FAQs: COVID-19

• See the complete calendar here.

See the complete calendar here.

This year we return to full in-person living and learning for our on-campus undergraduate programs. All classes will be held in person. 

The Champlain Abroad Program in Montreal for Fall 2021 has been cancelled. At this time, the Spring 2022 program in Montreal is proceeding as planned. As of now, the Champlain Dublin program is still on for Fall 2021. Contact the Office of International Education at oie@champlain.edu with any questions. 

Students should complete the following prior to return-to-campus:

• Submit your COVID-19 vaccination documentation
• Submit a pre-arrival test result within 5 days of arrival
• Complete the Fall Community Health Pledge

The Champlain Community Health Pledge describes the College’s expectations of you—and our expectations of one another—as we work together to establish and maintain the health of our campus community and our Burlington home. All students are required to sign the revised Community Health Pledge before arriving on campus by completing this form. 

Pre-arrival testing is required of all residential students and strongly recommended for all commuter students. Summer residential students do not need to meet this requirement. Residential students are required to submit a negative test result for testing conducted no more than 5 days before returning to campus.

Mandatory weekly testing is required for unvaccinated employees and students with medical or religious exemptions. All students will have access to COVID-19 testing throughout the fall semester. The Testing Center is located in Whiting Hall and will be open Mondays 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and Wednesdays 1:00 PM–4:00 PM. 

Vaccinated students are not required to test weekly, but may opt-in to testing weekly or as needed.  Unvaccinated students are required to test weekly.

The Whiting Hall Testing Center is open for walk-in, asymptomatic COVID testing. No appointment needed.  

• Asymptomatic Testing is available at Whiting Hall:
  • Mondays- Friday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  • Schedule is subject to change

Students who are not fully vaccinated (14 days post final vaccine dose) will be expected to test on the first testing day available upon arrival and continue testing weekly on the same day each week.  When a student becomes fully vaccinated and this is verified by the Student Health Center, the student will no longer be required to test weekly.

Our test results are hosted on our testing dashboard page.

Yes. We are conducting testing for symptomatic students, regardless of participation in the weekly testing program. 

Students: Symptomatic COVID testing is also available daily, Monday – Friday by appointment. Please call the Student Health Center at (802) 860-2711 or email healthservices@champlain.edu to speak with a nurse and schedule a COVID test. 

As a reminder, please do not go to classes or other activities if you are feeling sick. Stay put, self monitor, and call Student Health.

Employees: Any employee who becomes ill or is exposed to someone with a known COVID-19 infection should contact their primary care physician and their manager. If you are scheduled to be on campus, you should complete the Daily Health Screening and indicate your symptoms or exposure. You will be contacted by the Champlain Medical Team to discuss your case. Do not come to campus if you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Mandatory weekly testing will be required for unvaccinated employees. For unvaccinated employees, the Testing Center is located in Whiting Hall and will be open Monday- Friday from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. Employees who are vaccinated should plan to access testing in their community.

The College is not offering testing for employees outside of the routine weekly testing program. If you become ill, are exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or are returning from a quarantine-required county and wish to be tested to end your quarantine, please be in touch with your physician to be referred for community testing. We are not conducting testing for symptomatic employees, regardless of participation in the weekly testing program.

Champlain is partnering with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for our COVID-19 testing. Broad is using a PCR test, which is designed to detect the presence of the genomic material of the SARS-CoV2 novel coronavirus, the pathogen responsible for the disease known as COVID-19. 

The test uses a short swab to collect a sample from the lower nasal cavity. This method is less invasive than the upper nasal cavity (nasopharyngeal) swabs used in other tests.

The Student Health Center and a select group of student support staff will receive test results.

Positive results are also reported to the Vermont Department of Health, as required by state law.

The College will work with the Vermont Department of Health to complete robust contact tracing for any positive results. Contact tracing includes informing contacts of their exposure and educating those exposed on quarantine requirements and health monitoring. It does not reveal the identity of the positive contact.

Under federal law, we will not share health information with a family member. It is the student’s responsibility to share health information, unless the student is under 18 years of age. 

If the student is under 18 years of age, the Student Health Center will share positive test results with the student’s legal guardian. Please note that we will require the legal guardian sign consent for and testing and treatment prior to arrival on campus.

Testing is required for students and faculty on campus who are not fully vaccinated (have not received their final dose of vaccine more than 14 days prior). This monitoring testing will be required and help us quickly identify and respond to any positive cases on our campus.

