What Everyone Needs to Know

While a COVID vaccine is not required of students or employees, the university recognizes that vaccines have been effective in limiting the severity of COVID symptoms and preventing hospitalizations. We trust individuals and families to assess their own circumstances and level of COVID risk, and make decisions about mitigating that risk accordingly. 

• The university will provide testing services for students who may have contracted COVID-19.
• The university will not engage in systematic or random screening COVID-19 testing. 

• Supplies: The Health Center will maintain a stock of masks available to students.
• Services: The Health Center will continue to provide health services for all UD students. The Health Center will hire additional medical technicians and work with the Dallas County Health and Human Services to assist with essential services and contact tracing as needed.
• Questions: Please contact Greg Roper (roper@udallas.edu), Dean of Students, should you have any requisitions regarding student services. 

Updated in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidance issued on January 4, 2022.

QUARANTINE:

Who does NOT need to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19?

• Students and/or employees who have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters.
• Students and/or employees who confirmed that they have had COVID-19 within the past 90 days.

In lieu of quarantine, wear a mask around others for 10 days from the exposure date. Get tested at least five days after exposure, unless you have had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days.

Who should quarantine if exposed to COVID-19?

If an unvaccinated or partially vaccinated person is exposed to COVID-19, a person must abide by the following requirements:

• Remain removed from the community (i.e., stay at home/in your dorm room) for five days.
• If you do not develop symptoms, get tested five days after exposure.
  • If your COVID-19 test is negative and you remain symptom free, you should wear a mask on campus for the following five days.
  • If your COVID-19 test is positive, follow the isolation guidelines below.
  • If you develop symptoms, you may schedule your test immediately (without waiting five days).
  • If your COVID-19 test is negative, you may return to campus following a 24-hour period with no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) if other symptoms are improving. Wear a mask for five days following your return to campus.
  • If your COVID-19 test is positive, follow the isolation guidelines below.

Contract Tracing: Students who were exposed to a COVID-positive individual will be notified directly by the university's contact tracer. Faculty or staff will be contacted by a Human Resources representative for contact tracing and follow up after submitting an Employee Reporting Form.

ISOLATION:

Regardless of vaccination status, if an employee (faculty or staff member) tests positive for COVID-19, the employee:

• must not come to campus for five days since symptoms first appeared (day 0 is the first day of symptoms); 
• after five days, may return to campus following a 24-hour period with no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) if other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*; and
• must wear a mask at work for the five days following return to campus. 

*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.

For students who test positive for COVID-19: The university has set aside several rooms for self-isolation on campus. These rooms are available to on-campus residents only. Students may also isolate at their permanent residence, should the students or their parents be able to provide transportation. Should the university’s isolation rooms become fully occupied and a student require isolation provided by the university, the university will utilize its relationship with a group of local hotels to provide the needed room. 

• The student’s parents/family will be contacted immediately. Meals and health care services will be provided while the student is isolated.
• Re-entry into campus life will occur when at least five days have passed since COVID-19 symptoms first appeared, followed by five days of wearing a mask to minimize the risk of infecting others.

Students who are medically at risk can request accommodations through Disability Services. 

In general:

• The university will continue to update the campus COVID-19 website.
• Should any member of the university community have any questions or concerns related to the university COVID-19 policies and procedures, please contact the office of the Executive Vice President John Plotts at 972-721-5053. Executive Vice President John Plotts is the primary COVID-19 campus administrator.
• The university will send out Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to communicate common COVID-19-related questions on an as-needed basis.

Daily health monitoring: All members of the University community are encouraged to monitor their health condition every day by evaluating whether they have COVID-19 symptoms, such as those recognized by the CDC:

• fever or chills,
• cough,
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing,
• fatigue,
• muscle or body aches,
• headache,
• new loss of taste or smell,
• sore throat,
• congestion or runny nose,
• nausea or vomiting, 
• diarrhea.

Masks: Masks are recommended but not required of students and faculty in the classroom. Masks are also optional for campus guests and visitors. We advise all members of our community to have a mask ready, as an act of charity, in the event they are in close contact with others who request them to wear one.

Water fountains: Drinking fountains are safe to use as long as you do not physically touch any fixture on them with bare skin. Use a cloth or towel, but not your bare hand to activate the fountain. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize the use of water dispensers and minimize waste.

Travel policy: University-sponsored travel is permitted, in accordance with pre-COVID practice and policy. 

Handwashing: All members of the UD community are encouraged to wash their hands under running water whenever possible for at least 20 seconds.

Hand sanitizer:  Sanitizing wipes will be available at the entrance to classrooms so that students and professors can wipe down their chair/desks as desired to help sanitize. Cleaning products will be provided for employee and faculty use in every office on campus.

Coughing etiquette: Cough away from people and into a tissue or your elbow.

It is also worth noting that students and staff who are planning to participate in the Rome Program this academic year should consider Rome Director Peter Hatlie’s most recent guidance letter, as significant travel restrictions are being imposed by Italian government and European Union authorities on those who are not vaccinated.

The university will adhere to Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) and NCAA Competition Guidelines. Each school is to confirm their teams’ readiness for competition.

Events: Events will take place in accordance with pre-COVID policy and practice. 

Visitor Policy: The campus visitor policy in place is consistent with the pre-COVID visitor policy. All campus visitors (including Church of Incarnation attendees) are expected to follow the university's COVID health/hygeine protocols. 

If you are a student who has COVID-19 symptoms, has recently tested positive for COVID-19, or has been around someone who has, you must fill out this form on the Health Clinic website and remain off campus or in your residence hall room until you are contacted by the clinic. If you are a staff or faculty member who is experiencing symptoms or has come in contact with someone who has COVID, you should fill out this form, contact your physician, and see this page for more information about what to do. 

Here is additional information as it relates to the University of Dallas and its receipt of funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

 

Go to Information Page

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Moral Considerations Regarding the New COVID-19 Vaccines"

Vatican resources:

• Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, "Note on the morality of using some anti-Covid-19 vaccines"
• Video: Pope Francis urges people to receive COVID vaccine

New England Journal of Medicine, "COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions"

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/index.html

WHO: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

IDSA: https://www.idsociety.org/public-health/Novel-Coronavirus/

State of Texas: Office of the Texas Governor (Coronavirus Executive Orders, Funding and Waivers)