Spring Semester Testing Update

Key Points

• All community members approved to be on campus will need to submit a negative test result

• Free testing will be available on campus

• Individuals who come to campus regularly should be prepared for more frequent testing during the semester

• Continue to check your COVID Compliance Card in myUMBC

Dear UMBC Community,

We hope that you had a restful and relaxing break. Please review these requirements for accessing campus at the start of the spring 2021 semester. This email details testing requirements for the beginning of the semester; we will share additional details on COVID testing for the remainder of the semester next week. 

Residential students returning to campus

All residential students will undergo COVID testing during spring residential move-in, January 22-25, and again approximately four days later. Students should check their emails regularly for their appointment time and specific instructions. If you do not receive an email by the end of today, January 15, please contact Residential Life. Residential students will also complete regular testing throughout the semester and should expect additional guidance next week. 

All other faculty, staff, and non-residential students

If you are approved to be on campus for the spring semester, you will need to submit a negative test result before February 2, the first day of in-person classes. You may take an off-campus test between January 25 and February 2 and submit your results using this form. 

We will also be providing free on-campus testing January 26-29. Details and a link you can use to schedule an appointment will be posted here when available. 

This pre-semester testing period is optional but not required for faculty and staff who participated in testing January 2-9.  

Please check your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile to see if you are currently approved to be on campus. All faculty teaching and students enrolled in in-person classes are automatically added to the list of community members approved to be on campus.

For staff returning to campus, if your profile indicates you are not approved to be on campus, you and your supervisor should complete the Return to On-Campus Work Application. If you have already been approved and are continuing for the spring, you do not need to re-submit the risk assessment and can indicate “on file” on the justification form. If this is the first time you are applying to work on campus, your supervisor should review and complete the entire Return to On-Campus Work approval process.

Compliance for community members approved to be on campus

All community members who are approved to be on campus must complete the online symptom tracker every day, seven-days-a-week, starting 14 days before arrival. All students, faculty, and staff are required to complete the Return to Campus COVID Awareness course if they have not already done so, and students will need to sign the Retriever Community Agreement if they have not already done so in the fall.

Testing and online symptom tracking are among our most powerful tools for keeping the entire community safe. We will be actively monitoring compliance during the spring semester and enforcing a range of actions for individuals who are not in compliance, including loss of access to campus. You may check your compliance status at any time on your COVID Compliance Card. 

Ongoing testing throughout the semester

While we are still working with public health experts to finalize our testing plan for the remainder of the semester, individuals who come to campus regularlyshould be prepared for more frequent testing. If you no longer wish to have access to campus, please complete an Opt-Out form. 

In addition, at this time, individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine will still need to participate in symptom tracking and testing. 

We recognize that this is a fluid and evolving situation and are actively working on developing policies and procedures that take advantage of the most current public health guidance and resources available to us. We appreciate your continued commitment to the health and safety of our community. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at covid19@umbc.edu.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs