Coronavirus Preparedness and Updates

Updated 7/13/2021

Health Awareness for the CSU Community

Being prepared is critical to Coppin State University’s readiness to prevent community spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). To address this public health concern, this website is developed to provide a cohesive CSU voice to strategies implemented to decrease the spread, the implications on travel arrangements, and steps taken to work in conjunction with the guidelines provided by the University System of Maryland (USM), the local health department, state, and federal entities. The information presented represents our commitment to our mission rooted in social responsibility, civic, and community engagement. We remain committed to the health and safety of the Coppin Community.

COVID-19-Related Updates

July 13, 2021 - COVID-19 Update

Coppin State graduate student and Dedmond Hall Director Angie Cooper encourages all to get Vaxed!

Have you submitted confirmation of your COVID-19 vaccination?

All incoming and returning undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and third-party vendor employees are required to be fully vaccinated, in order to return to the campus. Confirmation that you are fully vaccinated must be provided by sending a copy or photo of the front AND back of your vaccination card to the appropriate office no later than, August 13, 2021.

Student vaccination confirmation should be submitted to the Health Center:
Email: HealthCenter@coppin.edu
Fax: (410)-951-6158

Faculty/Staff/Vendor Employee Vaccination Confirmation should be submitted to Human Resources:
Email: AskHR@coppin.edu
Fax: (410) 951-3667

Vaccine confirmation can also be submitted in-person to the appropriate office.

Vaccine Exemptions

Students, faculty, and staff who wish to seek an accommodation or exemption for medical or religious reasons, may apply to do so. All requests for exemption or other accommodation for fall 2021 should be submitted no later than, July 15, 2021. Individuals who have previously contracted the COVID-19 virus are also required to provide confirmation of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, unless approved under medical or religious exemption.

Exemption requests should be submitted as follows:

Student Medical Exemptions:
Email: HealthCenter@coppin.edu
Or call (410)-951-4188

Student Religious Exemptions
Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Michael Freeman
Email: sjordan@coppin.edu
Or call (410) 951-3593

Faculty/Staff/Vendor Employees (Medical or Religious) Exemptions:
Email: AskHR@coppin.edu
Fax: (410) 951-3666

COVID-19 Testing for the Remainder of the Summer 2021

(12-month employees and any students on campus)

As of July 11, 2021, asymptomatic individuals who are fully-vaccinated do not need to test until the week of August 10-12. Individuals who are not vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or have a religious or medical exemption shall be required to test a minimum of twice a month.*

*Individuals in athletics who are not fully vaccinated shall test at least twice a week as per the Athletic Department.

The testing dates are:

July 12-14 (if did not test July 7-9)
July 21-23
August 4-6
August 10-12

Regarding COVID-19 Testing for the 2021-2022 Academic Year

For the CSU Community, one baseline COVID-19 screening test shall be required for the fall semester, regardless of vaccination status. For employees, this may be completed during the week of August 10-12. For students, this should be completed prior to coming to campus.

Beyond the one baseline screening test, fully vaccinated individuals do not need to undergo routine COVID-19 testing. CSU reserves the right to have fully vaccinated individuals participate in testing if there are any modifications to the local, state, and/or federal guidelines.

Individuals who are partially vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption shall be required to test a minimum of twice a month.*

The testing dates are:
August 18-20
August 24-26
September 1-3
September 7-9
September 21-23

*The testing frequency may change based on local, state, and/or federal guidance, local disease transmission, and/or any outbreaks.

Any individual who is exposed to someone with COVID-19 should plan to test on or after day five to seven, after the exposure.

Any individual who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should plan to test.

Any individual who is fully vaccinated who desires a screening test, may request a test through the CSU Community Health Center.

Thank you to all those who have been vaccinated, as well as those who have submitted proper exemption documentation.

Take care, be well, and Get Vaxed!

July 7, 2021 - COVID-19 Update

Dear Eagle Nation:

We continue our preparations to welcome everyone back to campus, this fall. The CSU COVID-19 Taskforce has been working to determine the safest way to open the campus while maintaining a minimal positivity rate. Below are some important highlights to be aware of as we prepare to welcome everyone back.

Remote Work Ending, July 6

Campus-wide remote work, implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, will end on July 6, 2021. Coppin employees who are currently in a remote work/work-from-home status, will receive specific directions from their supervisor related to expectations, for this fall. All further directions will be provided within each division/department, and they will include the exact return to campus date for each employee, where applicable.

In-person Campus Events Resume, July 6

We will, officially, resume in-person campus events, on July 6. Here’s what you need to know about hosting in-person events, at Coppin:

All CSU faculty, staff, and students must be fully-vaccinated, or have an approved exemption, in order to host or participate in any in-person campus event. Confirmations must be on-file with the appropriate university personnel.

All third-party, external hosts must be fully-vaccinated or have an acceptable exemption. External guests who attend the in-person event must comply with symptom monitoring and all testing requirements. They must also follow the campus mask requirement.

What are the campus mask and testing requirements?

As we turn the pandemic corner, we must remain vigilant about our campus COVID-19 protocols, until a larger percentage of the campus community is vaccinated. This includes continuing to wear a mask, indoors, and testing, twice per month, as necessary—even if you have been vaccinated. For now, we must continue to take these precautions as we prepare to bring more people back to campus, this fall.

Masks are not required to be worn, outdoors.

The Community Health Center will continue to offer COVID-19 testing. Based on available data and other guidance from health experts, the Baltimore City Health Department, and the Maryland Department of Health, the required campus testing frequency is continuing at twice per month.

All faculty and staff, including third-party vendor staff, who report to campus, for any reason, are required to test, twice per month, even after being vaccinated.

All students who report to campus for in-person courses are required to test, twice per month, even after being vaccinated. Athletic testing will continue according to applicable NCAA requirements.

