Dear Students,  

After a successful fall semester where the Marist community returned to a fully in-person experience, we’re looking forward to a similar spring. We remain focused on delivering a fully in-person educational experience with the full range of extracurricular activities that we enjoyed in the fall. Based on what we know at this time, we do not anticipate changes to the spring 2022 academic calendar, nor shifting to remote education.  However, this will require a collective effort and a redoubled commitment by everyone in our community, especially with the emergence of a highly contagious new variant, Omicron. 

A fully vaccinated campus combined with an indoor-mask requirement and symptomatic testing remain the best strategies to protect against severe cases of COVID-19, including its variants. Below, please find updated guidance that we believe will best position us for a successful spring semester and keep all members of our community as safe as possible. 

COVID-19 Booster 

As you know, a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all students, faculty, and staff was a key factor in our ability to provide a safe, in-person residential experience for our students this fall. Based on guidance from our Medical Advisory Group, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and New York State, Marist is requiring that all members of our campus community obtain a COVID-19 booster by Monday, January 31, 2022. Anyone who is not eligible prior to this deadline must receive their booster within 30 days of becoming eligible. Individuals who were previously approved for a medical or religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement will retain their exemptions.  

According to the CDC, eligible individuals are those who received the second dose of their Pfizer or Moderna series at least six months ago or received their Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago. Additional information on COVID-19 booster eligibility can be found HERE. To schedule an appointment to receive your COVID-19 vaccine booster, click HERE. We encourage all those who are receiving booster shots to consult with their healthcare provider, should you have questions. 

It is important for the College to be able to track this information for community health purposes. Once you receive your COVID-19 booster, please follow these instructions to upload your updated COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card:  

1. Log on to marist.medicatconnect.com   
2. Sign in using your Marist account credentials  
3. Select “Upload”  
4. Choose the document you are uploading: “COVID Booster”  
5. Upload an image of your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card  
6. Click Upload 

Click here to view frequently asked questions on the COVID-19 booster requirement at Marist.  

Flu Vaccine Requirement 

If you haven’t already received your flu vaccine, we urge you to do so as soon as possible, as we saw an increase of confirmed influenza and influenza-like illness on campus during the fall semester. Students must upload documentation of their flu vaccination by Friday, January 14, 2022. To upload your proof, log in to marist.medicatconnect.com using your Marist credentials. If you attended an on-campus flu vaccine clinic, no upload is required.  

Spring 2022 COVID-19 Arrival Testing for Students with Exemptions 

All students who have approved COVID-19 vaccine exemptions must continue to comply with mandatory surveillance testing at 51 Fulton Street. As we look ahead to spring term, students with approved medical or religious exemptions must complete arrival testing at one of two times: 

• Sunday, January 16, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm  
• Monday, January 17, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.  

Weekly surveillance testing will be mandatory for any student with an approved medical or religious exemption.  

Move-In for Residential Students 

All residence areas will open on Monday, January 17, 2021, at 10:00 am for the spring 2022 semester. Classes begin on Tuesday, January 18. Please plan your travel arrangements accordingly. A final determination regarding study abroad offerings will be made on Monday, January 10. 

As a reminder, campus offices will be closed for holiday break from Thursday, December 23 – Sunday, January 2. If you have any questions, please call (845) 575-3778, and we will respond to your inquiry when campus offices reopen during the week of January 3. We wish you a restful holiday season and a happy start to the new year.  

Best Regards, 
Geoff Brackett, Executive Vice President 
Thom Wermuth, Vice President for Academic Affairs 
Deb DiCaprio, Vice President for Student Affairs