Important Spring 2022 COVID-19 guidelines
December 20, 2021 12:40 PM

Dear Undergraduate Students,

As you begin your Winter Break, I’m writing to share important information about the Spring 2022 semester. Increases in positive COVID-19 cases, holiday travel and the emergence of the Omicron variant present real risks, and we want to maximize the safety of our community when you return to campus in a few weeks. These guidelines apply to students participating in any on-campus activities. They do not apply to fully remote students.

Spring 2022 COVID-19 Undergraduate Student Guidelines

• Within three days prior to returning to campus for the Spring 2022 semester, you (even if you are fully vaccinated) will be required to receive and upload a negative off-campus COVID-19 test result to the MyMcKinley Portal.
• Upon returning to campus, you (even if you are fully vaccinated) will be required to receive a negative on-campus COVID-19 test result before Friday, Jan. 21.
• The off-campus test result and the on-campus test result should be at least three days apart.
• In order for you to meet these requirements, the first week of the Spring 2022 semester (Jan. 18-21) will be held online. In-person instruction will resume on Monday, Jan. 24.
• Despite starting the semester online, you are strongly encouraged to return to campus as planned to enable the required on-campus test and to gain building access.
• We are still considering if COVID-19 vaccine boosters will be required for the Spring 2022 semester. However, we strongly recommend that during the winter break, all who are eligible receive a vaccine booster. If you have already received a booster, thank you for taking this important step.
• All unvaccinated students will continue to be required to test every other day to remain in compliance.
• We will hold a virtual COVID-19 Briefing Series event with more details before the Spring semester begins. We will announce that date as soon as it is finalized.

I want to give you this information now so you can prepare. We will continue to monitor the situation and seek guidance from health experts at our university, in our community, in our state and in our country. I know that everyone is tired from the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on our lives. I hope you know that we do not make COVID-19 decisions lightly. At the same time, it is my responsibility to do everything I can to maximize your safety and experience at this university, and if that means additional COVID-19 restrictions because of new variants or any other developments, then we are prepared to make those decisions.

I have said from the day I became chancellor that I would lead with transparency, and I will continue to make that commitment to each of you. Thank you for all of the effort and sacrifices you have made so far to minimize the impact of COVID-19. I’m so grateful for your care for one another, and I am so proud of the COVID-19 ecosystem and community we have built here together at Illinois. 

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor