LSU, Southern release new back to school requirements; LSU provides COVID entry test procedure details

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - LSU President Dr. William Tate IV sent a letter on Wednesday, August 4 to faculty, staff, and students outlining the university’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols for the 2021 fall semester.

“First is, we will require masks to be worn indoors by all community members at LSU. Secondly, students, when they return, must provide evidence of a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination,” said LSU president William F. Tate IV.

Tate says the decision comes after reviewing recommendations from LSU’s medical advisory panel and staff.

“We’ve decided on the protocols for the fall that will keep our classroom and instruction environment safe and allow for maximum engagement in a traditional residential environment like a university,” Tate continued.

“I don’t like that really because I’m not vaccinated. I had COVID about a year, year and a half ago when it first came out. I haven’t had COVID since, been healthy, my immune system is good I mean...getting the vaccine to me seems pointless at this point but I know I probably should get it if I’m about to be back in-person,” said Marcus Hathron.

Marcus is a junior at LSU and says he’s considering the shot but having to provide a monthly negative test, to him, seems a little much.

“Showing my results could get annoying at times, I guess. You know like yeah I’m COVID free, I’m COVID free. Especially if I’m wearing a mask too, you feel me, and still trying to keep my distance a little bit so...,” Hathron continued.

Others said they would do what’s they must in exchange for a normal year with a normal football season.

“I’m very nervous that as soon as school starts and everyone comes back to campus that the numbers are going to increase like crazy like what happened last year and they’re going to cancel or they’re going to have limited people in Death Valley and that’s just not the same experience,” said LSU senior Natalie Richard.

Officials at Southern University said they’ve never lifted their mask mandate. They added no student will be required to show proof of vaccination or monthly negative COVID tests but students living on campus must show one of the two at least once before they move in on Monday, August 9.

LSU is set to resume classes starting this month.

Read the letter below:

Dear LSU Faculty, Staff and Students:
As we approach the end of summer vacation and the beginning of a new academic year, I write to update you on our plans for returning to full campus operations this fall. After reviewing recommendations from LSU’s Health and Medical Advisory Panel and hearing from many students, faculty and staff, we decided on a set of safety protocols that allow us to offer a residential college experience.
We require all students to submit proof of either a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated students must test on a monthly basis throughout the semester.
For the fall semester, we extended the mask mandate currently in place, which means masks or face coverings continue to be required indoors at all times, except when individuals are alone in their offices. This is consistent with the governor’s recent order. In addition, we require masks outdoors within 50 feet of entrances to buildings.
COVID-19 testing will continue to be required for students in residential and Greek housing when wastewater assessment shows a high prevalence of the virus. A full list of our fall semester protocols can be found here. I explain more about these protocols in this video.
I urge each of you – students, faculty, staff and your families – to get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so. The vaccine is free, safe, effective and readily available on campus and throughout most communities. It is the single most effective thing you can do to help us restore “normal” operations to the university.
As we have done throughout, we will continue to monitor the progress of the pandemic and be prepared to modify our approach as conditions warrant. Our decisions will be based at all times on the latest available data and expertise from the Centers for Disease Control, Louisiana Department of Health and our own health and medical experts.
We face a significant challenge in our efforts to realize an exceptional educational experience. To attain this goal will require discipline, vigilance, and a community-first mindset. With your continued support, I look forward with optimism to a successful fall semester.
William F. Tate IV, LSU President

On Monday, August 9, LSU released a letter to students outlining the COVID entry test procedure:

Dear Students,
In order to comply with the COVID-19 Fall 2021 entry protocols, all LSU students will need to provide one of the following items prior to arriving on campus for the Fall 2021 semester:
•Proof of a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 5 days prior to your arrival on campus
•Proof of COVID-19 vaccination
•Proof of a positive COVID-19 test result no more than 90 days prior to your arrival on campus
Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 during this process should report their positive test in LSU’s Daily Symptom Checker and should isolate at home according to LSU’s COVID-19 protocols.
To show compliance with LSU’s entry protocols, students must access the Fall 2021 COVID-19 Entry Test Verification Portal and upload appropriate documentation. Documentation should be complete, legible, and meet the time periods detailed above for test results. Students will receive a confirmation email, which they should keep and be prepared to show upon arrival to campus.
Even if students have already filled out LSU’s vaccine reporting survey, they still need to complete the verification portal, because the two systems ask for different information.
These entry protocols are required of all LSU undergraduate and graduate students appearing on campus or participating in on-campus activities, whether living on or off campus, including those living in Greek housing, students of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and students of the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Students moving into on-campus residence halls and apartments must complete this process before move-in day. On-campus residents will be expected to show their confirmation e-mail to Residential Life staff at their time of arrival to proceed with their move-in.
Students already on campus should complete this verification as soon as possible. For those already on campus, free COVID-19 testing and vaccinations are available on campus. Appointments are not necessary.
Please note that submitting falsified information regarding vaccination may result in suspension from campus and referral to Student Advocacy & Accountability for discipline including expulsion. All LSU students must complete the entry protocols no later than 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 22.
We strongly encourage all students to get vaccinated. The vaccine is free and, according to the CDC, it is safe, effective and provides protection against variants of the virus. The vaccine is also the way that we can return to a more normal college experience for our students. Students outside the Baton Rouge area can find vaccine locations in their cities and states at https://www.vaccines.gov/.
Thank you for doing your part to keep our campus community safe. The health and safety of the LSU community are of the utmost importance to us.
LSU Emergency Operations Center

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