As part of our Fall 2021 plan to return to a more open and interactive student experience, including in-person instruction and on-campus activities, it is now required that all students returning to campus in fall 2021, including those studying abroad, be fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine. We will work with individual students who have qualifying exemptions, including for medical or religious reasons. Read more here.

Students who have not yet submitted vaccination information to Student Health will receive detailed instructions via email. Residential students will not be permitted to move in without vaccination documentation. All students who have not submitted documentation by Friday, August 27 will be removed from their classes. If you need help identifying a vaccination site, please contact Student Health Services at (802) 860-2711.

No. The CDC and the Vermont Department of Health strongly encourages vaccination in all individuals, including those with a documented history of COVID-19 infection.  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has indicated that full FDA approval for COVID vaccines may not come until later in the year. Given the effectiveness of the vaccines in preventing the spread of COVID, including current variants which are leading to a new surge in cases in unvaccinated populations, we do not want to delay the process of requiring vaccines until they receive full FDA approval. Champlain will require vaccination, regardless of FDA approval status, for students to access campus in the fall and will accept any vaccine currently authorized for use in the United States.

The Pfizer vaccine recently received the full approval of the FDA. It is no longer being used under emergency use authorization. This status means that it has gone through the most rigorous new-drug testing protocol in the world and it has been determined that the vaccine is safe. Other vaccines available in the U.S.—Moderna and Johnson & Johnson—are authorized under the Emergency Use Authorization, which has allowed for their use during the pandemic, and are seeking to receive full approval from the FDA.

As announced in a September 14, 2021 update, all employees who access campus at any time are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (with exemptions for health and religious reasons).

For questions about Champlain’s requirements, please contact the People Center at peoplecenter@champlain.edu or contact feedback@champlain.edu.  

Please refer to vaccines.gov for information on how to find and schedule a vaccination in your area.

Students seeking exemption for the COVID-19 immunization requirement for qualifying medical or religious reasons should contact Student Health to learn more about the exemption process.

If you have had a severe allergic reaction (e.g. anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine you are scheduled to receive, you should not get that vaccine. If you have been instructed not to get one type of COVID-19 vaccine, you may still be able to get another type. Learn more about vaccination for people with allergies. Students should consult with their healthcare provider about vaccine options and any specific individual recommendations.

Employees will be provided with information soon on how to seek exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons.

Students will be asked to submit information detailing the COVID-19 vaccination received and date of vaccination(s) and will upload a copy of their vaccination card directly into our Electronic Health Record. Please find detailed information here describing how to provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination to the Student Health Center. 

Students who have not yet submitted vaccination information to Student Health will receive detailed instructions via email. Residential students will not be permitted to move in without vaccination documentation. All students who have not submitted documentation by Friday, August 27 will be removed from their classes. If you need help identifying a vaccination site, please contact Student Health Services at (802) 860-2711.

Employees will receive detailed information soon describing how to document vaccination status.

The data shows that the vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing the spread of COVID and in reducing severe illness and hospitalization from COVID, including the Delta variant which has caused a surge in cases worldwide, primarily in unvaccinated populations. Those with concerns should consult with their healthcare provider about vaccine options and any specific individual recommendations.  Further information on vaccine effectiveness can be found here.

If you have been fully vaccinated (14 days after your final dose), you will no longer need to participate in weekly COVID testing on campus.

Students will be required to have a final dose of vaccine 14 days prior to arrival on campus.

Employees will receive detailed information soon about timing for vaccination. Employees who are not yet vaccinated should plan to get their initial vaccination as soon as possible. 

Yes.

On August 11, 2021, we updated our campus masking policy.  Masking is required for all students, employees, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. 

Our masking requirement was updated on August 11. The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. 

Masks are REQUIRED:

• If you are not fully vaccinated, regardless of your ability to maintain distance from others.
• Inside Champlain buildings, including common areas, hallways, stairways, elevators, classrooms, conference rooms, restrooms, entrances, and lobbies.
• Inside residence halls, except if you are inside your assigned room or apartment/suite.
• When riding in a Champlain vehicle with another person, or when riding on a Champlain shuttle.
• When exercising indoors.

Masks are NOT REQUIRED if you are fully vaccinated and:

• You are working in a private, single-occupancy workspace. This includes a cubicle, or a space where you are along and have full control over access.
• You are inside your assigned room or suite in your residence hall, or brushing your teeth or showering in your residence hall bathroom.
• You are taking a break to eat or drink; you must wear a face covering when you are finished eating/drinking.

