Effective January 31, has returned to Transitional Posture.  Most classes have returned to in-person modality on that date.

All CMU faculty, staff, and students are required to be vaccinated or have an approved exemption.  In addition, all eligible CMU community members must receive a COVID-19 booster and upload verification by February 16.

Those with an approved exemption are required to complete the Daily Self-Assessment (DSA) and participate in weekly Tartan Testing.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID within the last 90 days is EXEMPT from the baseline testing requirement for the start of the semester.

We expect guidance to continue to evolve as we continue to learn. You may email the SCS Resilience Team with comments, which are most welcome.

Fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to participate in Daily Self Assessment, or Tartan Testing although they are welcome to do so if they wish. (Tartan Testing remains available for those who desire it.) Distancing is no longer required.

• As of March 28, facial coverings both indoors and outdoors will be optional for members of our community who are up-to-date with respect to COVID-19 vaccinations (meaning fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible). Those who are not up-to-date on vaccinations must continue to follow mitigation measures, including wearing facial coverings while indoors.
• There are several circumstances in which individuals will still be required to wear a high-quality, well-fitting facial covering indoors, regardless of vaccination status:
  • Anyone who has tested positive (wear for at least three days following the seven days of isolation).
  • Anyone who has been a close contact of a positive case within 10 days of exposure.
  • Anyone visiting Tartan Testing or University Health Services.
  • Anyone riding a CMU shuttle or other public transportation.
  • Anyone in a university child care setting, including the Cyert Center for Early Education and The Children’s School.
  • In the private office or room of anyone who requires facial coverings (office sign available).
• Individuals may choose to continue wearing facial coverings for a variety of reasons, and the university community is encouraged to support those who wish to do so. Continue to keep a facial covering with you for times when it will be beneficial. The university provides disposable facial coverings throughout campus, including KN95 masks via vending machines at no cost to students, faculty and staff.

Everyone should continue to practice good hygiene, including hand washing or hand sanitizer.

Every 24 hours, FMCS will conduct enhanced sanitation and disinfection in high-traffic and common areas, following CDC guidelines. In case of a suspected case of COVID, contact tracing and other measures will continue.

Faculty who need to teach remotely for reasons related to a personal medical accomodation should work with Human Resources. Faculty who need to teach remotely due to a non-medical work adjustment (e.g. for personal concerns such as family members) must be approved by the department head and dean. 

Revised guidance for human subject research (HSR) has been posted. HSR researchers must advise study participants and those who accompany them of their obligations under the Minimum Requirements. HSR researchers should follow the guidance in the revised COVID-19 Screening Process and Questions.  Note in particular that the revised HSR guidance clarifies that, in the absence of a university-wide requirement, studies MAY NOT ask about or require vaccination of participants unless those requirements are written into an approved IRB protocol.  All human subject researchers should review these requirements carefully and may get in touch with Philip Lehman with any questions.

Staff supporting Human Subject Research (e.g. business office staff and faculty support staff) should be on campus at least as often as necessary to support experiments (as well as additional time for other roles, as needed).

No one’s vaccination status should be solicited and/or recorded by anyone except a central university authority.

However, when eligible, all students, faculty and staff are required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination and booster shot. Further information on deadlines and how to upload information is available via the CMU COVID-19 Vaccine Database.

As of March 28, all restrictions on gatherings (both indoor and outdoor) will be lifted. This means that attendees of in-person meetings and student organization and university-sponsored events will be allowed up to 100% of space capacity, and food may be served.

As of March 28, all restrictions on gatherings (both indoor and outdoor) will be lifted. This means that attendees of in-person meetings and student organization and university-sponsored events will be allowed up to 100% of space capacity, and food may be served.

Visitors (both indoors and outdoors) for one-time visits and/or recurring meetings/events on campus are permitted. 

Facial Coverings (effective: March 28)
Facial coverings both indoors and outdoors are optional for everyone who is up-to-date with respect to COVID-19 vaccinations (meaning fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible). Those who are not up-to-date on vaccinations must continue to follow mitigation measures, including wearing facial coverings while indoors.

Vaccination Status and COVID-19 Testing
All faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It is expected that visitors coming to the CMU campus are also fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster when eligible, unless unable to be vaccinated due to a disability or strong religious/moral conviction. Visitors may be asked to attest that they are either fully vaccinated or have received a negative COVID-19 test result in the last 72 hours.

Additional Information
Other approval processes for visitors such as the Collaborating Visitor or programs involving minors will continue to apply in addition to this protocol.

Until further notice, this protocol applies to the presence of visitors to Carnegie Mellon’s U.S.-based campuses and programs. For the most up-to-date visitor guidance at other CMU locations, please refer to their websites and/or reach out to local campus leadership.

For the purpose of this protocol, visitors include anyone who is not a CMU employee, student, vendor, contractor or sponsored affiliate.

Email drbc@andrew.cmu.edu for additional questions regarding visitors.

University-sponsored travel for all CMU community members is permitted subject to approval from your department/manager.

If you are fully vaccinated, you do not have to quarantine following travel. However, per the CDC's guidance on travel, we continue to encourage students, faculty, staff, vendors, and visitors to wear a facial covering and avoid large events or crowded spaces during travel. 

Students, faculty and staff should also follow the university’s travel recommendations, which include symptom monitoring and asymptomatic COVID-19 testing through Tartan Testing before and after travel. Travel to countries that carry a CDC Very High or High level of risk is highly discouraged.

Fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to participate in Daily Self Assessment, or Tartan Testing although they are welcome to do so if they wish. (Tartan Testing remains available for those who desire it.) Distancing is no longer required.

• As of March 28, facial coverings both indoors and outdoors will be optional for members of our community who are up-to-date with respect to COVID-19 vaccinations (meaning fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible). Those who are not up-to-date on vaccinations must continue to follow mitigation measures, including wearing facial coverings while indoors.
• There are several circumstances in which individuals will still be required to wear a high-quality, well-fitting facial covering indoors, regardless of vaccination status:
  • Anyone who has tested positive (wear for at least three days following the seven days of isolation).
  • Anyone who has been a close contact of a positive case within 10 days of exposure.
  • Anyone visiting Tartan Testing or University Health Services.
  • Anyone riding a CMU shuttle or other public transportation.
  • Anyone in a university child care setting, including the Cyert Center for Early Education and The Children’s School.
  • In the private office or room of anyone who requires facial coverings (office sign available).
• Individuals may choose to continue wearing facial coverings for a variety of reasons, and the university community is encouraged to support those who wish to do so. Continue to keep a facial covering with you for times when it will be beneficial. The university provides disposable facial coverings throughout campus, including KN95 masks via vending machines at no cost to students, faculty and staff.

Everyone should continue to practice good hygiene, including hand washing or hand sanitizer.

Every 24 hours, FMCS will conduct enhanced sanitation and disinfection in high-traffic and common areas, following CDC guidelines. In case of a suspected case of COVID, contact tracing and other measures will continue.

For facial coverings, please contact: fixit@andrew.cmu.edu.

For questions or further guidance, please contact your department business manager or Philip Lehman.  CPSAs and PSOs–as well as liaisons–continue as a source of expertise.