No Contact Tracing, Booster Requirement For Fall At Rider Uni.

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Ahead of the fall semester, Rider University in Lawrenceville has revised its COVID-19 policies, rolling back protocols it put in place throughout the pandemic. These changes are "effective immediately", the University said.

The University will no longer offer contact tracing or COVID-19 case management services beginning with the fall semester. Employees will no longer be asked to report to Human Resources if they are COVID-19 positive beginning Sept. 1, the university said.

Students who are not enrolled in fully online degree programs must be COVID-19 vaccinated prior to the start of classes in any given semester. However, boosters are not required but are highly encouraged.

"It is incumbent on each of us to take responsibility for our own health and to help mitigate spread given the resources at our disposal: vaccination, boosters, mask-wearing, NJDOH and CDC guidance, and symptom self-monitoring," the University said in a memo.

Students and employees will be required to monitor their symptoms, and not come to campus or class if they are symptomatic. They need to abide by NJDOH and/or CDC guidance for next steps before returning to campus or class, according to the memo.

With COVID-19 transitioning to endemic, many universities are now making changes to the protocols put in place during the pandemic.

Princeton University last week revised its COVID-19 policies, the most significant being booster shots are not mandates for students and employees.

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