In compliance with a public policy directive issued by Governor Hochul on December 31, all full- and part-time faculty, all non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, NTAs, CLTs and those in the HEO series), and personnel in the Executive Compensation Plan, are required to be fully vaccinated (two dose Pfizer or Moderna regimen, or 1 dose J&J) in order to remain employed by the University, except if a medical exemption, religious exception or reasonable accommodation has been granted.
COVID-19 Reporting Form.
To report an instance of COVID-19, use this form.
For answers to FAQ regarding COVID visit the CUNY information page.
Reporting COVID-19
People who have had COVID-19 and had symptoms can end isolation after five (5) full days if they are fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms improve. They should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for five (5) additional days after the end of the 5-day isolation period. At the end of the 5-day isolation period, if you are fever-free for 24 hours and your other symptoms have improved, you should test. A rapid or antigen test is recommended. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation. Share your test result with the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu to return to campus, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.
People who have had COVID-19 and never developed symptoms can end isolation after five (5) days. You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for five (5) more days. At the end of the 5-day isolation period, you should test. A rapid or antigen test is recommended. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If the test result is negative, you can end isolation. Share your test result with the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu to return to campus, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.
For a detailed description of CUNY’s guidelines on quarantine and isolation, visit here. Employees who can work remotely during quarantine and isolation should do so.
*Please notify the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu and submit a copy of your test results.
Mask Mandate
In response to revised guidance issued by the CDC last week, we are lifting the temporary mask mandate that has been in place since August 2021 and required all CUNY students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear masks inside University campuses, office buildings, classrooms and other non-enclosed spaces. Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time. Masks will continue to be available on campus and offices for people who want them.
You can check the campus-by-campus positivity rates on COVID-19 Safety Tracker.
Testing and Random Testing
To monitor COVID-19 moving forward, CUNY’s mandatory testing for anyone with medical exemptions or religious exceptions and the random testing program for vaccinated individuals will continue to operate without change. Free PCR testing continues to be available for students, faculty and staff at CUNY testing sites and I encourage you to take advantage of this service for any reason you might need it.
Covid Vaccinations
All CUNY employees are now eligible to receive the COVID Vaccine. Additional locations are currently underway, and we will updated site information as it becomes available. To book a vaccination appointment either use:
- Bronx/Queens/Staten Island
- Brooklyn/Manhattan
Enter your employee ID number (this is the number you used to set up your NYCERs account) to unlock appointments at employee-only clinics. Reserve an appointment at a location that is most convenient to you.
Vaccination Verification
BMCC Faculty and staff must upload their proof of vaccination through CUNYfirst. Once uploaded, the Office of Human Resources will review the verification.
- Approval status should be available after 24 hours in CUNYfirst. If your submission was not approved, please read the reason for rejection carefully and resubmit.
Remember:
- In order to upload a photo of your vaccination card, you must have received either BOTH doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- To be considered FULLY vaccinated, you must wait 14 days after your SECOND dose (Pfizer or Moderna) or SINGLE dose (Johnson & Johnson) coming to the BMCC campus.
- To check your CUNYFirst account within 48 hour of submission to confirm you received approval.
- You must also fill out the Cleared4 questionnaire, which will be sent in a separate email by no-reply@cleared4work.com.
- Once the vaccine information is approved, and you have set up your Cleared4 account, your BMCC Photo ID will be synced with the verification so you can simply swipe your ID on the turnstile (as you did before) when you enter the BMCC campus.
The CUNY Access Pass has replaced Everbridge.
All BMCC employees, and affiliated partners, must sign up and upload their vaccination credentials to Cleared4. Once you have uploaded your Vaccination information into CUNYFirst, you should receive an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com. The email will contain your personalized link to complete your registration in Cleared4.
If you have not received an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com, or you have not uploaded your vaccine information to CUNYFirst, reach out to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu
Once completed, you can access or print your pass by pasting your personal link into any web browser and clicking on your Show Access pass. You can also show your pass on your phone or smart device.
To learn more about using the Cleared4 system, search for “Cleared4” on the cunyithelp.cuny.edu website.
CUNY continues to follow the latest CDC guidance on isolation and quarantine. Any students, staff or faculty who test positive with COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 must follow these guidelines, prior to returning to campus. If you are required to isolate or quarantine, you must receive a negative test or doctor’s certification prior to returning to campus.
Test results will be accepted from CUNY testing sites or other licensed test providers.
