Dear Students,

Your individual behaviors have a significant effect on the whole community. You and your friends can continue to make decisions that would place you and the community at risk, or you can make good decisions. I am reaching out today on behalf of the office of student conduct, Student Health Services, and our entire community, to encourage you to do your part to help us enjoy the rest of a healthy, successful Spring semester together.

Be Aware
As a student, you should be aware of what is happening on campus and why your behavior matters. The COVID-19 dashboard shows you the latest numbers, and the regular emails from Fr. Linnane give a sense of how we are doing as a community.

Make Healthy Decisions
Wearing masks, engaging in social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings might not be fun, but it is essential.

Mandatory Post-Break Testing
All students who are attending in-person classes and activities this semester MUST be tested during the CARP after the break from Tuesday, April 6 – Friday, April 9. This is what you need to know and do:

Sign up now: If you haven’t signed up for your mandatory post-break test, go to Aura and sign up now. Students must sign up for a test by noon on Tuesday, April 6. If you do not schedule your test by noon on Wednesday, April 7, you will lose all swipe access except to your Loyola housing; be denied participation in in-person classes and labs; be denied participation in activities, including athletics; and be fined $250.

Show up for your test: In addition, if you do not show up for your test, you will also lose all swipe access except to your Loyola housing; be denied participation in in-person classes and labs; be denied participation in activities, including athletics; and be fined an additional $250. Students who work in jobs on campus are not permitted to work during the CARP until they have a negative test.

Why will you be fined if you do not comply? We do not want to fine our students, but we feel we have no alternative. Not all students are complying, and the resources we are spending tracking down students who fail to sign up and show up for testing are taking away from resources needed to support our students. We also cannot lift the CARP until all students have been tested. All students who do not comply will also be subject to the disciplinary process.

If you cannot participate in testing: You must make arrangements in advance with Student Health Services at covidtesting@loyola.edu and provide a legitimate reason for not participating.

New testing location: You will check in on the second floor of the Andrew White Student Center just outside Reitz Arena.

Details about testing: Learn more about post-break testing on our Easter/Spring Break Information page.

General Repercussions
If you violate a COVID-19 policy such as not wearing a mask or not social distancing, you might receive a written reprimand or an educational conversation. If you have non-Loyola students and/or off-campus guests in your room, you could receive a deferred suspension. If you attend or host large gatherings or violate quarantine or isolation, you could be suspended from the residence halls or the University for the rest of the semester or longer.

Specific policies you should be aware of:

• International Travel: If you travel internationally over the Easter/Spring Break, you are not permitted to return to campus. You must go home to quarantine for 10 days and have proof of a negative test to come back to Loyola for in-person classes and/or to live in Loyola housing. Please send proof of this negative test to covidhelp@loyola.edu with the subject line “International Travel Quarantine Test.”
• Comply with CARP: If you violate the CARP and engage in risky behavior, you could be facing suspension. (Worth being aware of: Sometimes you might see a student you think is in violation of a CARP who has an exemption as a student who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days or is fully vaccinated.)
• Risky behavior: If you engage in risky behavior that puts our Loyola community at risk, you will be adjudicated.

Report Issues
Thank you for keeping an eye out for student actions that are threatening the health of our community. When you do report an incident through the COVID-19 Reporting Form, please be as specific as possible.

Stay Healthy, Hounds!
As we look forward to the final weeks of the Spring semester after Easter/Spring Break, remember: If everyone does their part to keep Loyola safe and healthy, we can enjoy a wonderful Spring semester together. Set the bar high for yourself, encourage your friends to do the same, and let’s make this the best part of the year.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Robert Kelly, Ph.D.
Vice President and Special Assistant to the President