COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
You've got questions about life at The University of Baltimore this spring. We've got answers:
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Will a COVID-19 vaccination be required to be on campus?
Yes. The University System of Maryland has mandated that all students, staff and faculty on its campuses, including The University of Baltimore, be fully vaccinated prior to coming to campus. Campus members will need to provide documentation of vaccination or of a medical or religious exemption. In general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine.
Faculty, staff and students who will be accessing campus in the spring should plan to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 14, 2022.For information about the vaccine mandate, submitting proof of vaccination or to request an exemption, visit the Vaccine Requirements page.
Documentation—either of vaccination or of an approved exemption—will be sufficient for an individual's presence on campus and, therefore, for participation in all on-campus events or activities.
NOTE: If conditions call for vaccinated people to receive a booster, The University of Baltimore will work with the Maryland Department of Health and the Baltimore City Health Department to assist students and employees in accessing a booster vaccine as it becomes available, following federal and state guidelines.
To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine in Maryland, visit Massvax.maryland.gov or call 1.855.MD.GOVAX (1.855.634.6829).
For those outside of Maryland, visit the CDC's Vaccine Finder or call 1.800.232.0233.
For additional assistance, contact Stephen Mogar, case manager in the Office of Student Support and the Dean of Students, at smogar@ubalt.edu.
Information on visiting campus is available here.
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Is there free COVID-19 testing and vaccination near the University?
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What do International Students need to know prior to coming to campus?
UBalt will accept any vaccine authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO). For international students coming from areas where vaccines are not widely available, vaccination resources will be offered.
Read the UBalt Vaccine Mandate Processes for International Students.
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How should faculty prepare for teaching on campus this spring?
Visit the COVID-19 Information for Faculty page. While most of the basics for preparing to teach in person are available there, please keep in mind that not every scenario can be addressed on a single page. As the semester gets underway, look for additional issues to be addressed by the Office of the Provost, the deans, the president, etc.
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I lost my vaccine card. What should I do?
If you misplace your COVID-19 vaccination card, contact your vaccination provider or visit your state's Immunization Information System. Maryland residents can visit the Maryland Department of Health's ImmuNet and click on the "For Public" link to retrieve a copy of their vaccination records.
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What are the rules for COVID-19 testing, and what happens if someone tests positive on campus?
For the Spring 2022 semester, students with a COVID-19 vaccination exemption, or who are in the process of becoming fully vaccinated, must submit documentation that verifies a negative COVID-19 test result to the Office of Student Support (OSS) utilizing the UBalt COVID-19 Clearance Form.
To maintain access to campus, students will be required to submit negative test results by the 15th and 30th of each month. The earliest that test results will be accepted is 5 days prior to the two testing deadlines of the 15th and 30th.
To locate a testing site in Maryland, go to coronavirus.maryland.gov.
If you test positive, visit this site.
For those outside of Maryland, contact your healthcare provider or visit your state, tribal, local and territorial health department's website to find the latest local information on testing.
If you plan to come to campus, but you have tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home.
Students must report a positive diagnosis to studenthealth@ubalt.edu.
Faculty and staff must report a positive diagnosis to employeehealth@ubalt.edu.
Once a positive diagnosis is received, you should focus on your recovery. We will be in touch about your responsibilities as a student or employee.
If anyone (student, faculty or staff member) tests positive for COVID-19, that person cannot be on campus until it is safe for the person and for those on campus.
To stay up to date with the number of cases reported by the UBalt community, visit our COVID-19 dashboard.
In general, The University of Baltimore will ensure that all individuals accessing campus have complied with the USM vaccine mandate, whether by vaccination or exemption. All students, staff, and faculty will be required to adhere to UBalt's protocol regarding masking, social distancing, and safety precautions.
Testing protocols will differ for vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals, but all individuals accessing campus will be tested periodically. Student and employee support personnel will not divulge information as to vaccination status.
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Are visitors permitted to enter campus buildings?
Visitors should stop by our Campus Visitors page prior to coming to campus.
If you would like to schedule an in-person appointment with an admission counselor, go here.
Currently, we have security ambassadors stationed in two of the academic buildings, so in most cases visitors to the campus buildings will need to be met at the building entrance by a representative of the office that they are meeting with so they may gain access.
The John and Frances Angelos Law Center, 1401 N. Charles St., is staffed with a security ambassador at the main entrance and can provide access to visitors entering that building. The Academic Center, located on the northwest corner of Charles Street and Mt. Royal Avenue, has a security ambassador at the main entrance, Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and can provide to access to visitors during those hours. The entrance to the Academic Center is midway down the block, directly across from the law center.Visitors to the campus may also visit the University of Baltimore Police main office, located on the ground floor of the Charles Royal Building, 1319 N. Charles St., to get assistance.
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Am I required to comply with the vaccine mandate if I want to visit campus and I am a student taking online classes, a visitor, or an employee working remotely?
Yes. All students, staff and faculty who plan to access campus must meet the requirements of the vaccine mandate to be granted access to campus buildings. This means either providing evidence of vaccination or having an approved exemption through the formal exemption process.
All visitors must adhere to The University of Baltimore’s safety protocols.
Get the details for campus visitors.
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Will campus buildings be open this spring?
All campus buildings will follow a regular schedule this spring. Building hours are subject to change, given any change to the status of the pandemic.
