Dear Graduate Students,

Although the Evergreen campus is quieter during the summer, we are busy preparing for a wonderful Fall 2021 semester. We are looking forward to the upcoming opening of the Fernandez Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning, which will add extraordinary space for learning and gathering. Thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines and the fact that almost everyone within our community will be vaccinated, we are looking forward to an exceptional in-person experience. I hope you are as excited as my colleagues at Loyola are about all that Fall 2021 will bring. 

I write today to share a few updates. 

Mask Requirements 
In accordance with city and state policies, the outdoor mask mandate has been lifted on Loyola's campuses. The indoor mask mandate will be lifted effective July 1, 2021, in accordance with the city policy. If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, please continue to wear a mask while on Loyola’s campuses. Anyone who is unvaccinated should continue to follow CDC guidelines for unvaccinated individuals.

The University will continue to look to guidance from health experts and government officials when determining future COVID-19 policies related to masks, social distancing, and other best practices.

Vaccinations and Health Services 
All undergraduate and graduate students attending classes in person this fall must receive their final dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines and send proof of the vaccination to healthservices@loyola.edu by Aug. 1, 2021. (Students who are on campus for classes or other in-person experiences this summer must send proof of their vaccination by July 1, 2021. Those who submitted proof for the summer do not need to submit it again for the fall.) Exemptions, which can be requested through this waiver form, are being granted only for medical and religious reasons.

You can find more information about the COVID vaccines on our COVID vaccine FAQ. 

Students who are granted exemptions from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will need to provide Student Health Services with a negative PCR test administered within 72 hours prior to their arrival to campus. They should send it to healthservices@loyola.edu. All students will use a symptom tracker to report symptoms each day. The University will continue to conduct contact tracing for the Fall 2021 semester. 

Course Accommodations 
All campuses will be returning to normal operations in the fall. We will therefore not offer a remote-learning option to graduate students related to COVID-19 concerns, as we did last year. Students with disabilities who may require an accommodation to return to in-person courses should submit their requests to the Disability Support Services office by July 23, 2021. Academic accommodations unrelated to a safe return to the physical classroom do not need to be requested by this deadline.

In addition, classrooms will be at full capacity, and social distancing will not be required.  

Conclusion 
I hope you are enjoying these summer months and finding time for rest and rejuvenation. You and your families are in my prayers.

Sincerely, 

Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J. 
President