For more information, visit the CDC's website "What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19" or "If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone" for the details of this guidance.

So what does this mean for us?

Students

• If you contract COVID-19, do not come to campus. Follow the CDC guidelines regarding "If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone."
• Notify your instructors and see if they can work with you on any missed assignments.
• Once you test negative, you may return to class.
• For various types of tests, visit the "COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know" section and scroll down to "Types of Tests."
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19, follow the CDC guidelines on "What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19."
• In general, if you know you were exposed through close contact and are not experiencing symptoms, you may come to class, but please wear a well-fitted mask. Wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed (CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS 10 Full Days). Start counting from Day 1 (Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure [Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19]).
• If you live with a person who has COVID-19 and are unable to avoid frequent close contact, wear a mask and stay home until the sick person is well and you are showing no symptoms.
• Notify your instructor.

Faculty

• If you contract COVID-19, do not come to campus. Follow the CDC guidelines regarding "If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone."
• Notify your chairperson or dean.
• Stay home until you test negative or receive medical clearance from your doctor.
• For various types of tests, visit the "COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know" section and scroll down to "Types of Tests."
• If you are well enough to teach and your class can be moved online while sick, consider doing that. If you are too sick to teach, inform your chairperson and record your leave in accordance with HR policies. Additionally, you may qualify for the NYS COVID Leave Benefit.
• Let your students know of the changes to the class (or, if needed, ask your chairperson to do so).
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19, follow the CDC guidelines on "What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19."
• In general, if you know you were exposed through close contact and are not experiencing symptoms, you may come to class, but please wear a well-fitted mask. Wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed (CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS 10 Full Days). Start counting from Day 1 (Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure [Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19]).
• If you live with a person who has COVID-19 and are unable to avoid frequent close contact, wear a mask. It is recommended that you stay home until the sick person is well and you are showing no symptoms.
• There is no requirement to inform your class if someone in the class contacts you and informs you they attended class and are now testing positive. If you want to inform the class, please make sure you do not mention the student's name.

Staff

• If you contract COVID-19, do not come to campus. Follow the CDC guidelines regarding "If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone."
• Contact your supervisor; stay home until you test negative or receive medical clearance from your doctor.
• For various types of tests, visit the "COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know" section and scroll down to "Types of Tests."
• If you are well enough to work from home and your job allows working remotely, work with your supervisor. If you are too sick or cannot do your job from home, report your leave in accordance with HR policies. Additionally, you may qualify for NY COVID Leave Benefit.
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19, follow the CDC guidelines on "What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19."
• In general, if you know you were exposed through close contact and are not experiencing symptoms, you may come to class, but please wear a well-fitted mask. Wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed (CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS 10 Full Days). Start counting from Day 1 (Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure [Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19]).
• If you live with a person who has COVID-19 and are unable to avoid frequent close contact, wear a mask. It is recommended that you stay home until the sick person is well and showing no symptoms.
• Notify your supervisor.

This is just a reminder that while COVID is no longer considered a pandemic, it is still very much active and can still have serious ramifications for your health and well-being. If you test positive for COVID, please stay home. If you feel well enough to work remotely during your illness, check with your supervisor about working from home. If you are a student, please let your professors know and see if they will work with you to provide you with any missed assignments and/or lecture materials.

For those of you who have been exposed to COVID through close contact, I recommend that you follow CDC guidelines for exposure. These guidelines can be found here - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/if-you-were-exposed.html.

Thank you,

Ken Ihrer, CCNY COVID Coordinator

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Information Technology
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

Starting on May 24^th, 2023, we will no longer use the Cleared4 pass to gain entrance to our buildings. On that date and going forward, you will only need your College ID to enter. Please note that your Cleared4 will no longer work starting on the 24^th. There is no reason to contact us as this is what you should expect.  If you have the link saved to your phone, it will be safe to remove it on the morning of May 24^th.

Sincerely,
Ken Ihrer

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Information Technology
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

** You will find a corresponding/additional memo from CUNY regarding "Turning the Corner of COVID-19" (April 17, 2023), HERE.

I hope you had a restful spring recess. I'm happy to welcome you back with news of a major milestone in CUNY's three-year battle against COVID-19. In the wake of significant improvements in New York City and State and across the nation, we are ending the emergency vaccination mandate for students, faculty and staff. The change will be effective on the last day of the Spring semester and will allow students to enroll in classes, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, starting with Summer sessions.

Our decision to lift the vaccine mandate is consistent with the federal government's plan to end the national Public Health Emergency next month. It comes after close consultation with State and City health officials, and amid increased rates of vaccination and sustained low COVID-19 levels on CUNY campuses and throughout the city. Our testing program reports a positivity rate of 0.8% for the week ending April 9, mirroring the city and state's declining rates of infection. 

To be sure, it's important to recognize that the pandemic is not over; we continue to encourage and urge all students, faculty and staff to stay up to date with vaccinations. We will also continue to consult with public health experts, closely monitor data and adhere to pertinent federal, state and city guidance should policies need to be modified moving forward.

The mandate will end on May 23 for the 22 CUNY colleges whose spring semesters end that day, and for all Central Office employees. For Kingsborough, LaGuardia and Guttman community colleges, whose semesters operate on a different calendar, the mandate will end on June 16, the last day of their current term.

By the end of June, we will also be ending our COVID-19 testing program, closing our campus and Central Office test sites and eliminating the use of the Cleared4 health verification platform, allowing colleges to go back to their standard processes for granting campus access. 

Gratitude 

I want to thank all members of the CUNY community for their cooperation and compliance with the vaccination mandate since it went into effect in Fall 2021. We can all take pride that we are able to reach this milestone in great part because of our high levels of vaccination.  

I also thank the many members of our community who have made important contributions to our University's response to the pandemic throughout these challenging years. I want to especially recognize the leadership of our School of Public Health and Health Policy; the Campus Coronavirus Liaisons and Campus Location Vaccine Authority (LVAs) who ensured that state and local health guidance as well as CUNY policy were followed throughout the university; the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, which oversaw operations for our testing sites, and our essential staff – public safety officers, custodians, facilities staff and others – who worked in person through it all to manage access to our facilities and keep us safe. 

From the initial onset of COVID-19, in March 2020, our University community has risen to overcome unprecedented challenges to every aspect of life during the pandemic in work, school and our homes. When the vaccines became available in December 2020, it was a two-time CUNY alumnus who made history as the first in the country to get the shot. In March 2021, we launched the #VaxUpCUNY campaign and worked with our government partners to host vaccination sites that put over half a million shots in New Yorkers' arms. Faculty, meanwhile, conducted COVID-focused research and developed COVID-related courses. Nursing and med students joined the frontlines, and students rallied to help despite personal losses. Our community suffered devastating losses of life during the pandemic and we were the first university to launch an In Memoriam webpage to honor them. 

These indelible images and memories remain fresh enough for us to take stock of the great distance we've covered, working together to keep CUNY moving forward. We are hopeful that the positive trends will continue and that we are moving steadily toward a time when COVID-19 is no longer a serious health concern for anyone. We continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our community.  

Thank you again for doing your part to help CUNY persevere through the pandemic. Please stay healthy and have a successful last month of the academic year.

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Chancellor

Each semester we receive guidance from CUNY on changes to the COVID-19 Safety Plan.  For Spring '23, there is only one area of change to our plan. 

Starting February 1st, 2023, visitors to CUNY campuses, including CCNY, are no longer required to show proof of vaccination, register with Cleared4 or show a negative COVID-19 test result.  Visitors may enter our campus by showing an official Identification Card and signing in with the security guard at the entrances to our buildings.  Our plan on the website has been updated to reflect this change and can be found at The City College of New York COVID-19 Safety Plan for Spring '23 | The City College of New York (cuny.edu) and at the specific link regarding visitors, located at Guest Access Rules and FAQ's | The City College of New York (cuny.edu)

Faculty, Staff and Students are still required to use Cleared4 and follow vaccination and testing procedures as described in our safety plan.

