COVID-19 Community Guide

The health and wellbeing of our community and the neighbors with whom we interact are our top priority. This website serves as the central information hub to keep all members of our community informed of updates, policies, and protocols on the evolving circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safe Campus Reopening

The New School is planning for a robust in‑person student experience both inside and outside the classroom starting in fall 2021 and beyond. With safety protocols remaining in place, we anticipate returning to on-campus teaching and learning, reopening all residence halls, resuming dining services, and expanding access to other campus spaces and facilities. The university's COVID Coordination Group leads the university’s return to campus planning.

July 15 Updates 

The university has announced updated plans supporting our full return to on-site teaching and learning in fall 2021. This website has been fully updated to reflect those details. In brief, here are key things to keep in mind in preparing for a return to campus:  

• Everyone must be vaccinated. Students have to submit proof by August 1, staff and faculty by August 15.  If you need a medical/religious exemption, submit that request by August 1.
• Students in countries without access to vaccines can get vaccinated in NYC, but need to follow timelines and extra requirements in the interim.
• Everyone must take a PCR COVID-19 test up to 7 days prior to accessing campus for the first time. Ongoing testing will be required at the start of the semester, with different intervals based on your level of access to campus and vaccination status. Test kits will be available on-site at no cost to you.
• Vaccination and testing information will be linked to your New School ID card, so you can't access campus without being up to date. Your health records remain private and only authorized individuals in Human Resources or Student Health Services have access to them to ensure our campus remains safe.
• Face masks are required for everyone at all times, except when eating in designated areas or in your dorm room. There will be free vending machines for these.
• Should the infection rate remain low among our community and in New York City, the university may adjust our approach as needed, with an update on policies and guidelines expected by October 15.

Guiding Principles

Our plan for a phased reopening of on-campus activities is guided by three core principles:

• Protecting the health and safety of the entire New School community — students, faculty, and staff — and the neighbors with whom we interact.
• Maintaining the highest-quality teaching, learning, research, and cultural expression in every college, department, and specialty.
• Ensuring equitable access to classes and other learning activities for all students.

Our Shared Responsibility 

Taking steps to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection is a shared responsibility and every member of our community must do their part to help keep each other safe. Students who violate or disregard the university’s health and safety guidelines will be referred for disciplinary action through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. 

Future Updates

This page will be updated on a regular basis as we finalize our plans for the coming academic year. The university’s COVID Coordination Group will continue to monitor the trajectory of the pandemic, especially virus prevalence in New York City, and we will share an update about our health and safety protocols by October 15, including our policies regarding campus visitors and masking for those who are vaccinated.  

In addition, the message feed on this page features community announcements from the president and/or provost of The New School.