**updated 3-7-22**
As we continue the Spring 2022 semester, the administration continues to monitor the development of COVID-19.
While this is developing situation, and guidance may change, here are current guidelines and resources for all members of our community:
- Per CDC recommendations, we urge all members of the community to get a vaccine booster as soon as possible.
- Boosters are widely available in the Austin area. Below are some resources to find them:
- We anticipate that in the coming weeks or months, the CDC will define ‘fully vaccinated’ as having received a booster (a third Pfizer or Moderna dose or a second Johnson & Johnson dose). Once this happens, this booster will be required by all student, faculty, and staff per current seminary policy.
- With this in mind, we ask that if you have received your booster, or once you receive your booster, you document it via our online system as with previous vaccination documentation requirements.
- A reminder that should you contract COVID-19, you are required to inform Fred Clement at [email protected] as soon as possible. All information is kept confidential.
- Persons ‘up-to-date‘ with their vaccination status are no longer required to mask indoors or outdoors on campus. Read here for more details.
- Members of the community who are not ‘up-to-date‘ are required to mask at all times on campus while indoors. Outdoor masking is optional.
It is important to know that of our 200+ member community of students, faculty, and staff, approximately 97% are fully vaccinated. All of our full-time faculty and our residential student population are fully vaccinated. The CDC has issued guidance for Institutions of Higher Learning, and the behavioral guidelines we will require meet or exceed that guidance. Below are these guidelines as we continue the spring semester:
- In-person, on-campus, indoor classes continue
2. In-person, on-campus worship resumes in Christ Chapel with communion (including option of intinction), except as otherwise arranged by the dean
3. Mask-wearing in all indoor places at all times is no longer required of persons up-to-date on their vaccines
4. Mask-wearing in all outdoor spaces is not required
5. Mask-wearing in all places at all times (including in private offices and outdoors) is required of partially vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, except when consuming food or beverage
6. Regularly scheduled mandatory COVID-19 testing is required for all non-vaccinated and partially vaccinated persons
7. Indoor dining has resumed.
8. Routine catering and hospitality resumes according to applicable protocols
9. Guest suites are available only for vaccinated persons
In order to further preserve our ability to provide instructional and worship formation, we also ask that all members of our community follow the guidelines for the CDC and Austin Public Health while not on campus. The more careful you are when you are not among this community will make this community safer when you are here.
The community of Southwest has shown great resolve and commitment to the health and safety to one another throughout the pandemic. We are confident that these qualities of empathy and compassion will continue to benefit us amid this recent surge.
Faithfully,
The Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge
Dean and President