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

For everyone’s safety, visitors should not come to our campus if they believe they have recently been exposed to COVID-19, currently have COVID-19 or they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

Thank you for your cooperation and if you have any questions, please contact our COVID Coordinator, Ken Ihrer, at kihrer@ccny.cuny.edu .

Similar to the guidance provided for the Spring 2022 semester, employees will be expected to work on campus 7 out of 10 days during a two-week work cycle.  For example, employees can be required to work in-person 4 days and 1 day remote in one week and in the following week 3 days in-person and 2 days remote.

As a reminder managers/department heads have the discretion, based on business needs, to require their employees to report to work in person at a higher rate than the minimum of 70% set
by the University

Supervisors and employees should continue to document hybrid work arrangements utilizing CUNY’s remote work form.  CUNY extended the use of the current remote work form until December 31, 2022.  More information about hybrid work can be found at CUNY Flexible Work Guidelines.

Employees can still request reasonable accommodations and, as feasible, general accommodation requests will be considered.

Also, with the advent of the Fall 2022 semester, please be reminded about the protocols related to the following:

• Quarantine
• Campus Access
• COVID PCR Testing at CUNY Sites
• Random COVID Testing
• Weekly COVID Testing
• COVID Vaccinations

Quarantine

An employee, visitor, etc., who had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID but is up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines and booster (if eligible) or an employee, etc. who tested positive for COVID-19 within an applicable 90-day period does not need to quarantine provided that they are not exhibiting COVID/Flu like symptoms.  However, these employees, etc. will be required to wear a mask for 10 days after the date of their last close contact and get COVID tested at least 5 days after the date of their last close contact.

An employee, visitor, etc. who tests positive for COVID must quarantine from the campus and all CUNY sites for at least five (5) days.  On day six (6), the employee, etc. should take a COVID Antigen test.  If the COVID Antigen test is negative and the employee is not experiencing fever and/or other serious symptoms, then they may be cleared for campus access.  Seriously ill employees may be required to quarantine for at least 10 days and obtain medical clearance before campus access is granted.

Campus Access

Employees and visitors to the campus are required to utilize the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass to gain entry to College Facilities.

All employees must be registered with CUNY’s Cleared4 system.  Once registered, employees can access or print their CUNY Access Pass by entering their personalized link into any web browser and selecting “Show Access Pass”.  Employees can also display their CUNY Access Pass on their mobile phone or other smart device.

Employees who require assistance with registering for the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass are asked to email their inquiries to  covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .

COVID PCR Testing at CUNY Sites

Free COVID PCR testing is still available to employees at any of CUNY’s testing centers.  For your convenience, the location and hours of the City College test site are provided below:

City College’s COVID-19 testing site is in the Faculty Dining Room located in the North Academic Center (NAC) Building.  The entrance is on 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

The current hours of operation for CCNY’s testing site are as follows:

• Monday                 2pm-5pm
• Tuesday                2pm-5pm
• Wednesday           9am-12pm
• Thursday               9am-12pm
• Friday                    Closed
• Saturday                Closed

Random COVID Testing

The random COVID testing program (see here)  will continue and all employees are required to participate.  If you are selected for a random COVID testing, you will receive an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com with instructions on how to proceed.  Random testing applies to all employees – vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Weekly COVID Testing

Employees who have not submitted proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst are required to participate in CUNY’s Weekly COVID Testing Program at one of CUNY’s designated testing sites.

Employees subject to weekly testing are required to register with CUNY’s testing vendor, ADCL (Applied DNA Clinical Labs);

Employees who have questions or need help registering for weekly testing are advised to contact ADCL’s support desk- https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home or send an email to  covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .

Test results from CUNY’s testing sites are sent directly to the employee’s email address within 24 hours to 48 hours.

Test results will not be accepted from a non-CUNY testing site.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be subject to the College’s contact tracing protocol.

COVID Vaccinations

Effective April 1, 2022, all full and part-time faculty, non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, Non-Teaching Adjuncts, College Lab Technicians and those in the HEO series) and ECPs are required to be fully vaccinated.  Employees in these titles are required to have their proof of vaccination uploaded into CUNYfirst.

Exceptions to the vaccination mandate have only been made for employees who have a vaccination exemption or are employed in a title in which there is no current vaccination mandate.  In any of these cases, the non-vaccinated employee is required to participate in CUNY’s Weekly Testing Program.

Should you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

As you are probably aware, New York City’s Covid-19 level is currently high according to the NYC Department of Health’s Alert Level system and the CDC’s Community Level tracking.

Health officials recommend we wear a mask in indoor public settings and people over 65 and those at high risk of severe illness should also wear a mask in crowded outdoor spaces.

As the semester comes to a close and many of you prepare to attend commencements with your loved ones and friends, we urge you to wear a mask in public indoor spaces – for your safety and that of those around you.

A reminder that the best way to avoid serious illness from COVID-19 is to stay up to date with the vaccines and boosters. If you have symptoms or were exposed, get tested to ensure you're not spreading the virus. And if you test positive, talk to your doctor about treatment. You can find additional CUNY guidance here.

Wishing you a strong finish to the semester, good luck with final exams, and spirited congratulations to the tens of thousands of students who are graduating in the coming weeks. 

Best,  

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D. 
Chancellor

Outdoor Commencement Ceremonies

Unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask and vaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to wear masks.

Indoor Commencement Ceremonies

All attendees are required to wear a mask.

All graduating students participating in any commencement ceremonies must present a valid cleared4 pass and must be fully vaccinated or provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AT THIS IMPORTANT TIME – PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FFOR THE LATEST INFORMATION IN THE EVENT THAT CONDITIONS OR POLICIES CHANGE

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

I wanted to let you know about the updated schedule during Spring Break, as it relates to the safeCircle Covid-19 Testing Center at City College. The Testing Center will be closed from Friday, April 15 - 18 and will open back up on Tuesday, April 19 for the duration of Spring Break. If you are working during Spring Break and require testing to be on campus, please make sure you take into account the shortened testing schedule. 

Sincerely,

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

1. Mask Mandate Lifted
2. Campus Access
3. CUNY Expanding Availability of COVID Testing at CUNY Sites
4. COVID Testing – Random
5. COVID Testing – Weekly
6. COVID Vaccinations

Mask Mandate Lifted

As specified by Chancellor Matos in his March 4, 2022 communication to the University community, effective March 7, 2022, CUNY has lifted the mask mandate that required all University employees, contractors and visitors to wear masks when inside office buildings, including non-enclosed spaces (i.e., cubicle or other open seating) regardless of physical distance from others.

However, the College's quarantine guidance related to wearing masks will remain unchanged in the following situation:

Employees, visitors, etc., who had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID and are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines and booster (if eligible) or if the employee, etc. had confirmed COVID-19 (tested positive) within the last 90 days, then they do not need to quarantine and can return to work provided that they are not exhibiting COVID/Flu like symptoms.  However, these employees, etc. will be required to wear a mask for 10 days after the date of their last close contact and then get tested at least 5 days after the date of close contact.

Campus Access

As of December 6, 2021, the College has discontinued the use of the V-22 identification sticker and the Excelsior Pass for campus access.  At this time, employees and visitors to the campus are required to utilize the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass to gain entry to College Facilities.

