COVID-19 Prevention Plan

USF is required to establish and implement an effective written COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) pursuant to an Emergency Temporary Standard in place for COVID-19 (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 8, section 3205(c)).

Full details of the USF COVID 19 Prevention Plan

Vaccination

The University of San Francisco requires all undergraduate and graduate students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and to have boosters when eligible. The vaccination requirement went into effect at the start of the fall 2021 semester, and the booster requirement is effective Jan. 21, 2022. All faculty and staff, except those who have an exemption approved by Human Resources, are encouraged to be fully vaccinated (including boosters) as soon as they are eligible.

Contact Tracing, Isolation, Self-Quarantine

Despite the many reasonable steps USF is taking to prevent the transmission of the virus, the presence and transmission of COVID-19 on campus is likely, if not inevitable, during this ongoing pandemic. Therefore, the university has developed protocols for contact tracing, isolating people who contract COVID-19, and helping people who become exposed to COVID-19 to self-quarantine if their situation dictates.

  • Students who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will be required to isolate. Residential students will isolate in a space designated by USF and students residing off campus will isolate off campus.
  • Students who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will be asked to provide information about other people with whom they have been in close contact during the time when they may have been infectious and able to transmit the virus. A university contact tracer will contact students who have been identified as having an exposure and provide them with information and resources on self-quarantining and symptom-monitoring. Students are required to cooperate fully with all the university’s contact tracing efforts.
  • Campus isolation or quarantine procedures will likely require students to move to a different residence for the isolation or quarantine period. USF will provide food meal drop off and health monitoring for students isolating or quarantining.
  • Campus isolation and quarantine spaces are finite. Approaching capacity in these spaces may necessitate the University returning to full remote learning and may require a campus-wide shelter in place or require all students leave campus and return home for the remainder of the semester.

Face Coverings

Per our protocols, which are in line with newly updated CDC and SFDPH guidance, and due to local transmission levels being categorized as “low,” we are making indoor masking optional. This adjustment will take effect on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The deans of each school and college have discretion to continue to require masking in programs within their schools and college due to the exposure risk related to training and work in professional settings. Please refer to any communications from the dean's office. In addition, some faculty, librarians, and staff instructors may ask their students to continue wearing face coverings in classrooms. We ask that students please comply with faculty members' requests. Any questions or concerns about wearing face coverings in classrooms may be directed to the dean’s office of your school or college.

We will continue monitoring community infection levels and sharing any changes with the larger USF community. When levels are in the low range, masking will be optional. In the moderate range, masking will be recommended. When levels are in the high range, we will once again require indoor masking.

Please remember that people may choose to wear a mask, and that masking may be required in other places by local or state authorities. It is always best to continue to carry a mask with you at all times. All community members should continue to stay up-to-date with vaccinations and get tested if symptoms present.

COVID Care Team

Student Housing and the Office of Community Living (OCL) have developed a COVID Care Team to handle the “care” management of all students — both on-campus residential students and those living off-campus — who are in quarantine or isolation. This team consists of individuals who will be assigned a resident and conduct daily check-ins with those students to help ensure that students in quarantine/isolation are getting the support they need. The COVID Care Team will work with other campus partners as needed to provide holistic support for students.

Dons Helping Dons

Dons Helping Dons ambassadors will work in alliance with campus partners to facilitate a shift in campus life culture to nurture a sound body, mind, and spirit through Cura personalis — care of the whole person. As we navigate through the changing environment Dons Helping Dons strives to strengthen our USF community through a process of continual support, encouragement, and education.

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Visitor Policy

All visitors to USF are expected to follow our community guidelines. Visitors must complete symptom monitoring and avoid coming to campus if they do not feel well. To ensure clear communication of these guidelines, the group that is sponsoring a visitor or event (e.g., academic departments, admissions, athletics, development events, student housing, etc.) is responsible for ensuring that their visitors understand visitor expectations. Business units that host visitors are being asked to build these visitor expectations into their existing workflows. Vaccinated guests no longer need to show that they are up-to-date with vaccinations prior to coming to campus. If transmission levels change this may change.