Alerts

March 10, 2020: New Mask Guidelines

Brooklyn College will continue to follow New York State's and the University's COVID-19 protocols. Masking is now optional inside CUNY buildings. While many people will continue to mask, doing so is no longer mandatory.

February 2, 2022: New Guidelines on Booster Shots for Students

CUNY students taking in-person or hybrid classes in the 2022 Spring Term will be required to get a booster shot when eligible. See CUNY FAQs for details.

January 30, 2022: Random Testing Compliance and Campus Access

When members of the campus community receive a random testing email, they are required to follow the instructions provided and to test at a designated CUNY test site within a 7-day period. The CLEARED4 system will deny campus access to students, staff, and faculty who do not comply.

December 20, 2021: Face Masks Are Required Indoors

Face masks continue to be required at all times inside all campus buildings. Masks must be worn outside when you are unable to maintain a distance of six feet from others.

As of December 10, 2021, all faculty are required to mask while lecturing regardless of distance from others. This policy remains in effect until further notice. The Provost issued specialized guidance with regard to this requirement for TREM, Film, Theater, and Music faculty that can be found here allowing for very brief mask removal when required for demonstration purposes.

January 10, 2022: Attention Current Students

You will be dropped from your spring 2022 hybrid or in-person courses if you do not upload your vaccination records to CUNYfirst by Tuesday, Jan. 18. You must have your vaccination records in the system by this date unless you have a previously approved medical or religious exemption.

January 27, 2022: Update on Deadlines for Students to Upload Booster Proof

CUNY has announced new deadlines and the process for students to upload their booster documentation to CUNYfirst. Read the Chancellor's recent message for more details.

November 18, 2021: Random COVID-19 Testing Program Launch

As part of the university's multi-pronged strategy to monitor and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, CUNY has begun a random testing program for vaccinated employees and students accessing CUNY facilities. For details visit CUNY Testing Program FAQ and the Brooklyn College FAQ.

September 29, 2021: Update on Student Vaccination Mandate

Starting October 8, The CUNY Vaccination Policy requires all students to be fully vaccinated to enter campus––unless they have been granted a religious or medical exemption or they need emergency services. (Students in exceptional circumstances must receive a negative COVID-19 test from a CUNY testing site.) Students taking classes designated in the “Instruction Mode” column in CUNYfirst as “in-person” or “hybrid” must upload vaccination documentation into CUNYfirst by Oct. 7 or they will be withdrawn from those courses without a refund. Please note: The “Room” column may suggest the course is primarily located “online,” even if the course is formally designated in the “Instruction Mode” column as “hybrid.” The Instruction Mode column is the one that indicates course modality for vaccination purposes.

September 13, 2021: Student Vaccination Mandate

It is no longer just students who are taking in-person and hybrid classes who must be vaccinated. Starting October 7, all students must be vaccinated to enter campus for any reason unless they have been granted a religious exception or a medical exemption. Students taking in-person or hybrid classes who fail to upload proof of vaccination against COVID-19 into CUNYfirst by September 27 risk academic withdrawal from classes that could impact their financial aid and make them ineligible for refunds. The deadline for students taking in-person or hybrid classes to upload proof of vaccination to CUNYfirst is September 27.

September 13, 2021: Vaccine Van on Campus September 20–26

Brooklyn College will host an NYC Vaccine Van on Campus Road from September 20 through 26, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Medical professionals will administer free COVID-19 vaccines to anyone in our community (students, staff, and faculty) at this mobile unit. Those who receive a vaccine at the van will receive a $100 gift card!

For more information, e-mail rstaccess@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

August 3, 2021: New Temporary Mask Mandate

Due to the current rate of the coronavirus transmission, the CUNY Chancellor has announced a new temporary mask mandate as of Monday, August 16. This mandate is subject to modification based on changing vaccination statistics and COVID-19 transmission rates. For the time being, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must:

• Wear a face mask inside all CUNY campuses and office buildings.
• Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others (for example, while attending a CUNY gathering or sporting event).

July 26, 2021: Vaccination Proof and Testing Requirements

Vaccination deadlines for returning to campus in the fall semester are already upon us. Beginning August 16, anyone entering a CUNY facility for any reason will need to be fully vaccinated (defined as 14 days beyond the last vaccination shot) or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the past seven days. On August 9, CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez shared an updated FAQ with university staff and faculty. Read the letter here.

August 23, 2021: The FDA Has Approved the Pfizer Vaccine: What This Means for Students

The FDA granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine on August 23, 2021, triggering a 45-day final deadline for all CUNY students to be fully vaccinated and their vaccination documentation uploaded and approved in CUNYfirst. Students now have until September 27 to upload proof of vaccination into CUNYfirst.

To meet the 45-day deadline, students must get the first Moderna shot by August 26, the first Pfizer shot by September 2, and the single Johnson & Johnson shot by September 23.

Because the college needs 10 days to verify and approve the vaccination documents after students upload them, the documents must be uploaded by September 27 at the latest. Students taking in-person or hybrid classes who do not upload their proof of vaccination by September 27 (so the documents can be approved and verified by October 7, the 45-day mark) will be subject to potential academic withdrawal that could also impact their financial aid and make them ineligible for refunds for the courses.

Until October 7, students attending in-person classes need to be fully vaccinated and have their vaccination documentation uploaded and approved, or they have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the past seven days at a CUNY testing site.

Remember, COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for all CUNY students attending in-person classes. All vaccination sites in New York City allow walk-ins. CUNY has issued guidance regarding exemptions to the vaccination requirement and other related matters. In the meantime, all Brooklyn College current and incoming students are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Returning to Work On Campus

On July 26, 2021, CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez issued an update that moved the day that remote employees will begin to return to on-campus work from August 2 to August 16. He also clarified that the University is instituting a testing protocol for all faculty and staff who are unvaccinated or refuse to disclose their vaccination status. Full details of CUNY’s flexible work guidelines and how to request reasonable accommodations are available here. President Michelle Anderson’s message for staff returning to work at Brooklyn College can be read here.

May 10, 2021: COVID-19 Vaccine Required for All CUNY Students

On May 10, 2021, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for all CUNY students attending in-person classes beginning this fall. All vaccination sites in New York City now allow walk-ins. For more information about the vaccine and where to get it, visit CUNY’s #VaxUpCUNY webpage. CUNY has issued guidance regarding exemptions to the vaccination requirement and other related matters. In the meantime, all Brooklyn College current and incoming students are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

May 13, 2021: Returning to Work on Campus

On May 13, 2021, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodriguez announced that he had designated the week of August 2, 2021, as the date for CUNY staff to return to their workplaces in preparation for a more in-person fall. Faculty will follow in accordance with the academic calendar of their campus. The return to in-person work will be guided by CUNY’s safety-first approach, which includes a blended scheduling system combining remote and in-person arrangements. Full details of CUNY’s flexible work guidelines and how to request reasonable accommodations are available here. President Michelle Anderson’s message for staff returning to work at Brooklyn College can be read here.