Video: Coppin State Dean of Health Professions, Dr. Tracey Murray, Ph.D. talks COVID-19 vaccinations.

Coppin will be hosting a Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. The CSU Community Health Center staff, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, will be administering the vaccine. It is open to individuals, 18 and older. It is open to members of the surrounding community and the CSU campus. Click here to register. Walk-ins are welcome.

Additional Vaccination Information

Have you submitted confirmation of your COVID-19 vaccination?

All incoming and returning undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and third-party vendor employees are required to be fully vaccinated, in order to return to the campus. Confirmation that you are fully vaccinated must be provided by sending a copy or photo of the front AND back of your vaccination card to the appropriate office no later than, August 13, 2021.

Student vaccination confirmation should be submitted to the Health Center:
Email: HealthCenter@coppin.edu
Fax: (410)-951-6158

Faculty/Staff/Vendor Employee Vaccination Confirmation should be submitted to Human Resources:
Email: AskHR@coppin.edu
Fax: (410) 951-3667

Vaccine confirmation can also be submitted in-person to the appropriate office.

International Students, Faculty, and Staff

Only US-approved vaccine confirmations will be accepted. If you need assistance getting an appointment or locating a vaccine site, please, visit www.coppin.edu/coronavirus for a link that will direct you to a location closest to you. You can also contact the CSU Community Health Center for assistance, at (410) 951-4188, or by emailing HealthCenter@coppin.edu.

What if you would like to apply for an exemption from the vaccine mandate?

Students, faculty, and staff who wish to seek an accommodation or exemption for medical or religious reasons, may apply to do so. All requests for exemption or other accommodation for fall 2021 should be submitted no later than, July 15, 2021.

Exemption requests should be submitted as follows:

Student Medical Exemptions:
Email: HealthCenter@coppin.edu
Or call (410)-951-4188

Student Religious Exemptions
Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Michael Freeman
Email: sjordan@coppin.edu
Or call (410) 951-3593

Faculty/Staff/Vendor Employees (Medical or Religious Exemptions:
Email: AskHR@coppin.edu
Fax: (410) 951-3666

What happens if you are approved to be exempt from getting the vaccine?

Students, faculty, and staff who are approved for exemption will be allowed to report to the campus. Faculty and staff who are exempted from the vaccine mandate are expected to report to the campus to perform their job duties, based on consultation with their division vice president and the Office of Human Resources.

They will be required to wear a mask indoors, at all times, and outdoors, where appropriate social distancing cannot be maintained. They will also be required to test, based on campus frequency, which is currently twice per month. This could increase to as often as twice per week, in the fall.

What happens if you apply for an exemption but are not approved for the exemption or other accommodation?

Faculty and staff who are not approved for a medical or religious exemption will be required to submit confirmation of vaccine compliance by a date determined by the Office of Human Resources. The Office of Human Resources will engage in an interactive process to determine what other accommodations are deemed reasonable.

Students who are not approved for a medical or religious exemption will be required to submit confirmation of vaccine compliance by a date determined by the CSU Community Health Center or the Division of Student Affairs, as appropriate. The Office of Student Affairs will engage with students to determine whether other reasonable accommodations are available.

Testing Dates for the Summer

The CSU Community Health Center will continue to offer COVID-19 testing, throughout the summer, as follows:

Wednesday, July 7 – Friday, July 9
Wednesday, July 21 – Friday, July 23
Wednesday, August 4 – Friday, August 6
Tuesday, August 17 – Thursday, August 19

Anyone in the campus community who needs to be tested can contact the health center at HealthCenter@coppin.edu or call (410) 951-4188.

Thank you to all those who have been vaccinated, as well as those who have submitted proper exemption documentation.

Take care, be well, and Get Vaxed!

June 28, 2021 - COVID-19 Update

Dear Eagle Nation:

As part of our efforts for a safe return to campus this fall, Coppin will be hosting a Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 from 10 a.m to 12 noon. The CSU Community Health Center staff in conjunction with the Baltimore City Health Department will be administering the vaccine. It is open to individuals, 18 and older, who are members of the CSU campus and the surrounding communities. Click here to register.

The health and safety of our Coppin community is paramount. According to the CDC, to be fully vaccinated, two weeks must have passed since the second dose in a 2-dose series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. To be on campus for University Day on August 16th, you must have the last dose by no later that July 30th to meet the August 13th deadline. If you are receiving the Moderna vaccine, you will need to receive your first dose no later than July 2nd in order to get your second dose by July 30th.

For anyone arriving from outside the United States, the listing of approved World Health Organization (WHO) vaccines can be found by visiting coppin.edu/coronavirus.

Video: CSU Provost Leontye Lewis, Ph.D. encourages folks to get vaccinated for a safe return to campus in Fall '21.

Thank you to all those who have been vaccinated, as well as those who have submitted proper exemption documentation.

Take care, be well, and Get Vaxed!

June 21, 2021 - COVID-19 Update

Dear Eagle Nation:

Coppin State University is planning for a safe return to campus in the fall. We are aligning the campus plan with the University System of Maryland's requirement that everyone returning to campus must be vaccinated (unless an approved exemption is recieved).

We are aiming for anyone returning to campus in the fall to be fully vaccinated by August 13, 2021. For more on the COVID-19 vaccination, please visit coppin.edu/coronavirus and click "Get Vaccinated."

Over the next few weeks, we will be joined by members of the Eagle(vacci)Nation as well as friends of Coppin to get important information and their take on a safe return to campus.

Video: Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott joined Coppin State University President Anthony Jenkins to encourage folks to get vaccinated for a safe return to campus in Fall '21.

Thank you to all those who have been vaccinated, as well as those who have submited proper exemption documentation.

Take care, be well, and Get Vaxed!