The health and safety of our entire Wells community is our highest priority. Although the pandemic continues to evolve — as well as our response to it — we continue to have a shared responsibility to keep the Wells community healthy and safe, with each of us doing our part by making good choices.
ABOUT THIS SITE
On this website, you will find guidance on many important topics related to the College's health and safety protocols regarding COVID-19. Each of the following pages includes additional details and resources.
Fall 2022 COVID-19 Protocol
Masking
We strongly recommend that you wear a mask while inside any of our campus buildings, but it will continue to not be required. Please be respectful of those who choose to wear a mask.
Vaccination Status
All students, faculty, and staff must be “fully vaccinated.” According to the CDC, a person is fully vaccinated when they have received all doses in the primary series (e.g., Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax), plus any recommended booster. There are certain medical and religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement. Please visit our website, https://www.wells.edu/covid-19-info for further information about exemptions.
Please send your updated vaccination status to covidvac@wells.edu.
The COVID-19 Response Team (the Team) was created in 2020 with the charge of meeting regularly to make suggested COVID-19 protocols and revisions to protocols to President Gibralter, as appropriate. In so doing, the Team meets every week to monitor data from New York State, surrounding counties, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO), among other sources, as well as communicating with other colleges and universities regarding their COVID-19 protocols.
We strongly encourage all members of the Wells College Community to receive all eligible vaccinations and boosters, including the newly released bivalent vaccines.
President Gibralter recently approved the following change to the Fall 2022 COVID-19:
The Wells College Fall 2022 COVID-19 protocol now excludes weekly mandated testing for students, faculty, and staff that are not fully vaccinated.
President Gibralter reiterated, upon approving this change, that Wells College will further emphasize the many ways we can do our part to keep our community safe. We want individuals to test out of precaution or when they are not feeling well rather than because they are mandated to do so. And if, out of precaution or when not feeling well, we must wear a well-fitting mask and not just practice but make certain that we are social distancing.
Social Distancing.
It is still important to continue to social distance as an effective safety practice.
Vaccination Waiver Requests
Wells College students and employees must use this form to request a waiver from the College's policy mandating COVID-19 vaccinations.
To be exempt from this COVID-19 vaccine policy, students and employees must provide a brief statement explaining their reasons for not obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine, describing either a medical, religious, or other reason that precludes them from becoming vaccinated. The Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Human Resources will coordinate the exemption review process for students and employees, respectively.
EMPLOYEE requests may also be submitted in person to the Office of Human Resources (Macmillan 221).
The College reserves the right to request additional documentation to support the requested medical, religious or other exemption request.
For More Information
If you need more information or have questions, please contact Geoffrey Gabriel, Covid-19 Coordinator at ggabriel@wells.edu.
This page was last updated Aug. 11, 2022.