COVID-19 (coronavirus)

The start of the Spring 2022 semester has been postponed until Monday, January 24. Classes will begin with a normal Monday schedule on January 24. 

Additionally, on-campus housing will now reopen for the Spring 2022 semester at 9 a.m. Friday, January 21. The Spring 2022 move-out date is now 11 a.m. May 16 for all residential students. 

Because tuition is assessed based on credits taken and the number of credits available to students this semester is unchanged by the brief delay in the start of the term, UAlbany tuition rates for Spring 2022 are not impacted. Similarly, room and board rates are assessed on a per-semester basis. 

Orientation for new students will be held Friday, January 21.

There will still be a Spring Break and a Reading Day, with classed ending on May 4 and final exams beginning on May 6. The dates for Commencement remain unchanged.  

Classes will be offered in person. Generally, only courses and programs that were online before the pandemic are being taught remotely. 

Review our Health & Safety and Instructor Guidance pages for more information on our academic protocols.

For detailed information, please visit our Campus Life page. 

Housing: On-campus residence halls and apartments will reopen at 9 a.m. Friday, January 21, 2022. Only students who were fully compliant with the Spring 2022 Pre-arrival Instructions for Students are permitted to live in on-campus housing.

Dining: Spring 2022 meal plans begin at lunch Friday, January 21, with modified service and hours. Regular service and hours will begin on Monday, January 24. The State Quad dining hall, as well as all retail dining locations, are open. However, only students who are fully vaccinated, or residential students who have been approved for an exemption, may enter the dining halls. All others, including guests, may eat in the Campus Center. 

Student Life: Only students who were fully compliant with the Spring 2022 Pre-arrival Instructions for Students are permitted to participate in campus recreation (including intramural sports and campus fitness centers), club sports, intercollegiate athletics, student organizations, activities and events, and performing arts.

Visitors & Events: Visitors and events are allowed but must adhere to the University’s mask mandate and other health and safety protocols. 

For detailed information, please visit our Health & Safety page. This is a brief overview. 
 

All students — regardless of vaccination, booster, exemption or housing status — must complete pre-arrival testing by getting a PCR, antigen or at-home test within five days before arriving on campus. Review detailed instructions for pre-arrival testing.
 

All UAlbany students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, all students must receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot as soon as they are eligible and then submit proof to UAlbany.

Employees are strongly encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. 

Review UAlbany’s vaccination and booster requirements.
 

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a face mask inside all buildings — unless the person is inside a private residence hall room, office, workspace with a proper barrier, workspace distanced at least six feet from any other occupied workspace, or other enclosed space where they are alone.  

Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or have not provided proof of full vaccination to the University must always wear a face mask outdoors while on any UAlbany campus.  

Individuals who are fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask outdoors on UAlbany campuses, especially when within six feet of others.  

Review UAlbany’s mask mandate.
 

All students and employees, regardless of vaccination status, must monitor their symptoms and stay home if they are sick.  

If you are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, or have received a positive surveillance or diagnostic test result, do not come to campus. Follow these instructions for notifying the University. 

Employees who are unvaccinated, or who choose not to submit proof of vaccination, must also submit a Daily Employee Health Screening in the hour before reporting to work on campus or within an hour of reporting to campus and follow any directives that appear after submission.  
 

All students who have been approved for a medical or religious exemption must participate in weekly surveillance testing for the entire semester. 

Additionally, all students who are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster must participate in weekly surveillance testing until they have received the booster shot and uploaded proof to the Student Health Portal.

All employees who have not provided proof of full vaccination to the University, and who are coming to any UAlbany campus in any capacity, must also participate in weekly surveillance testing until they provide proof of full vaccination to the University. 
 

Students who live on campus should review our Quarantine & Isolation Instructions for Residential Students. 

All other students and all employees should review the quarantine and isolation instructions listed on our Health & Safety page. 

The University’s risk management, emergency management and public health experts are closely following all relevant data, including:

• UAlbany’s surveillance and diagnostic test results 

• Local, state and national testing and infectivity rates 

• Local, state and national vaccination rates and breakthrough infection rates 

• UAlbany’s on-campus isolation and quarantine housing capacity 

• the University’s ability to safely and effectively continue operations  

This team will continue to adjust UAlbany’s health and safety protocols according to current conditions, as they have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Adjustments could include additional protocols for dining, events, recreational facilities, visitors and other aspects of campus life. Changes in protocols have been and will continue to be made incrementally, based on the health and safety of our campus community.