Employees who have not yet completed their registration with the Cleared4 system should do so now.  Once registered for the Cleared4 system, employees can access or print their CUNY Access Pass by entering their personalized link into any web browser and selecting "Show Access Pass".  Employees can also display their CUNY Access Pass on their mobile phone or other smart device.

Employees who require assistance with registering for the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass are asked to email their inquiries to  covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .  Please also see the December 2, 2021, communications from the College's Vice President of Operations on campus access with Cleared4.

CUNY Expanding Availability of Testing at CUNY Sites

Effective December 28, 2021, any CUNY employee who needs to be tested for any reason can  walk into a CUNY approved testing site, show their CUNY ID, register in the Cleared4 system and get tested. Results will be available as usual within 24 to 48 hours. For additional information, please read the Chancellor's communication dated December 21, 2021.

Random COVID-19 Testing for Vaccinated Employees

Effective November 17, 2021, CUNY implemented a random testing program for vaccinated employees. Fully vaccinated employees with approved vaccination information in CUNYfirst will be randomly selected to participate in the COVID-19 testing program. The following is a brief overview of the program:

1.  Random testing is not optional and is necessary in order to obtain campus-wide results each week and thus help keep everyone safe.
2. Each week, selected individuals will receive an email from  no-reply@cleared4.org  with subject line "Message from City University of New York (CUNY)".
3. The email from  no-reply@cleared4.org  includes instructions for employees to complete their registration via a personalized link.
4. The selected employees will have to test at a CUNY test site within 7 days of receipt of the email
5. If the COVID-19 test result comes back positive, the employee's Access Pass will be disabled and the employee will be contacted by a Coronavirus Task Force Liaison for guidance.
6. Test results will not be accepted from a Non-CUNY testing site.
7. No appointment is necessary, however, if an employee plans to get tested during their work week, then they are expected to inform their supervisor and arrange to get time off for testing.
8. Test results will be available within 48 hours and employees will maintain their Access Pass to CUNY facilities while the results are pending.
9. If an employee does not show up to be tested within the required 7-day period, they will be contacted by a campus or program representative on next steps. 
10. Employees who schedule a testing appointment at a CUNY testing site during their scheduled work week will be given 30 minutes of paid time if the testing site is on their campus or office location, and 45 minutes if they need to travel to another CUNY location.
11. Employees should record the time taken to test on their timesheet as "Leave Type" COVID-19 Priority Testing (CPT).
12. If you do not receive your test results within 24 hours (if taken on a weekday) or within 48 hours (if taken on a weekend), please contact the vendor's helpdesk: https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home
    
    Please note: When taking the COVID-19 test at a CUNY site, it is recommended that you make note or take a picture of the number on your sample kit; this makes it easier when following up with the help desk.
13. A list of CUNY approved testing sites is available here.  For your convenience, the location and hours of the City College test site is provided below:

City College's COVID-19 testing site is in the Faculty Dining Room located in North Academic Center (NAC) Building.  The entrance is on 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

The hours of operation for CCNY's testing site are as follows:

• Monday 2pm-5pm
• Tuesday 2pm-5pm
• Wednesday 9am-12pm
• Thursday 9am-12pm
• Closed on Fridays during the summer

For additional information and/or questions about COVID-19 random testing program, visit this FAQ or www.adnas.com/CUNYhelp or  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

COVID-19 – Weekly Testing Pool

Employees who have not submitted proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst are required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing at one of CUNY's designated testing sites.

The following is a brief review of some of the main points related to weekly testing:

1. To participate in weekly testing, employees are required to register with CUNY's testing vendor, ADCL (Applied DNA Clinical Labs);
2. Employees who are required to participate in weekly testing were sent an email (to their College Email address) with a personalized link from  no-reply@cleared4work.com .  Employees subject to weekly testing and who have not accessed their personalized link should do so now and follow the instructions provided to complete their registration.
3. Employees who have questions or need help registering for weekly testing are advised to contact ADCL's support desk- https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home.  You may also send an email to  covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .
4. Test results from CUNY's testing sites are sent directly to the employee's email address within 24 hours to 48 hours. If you do not receive your test results within 24 hours (if taken on a weekday) or within 48 hours (if taken on a weekend), please contact the vendor's helpdesk: https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home
5. Test results will not be accepted from a non-CUNY testing site.  For your convenience, the list of CUNY approved testing sites is again provided here.
6. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be subject to the College's contact tracing protocol.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

All employees entering the City College campus (or any other CUNY site) are required to do one of the following in order to enter the campus:

(1) show proof of full vaccination (defined as 14 days after receiving the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine) or  (2) show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than seven days prior to the date the employee wishes to enter the campus.  Employees without approved COVID vaccination information in CUNYfirst are placed in CUNY's weekly testing pool  (See above  section on COVID-19 – WEEKLY TESTING POOL for information about COVID-19 testing.)

Employees are expected to upload their vaccination documentation into CUNYfirst.  The specific steps required to complete this process are provided in the link below: https://cunyithelp.cuny.edu/sp?id=kb_article_view&sys_kb_id=9b2f65cb1b75b85014a8c99f1d4bcb9c

Employees receive paid time-off to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine or the COVID booster vaccine, if the appointment is scheduled during their work week.  Employees will be granted up to four (4) hours of excused leave per vaccine dose for a total of eight (8) hours for a two (2) dose vaccination.

Employees are expected to notify and obtain prior approval from their supervisor for paid time-off to obtain COVID-19 vaccine, if their appointment is scheduled during the employee's work week.

Employees should record time taken to get vaccinated on their timesheet as "Leave Type" CVL-COVID-19 Vaccination Leave.

Individuals can find a vaccination location near them by following the link below:

https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/

At this time, employees who are approved to work fully remote are not required to submit to the weekly testing (or show proof of vaccination).

Effective April 1, 2022, all full- and part-time faculty, non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, Non-Teaching Adjuncts, College Lab Technicians and those in the HEO series) and ECPs are required to be fully vaccinated and these titles are required to have their proof of vaccination uploaded into CUNYfirst by April 1, 2022.  Requests for medical exemptions or religious exceptions will be considered and the employee process for submitting such requests will be communicated in the near future.

Should you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

Thank you.

As many of you are aware, CUNY has lifted the temporary mask mandate for all campuses. What does this mean for us? It means that you can now go throughout campus, both indoors and outdoors, without wearing a mask if you so choose. Those who are unvaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask.

I realize that for some of you, this is a concern and one that you are not comfortable with. For those of you who are concerned, the best way to make sure you have enhanced protection under these circumstances—apart from making sure your vaccination is up to date-- is to be committed to mask wearing, mindful of keeping social distance from others, and careful in congregate settings. For those looking for added protection, I highly recommend that you wear a KN95 or KF94 mask. We have KN95 masks available upon request at each of the guard stations. By wearing a well-fitting KN95/KF94 mask you can protect yourself from breathing in potential droplets of the virus in case you are in close proximity of an infectious person.

Please note that like the mask mandate itself, the removal of the mask mandate is a CUNY-wide policy, and individual colleges and areas within colleges cannot set their own mask guidelines. We do ask, however, that all members of our community be as sensitive as possible to one another’s concerns and personal preferences. I understand that some may be uncomfortable with this but our guidance comes from the CDC, local and State government. 

As always, if you are feeling sick, stay home and test. Our best defense is to make sure we do not come to campus if there is the possibility that we are infectious. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Ken Ihrer

Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

In response to revised guidance issued by the CDC last week, we are lifting the temporary mask mandate that has been in place since August 2021 and required all CUNY students, faculty, staff, and visitors to wear masks inside University campuses, office buildings, classrooms, and other non-enclosed spaces. This policy change, which takes effect on Monday, March 7, follows recent announcements by Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams that ended mask mandates for pre-K through 12th-grade schools across New York State and City. 

Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time. Masks will continue to be available on campus and in offices for people who want them. The CDC is not requiring people to wear a mask in communities that have low or medium COVID-19 levels like New York City's boroughs, but I urge the small number of faculty, staff, and students who are still not vaccinated, or those who have been or will be granted a medical exemption or religious exception, to wear a mask.

We are very hopeful for the coming weeks and months, but as we all know by now, the pandemic has taught us that public health conditions can change rapidly. CUNY will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and consult with our State and City health officials and should the evolving circumstances require a reconsideration of this or any policy, we will make the necessary changes to keep the CUNY community safe. I ask you to remain vigilant to ensure the safety of our campus communities. You can check our campus-by-campus positivity rates on our COVID-19 Safety Tracker, which has been posted on our website since September 2021. 

Masks After an Exposure

The University's quarantine guidance will remain unchanged. A reminder that if you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, or if you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, and you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 you do not need to quarantine and can return to work or class. But you need to wear a mask for 10 days from the date of your last close contact and get tested at least 5 days after the close contact. 

Vaccines and Boosters

The suspension of mandatory masking does not affect the student booster requirement for those enrolled in hybrid or fully in-person courses. Students must upload proof of their booster within 30 days of the date they first become eligible to receive the booster. A reminder that all full- and part-time faculty, non-teaching instructional staff, and ECPs are required to be fully vaccinated and their proof of vaccination uploaded into CUNYfirst by April 1. Requests for medical exemptions or religious exceptions will be considered and the employee process for submitting such requests will be communicated in the near future.

Testing and Random Testing

To monitor COVID-19 moving forward, CUNY's mandatory testing for anyone with medical exemptions or religious exceptions and the random testing program for vaccinated individuals will continue to operate without change. Free PCR testing continues to be available for students, faculty, and staff at CUNY testing sites and I encourage you to take advantage of this service for any reason you might need it.

Ventilation

The upgrade and maintenance of our campus ventilation systems have been a priority since the early stages of the pandemic. In the last two years, we have injected $150 million in capital funds into our HVAC systems, and we requested additional capital dollars in our current budget request to continue these upgrades.

Since the peak of the omicron surge, the rate of positivity detected on our campuses has drastically and steadily declined. I want to thank each of you for the diligence, cooperation, and care that have been so very critical to CUNY's safe progression through the stages of the pandemic. We've arrived at this point because of the effort that we all have put forth to protect one another as we looked out for ourselves and our loved ones.

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Chancellor

For those who have:

• Completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine over 5 months ago or Moderna vaccine over 5months ago and are not boosted, O
• Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted, OR
• Are unvaccinated

Stay home and quarantine for at least 5 days.

• Wear a well-fitted mask if you must be around others in your home.
• Get tested. Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested on day 6 after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19
• If you have symptoms, you cannot get tested until symptoms are resolved.
• You must share test with CUNY campus to gain access to campus

After quarantine

• Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
• If you develop symptoms isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results
• Wear a well-fitted mask around others.

Take precautions until day 10

• Watch for symptoms for 10 days
• Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask.
• Avoid travel
• Avoid being around people who are at high risk.

For those who have:

• Have received a booster, OR
• Completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine within the last 5 months or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months, OR
• Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months, OR

No quarantine

• You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.
• Get tested (even if you don’t develop symptoms) get tested on day 6 after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Watch for symptoms

• Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19
• If you develop symptoms isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results
• Wear a well-fitted mask around others.

For those who have:

• Been exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (you tested positive using a viral test)

No quarantine

• You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.

Watch for symptoms

• Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19
• If you develop symptoms isolate immediately and get tested. Stay home until you know the results and wear a well-fitted mask around others.
• Consult your doctor.

The below clarifies an email you received yesterday that had incorrect information. We thank Professional Staff Congress President James Davis for bringing the matter to our attention.

As I recently shared, the CUNY Board of Trustees voted on January 31 to authorize a vaccine mandate for faculty, non-teaching instructional staff and employees in the Executive Compensation Plan in compliance with a public policy directive issued by Governor Hochul. 

To comply with the Board’s mandate, all full- and part-time faculty, non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, NTAs, CLTs and those in the HEO series) and ECPs are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to upload proof of vaccination into CUNYFirst by no later than April 1, 2022. At this time, we are defining the required number of dosages for full vaccination as the two shots of Moderna or Pfizer, or the single shot of Johnson & Johnson, without boosters.

In addition, as part of its resolution, the Board authorized the Chancellor to engage with the PSC on the implementation of the vaccine mandate for faculty and non-teaching instructional staff. We have begun those negotiations and will provide additional information, including with regards to requesting medical and religious exemptions, as we move forward.

The COVID-19 vaccines are the most reliable weapon we have to overcome this pandemic. If you’ve already taken the life-saving step of becoming fully vaccinated, please upload your proof via CUNYfirst.

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Chancellor

The Cleared4 Health Check system is not operational this morning for most individuals.  Public Safety has been notified and will allow entry to your class or work area.  Please only enter the campus if you are vaccinated or have a valid negative COVID test.  As soon as the system is restored I will be updating you.

Sincerely,

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

As I recently shared, the CUNY Board of Trustees voted on January 31 to authorize a vaccine mandate for faculty, non-teaching instructional staff and employees in the Executive Compensation Plan in compliance with a public policy directive issued by Governor Hochul.

To comply with the Board’s mandate, all non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, NTAs, CLTs and those in the HEO series) and ECPs are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to upload proof of vaccination into CUNYFirst by no later than April 1, 2022. At this time, we are defining the required number of dosages for full vaccination as the two shots of Moderna or Pfizer, or the single shot of Johnson & Johnson, without boosters.

In addition, as part of its resolution, the Board authorized the Chancellor to engage with the Professional Staff Congress in order to implement the vaccine mandate for full- and part-time faculty. We have begun those negotiations and will provide additional information, including details on requesting medical and religious exemptions, as we move forward.

The COVID-19 vaccines are the most reliable weapon we have to overcome this pandemic. If you’ve already taken the life-saving step of becoming fully vaccinated, please upload your proof via CUNYfirst.

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D. Chancellor

As you may have heard, Governor Hochul lifted the mask mandate for New York State.  However, this change in policy does not impact CUNY as of this memo.  CUNY is still enforcing a mask mandate while in CUNY buildings.  Please make sure you are wearing your masks properly while on campus to protect yourself and others.

Please note that CCNY has purchased KN95 masks, which are available to you at the security guard stations.  If you need a mask or want a higher quality mask, please ask a security guard for a KN95.

If CUNY changes its policy on masking, I am sure the Chancellor will notify everyone.  For now, masks are still required and we are enforcing this policy.

Thank you for your cooperation

Ken Ihrer
VP of Operations and CIO
COVID Coordinator
The City College of New York
212-650-7400

iOS: https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/add-a-web-link-to-home-screen-iphone-ipad/
Android: https://www.maketecheasier.com/add-chrome-bookmarks-android-home-screen/

As generic examples, these links provide a helpful walk-thru on how to add a web link to your home screen. Once you have access the Cleared4 Pass through the personal link (which is/would be sent to your email from no-reply@cleared4.org ) all that you need to do is add the website to your device home-screen for easier access the next time they use it to enter a campus building. Please note, after you have the Pass saved, it may periodically "timeout". In these instances just "reload" or "refresh" and your access will again appear on the screen.

Please note that from January 28, 2022 through February 27, 2022, employees are expected to continue following 50% in-person capacity guidelines which have been in place since August 2021. This means 5 out of the 10 days in a two-week work cycle employee must be on campus.

