To: Wellesley College Students
From: Sheilah Shaw Horton, Vice President and Dean of Students
Re: Information on COVID-19 Testing Protocols
Date: August 18, 2022
I am writing today to share these COVID-related arrival instructions to help ensure a smooth transition during your first few days on campus. We will send out more information once you arrive.
All first-year, transfer, and exchange students, or anyone else who is new to the College’s COVID-19 testing program, will need to complete the following forms in the Fall 2022 Documentation Toolbox on MyWellesley prior to arrival:
- Consent to SARS-COV-2 Testing
- 2022-2023 COVID Acknowledgment
- Broad Test Data Check
Students who will be under 18 when they arrive on campus must also obtain parental consent, which is accessible in the toolbox.
Once a form is completed, its box will turn from red to green. If any box is red, you will not be able to test.
New domestic students will receive their IDs on arrival at the check-in tables at their residence halls. New international students will receive their IDs at the College Club upon arrival. If you are a returning student who needs a replacement College ID, you may request one from Public Safety no later than August 20 so that you can pick up the new ID at the College Club when you arrive.
The plans for testing are as follows:
- The College’s only COVID-19 testing site will be at the College Club.
- Upon arriving in your residence hall, please self-administer the rapid test you will find in your room. Immediately upload a positive result to the Fall 2022 Documentation Toolbox on your MyWellesley page. Do not report a negative result.
- You are required to take a PCR test at the College Club within 48 hours of arriving on campus. Testing will be available seven days a week from 7–11 a.m. and 12–4 p.m. from August 29 to September 4. Please check the toolbox for other days/times testing is available if you arrive outside of that window. All students must bring their College ID to the testing site.
- You must receive a negative PCR result before you can attend classes in person. Please plan accordingly.
- Note that students who tested positive after June 7 (90 days prior to the start of classes) are not eligible for PCR testing but must still take a rapid test upon arrival. If your positive test in this time frame was not taken on campus, please be sure to report it in the Fall 2022 Documentation Toolbox.
- After the initial onboarding testing, testing will become optional. However, community members may opt in for weekly testing at the College Club. The testing hours will continue to be posted on the toolbox.
- If you are symptomatic, you must come for testing as soon as possible. (Symptomatic testing is now allowed at the College Club testing center. Symptomatic students can also test at Health Services, provided by Newton Wellesley Medical Group.)
- If you are a known close contact of someone with COVID-19, you should test on day five after exposure. You should also test on day five after returning from out-of-state or international travel. You can test up to once a week any time the testing center is open without an appointment.
Remember to check the Keeping Wellesley Healthy website often for the latest information on Wellesley’s approach to health and safety this fall. You will also find more information in the Fall 2022 Student COVID Protocols. Please contact the campus COVID coordinator with any questions.
We wish you all safe travels, and we look forward to welcoming you to campus very soon!
