Yes. All students who plan to be on campus for the Fall 2021 semester will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they are able to do so.

We acknowledge that some individuals may have medical or religious reasons why they cannot be vaccinated. Students who obtain a COVID-19 vaccination exemption will be required to participate in the COVID-19 saliva testing program, UIC Healthcheck, and continue to wear a face covering on campus to participate in on campus activities, including classes.

You can find COVID-19 vaccination appointments or walk-in hours at a location near you by visiting vaccines.gov.

You can also take advantage of free, convenient vaccination appointments that are available on campus. For more information about COVID-19 vaccination at UIC/UI Health or to make an appointment, visit vaccine.uihealth.care. If you have any questions about making a vaccine appointment, please email covidvaccine@uic.edu.

Please use the following link to register yourself for a testing time and location for the current week:

https://apps.housing.uic.edu/dock/app/events/resident/

You must bring confirmation of your testing appointment registration to the testing location (either on your phone or printed). Walk-ins are accepted if capacity allows.

Each week on Friday afternoon at 5PM, the following week’s testing times will become available for sign up at the same link posted above. We recommend setting a recurring calendar appointment or alarm to help remind you to sign up for your weekly saliva based testing appointment.

• Testing is free to all students and staff.
• These saliva-based tests are for those not displaying symptoms of COVID-19.
• Be aware of the symptoms of COVID-19. If you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19, remove yourself from work or class and seek care from your medical provider or Student Health Services at (312)-996-2901.
• Bring a valid i-Card to the testing site. It will need to be shown to be tested.
• Refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, gum chewing, and tobacco use for 30 minutes before submitting a saliva sample.
• Wear a face covering and practice social distancing of six feet while in line at the testing location.
• Wellness screening and temperature monitoring will be conducted at the entrance.
• If you are under the age of 18, you must provide a signed consent form from your parent/guardian before testing.
• No food or drink is allowed in the testing site.
• Everyone entering the testing station is asked to provide contact information should we need to alert you of important information about further testing or contact tracing. Students can update contact information:
  • In Self-Service, select “University of Illinois Chicago”.
  • Log in using your NetID and Password.
  • In the Main Menu, select “Personal Information”.
  • In the Personal Information menu, select “Addresses & Phones”.
• Should a student be unable to independently conduct the saliva testing due to mobility, ambulatory, or other disability, it is advised that the the student contact the Disability Resource Center at drc@uic.edu or (312)-996-8332 at least two days prior to the testing date.

• Individuals will be asked to provide a saliva sample. The sample collection only takes 3-5 minutes and is painless.
• You will receive your test results via email within 24-48 hours.
• If you test positive, you will be provided with follow-up isolation instructions.

Results will be housed in MyChart, the patient portal used by UI Health.

All current UIC faculty, staff, and students receive a MyChart activation message in their UIC email account. Individuals who do not activate MyChart prior to their testing appointment will be asked to sign up at the testing site. It is recommended that individuals use a NetID when setting up a login and password. If you already have a MyChart account through UI Health or another healthcare provider, the results will be sent to the email you already have established within MyChart.

How often do I need to do the saliva-based testing on campus?

Campus Housing residents and staff are required to be retested on a weekly basis.

What do I do if I am unable to make my appointment time?

You can either show up the same day as your scheduled appointment even if it is past your time to see if space allows you to test or you can sign up online for another time that same week within the 6-day period (Monday-Saturday).

What do I do if I’ve lost my i-card?

New i-cards can be obtained by contacting the ID Center. Make sure to report lost or stolen i-cards promptly. When you report a loss or theft, your card is deactivated forever so that no one can misuse it. If your missing i‑card is linked to your PNC Bank account, unlink your i-card too.

Your i-card is needed for identification purposes at the time of your saliva based testing appointment.

What should I do if I plan to be away from campus for a week?

When you know that you will be off campus for an entire week, email housinghealth@uic.edu and communicate that you will not be on campus so we are aware for compliance tracking purposes.

Can I test at an off-campus location instead of the on-campus saliva based testing location?

No – on campus saliva based testing is required for all students and staff in Campus Housing. We do not have the ability to receive documentation of off-campus testing efficiently.

What happens if I don’t get tested?

Students that do not comply with the required weekly testing will be documented and subject to the conduct process for being non-compliant with university and Housing directives and policy. Sanctions related to non-compliance with COVID-19 weekly testing may include but are not limited to:

• Restricted access to Campus Housing
• Formal disciplinary action
• Removal from Campus Housing

Are “walk-ins” allowed at testing locations if I’ve missed my scheduled appointment or have not yet made an appointment?