HR urges managers/department heads to plan for the increase in their department’s personnel - effective February 28, 2022 - in accordance with the guidelines specified in the College’s reopening plan.  Managers/department heads are also reminded that, as their department’s business needs dictate, they have the discretion to require their employees to report to work in-person at a higher rate than the University’s mandated minimum of 50 %, from now until February 27, 2022, or 70%, as of February 28, 2022.

The increase to in-person density levels will result in the reduction and (ultimately the elimination as we continue to move fully in-person) of the general reasonable accommodations for reasons other than a health condition as stated in the CUNY’s Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments policy. 

For your convenience, please find HR’s memo dated January 3, 2022 regarding the campus access procedures.

REMOTE WORK AGREEMENT FORMS

As a reminder, full-time remote work options will no longer be permitted (without an approved reasonable accommodation), as employees will be expected to continue to move fully in-person in accordance with departmental business needs. Managers/department heads who will be approving a remote work agreement as part of an employee’s flexible work plan are asked to submit the updated agreements to HR at humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .  Please write in the subject line, Remote Work Agreement.

Should you have any questions, please email us at humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .  Thank you.

As many of you prepare to return to campus, I wanted to ensure that you are aware of the campus access protocols.  Every person coming to campus must show proof of vaccination or have a negative COVID test result that is no more than seven days old. This is done through your Cleared4 account.

Adjuncts only

Most adjuncts have a start date in CUNY First of 1/28/2022.  This means your Cleared4 account is in a state of “paused.”  Because your account is paused, it means that your vaccination information from CUNY First has not been sent across to Cleared4.  This is the case only if your vaccine information was entered after your previous term's last day on payroll (for many this was 12/22/2021).  CUNY will be reactivating these accounts for Adjuncts with start date of 1/28/2022 at 6:00AM on the 28^th (Friday).  I suggest that you check your account on Friday sometime after 8:00AM to ensure it is working.

All Faculty

Please test your Cleared4 link prior to needing to come to campus.  Do not expect that you will show up on the first day you are teaching and that everything will be fine with your access pass (check it and know that it is going to work).  If it doesn’t work or you cannot find your personal link, send an email to  covid-testing@ccny.cuny.edu .  Make sure you include your full name and EMPLID if you know it. 

If your access was terminated because you were unable to take a random test during the time period you were away from campus, it will be restored once you take a test at one of the CUNY testing centers and receive a negative result.

If you are unvaccinated, remember that you must test at a CUNY COVID testing site and that it takes 24 to 48 hours for the results.  Please plan this ahead of time.  If your account is paused, they will not let you in to test (primarily this impacts adjuncts as mentioned above).  If that is the case, please email  covid-testing@ccny.cuny.edu  and mention that you need to test and your account is paused (include your full name and EMPLID).  We can activate your account manually which will allow you to test (this doesn’t provide access as that must wait on the test result).  Also, you will not be able to test if your DOB and mobile phone number are not in Cleared4.  To enter that information, you will click on your personal link using a web browser on your computer (phones will not work for this step) and you can enter that information.

Additional information about COVID Safety and Protocols can be found in our reopening plan and guidance from Human Resources.

I understand that this is difficult and can be confusing.  We are here to help you as best as we can during this reopening.  Please have patience with us as the requests are many and the staff are few.

Sincerely,

Ken

FRIENDLY REMINDER: With the ever-changing COVID climate and CUNY/CCNY guidance updates, please be reminded that all "return to campus" and COVID-related information can be found on the CCNY Return To Campus subsite. It is highly recommended that you bookmark this page, and/or subscribe to RSS feeds of content sections to ensure quick and easy access to relevant content. 

Memos from my office, as well as those coming from the Office of the President, and CUNY directly, will also be found on the Return to Campus subsite. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the subsite and its contents. This will be helpful as we prepare to return to campus as safely as possible. 

Ken Ihrer
VP of Operations and CIO
COVID Coordinator
The City College of New York
212-650-7400

CUNY has recently changed our COVID Quarantine and Isolation Procedures to align with the latest guidance from the CDC. Below, I am going to share our new procedures with you and also bring your attention to a new reporting process for the campus so that we simplify who you need to contact if you test positive or are feeling symptoms. The new email address for communicating health status regarding COVID is CCNY-COVID@ccny.cuny.edu . This email is monitored by CCNY's COVID Team and will help us respond to you with the information you need. Please make sure you include:

• Your full name (as registered in CUNY First) and if known, your EMPLID
• State whether you are an employee or a student
• The last date on campus.
• Phone number

Now for the new procedures on Quarantine and Isolation.

• You quarantine when you might have been exposed to the virus.
• You isolate when you have been infected with the virus, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Based on the evolving nature of COVID, CDC has revised their guidance on isolation and quarantine.

Isolation Guidelines (if you Test Positive for COVID-19).

This is for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

• Stay home for 5 days (day 0 is your first day of symptoms, or the day of your first positive test if you do not develop symptoms).
• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• Don't share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
• Wear a well-fitting mask (CDC Guidance) when you need to be around other people.
• If you're free of symptoms or your symptoms have resolved after 5 days, you can leave your house, which includes returning to campus.
• If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10.
• Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 additional days; if you cannot wear a mask (CDC Guidance), continue to isolate for 5 days.
• If you have a fever, continue isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• If you were severely ill with COVID-19 you should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation.

Quarantine Guidelines

Circumstances for quarantine will be based off of your vaccination status.

A person is considered fully vaccinated if they have received the full regiment of vaccine and, if eligible, have received their booster.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19

Fully Vaccinated

If you have received a booster, OR Completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine within the last 5 months or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months, OR Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months OR Tested positive for COVID-19 with a viral test within the previous 90 days and subsequently recovered and remain without COVID-19 symptoms

Then do the following:

• As long as you are symptom free, you may continue coming to campus.
• Wear a well-fitting mask (CDC Guidance) around others for 10 days.
• Get tested at least 5 days after your close contact(the date of your exposure is considered day 0); if you test positive, stay home and isolate per guidelines above.
• If you develop symptoms, get a test, stay home and follow the isolation guidelines above.

Partially Vaccinated or Unvaccinated

For those who have completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine over 5 months ago or Moderna vaccine over 5 months ago and are not boosted, OR Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted, OR are unvaccinated

Then do the following:

• Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a well-fitting mask (CDC Guidance) around others for 5 additional days. If you cannot wear a mask for the additional 5 days, continue to quarantine for those 5 days.
• If you are unable to stay at home you must wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days.
• Get Tested at least 5 days after your close contact. If you test positive, stay home and isolate per the guidelines above.
• Do not travel during your quarantine period.

Sincerely,
Ken Ihrer

I hope you were able to enjoy the holiday season with family and friends and, as we look to begin the new year, are cautiously optimistic as I am that 2022 will be a year of positive change.

One of the key areas of focus will be recapturing some of the elements that have made CUNY a beacon of student success and social mobility such as campus support services, higher levels of in-person instruction, and student activities.

State and city leaders have recognized the importance of restoring in-person activities and instruction as we move ahead in 2022. Last Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a series of measures impacting CUNY and SUNY for the Spring semester, including:

• Students enrolled in in-person or hybrid classes for Spring 2022 will be required to get the booster shot as soon as they are eligible for it. We will soon share details of the process for students to provide proof of booster vaccination, along with the deadlines for doing so. In the meantime, I encourage not only students but all members of our community to get the booster shot, which has been shown to provide further protection against COVID-19 and its variants.
• All faculty will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, ensuring that everyone in a classroom is vaccinated, except the few with approved exemptions or exceptions. We are grateful that most of our faculty are already vaccinated and ask that faculty upload proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst. If you are among the few who are not vaccinated, please take immediate steps to do so. In the weeks ahead, we will outline details of the faculty mandate policy, which requires approval by the CUNY Board of Trustees.
• Pre-testing before the Spring semester begins for some student groups taking in-person or hybrid classes. We will provide more guidance about this as we get closer to the start of the semester but, as in the past, students returning to dorms will be required to be tested before moving in.

