The Administration at Salve Regina University has decided to postpone the start of the spring semester for one week due to Covid. The University informed students Wednesday in a letter below. Undergraduate students will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test prior to arriving on campus and/or attending in-person classes regardless of their vaccination status.
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Dear Salve Regina community,
Throughout the course of this pandemic, our decisions have been driven by our commitment to maintaining the health and vitality of our community, upholding academic integrity, preserving a quality mercy education and protecting the transformative opportunities offered through a residential experience.
With public health officials warning about the impact of the highly contagious omicron variant in the first half of January, we are taking new actions to preserve the entirety of the semester and the in-person academic experience. Accordingly, Salve Regina will delay the start of the spring semester by one week, with classes beginning Monday, Jan. 17.
Changes to the Academic Calendar
Spring classes will end Friday, April 22 as planned, with spring break, senior week and Commencement remaining on schedule. To compensate for the later start, four instructional days will be added to the academic calendar – Jan. 17, Feb. 21, April 14 and April 18. Faculty will have the option to make up the fifth instructional day on Saturday, April 23 or asynchronously. Updated academic calendars will be posted to the website before Christmas.
The decision to hold classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day, as well as to shorten the Easter break, was not made lightly. We recognize the civic and religious importance of those holidays and the disruption these changes will mean for our students, employees and families. Still, as a University guided by its mercy mission – and what that means in terms of our obligations to others – we concluded that delaying the start of the semester is essential given the disease forecast for the coming weeks.
Move-In to the Residence Halls
Move-ins for the spring semester will be scheduled in two-hour shifts over two days, with students returning Saturday, Jan. 15 and Sunday, Jan. 16. Please register for a date and time in My Housing as soon as possible.
Register for a move-in date and time
- Students arriving Saturday, Jan. 15 and Sunday, Jan. 16 will be directed to the Rodgers Recreation Center to check in.
- Winter athletes, new international students and early arrivals should monitor their email for additional information about move-in dates and locations.
Check-In for Off-Campus and Commuter Students
Off-campus and commuter students may check in for the spring semester beginning Saturday, Jan. 15. Dates and times are listed below. Your Salve Regina ID will not be reactivated until you check in.
- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, Rodgers Recreation Center
- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, Rodgers Recreation Center
- 7 a.m. to noon Monday, Jan. 17, Rodgers Recreation Center
- After these dates, students will check in at the Dean of Students Office, located in Miley Hall, Room 118.
New Undergraduate Students and Transfer Students
New undergraduate students and transfer students must register for check-in and onboarding through the orientation registration form. Available dates are:
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, Miley Hall, Room 118
- 8:30-9:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 14, O’Hare Academic Building lobby
During the onboarding process, we will verify the following:
- Your immunization and health records are on file.
- Your COVID-19 vaccination status is on file.
- You have a negative COVID-19 test taken within the past three days.
- You do not have any financial holds on your account.
- You have signed the Salve Pledge.
You will receive your Salve Regina ID for access to campus buildings, and resident students will also receive their room code/key.
Pre-Arrival Testing for Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students are required to have a negative COVID-19 test prior to arriving on campus and/or attending in-person classes regardless of their vaccination status. You must be tested within the three days prior to your arrival/check-in date.
- We will accept a PCR or antigen (rapid) test administered through a testing site. With a heavy demand for testing expected after the holidays, don’t delay in scheduling your appointment. To find a testing site near you, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.
- We will also accept PCR tests from Let’s Get Checked, a company that provides at-home testing kits to return via overnight shipping. If you plan to use this service, please order your kit well in advance, but be sure to swab and return no sooner than three days before your check-in date.
- Other at-home testing kits will not be accepted.
- Please bring a paper or digital copy of your negative test with your name and test date visible. If you arrive without a negative test, you will be directed to a local testing site.
- If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you do not need to participate in pre-arrival testing. Please bring paper or digital confirmation with your name, test date and positive result visible.
Pre-Arrival Testing for Graduate Students
Graduate students who are taking in-person courses must be tested within the three days prior to attending their first class meeting. This includes students who are participating in the humanities residency or nursing colloquium.
- Please email documentation of your negative result to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies at gradoffice@salve.edu.
- If you have not submitted your negative test, you may not come to campus. You should communicate directly to your instructor that you are unable to attend class.
- If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you do not need to participate in pre-arrival testing. However, you must email documentation of your positive result to gradoffice@salve.edu.
If You Test Positive
If you test positive for COVID-19 during pre-arrival testing, you will be expected to isolate at your permanent residence prior to returning to campus. You should also contact your professors individually to develop a plan for your coursework during the isolation period.
- Resident students: Email documentation of your positive result to healthservices@salve.edu and residencelife@salve.edu. You will also need to coordinate your arrival date with Residence Life.
- Off-campus/commuter students: Email documentation of your positive result to healthservices@salve.edu and indicate when you are planning to return to campus/Newport. They will work with the Office of Information Technology to have your Salve Regina ID activated for the semester.
- Graduate students: Email documentation of your positive result to gradoffice@salve.edu and indicate when you are planning to start classes.
Boosters Required by March 1
Salve Regina will require a booster shot for all vaccinated students, faculty and staff by March 1, 2022. Approved medical and religious exemptions will remain in effect.
Undergraduate and graduate students must submit their booster record through the student health portal. In the “My Forms” menu at the top of the page, select and complete the “COVID booster form.” The process for employees to submit their booster record is being finalized and will be communicated as soon as details are available.
- Students who will not be eligible for a booster by March 1 should contact Health Services at (401) 341-2904 or healthservices@salve.edu.
- Employees who will not be eligible for a booster by March 1 should contact Human Resources at (401) 341-2137 or humanresources@salve.edu.
As always, our plans for campus operations will be flexible and responsive to changes in the pandemic and related local, state and national guidance. We are grateful for your patience and fortitude as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters.
Best wishes for a safe and restful holiday season.
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