Campus Housing residents must schedule an appointment in order for tracking purposes to ensure compliance with testing weekly testing requirements.

Policies posted below will go into effect at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.

1. To limit the exposure in the residence halls, our guest policy has been altered.
   1. Vaccinated residents will be allowed three guests allowed to be checked in.
   2. Guests must be checked-in by their host at their residence hall’s front desk.
   3. Guests will only be eligible for check-in if they have an i-Card or govt./state-issued photo ID. The host must have their i-Card present at the time of check-in. Verbal UIN’s will not be accepted in the guest check-in process. 
   4. Residents and guests must be present in person to check-out at the front desk.
      1. Improper check-outs will result in a temporary suspension of guest privileges. Improper guest check-outs include:
         1. Forgetting to check-out a guest.
         2. Guests not being present for check-out.
   5. Residents found to be responsible for policy violations, especially COVID-19 policy and testing compliance, will have guest privileges restricted for an amount of time determined by the Conduct Officer.
2. Under university policy, gatherings are reopened. All residents who use any public space within the residence halls must wear their mask and stay socially distant.
3. Residence hall lounges have been modified for residential use. Residents must adhere to all signage and seating placement while in the lounge. Additionally residents must wear masks and maintain a distance of 6 feet or more from other residents.
4. Kitchen areas and laundry facilities will be limited in use. Students will need to sanitize all cookware and remove personal belongings from commons paces immediately after use. Students are required to practice social distancing guidelines at all times.
5. Students may enter the building only by swiping their valid UIC ID at the desk. Residents are expected to keep track of their keys at all times and keep both their keys and i-Card on them to minimize lock-out assistance needed. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that non-residents do not follow inside.
6. Students agree to measures determined necessary to protect the health and safety of our resident students upon entry to the building including temperature checks and other measures that may be determined by the CDC, Illinois Department of Health, and/or University officials.
7. Face masks or covering must be worn at all times outside of the residence hall room/unit. Additionally, residents must also wear a face mask if a UIC employee must enter their assigned room or unit for any reason (ex: Facilities Services employees, Campus Housing staff).
8. In the event that students start experiencing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus and/or it becomes necessary for a student to self-isolate, the University requires that the student immediately report symptoms to Student Health Services (312-996-2901). Students are not permitted to visit public spaces in the residence halls, go to work, or leave their housing assignment if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
9. Front Desk hours are subject to change on short notice.
10. Preferred communication between residents and staff are phone calls and emails in an effort to limit person-to-person exposure. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a working cell phone number that Housing staff can use to reach you. Please reach out to your Resident Director via email to set up an appointment if you require non-emergency assistance.

The Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner has issued a Travel Advisory to anyone entering or returning to Chicago from designated states with a significant degree of community-wide spread of COVID-19.

If you are arriving from a state listed in the City of Chicago Travel Advisory or from another country, contact housinghealth@uic.edu to determine quarantine options.

Housing’s Central physical office location is currently closed with staff working remotely. Residence Life live-in professional staff, front desk operations, and Facilities Services staff are all on-site, continuing operations and service to residents.

To contact Campus Housing, you may reach us via email at housing@uic.edu or by calling Monday – Friday between 8:30AM – 5PM at (312)-355-6300.

Area desk locations, including residence hall front desks are open and available to assist residents, as well.

With our extensive health and safety measures in place, new UIC students are encouraged to live on campus in Campus Housing. However, UIC has no residency requirement for its students – meaning students are not required to live on campus at any time during their academic career. Campus Housing is an optional service that students can choose to use and benefit from.

Having said that, we feel that Campus Housing does have many benefits students should consider not only for their academic success, but also to make the most of their university experience. Learn more about why Housing is the Right Place For You.

The health and safety of our residents is our top priority. Campus Housing will implement the following safety guidelines and procedures in all of our residence halls and dining locations.

Campus Housing Residence Halls:

• Roommates will be considered household units.
• Face coverings and masks that cover the nose and mouth will be required in all interior public spaces and outside when social distancing cannot be maintained.
• Campus Housing Facilities will continue rigorous sanitation processes to clean and sanitize public spaces and other high traffic touchpoints.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at high traffic touchpoints.
• A residence hall building will be reserved for isolation and quarantine purposes.
• Hall gatherings and programs will be planned in accordance with the Restore Illinois plan guidelines.
• Residents will be required to participate in social distancing and other prevention measures based on guidelines provided by U of I Health, the State of Illinois, and the CDC. These Resident Responsibilities During COVID-19 Response can be found above on this same page.