For the spring semester, you can expect that many smaller classrooms may not be in use, because the University prefers larger classrooms to enhance health and safety. More classrooms will be used as public-health conditions warrant.
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What is required for employees or students to access campus buildings?
Employees and students must meet the requirements of the vaccine mandate to be granted access to campus buildings. This means either providing evidence of vaccination or having an approved exemption through the formal exemption process.
Bee Card access will be tied to compliance with the vaccine mandate.
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What improvements have been made to the HVAC systems in campus buildings in response to COVID-19? What about drinking fountains?
The Facilities Department engaged RMF Engineering to complete an assessment of the buildings that had limited occupancy when the campus was closed due to the pandemic. RMF reviewed the HVAC equipment and provided recommendations to improve the indoor air quality and reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 through the air.
These improvements included installing higher efficiency air filters, rebalancing the HVAC systems, modifying the HVAC automation systems, and cleaning diffusers and duct work. These improvements were completed by the end of July. RMF also recommended that an ultraviolet light system be installed in the ductwork; that project is underway and will be completed during the fall semester.
Per the recommendation of the APPA for safe higher-education facilities reopening, we are locking the mouth spigots on campus drinking fountains. This is a means to deter the spread of COVID-19 through respiratory droplets which may be transmitted when a person is in close proximity to the spigot. Consequently, mouth spigots will be locked until further notice. However, the drinking water is safe, and those drinking fountains that have touch-free bottle fillers are available for use. -
How do I know if my class is offered online or in person?
Courses in the Merrick School of Business, the College of Public Affairs and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences will be offered in a variety of formats, as indicated in our course schedule. Students should look closely at what the schedule says about the format of the courses for which they registered. Assuming continued improvement in the public health situation, there will be even more courses on campus in spring 2022.
First-year undergraduates will have the opportunity to have on-campus courses as will international students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The School of Law, as required by its accreditation, has scheduled its fall courses for on-campus learning. All four schools/colleges of the University are prepared to pivot to other modalities (hybrid, online) if the public health situation calls for it.
The course schedule has notes that indicate how a course will be conducted, either in- person on campus (look for a room number and a day and meeting time); online ("web") using the Sakai learning management system only with no days or time meetings assigned; a combination of virtual meetings (generally via Zoom) that take place in real time ("synchronously") and that use Sakai for online learning not tied to a meeting time; or as a hybrid course that combines in-person and online learning (a room number will be given for the on campus days).
When a class meets on campus or meets together through a video application like Zoom at a given time, this is "synchronous" instruction. When a class uses videos, Sakai, and perhaps additional tools but does not meet together, either on campus or through live video, that is "asynchronous" instruction.
Contact your academic adviser if you have any questions about your schedule.
Remember: If you are enrolled in the Merrick School of Business, the College of Public Affairs or the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, you may borrow a laptop or webcam from the University. The School of Law requires its students to have appropriate technology to enroll, and that information is provided to students in advance.
Contact the Office of Financial Aid at financialaid@ubalt.edu if you have questions about using student financial assistance to purchase technology.
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I'm enrolled but I need some technology support. What should I do?
If you are enrolled in the Merrick School of Business, the College of Public Affairs or the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, you may borrow a laptop or webcam from the University. The School of Law requires its students to have appropriate technology to enroll, and that information is provided to students in advance.
Check with the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions about using student financial assistance to purchase technology.
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Will all campus offices be open this spring?
During the pandemic, the University expanded its online services. Even as we transition back to being on campus, a number of services will have some campus hours and some online availability. Campus hours for offices will be posted as the fall semester gets underway will be based on a survey of student needs. For more information on the following services, click on these links:
Academic Coaching
TutoringWriting Center
Math and Statistics Center
Advising (students can access their advisor's contact information through MyUB)
Bursar
Campus Pantry
Career Closet
Computer Labs
Disability and Access Services
Financial Aid
Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Admission
RLB Library
Law Library
Office of Diversity and International Services
Office of Technology Services
Printing Needs
Office of Records and Registration
Student Assistance ProgramAdditional services are available; check the UBalt website for more services and contact information.
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I'm a student and I need to know when student-facing offices will be open.
To support our students, UBalt is providing services both on-campus and online for spring 2022. UBalt strives to provide flexibility in our service offerings to meet the needs of our students. Along with the health and safety of our students, this is our top priority. Staff and faculty who provide on-campus services have complied with the USM vaccine mandate. University student services, including Advising, Student Success and Support Services, the RLB Library, Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Bee Card, computer labs, etc., will be available Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on campus and online; and on Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., online only. Some offices, including those in the School of Law, will have additional or different hours; you should check to make sure the office is open before you go to campus to pay a bill, get advising, etc.
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
The UBalt Shuttle is unavailable until further notice.
Please note that office hours are subject to change, depending on public health conditions and other related factors.
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What are the rules for serving an internship? What about traveling for my education, such as the Global Field Studies program?
UBalt will continue to honor internships, both off-campus and in-person, as long as the site demonstrates that it follows public health recommendations.
For the spring semester, there may be courses with a global field studies component, but health protocols will determine allowable travel.
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Will employees still be able to telework?
As more on-campus operations return, employees will need to return to working on campus. The degree to which an employee may continue to telework will depend on the work performed and the needs of the office. Supervisors and department heads will work with staff to determine appropriate work schedules, including on-campus work and telework.