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.

Masks continue to be required in indoor instructional spaces throughout the summer

Masks are required in indoor instructional spaces on our campus when there are two or more people present for a sustained period of time. This policy encompasses all classrooms, instructional spaces, labs, studios, concert and lecture venues, libraries, as well as Student Health Services. 

Vaccination requirements for the 2022-2023 academic year

For the 2022-2023 academic year, The New School will continue to require that students, faculty, and staff be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including a booster when eligible, or obtain a university-approved medical or religious exemption.

The Fall semester begins with a brief entry period of required testing, starting on Monday, August 15, 2022

The university’s multi-layered, science-based approach to health and safety includes required up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations (in alignment with CDC and NYSDOH definitions), along with proven measures such as wearing a mask, testing, and enhanced ventilation and cleaning.

Consistent with this approach, the 2022-2023 academic year will include a brief entry period of required COVID-19 PCR testing at the start of each term and after long breaks.

The fall 2022 entry period begins Monday, August 15, 2022 and will last for approximately five weeks (tentatively ending Sunday, September 18, 2022). During this period, everyone must test before arriving on campus and test regularly using a PCR test. The university will continue to provide free PCR tests to all active students, faculty, and staff. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted for required testing.

Visit our data dashboard for updates about the vaccination, testing, and positivity rates on our campus.

Guiding Principles

Our plan for a healthy and safe on-campus experience 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. It is our goal to address non-compliance without escalation. Repeated or egregious disregard for university policies and procedures will be escalated to Human Resources for employees or the Office of Student Conduct for students. 

Departmental COVID-19 Coordinators

Faculty and staff can reach out to the following COVID Coordination Group members with questions about our spring 2022 health and safety protocols:

• Academic Affairs (including individual colleges): [email protected]
• Business & Operations (including Finance, Facilities, and IT): Thomas Whalen, [email protected] 
• Enrollment Management and Strategic Partnerships: Craig Tiede, [email protected]
• Human Resources, General Counsel, and Development & Alumni Engagement: Andrea Yenco Cabatotan, [email protected]
• Marketing & Communications, Continuing and Professional Education: Amy Malsin, [email protected]
• Student Success: Susan Austin, [email protected]
  

Future Updates

This site will be updated on a regular basis. The university will continue to monitor the trajectory of the pandemic, especially virus prevalence in New York City. In addition, the message feed on this page features community announcements from the president and/or provost of The New School.