination due to medical reasons, disabilities, and religious grounds. Stevens stated that “limited exemptions” will be granted, and all information on an individual level is being kept confidential. Students exempt from the vaccine are also required to get tested for COVID-19 weekly on-campus, beginning the week of August 30.
Over the summer, Stevens only encouraged community members to wear masks indoors while on campus, in accordance with guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at that time. However, on August 18 an email was sent to all students from Louis Mayer, CFO, Vice President for Finance, and Treasurer
Warren Petty, Vice President for Human Resources, explaining that “all faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, and visitors are required to wear face masks in all indoor, public campus spaces regardless of vaccination status,” effective immediately.
Students exempt from the COVID-19 vaccine who are traveling on public transportation are encouraged to remain cautious, wear a mask during travel, and follow all state and local guidelines. Students exempt from vaccination must self monitor for COVID-19 symptoms after traveling and get tested if they develop any symptoms. Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated students traveling internationally or traveling within the United States by public transportation must self quarantine for seven days after arrival on campus.
As the pandemic continues to evolve, Chin and Zeng explained that both students and parents have raised questions about returning to campus. Information and COVID-19 updates are being made available on the Stevens website and additionally commented they “are also monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation with federal, state, and local guidance and we will make adjustments as necessary to help keep our community safe and healthy.”
Smoke-Free Campus Policy
On August 1, 2021, Stevens implemented a smoke-free campus policy. Bob Maffia, Vice President for Facilities and Campus Operations, stated in an email to students and faculty regarding the policy, “this is part of a broader institutional effort to advance a campus culture of wellness, sustainability and respect.” The policy prohibits the use of smoking substances such as tobacco and marijuana, vapes, and any other form of electronic delivery. Students and staff who violate this policy will face disciplinary action, and visitors will be escorted off campus or after their first offense.
Efforts from the Student Government Association (SGA) to implement this policy have been ongoing for several years, after concerns over student health, secondhand smoke, campus appearance, and university reputation were voiced. In 2017, the SGA formed a subcommittee to encourage a smoke-free campus. Students then argued that even the original smoking policy, which prohibited smoking within 25 feet of any building, was not being enforced on campus. Later that year, the SGA approved a proclamation that “recommended that the administration create a policy which would ban the use of tobacco products in all buildings, residence halls, balconies, patios, walkways, vestibules, and more.”
With the mentioned COVID-19 policies and health guidelines, in addition to the newly smoke-free campus, administration is aiming to make Stevens healthier and safer. After over a year of online and hybrid classes, Chin and Zeng remark, “Students are excited about returning to campus and the university is eager to welcome them back.”
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