NJ University Delaying, Staggering Students' Return Amid COVID

PRINCETON, NJ —Princeton University announced Monday several steps it is taking to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on its campus in the coming weeks, including delaying the date students are allowed to return to the school in January, and staggering those returns. There also are temporary rules preventing students from traveling outside the area.

In a letter posted on social media, Dean Jill Dolan and Vice President Rochelle Calhoun outlined the new protocols and policies, which now allow students to start returning to campus on Jan. 14, one week later than planned.

"As we look forward to welcoming you back to campus for the Spring term, our primary goal is to maintain in-person classroom instruction and co-curricular activities, including varsity athletics, while also supporting the physical and mental health of our community," the letter read.

"Because the pandemic continues and the highly transmissible Omicron variant presents yet another challenge to public health, the university has decided to organize a gradual return for undergraduate students."

Though Jan. 14 will be the first day students are allowed to return to campus, there will be a 10-day window for doing so ahead of the beginning of classes on Jan. 24. Between Monday and Jan. 3, students are expected to register online for a return date.

"Updated modeling suggests that staggering undergraduates' return over ten days from January 14-23 will help flatten the curve of the campus positivity rate, which will allow the university to better respond to the increase in positive cases we anticipate when students come back to campus," Dolan and Calhoun said in their letter.

"The staggered return after Winter Break and mitigations such as wearing face-coverings indoors and testing twice a week will help reduce the campus positivity rate. But we still anticipate higher case counts because of the Omicron variant's increased transmissibility."

When students do return to campus, they will be expected to take a COVID test, and they must receive a negative test before they can attend any campus activities and before classes begin, the school said.

Additionally, the university is requiring all undergraduate students to receive their COVID-19 booster shot within 30 days of becoming eligible. The school will begin offering boosters at Jadwin Gym beginning Jan. 5.

From Jan. 8 until mid-February, the school said undergraduates who have returned to campus will not be permitted to travel outside of Mercer County or Plainsboro Township for personal reasons, "except in extraordinary circumstances." Students groups with off-campus activities are expected to contact their sponsoring office for guidance.

The university said it will revisit this travel policy on Feb. 15.

The school also will continue to enforce safety rules it implemented earlier this month, including: not allowing food at meetings or events and observing 20-person limits during gatherings in dorms or off-campus housing.

The university also is advising students to wear face coverings, stay socially distant from others indoors, stay in their rooms as much as possible and to choose grab-and-go dining options.

Finally, the school said it will continue to make isolation dorms available to students who test positive for COVID-19. However, if those spaces fill up, students may be required to isolate in their dorm or residence hall. Solutions will be found in instances where there are roommates, the university said.

The university said questions about the new protocols can be directed to covidconnector@princeton.edu. Also, a USG-sponsored virtual Town Hall for undergraduates will be held at 4 p.m. on Jan. 5. Students can find the Zoom link online. The passcode is 071610.

"Although all of us are exhausted and frustrated by the ongoing COVID pandemic, we must continue to do everything we can to protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff," Dolan and Calhoun wrote. "Thanks for doing your part. Your compliance with these protocols will allow us to continue the residential, in-person Princeton teaching, learning and co-curricular experience we all cherish."