The first thing you can do to hold others accountable is to politely ask them to change their behavior if it poses a risk to the individual or community. This can be as simple as asking an individual if they are aware of the facial covering requirements if they are not wearing a mask in a space where they should. Simply approach the individual or group and use the same tone you would when speaking with a friend. How you say it matters. Phrases like “Hi! It seems like you forgot to put your mask on,” or “Sorry, I’m afraid of getting sick. Can we please both take a step back?” strike a balance between friendliness and firmness.

It is important to note that shaming isn’t likely to work, but being respectful and kind will de-escalate potentially volatile situations and help ensure the safety of everyone involved. If an individual refuses to comply with guidelines or becomes combative, put your own safety first and remove yourself from the situation. If you identify a pattern from a particular person or group, or a particularly serious incident occurs, you should report your concerns by:

• Safely contacting your RA if the violation occurs within your residence hall; or
• Filling out this Incident Report Form; or
• Calling Campus Public Safety at 802-865-6465 if the situation presents an immediate danger.

Once you make a report, the appropriate people will look into the potential violation to maintain the safety and health of our community.

The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. Neck gaiter-style and exhalation-vented masks are not allowed. The CDC and the Vermont Department of Health do not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for face coverings. 

If a community member has an accommodation request regarding the use of a face mask, please contact Erin Ferrara, Associate Director of Accessibility Services, to discuss your needs and the accommodation process. Erin can be reached at (802) 865-5764 or by email at eferrara@champlain.edu.

The Community Health Pledge can be found here. All students who wish to return to campus this fall to take part in classes and/or College activities must sign the Champlain Community Health Pledge and participate fully in all health measures in order to return to campus this fall.

Students on campus and employees who access campus at any time are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (with exemptions for health and religious reasons).

The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces.

Pre-arrival testing is required of all residential students and strongly recommended for all commuter students.

Weekly surveillance testing is required for students and employees on campus who are not fully vaccinated (have not received their final dose of vaccine more than 14 days prior).

All students returning to campus in fall 2021 (including those studying abroad) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have completed the exemption process due to medical or religious reasons.

Custodial staffing and sanitizing protocols are being updated to include increased cleaning of bathrooms and high-contact surfaces like doors, desks, and shared technology. Signage will be in place to indicate when all bathrooms and classrooms were last disinfected.

All students and employees are required to sign and agree to a Community Health Pledge. The pledge defines our expectations of Champlain students in areas such as quarantine procedures, vaccination requirements, testing expectations, participation in contact tracing efforts, mandatory mask wearing, and more. The goal of this commitment is to maintain the health of our campus community and our Burlington home.

Yes. We have defined quarantine and isolation areas for students who test positive for COVID-19, have been exposed to the virus or have symptoms and are awaiting a test result.

If you are living on campus, the Student Health Center would like you to be in touch to discuss any symptoms and assure you have the information and resources to remain healthy. If you are living off campus, please contact your primary care provider. If you are off campus and in the Burlington community and identify the Student Health Center as your local health care, please be in touch to discuss any changes in your health.

Symptomatic COVID testing is available for students daily, Monday – Friday by appointment. Please call the Student Health Center at (802) 860-2711 or email healthservices@champlain.edu to speak with a nurse and schedule a COVID test. 

As a reminder, please do not go to classes or other activities if you are feeling sick. Stay put, self monitor, and call Student Health.

Self-quarantine is required of people who reasonably believe to have been exposed to a communicable disease (like coronavirus) but are not yet symptomatic to prevent the possible spread of the disease.

Self-Isolation is directed by public health agencies and medical providers and refers to those who are ill and suspected to have an infection or known to have an infection.

It’s understandable that you may feel stressed and anxious about the situation. If anxiety or fear is overwhelming you, please get in touch with the Champlain College Counseling Center in Skiff Hall:

Email: counselingcenter@champlain.edu
Phone: 802.865.5731

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to speak to someone immediately, please call the on-call counselor at (802) 865-5745 or Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.

People who contract COVID-19 usually develop symptoms that affect their respiratory system, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Learn more about COVID-19 symptoms from the CDC.

If you become ill or suspect that you are ill, stay home. Please review these guidelines, contact your health care provider and seek medical care in your location. If COVID-19 is suspected, you should self-isolate for 14 days if you live or work on campus, or if suggested by your healthcare provider.

If you are sick with COVID-19 or suspect you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, follow the steps at this link to help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community.

COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread in the United States.

The CDC reports that COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Learn more from the CDC.

