July 12, 2021

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We hope you all had a safe and happy holiday weekend. We write today with some updates about summer operations and protocols as we continue to transition the campus toward fewer COVID-related restrictions as the presence of COVID-19 on campus and in the community remains low and vaccines continue to be administered across the state.

Working on Campus

We will continue to operate at a reduced density until August 2. Employees seeking to return to work in-person prior to August 2 should consult with their managers, who will seek approval from the college. We strongly encourage any employees working on campus this summer to be fully vaccinated when they return. Anyone who isn’t vaccinated will be required to be tested for COVID-19 weekly on campus.

Information regarding required COVID vaccination has been shared with faculty, staff, and students, including the process for submitting proof of a vaccination through the Health Center’s portal. Information regarding a medical exemption for students has been shared, and the exemption process for faculty and staff was shared on July 7.

As a reminder, faculty and staff must be fully vaccinated by Monday, August 2, (meaning two weeks past a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or past the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines). Those still completing the vaccine process should submit verification no later than July 23, 2021.

COVID-19 Testing at Trinity through the end of summer

As more and more of our population becomes vaccinated, we continue to offer COVID-19 testing to employees at the Health Center on Wednesdays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Vaccinated employees will not need to be tested, but as noted above, those who aren’t will be tested weekly. Appointments are not required.

Masks and Physical-Distancing Protocols

There is no mandate to wear a mask outdoors. Anyone who feels more comfortable continuing to wear masks are free to do so. Indoors, you should continue to wear masks generally, though it is permissible for small groups of fully vaccinated individuals working together in research labs or shared office space to not wear masks if all members of the group feel comfortable and agree to do so. Employees should consult their managers or department heads to set appropriate, agreed-upon practices for your environment.

Those working on campus and indoors should continue to practice six-foot distancing but note that over the month of July we will continue the process of restoring most indoor spaces to standard capacity limits, including classrooms. Staff have begun the process of removing COVID safety related signage from buildings, hallways, and rooms.

The COVID Steering Committee is now operating in a reduced capacity as the college returns to standard operating procedures and will continue to monitor the prevalence of COVID in the community as well as any changes in state and federal public health guidance. We appreciate your understanding and vigilance as we look ahead to the fall and 2021-2022 academic year. We will be back in touch on August 2 with more information. Until then have a healthy and restful summer.

Sincerely,

Joe DiChristina, Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management
Jason Rojas, Chief of Staff and Associate Vice President for External Relations