Vaccines will continue to be required for all students taking in-person and hybrid courses. Any enrolled student who has not uploaded proof of vaccination documents to CUNYfirst by Jan. 18 will be de-registered from in-person and hybrid classes for non-compliance with the vaccination mandate. If they subsequently upload proof, they may register for courses up to the end of the add/drop period on Feb. 3.

New CDC Guidelines

CUNY will begin following CDC's recently issued guidance that adjusted the recommended quarantine and isolation times for people in close contact with someone who is positive or those who test positive:

• CUNY employees and students who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should base their approach to quarantine – if it is needed when to end it, and when to test – depending on whether they are boosted, fully vaccinated, and when, or unvaccinated. Please follow CDC's guidance on quarantine spelled here.
• Employees and students who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for at least 5 days. When to end isolation, test, and return to in-person work or class varies depending on whether or not a person develops symptoms or is severely ill. Please follow CDC's guidance on isolation spelled here.
• For a detailed description of CDC's guidelines on quarantine and isolation visit here.
• Employees who are able to work remotely during quarantine and isolation should do so.

In-Person Work

In accordance with existing CUNY campus plans, CUNY offices will continue to operate at the 50% in-person capacity guidelines that have been in place since August now through February 25. Starting on Monday, February 28, staff members will work 70% of the time in person. Please start to make any needed preparations to be ready for this transition.

During the current Omicron surge, supervisors are encouraged to work with Human Resources to address individual situations where short-term fully remote work arrangements may be particularly aligned with our commitment to mitigate the potential spread of infection. We urge employees who are not feeling well to stay home.

A reminder that any staff member returning to work this spring for the first time in-person will need to be fully vaccinated, and their proof-of-vaccination documents uploaded and approved in CUNYfirst, or they will need to participate in CUNY's Cleared4 testing program. Please don't wait to upload your proof of vaccination or get set up for testing.

Testing

CUNY will continue to monitor campus and university-wide positivity rates through our testing programs. Since August 25, CUNY has administered 97,640 tests to unvaccinated individuals. You can check the latest numbers in our COVID-19 Safety Tracker available here.

The random testing of vaccinated students, faculty, and staff that began in late November will be expanded for the Spring to include more people and increase the frequency of testing. Please be on the lookout in case you are randomly selected to be tested as you are required to comply.

A reminder that we are offering free PCR testing at CUNY testing sites. Any CUNY student or employee who needs to be tested for any reason may walk into a site, show their CUNY ID, register in the system, and get tested. Results will be available as usual within 24 to 48 hours. For a list of CUNY sites and hours of operation, visit here. For our general FAQ on the testing program, visit here.

The policies outlined above are intended to safeguard the health of every member of our University community while safely enabling us to maximize in-person instruction, an objective that we understand to be vital to our students' academic success. We realize that public health conditions can evolve rapidly and, as we have seen repeatedly over the past two years, federal, state and city officials could modify these policies and procedures as appropriate.

We will provide more information soon; in the meantime, please get vaccinated and boosted, remain diligent about masking and distancing, and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Chancellor

1. Mask Wearing
2. Campus Access
3. CUNY Expanding Availability of COVID Testing at CUNY Sites 
4. COVID Testing – Random
5. COVID Testing – Weekly
6. COVID Vaccinations

1.  MASK WEARING

All University employees, contractors, and visitors to our campus are required to wear a mask all times when – 

• Inside office buildings, including while working in non-enclosed space (i.e., cubicle or other open seating) regardless of physical distance from others
• Outdoors on campus grounds and when unable to maintain social distance (i.e., more than six feet) from others.

Exceptions to mask-wearing when inside campus buildings are limited to the following situations:

• If a fully vaccinated person is alone in an enclosed space such as an office or conference room
• A faculty member, while in a classroom, may choose not to wear a mask, if they can maintain social distance (i.e., more than six feet) from everyone else in the class.
• Briefly while eating or drinking provided social distancing (i.e., more than six feet) is maintained

Mask wearing is a vital component of the health and safety protocols implemented by CUNY to protect employees and all visitors to the workplace.  It is imperative that, while on campus, employees and all others refrain from getting too comfortable by removing their masks when among co-workers or other individuals with which they are familiar.

Employees who have an underlying health condition that is protected by the ADA may request a reasonable accommodation. The employee should contact  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu  for more information.

Please be advised that mask-wearing is a CUNY directive.  Employees/contractors/visitors who fail to comply with the directive may be asked to leave the campus and/or be subject to other punitive action.

2.  CAMPUS ACCESS

As of December 6, 2021, the College has discontinued the use of the V-22 identification sticker and the Excelsior Pass for campus access.  At this time, employees and visitors to the campus are required to utilize the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass to gain entry to College Facilities.

Employees who have not yet completed their registration with the Cleared4 system should do so now.  Once registered for the Cleared4 system, employees can access or print their CUNY Access Pass by pasting their personalized link into any web browser and selecting "Show Access Pass".  Employees can also display their CUNY Access Pass on their mobile phones or other smart devices.

Employees who require assistance with registering for the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass are asked to email their inquiries to  covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .  Please also see the December 2, 2021, communications from the College's Vice President of Operations on-campus access with Cleared4.

3. CUNY EXPANDING AVAILABILITY OF TESTING AT CUNY SITES

Effective December 28, 2021, any CUNY employee who needs to be tested for any reason can walk into a CUNY-approved testing site, show their CUNY ID, register in the Cleared4 system, and get tested. Results will be available as usual within 24 to 48 hours. For additional information, please read the Chancellor's communication dated December 21, 2021.

4.  RANDOM COVID-19 TESTING FOR VACCINATED EMPLOYEES

Effective November 17, 2021, CUNY implemented a random testing program for vaccinated employees. Fully vaccinated employees with approved vaccination information in CUNYfirst will be randomly selected to participate in the COVID-19 testing program. The following is a brief overview of the program:

1. Random testing is not optional and is necessary in order to obtain campus-wide results each week and thus help keep everyone safe.
2. Each week, selected individuals will receive an email from  no-reply@cleared4.org  with the subject line "Message from City University of New York (CUNY)".
3. The email from  no-reply@cleared4.org  includes instructions for employees to complete their registration via a personalized link.
4. The selected employees will have to test at a CUNY test site within 7 days of receipt of the email
5. If the COVID-19 test result comes back positive, the Access Pass will be removed and the employee will be contacted by a Coronavirus Task Force Liaison for guidance
6. Test results will not be accepted from a Non-CUNY testing site.
7. No appointment is necessary, however, if an employee plans to get tested during their work week, then they are expected to inform their supervisor and arrange to get time off for testing.
8. Test results will be available within 48 hours and employees will maintain their Access Pass to CUNY facilities while the results are pending.
9. If an employee does not show up to be tested within the required 7-day period, they will be contacted by a campus or program representative on the next steps.
10. Employees who schedule a testing appointment at a CUNY testing site during their scheduled work week will be given 30 minutes of paid time if the testing site is on their campus or office location, and 45 minutes if they need to travel to another CUNY location.
11. Employees should record the time taken to test on their timesheet as "Leave Type" COVID-19 Priority Testing (CPT).