Research continues to show that vaccination and masking are the two most effective tools against COVID-19. CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially when entering a new area, after being in a public place, or after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. 
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and do not touch any personal items (keys, cell phone, etc.) or eat with unwashed hands. 
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Do not share drinking glasses, bottles, makeup, boxes of food, finger-foods, instruments, or anything else that could possibly transmit the virus from one person to another.

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from the CDC.

Hours of Operation are listed here and above under Campus Operations. Hours will be subject to change so keep checking back online or at the front door of the IDX Dining Hall. 

Yes. All meals will be provided to students quarantining on Main Campus.

During campus quarantine breakfast, lunch and dinner will be available for take-out only at the IDX Dining Hall. You are welcome to leave your residence hall to visit the dining hall. Please take your meals back to your residence hall or to an outdoor location. Remember to keep at least six feet from other students and wear your mask.

Our masking requirement was updated on August 11. The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. 

Masks are REQUIRED:

• If you are not fully vaccinated, regardless of your ability to maintain distance from others.
• Inside Champlain buildings, including common areas, hallways, stairways, elevators, classrooms, conference rooms, restrooms, entrances, and lobbies.
• When riding in a Champlain vehicle with another person, or when riding on a Champlain shuttle.
• When exercising indoors.

Masks are NOT REQUIRED if you are fully vaccinated and:

• You are working in a private, single-occupancy workspace. This includes a cubicle, or a space where you alone and have full control over access.
• You are taking a break to eat or drink; you must wear a face covering when you are finished eating/drinking.

The usual process for student accommodation remains the same and also applies to students who may need accommodations related to wearing masks. Please note that neck gaiters are not an acceptable alternative to a mask.

Please note that the Federal Transit Administration requires masks on public transportation for all riders (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) through September 13, 2021. Therefore, masks are also required on the campus shuttle.

Yes. There will be signage throughout campus reminding each of us about our health and safety commitments.

Contact tracing will be done in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health. The Contact Tracer will either be from VDH or will be a HIPPA trained medical professional employed by Champlain. If you are contacted by a tracer because you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 through an individual, the name and identity of that person’s name is not disclosed.  

Agreeing to participate in contact tracing is a requirement included in the Health Pledge. This VPR segment outlines how contract tracing works and what a conversation with a contact tracer might include.

Our masking requirement was updated on August 11. The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. Social distancing is encouraged but not required.

The facilities team is working diligently to return campus furniture that was moved to accommodate social distancing. If you have questions regarding a specific room or a piece of furniture please contact Lisa Martinez at lmartinez@champlain.edu.

The EMS system to reserve campus space, which has been offline during the pandemic, has been reactivated for employee use. We encourage employees to use meeting space and technology to create efficiencies, such as scheduling hybrid remote/in-person meetings to minimize travel to/from Lakeside and Main Campus. 

Please remember to bring back the technology and office supplies that you brought home during remote work. Champ Support students and staff will be on call and stationed at Lakeside and Perry Hall to help employees set-up their campus work stations. Please submit a ticket to Champ Support by emailing champsupport@champlain.edu and they will dispatch the closest available person. Before ordering new office supplies, check with others first, so that we can continue to be strategic in how we spend our budgets.

See the Fall 2021 Employee Transportation Update here. Please note that per Federal Transit Authority, masks are required for all riders (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) on the shuttles and other public transportation.

Our masking requirement was updated on August 11. The College requires the use of a face mask (cloth or disposable) for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when in shared indoor spaces. 

Masks are REQUIRED:

• If you are not fully vaccinated, regardless of your ability to maintain distance from others.
• Inside Champlain buildings, including common areas, hallways, stairways, elevators, classrooms, conference rooms, restrooms, entrances, and lobbies.
• Inside residence halls, except if you are inside your assigned room or apartment/suite.
• When riding in a Champlain vehicle with another person, or when riding on a Champlain shuttle.
• When exercising indoors.

Masks are NOT REQUIRED if you are fully vaccinated and:

• You are working in a private, single-occupancy workspace. This includes a cubicle, or a space where you are alone and have full control over access.
• You are inside your assigned room or suite in your residence hall, or brushing your teeth or showering in your residence hall bathroom.
• You are taking a break to eat or drink; you must wear a face covering when you are finished eating/drinking.

As announced in a September 14, 2021 update, all employees who access campus at any time are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (with exemptions for health and religious reasons).

For questions about Champlain’s requirements, please contact the People Center at peoplecenter@champlain.edu or contact feedback@champlain.edu.  

We will not have an updated policy before employees return to campus. Our goal is to evaluate and revise the policy from a baseline of being back together on campus and in person and working in the new normal.