Quarantine guidance and Masks After an Exposure
The University’s quarantine guidance will remain unchanged. A reminder that if you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, or if you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, and you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 you do not need to quarantine and can return to work or class. But you need to wear a mask for 10 days from the date of your last close contact and get tested at least 5 days after the close contact.
Preparing for your visit
Visitors coming to campus must first receive an invitation by a BMCC faculty/staff member through the “Visitor Portal” system, located on the BMCC Portal. The invitation email sent to the visitor, will include a link to the Cleared4 Access Pass. Once there, please follow the directions carefully and upload the proof of Vaccination (CDC Card or NYS Excelsior Plus Pass) or a Negative PCR COVID-19 Test (Rapid tests not accepted).
The City University of New York
COVID-19 Campus Safety Policy – Visitor Access to Campus (rev. 1/12/2022)
This policy is informed by CDC, New York State Department of Health, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene guidelines relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency. It aims to provide a consistent approach to density management that is in parallel with the processes that are or will be in place for all City University of New York (CUNY) community members who are on campus.
The federal, New York State and New York City rules, regulations, policies, procedures and laws (collectively, “Laws”) regarding the matters covered by this policy change frequently. In the event that the U.S. Government, New York State or New York City adopt Laws applicable to CUNY that are stricter than those set forth in this policy, these stricter Laws shall supersede those in this policy.
This policy is written broadly with the expectation that individual campuses will adopt procedures for implementation of it.
Definition of Visitor
A visitor to a University campus is someone who is not a CUNY student, faculty or staff member. Examples of visitors include, but are not limited to:
- vendors and other individuals coming to campus to perform activities related to a contract with or in support of the University;
- employees of related entities of CUNY including without limitation auxiliary enterprise corporations, colleges associations, and child care centers;
- unpaid college interns;
- community members and other individuals coming to a campus to use University facilities such as pools and gyms, or to attend activities on campus; and
- family members or friends of CUNY students, faculty, or staff.
Rules for Visitors
Subject to the exceptions in this policy, every visitor to a CUNY campus, whether accessing indoor or outdoor spaces, must provide proof to CUNY that they (i) are fully vaccinated or (ii) have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab no more than 7 days prior to the visit. “Fully vaccinated” means:
- Two weeks after a second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; or
- Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine; or
- At the time specified in either the FDA licensure or World Health Organization approval, after the final administration of any other vaccines.
Visitors are also required to comply with all other University policies and codes of conduct, as well as government and/or campus-specific rules and protocols, applicable to individuals on campus that are intended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including by way of example:
- any masking and social distancing requirements; and
- complying with any applicable federal, state or local quarantine rules.
Before coming to a CUNY campus, visitors are encouraged to consult the campus’ website to review the most current access rules and protocols. You can find links to each campus reopening plans here: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/reopening-guidelines/guideline-safe-campus-reopening/
Exception for Short Visits with No Close Contact
Visitors who are on campus for 30 minutes or less per visit do not have to comply with any COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing requirements applicable to CUNY staff unless the visitor expects during that time to be less than 6 feet distant of another person for a total of 15 minutes of more.
Exceptions for Visitors under 5
At present there is no vaccine available to individuals under the age of 5. The requirements for these children are as set forth on the attached Exhibit 1.
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Failure to comply with this policy will result in the denial of access to the campus.
Any modifications of the protocols set forth in this policy must be approved in advance by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer.
EXHIBIT 1
VISITOR POLICY GRID: UNDER 5 POPULATION
| TYPES OF UNDER 5 GROUPS | DESCRIPTION | CUNY PROTOCOL |
| 1. Accompanying a visitor | Children accompanying a visitor who have business to tend to on campus for a limited time. |
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| 2. Attending events | Children attending an event, performance, or assembly where a large group will congregate for an extended period. |
|
| 3. Enrolled in programs | Children who routinely come to CUNY facilities to participate in a program. |
|
Any modifications of the protocols set forth in this policy must be approved in advance by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer.
The NYS Department of Health COVID Testing Protocol
The New York State Department of Health has revised the COVID-19 testing protocol. Individuals who fit the prioritization categories (pdf) and do not currently have access to testing should call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 to be screened for eligibility, and if eligible, to have an appointment scheduled at a DOH testing site.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
For information about Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under the Families First Coronairus Response Act’ (FFCRA or ACT), click on the following link. If applying for the FFCRA leave, return the Emergency Paid Sick Form, and Emergency Family Medical Leave and Expansion Act Attestation Request with supporting documents to Gulen Zubizarreta (gzubizarreta@bmcc.cuny.edu)