12. For additional information and/or questions about COVID-19 random testing program, visit this FAQ or www.adnas.com/CUNYhelp  or  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

    If you do not receive your test results within 24 hours (if taken on a weekday) or within 48 hours (if taken on a weekend), please contact the vendor's helpdesk: https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home

    Please note: When taking the COVID-19 test at a CUNY site, it is recommended that you make a note or take a picture of the number on your sample kit; this makes it easier when following up with the help desk.

13. A list of CUNY-approved testing sites is available here.  For your convenience, the location and hours of the City College test site are provided below:
    
    City College's COVID-19 testing site is in the Faculty Dining Room located in the North Academic Center (NAC) Building.  The entrance is on 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

    The hours of operation for CCNY’s testing site are as follows:

    • Monday 2pm-5pm
    • Tuesday 2pm-5pm
    • Wednesday 9am-12pm
    • Thursday 9am-12pm
    • Friday 9am-12pm

5.  COVID-19 – WEEKLY TESTING POOL

Employees who have not submitted proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst are required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing at one of CUNY's designated testing sites. 

The following is a brief review of some of the main points related to weekly testing:

1. To participate in weekly testing, employees are required to register with CUNY's testing vendor, ADCL (Applied DNA Clinical Labs);
2. Employees who are required to participate in weekly testing were sent an email (to their College Email address) with a personalized link from  no-reply@cleared4work.com .   Employees subject to weekly testing and who have not accessed their personalized link should do so now and follow the instructions provided to complete their registration.
3. Employees who have questions or need help registering for weekly testing are advised to contact ADCL's support desk- https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home.  You may also send an email to covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu .
4. Test results from CUNY's testing sites are sent directly to the employee's email address within 24 hours to 48 hours. If you do not receive your test results within 24 hours (if taken on a weekday) or within 48 hours (if taken on a weekend), please contact the vendor's helpdesk: https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home 
5. Test results will not be accepted from a non-CUNY testing site.  For your convenience, the list of CUNY-approved testing sites is again provided here.
6. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be subject to the College's contact tracing protocol.

6. COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

All employees entering the City College campus (or any other CUNY site) are required to do one of the following in order to enter the campus:

(1) show proof of full vaccination (defined as 14 days after receiving the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine) or (2) show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than seven days prior to the date the employee wishes to enter the campus.  (See below information about COVID-19 testing.)

Vaccinated employees are expected to upload their vaccination documentation into CUNYfirst.  The specific steps required to complete this process are provided in the link below: https://cunyithelp.cuny.edu/sp?id=kb_article_view&sys_kb_id=9b2f65cb1b75b85014a8c99f1d4bcb9c

Employees receive paid time-off to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine or the COVID booster vaccine if the appointment is scheduled during their work week.  Employees will be granted up to four (4) hours of excused leave per vaccine dose for a total of eight (8) hours for a two (2) dose vaccination.

Employees are expected to notify and obtain prior approval from their supervisor for paid time-off to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine if their appointment is scheduled during the employee's work week.

Employees should record the time taken to get vaccinated on their timesheet as "Leave Type" CVL-COVID-19 Vaccination Leave. 

Individuals can find a vaccination location near them by following the link below: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/

At this time, employees who are approved to work fully remote are not required to submit to the weekly testing (or show proof of vaccination).

Employees are encouraged to review CCNY's reopening plan at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/reopening-plans for information on the College's mask guidelines and the other measures that have been put in place to help ensure health and safety on the campus.

Should you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

Thank you. 

The rise in COVID cases on campus has had an impact on our Public Safety and Facilities staff and we are currently operating under significant shortages.  Because of this situation, access to buildings where the number of occupants are low, will be by a phone request to public safety.  We have identified the following buildings where access will be by request only:  Compton Goethals, Spitzer and Aaron Davis Hall.  If you need access to one of these buildings, please call public safety after your arrival at 212-650-7777.  After your call, a public safety officer will arrive and check your Cleared4 pass and let you into the building.

Thank you for your cooperation during this difficult time. We will continue to assess the situation and will make changes to the number of buildings, either up or down, based on current staffing levels.

Sincerely,

Ken Ihrer
Vice President of Operations
Chief Information Officer
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

Beginning January 1, 2022, the following policies will go into effect:

Attendance at the Nat Holman Gymnasium is limited to 30% capacity.

CCNY athletic events will only be open to vaccinated CCNY students, staff, and faculty.

All non-CCNY students, staff, faculty, or spectators will not be permitted to attend any athletic event on campus at this time.

All attendees must provide proof of vaccination and Cleared4 Pass to enter the facility.

All Spectators must wear masks at all times and are encouraged to physically distance themselves.
All gameday personnel, coaches, student-athletes, and team personnel must wear masks at all times.

For more information on CCNY's Health and Safety Policies for Spectators, please contact:

Steve Macias
Interim Director of Athletics
Email: smacias@ccny.cuny.edu
Phone: (212) 650-7551

As of Monday, 12/6/21, we will be discontinuing the use of the V-22 sticker and the Excelsior Pass for campus access (please see my memo on Random COVID Testing).  This means you will need to know how to access your Cleared4 pass. It is best that you practice this before you come to campus.  Please remember that each person has a "personal" link to Cleared4.  This is why we cannot send you generic instructions on how to access your pass.  If you do not know your link or cannot locate it, please send an email to covidtesting@ccny.cuny.edu and we will be able to assist you.

Thank you,

Ken Ihrer
VP of Operations and CIO
COVID Coordinator
The City College of New York
212-650-7400

*Please view the message from VP Ihrer related to RANDOM COVID-19 TESTING.

As advised by CCNY Human Resources, random testing is not optional.  

Being tested when you are notified is not optional and is necessary in order to obtain campus-wide results each week and thus help keep everyone safe.

In any given week, selected individuals will receive an email from no-reply@cleared4.org with subject line “Message from City University of New York (CUNY)”. This email includes instructions to complete their registration via a personalized link and will have to test at a CUNY test site within 7 days (no appointment necessary). CUNY test centers will be closed over Thanksgiving weekend. For your convenience, the list of CUNY approved testing sites is available here. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT TEST RESULTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM A NON-CUNY TESTING SITE

For a list of CUNY COVID-19 testing locations and hours, please visit: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/cuny-covid-19-testing-site-locations/

This notice is comprised of memos sent by VP Ken Ihrer, and the 11/30 memo from our CCNY HR Department related to Random COVID Testing.

Test results will be available within 48 hours and employees will maintain their Access Pass to CUNY facilities while the results are pending. If the COVID-19 test result comes back positive, the Access Pass will be removed and the employee will be contacted by a Coronavirus Task Force Liaison for guidance. If an employee does not show up to be tested within the required 7-day period, they will be contacted by a campus or program representative on next steps.

More Information about Testing Sites

City College’s COVID-19 testing site is in the Faculty Dining Room located in North Academic Center (NAC) Building.  The entrance is on 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

The hours of operation for CCNY’s testing site are as follows:

• Monday 2pm-5pm
• Tuesday 2pm-5pm
• Wednesday 9am-12pm
• Thursday 9am-12pm
• Friday 9am-12pm

Time off to get tested and Reporting Time off on the Timesheet:

• Employees who schedule a testing appointment during their scheduled work week will be given 30 minutes of paid time if the testing site is on their campus or office location, and 45 minutes if they need to travel to another CUNY location.

• When entering this time on their timesheet employees should select as “Leave Type” COVID-19 Priority Testing (CPT).

For additional information about  COVID-19 random testing program, visit this FAQ or www.adnas.com/CUNYhelp or humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

Thank you.

