Students planning to live on campus for the Spring 2021 semester should familiarize themselves with the FAU Housing and Residential Department’s new mandatory safety protocols.

On Jan. 5, FAU sent an email to all students listing their new safety protocols as well as their recommendations to help limit students’ exposure to the virus.

The FAU Housing and Residential Department ensures that “each dorm room was sanitized prior to students moving in and they have also placed sanitizer stations throughout the dorms for student use.” 

Although it is mandatory for students to wear their masks in public campus spaces at all times, students will have the choice to wear them in their own dorm hallways, bathrooms, and private rooms. 

The Housing Department is taking the health and safety of their students and staff very seriously as the number of cases in Florida is rising. On Jan. 4, 2021, following the holiday season, there were 198,181 new reported COVID-19 cases in the United States.In Palm Beach County, the numbers increased to 86,272, averaging 772.9 new cases a day for the last seven days. 

Taking the rise in cases into consideration, the University made new developments to their COVID-19: Health and Safety Plan. After winter break, all students who plan on living on campus will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result by Jan. 11, 2021.  

FAU is recommending the PCR test, but will accept an antigen test. The antibody test will not be accepted. Students should get tested between Dec. 28 and Jan. 7, although FAU recommends getting it no more than three days prior to your move-in date. 

Students who have already tested positive for COVID-19 on or before Oct. 11, 2020 will not have to be tested again prior to moving in.

Students who were tested through the FAU Student Health Services or FAU Athletics will not have to submit any documentation.

If a student tests positive, they are required to report it immediately to the FAU Student Health Services at 561-297-3512.

Once a residential student has their negative test result, they will be required to bring their result to a clearance location before Jan. 11, 2021.  Students can either provide their negative results via phone or by printing out documentation at their assigned location. Each residence hall has an assigned clearance location that can be found below:

• Boca Raton Campus Outside of the Atlantic Dining Hall (Residents of GPT, HPT, IRT, PAR)       

Jan. 5: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 6-10: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

• IVAS MPR (Residents of IVAN, IVAS, UVA) Jan. 5: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 6-10: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Jupiter Campus Outside of the Jupiter Dining Hall (Residents of RH1/RH2) Jan. 5: 10 am-6 pm Jan. 6-10: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.        

For the health and safety of students and faculty at FAU, the University is also coordinating individual times for students to move in to avoid crowds in each housing facility. Students are required to complete the Resident Information Card on the housing portal before they can schedule a move-in time.

Each student will sign up for a two-hour move in times slot on the FAU housing portal under the Spring 2021 Move-in. The move-in dates and times start on Jan. 5 at 12 p.m. and end on Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. (https://www.fau.edu/housing/movein/). 

If you have any additional questions or concerns, FAU has set up a centralized email for students and members of the FAU community ([email protected]). 

Isabel Forsman is a contributing writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories email [email protected] or tweet her @isabel_forsman.