The University System of Maryland (USM) has issued guidance requiring COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff returning to campus this fall. The information below outlines requirements for testing, the process for campus access, and plans for symptom monitoring for the spring semester for all UB employees. Essential on-campus employees should refer to the email sent on Aug. 3 for their testing instructions.
January COVID Testing
Following the extended winter break, all on-campus employees, students and visitors are required to submit a new COVID-19 test. Tests should be done on or after Jan. 4, 2021. Employees working full-time on campus may be given release time for testing. These employees and their supervisors will coordinate schedules to ensure necessary staffing levels each day. Bee Cards for on-campus employees will be deactivated Monday, Jan. 11, if test results are not submitted.
Employees should email proof of their negative COVID test result to HR at employeehealth@ubalt.edu.
In case of a positive test, HR will provide guidance for when an employee may return to campus as well as guidance for co-workers and other members of the campus community.
In the last month, the volume of testing is causing delays in getting results compared to testing earlier in the fall. Please plan ahead for testing. Baltimore City and the surrounding counties each have their own web pages detailing testing sites. A list of the relevant links can be found here. Many sites offer appointments or indicate appointments preferred but allow walk-ins. An employee may choose where to receive a COVID test. The sites coordinated through the state, city and county health departments offer free testing. Some of the private clinics and pharmacies offer testing but may require a co-pay. UB will not cover the cost of the co-pay.
Campus Access
Campus access days have been scheduled for Jan. 11-14. These days are intended for faculty and staff to retrieve materials to prepare for the spring semester or to support ongoing telework. It is expected that employees will spend less than one hour on campus for this purpose.
Here are details about the campus access period for faculty and staff:
- Staff and faculty with offices in the Law Center, Academic Center, Learning Commons, Foundation Building, and Bogomolny Library buildings will be allowed access to enter those buildings using their Bee Cards on Monday, Jan. 11, Tuesday, Jan. 12, or Thursday, Jan. 14, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Staff and faculty with offices in the Liberal Arts and Policy, Business Center, Charles Royal and Student Center buildings will be allowed access to enter those buildings using their Bee Cards on Tuesday, Jan. 12, Wednesday, Jan. 13, or Thursday, Jan. 14, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Employees coming to campus must complete three steps:
1. Register to come to campus using this web form. This list will be used to activate Bee Cards and to track which spaces are accessed. Employees who do not register will not be able to access campus buildings.
2. Provide proof of a negative COVID test. The test must be taken on or after January 4th. Email test results to employeehealth@ubalt.edu.
3. Complete the one-time REDCap campus access form on the day you plan to visit, confirming no symptoms or exposure prior to coming to campus.
REDCap Information
Employees and students regularly coming to campus are registered with the REDCap daily symptom monitoring system. Many users have noted the modification request option within the system. These requests are manually reviewed and updated. The system does not include an automated process to approve these requests. Because some employees in 24/7 operations will continue to access campus during winter break, we cannot suspend the system. Emails will continue to be sent daily during winter break. Employees not coming to campus may ignore the emails each day. Employees working during break will complete the survey as usual. Get more information regarding the REDCap process.
If you have questions regarding any of these topics, please email employeehealth@ubalt.edu.
Having received approval to be on campus, gotten a negative result for your COVID-19 test, and gone through the REDCap process and a subsequent "go" response, you are now free to be on specially-designated parts of campus. While there, you must follow CDC guidelines for social distancing: wear a mask, and stay at least six feet apart from others who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.