To that end, as previously indicated in the Chancellor’s communication dated August 16, 2021, effective August 16, 2021, everyone at CUNY, regardless of their vaccination status, is required to do the following:

• Wear a face mask inside all office buildings. This includes while working in a non-enclosed space such as a cubicle or other open seating, regardless of physical distance from others
• Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others

The only exceptions to wearing a mask inside are:

• If a fully vaccinated person is alone in an enclosed space such as an office or conference room
• In a classroom if a faculty member is able to keep social distance from everyone else in the class, he or she may choose to not wear a mask
• Briefly eating or drinking provided social distancing is maintained

If an employee is unable to wear a mask due to an underlying health condition that is protected by the ADA, the employee may request a reasonable accommodation. The employee should contact humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu to discuss the request and any modifications or alternatives, in accordance with the Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments policy/procedure.

Employees who fail to comply with established policies and procedures will be referred to the relevant College Office – e.g., Public Safety or Human Resources (HR) – for appropriate action such as being sent home without pay, formal disciplinary action up and may lead to job termination.

Employees are encouraged to review CCNY’s reopening plan at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/reopening-plans for information on the College’s mask guidelines and the other measures that have been put in place to help ensure health and safety on the campus. 

Other important reminder

Vaccinate or Test- Anyone entering a CUNY facility for any reason will need to be fully vaccinated (defined as 14 days beyond the last vaccination shot) or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at a CUNY testing site within the past seven days. For additional information, please review HR’s memo dated September 27, 2021.

Feel free to contact HR with your questions at humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

Thank you.

As of August 16, 2021, anyone entering the City College campus (or any other CUNY site) is required to do one of the following in order to enter the campus: (1) show proof of full vaccination (defined as 14 days after receiving the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine) or (2) show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than seven days prior to the date the employee wishes to enter the campus.

Uploading Vaccination Documentation

Employees can upload their vaccination documentation into CUNYfirst. For information on the process, please access the following link:  Vaccination Verification Under Guide for CUNY Employees.

Vaccination information entered is reviewed and approved by Human Resources (HR) within 24 hours. Employees are asked to review their CUNYfirst account after 24 hours of submission of their vaccination information to confirm that it has been approved.

VaxPass Update & Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass

Effective September 27, 2021, the Everbridge App's VaxPass will be replaced by the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass to gain entry to CUNY Facilities.

Fully vaccinated employees with approved vaccination information in CUNYfirst should have received an email, on or about September 17, 2021, from no-reply@cleared4work.com and with a subject line "Welcome to Cleared4work". This email includes a personalized link that enables employees to register for the Cleared4 CUNY Access Pass. Employees are asked to not share their personalized link because it is unique to their demographic profile and will be unusable by another employee. Employees are also advised, when registering, to complete all of the required fields. Once registered for the Cleared4 System, employees can access or print their CUNY Access Pass by pasting their personalized link into any web browser and selecting "Show Access Pass". Employees can also display their CUNY Access Pass on their mobile phone or other smart device. For additional information, please access the following link: CUNY Access - Cleared4 Guide for Vaccinated CUNY Students, Faculty and Staff.

Weekly Testing at Approved CUNY Sites

Employees who do not submit proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst are required to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing at one of CUNY's designated testing sites. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT TEST RESULTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM A NON-CUNY TESTING SITE. For your convenience, the list of CUNY approved testing sites is available here.

Test results from CUNY's testing sites are sent directly to the employee's email address within 24 hours to 48 hours.

By now, all faculty and staff who have not provided proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst should have received an email from CUNY's COVID-19 testing program vendor, Applied DNA Clinical Labs LLC ADCL, . The email includes a personalized link directing employees to register for COVID-19 testing. Employees who have not yet seen the email are asked to check your Spam folder.The email was sent from  no-reply@cleared4work.com  with the following subject: [EXTERNAL] Welcome to safeCircle at CUNY.

Once registered, employees will receive an on-line overview of the program with instructions on how to proceed. All appointment scheduling, negative test results, and other communications will flow through ADCL's platform. A brief video overview of the testing program is provided here.  Employees who have issues with the testing program are advised to please contact ADCL's support desk- https://adclops.freshdesk.com/support/home

Note: Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be subject to the College's contact tracing protocol.

How to Opt Out of Weekly COVID-19 Testing

Employees can opt out of the testing program at any time by submitting documentation confirming that they are fully vaccinated via the Vaccination Verification menu in CUNYfirst.

They may also provide proof of vaccination to the City College ID Office – see current schedule – and obtain a vaccination verification sticker. However, the vaccination sticker is for City College use only – it will not be honored at other CUNY sites.

Reminder:

Employees will receive paid time-off to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination if the appointment is scheduled during their work week. Employees will be granted up to four (4) hours of excused leave per vaccine dose for a total of eight (8) hours for a two (2) dose vaccination.

To find a vaccination location near you, please follow the link below: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/

At this time, employees who are approved to work fully remote are not required to submit to the weekly testing (or show proof of vaccination).

More Information about Testing Sites

City College's COVID-19 testing site is in the Faculty Dining Room located in North Academic Center (NAC) Building. The entrance is on 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

The hours of operation for CCNY's testing site are as follows:

• Monday 2pm-5pm
• Tuesday 2pm-5pm
• Wednesday 9am-12pm
• Thursday 9am-12pm
• Friday 9am-12pm

Testing by appointment is preferred, but walk-ins may be accepted on a standby basis once those with appointments have been tested. Please schedule your appointment now!

For more information about CUNY's COVID-19 testing program, please see the Testing FAQs.

Time off to get tested and Reporting Time off on the Timesheet:

• Employees who schedule a testing appointment during their scheduled work week will be given 30 minutes of paid time if the testing site is on their campus or office location, and 45 minutes if they need to travel to another CUNY location.

• When entering this time on their timesheet employees should select as "Leave Type" COVID-19 Priority Testing (CPT).

Feel free to contact HR with your questions at  humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu .

Thank you.

1. If you are feeling any symptoms of COVID, you should notify your supervisor immediately and not report to work. Please note that the CUNY policy is for you to take sick leave if you cannot come to work because of illness.
2. You should obtain a rapid PCR test to confirm if you have COVID. You can locate a rapid COVID test site around the city that is by appointment and returns PCR test results in a few hours. The link is here: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-rapid-testing.page
3. It is important that we move as quickly as possible during the early stages so that notification to those who have been exposed can go out and we can start the testing process within 3 to 5 days after exposure.
4. You should send your COVID test results to Human Resources and to our COVID Liaison, Richard Belgrave ( rbelgrave@ccny.cuny.edu ).
5. If your test is positive, Human Resources will reach out to you so they can provide further guidance and start gathering information on who may have been exposed.
6. If you have been notified that you have been exposed and are vaccinated, you should schedule a rapid PCR test and remain home until your results are received.
   1. If you receive a negative test, you should send the results to Human Resources and report back to work.
   2. If you receive a positive test, you should send the results to Human Resources and wait for further guidance from them.
7. If you have been notified that you have been exposed and are not vaccinated, you will be asked to quarantine for 10 days and provide a negative PCR test before coming back to campus.

Sincerely,

Ken Ihrer
VP of Operations and CIO
COVID Coordinator
The City College of New York
212-650-7400

Shuttle buses will run from 7:00am – 9:15pm, Monday through Friday. NOTE: All passengers are mandated to wear a mask at all times and must show ID to ride the shuttle.  

The shuttle buses typically do continuous loops running north and south stopping at the following locations:

       Marshak building at Convent Avenue
       145th street and St. Nicholas Avenue
       NAC building at Convent Avenue
       124th -125th street  and St. Nicholas Avenue
       135th street and Convent Avenue (northbound stop only)

Learn more about the CCNY Shuttle, routes, and requirements. 

Mondays and Tuesdays 2pm - 5pm

Wednesday - Friday 9am - 12noon