We recognize that some employees have discovered conveniences and efficiencies from working at home. Our goal this summer and fall is to bring our campus community back together on-campus and in-person and establish our new normal. The College will review the flexible workplace policy and individual employees should work with their managers for specific questions about transitioning back to work.

Enhanced Cleaning

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we primarily focused on general cleaning, but pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to “cleaning for health.” Moving forward, we will continue to clean for health (disinfecting) while also maintaining overall cleanliness. Janitech team members are on campus daily throughout the summer on their regular schedule. In addition, we have increased sanitizing stations around campus, which will continue to be maintained. If your space needs attention or supplies, submit a Physical Plant Workorder for “Custodial” and it will be addressed. 

Air Quality Upgrade

Last summer we upgraded the air systems in all campus buildings that have them, such as Perry and Lakeside, to allow for increased air flow and circulation. FAll filters were upgraded to higher quality HEPA filters in all buildings to continue to promote the best possible air quality and circulation. We plan to continue this higher level of air quality and filtration. Additionally, air systems will continue to operate 24 hours a day as part of our new normal.

Please see our Working During COVID-19: Resources for Faculty & Staff section of this website for the most recent People Center communications and all our relevant policies.

Champlain College will open for in-person teaching and learning in the fall. All on-campus undergraduate classes will be taught face-to-face in the classroom. We will continue to monitor the pandemic closely and will make adjustments to our plans as needed and required by local, state, and federal guidance.

For fall 2021, our campus has returned to standard occupancy levels including residence halls.

Details on pricing can be found on our Housing & Meal Plans website. 

If you reserve a room and then decide to cancel, you may be subject to cancellation fees. Please refer to full cancellation details here.

The Student Emergency “Angel” Fund is designed to support those in the Champlain learning community with acute, unexpected needs. Champlain’s move to remote study has created new time-sensitive needs and we ask you to consider a donation of any size to this critical-need Fund.

While our team is working each day with students one on one to help navigate the transition to remote instruction and ensure student success, the Student Emergency Angel Fund will allow your gifts to be put to immediate use in support of needs like these.

Share Your Ideas & Resources  Do you have an idea for ways we can stay connected and engaged with each other? Do you have access to resources that could help others? Please keep the good ideas coming by sharing them here.

Neighbors who experience issues should contact Campus Public Safety at 802-865-6465, email community@champlain.edu, or fill out a Community Concerns Form here.

Students who are living on campus or who are living off-campus and participating in any aspect of on-campus life are required to comply with the Student Conduct Policy, the Champlain Community Health Pledge, as well as all state and local health and safety measures related to COVID. Champlain’s Community Standards team will address all reports involving students and, if it is determined that a student has violated the Champlain Community Health Pledge or any other COVID-19 related policy, the team will evaluate the potential impact of the violation on the health and safety of the community and determine appropriate sanctions, including potential removal from the College. The technology tools we are using to support testing and daily health monitoring will allow us to track compliance very closely. The College will use this data to inform a robust follow up plan with all students and ensure quick response to a failure to comply with the Health Pledge.

Students living off-campus are required to commit to the same protocols regarding testing, health screening, and other health and safety measures as those living on campus.

The complete policy and procedure manual for campus events is located here.

From this point forward, if there is a bathroom in your building labeled “Restroom Reserved: For Use with Permission by Health Services Only” please do not use this bathroom until/unless directed to do so.  This bathroom should be considered off-line from the general residents of the building.

Quarantine means that you limit your exposure to only those people that are simultaneously quarantining with you. You must stay at home or on-campus during the full duration of your quarantine. Students quarantining on campus will be offered structured outdoor activities with their quarantine group, following strict social distancing practices. Travel to stores, restaurants, parks, etc. is not allowed.

Yes, the College has reserved space on campus for students to quarantine as needed throughout the semester.

Please see Campus Operations above.

Commuter Students may now park in ANY pay-per-use lot for as long as you need. Keep in mind:

• You still need to display your valid Champlain College parking permit at all times (order at champlain.thepermitstore.com if you haven’t yet!)
• Payment is still required between 8am-4pm using Parkmobile

See all the pay-per-use lots (and their Parkmobile Zone Numbers) on the parking map. They are the ones with the dark green $ icons and corresponding number. Find all the parking details at champlain.edu/parking.

Permits are on sale for $175 for the semester for residential students.

Commuter students can obtain a free permit and pay-per-use.

Visit champlain.thepermitstore.com to order a permit.

Please visit our Transportation website.