Student COVID Policies

The safety and success of all members of the SDSU community are of paramount importance. For this reason, students are expected to adhere to and uphold the following policies as a commitment to their personal safety and well-being, and that of the entire SDSU community. Although this policy is specific to SDSU students, the following policies are consistent with what we expect from the rest of our campus community. Policies are in effect at all times and in all locations, including residence halls, classrooms, public restrooms, open office and common spaces, hallways, meeting rooms, libraries, theaters, and other indoor spaces. Students who fail to abide by these policies may be reported to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities

• Facial coverings must be worn over the nose and mouth while on campus. Students must supply their own face coverings. Face coverings may be cloth or disposable and may not have vents or exhalation valves (other than approved NIOSH rated N95 masks). Students who are enrolled in an in-person course, but are unable to wear a face covering should contact Student Ability Success Center.
• A minimum distance of not less than six feet from others while on campus must be maintained at all times.
• Face coverings may be removed while a student is in their own residence hall room or apartment, is actively eating, drinking, or strenuously exercising. Physical distance from others must be maintained when engaging in these activities.
• Face coverings may be removed when required as part of an instructional music education course while physically distanced (at six feet or more), as directed by the instructor.
• Students who enter buildings and facilities and are not wearing a face covering over their mouth and nose will be asked to leave.
• Students must maintain consistent hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing and cleaning of any work areas used while on campus. Students may want to consider bringing sanitizer or wipes for use in common areas, although students without those supplies will not be refused access.
• Students must refrain from hosting or attending gatherings of groups larger than those allocated in the guidelines provided by the state of California, San Diego County, and San Diego State University. When public health guidance permits group gatherings and activities, students must maintain physical distancing and wear a facial covering.
• Students must agree to have their temperatures taken before entering classrooms. If a fever is detected, a student may not enter the classroom.
• Non-residential students may not enter the grounds of the San Diego State University campus during isolation or quarantine periods, or if they are exhibiting COVID-19 related symptoms.
• Students may not attend an in-person class unless they have been cleared to do so via their WebPortal account

     All members of our campus community are expected to follow all COVID-19 safety protocols and policies. Signage will be placed around campus to remind students, faculty, and staff that face coverings are required and how to properly wear a face covering. For additional information, visit sdsu.edu/covid19. 

  * This policy may be subject to change based on orders, requirements, and guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, or from the University. 

Report a student violation of COVID-19 policies.

Off-Campus Student COVID Policies

The safety and success of all members of the SDSU community are of paramount importance. For this reason, students in San Diego County are expected to adhere to and uphold the following policies as a commitment to their personal safety and well-being, and that of the entire SDSU community. Policies are in effect at all times and in all locations in San Diego County.

• Students must wear facial coverings while outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six feet from other persons is not feasible. Student exempt from wearing a face covering include those with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering, and persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• Students who have been diagnosed with, or are likely to have COVID-19, must isolate in their home or another residence for at least 10 days from the date of positive COVID-19 test results (asymptomatic), or 10 days from the date symptoms first appeared and at least 24 hours have passed since last fever and symptoms have improved. Students may only leave their place of isolation to receive necessary medical care.
• Students must quarantine themselves in their home or another residence for 14 days after they have been within 6 feet of a person who has or is likely to have COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes, have had unprotected contact with the body fluids and/or secretions (i.e., being coughed on or sneezed on, sharing utensils or drinking out of the same container), or if they are assigned to quarantine by a public health official or designee. Students may only leave their place of quarantine to receive necessary medical care.
• Students must refrain from hosting or attending gatherings of groups larger than those allocated in the guidelines provided by the state of California, San Diego County, and San Diego State University. When public health guidance permits group gatherings and activities, students must maintain physical distancing and wear a facial covering.

In addition, students must abide by all orders related to COVID-19 that have been issued by the County of San Diego and Health and Human Services Agency.

* This policy may be subject to change based on orders, requirements, and guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, or from the University.

For additional information, please refer to Standards for Student Conduct and San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency guidance.

SDSU COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Program

In coordination with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), SDSU is facilitating a COVID-19 testing program for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at San Diego State University. Included in the surveillance testing program is testing for students who reside in on-campus housing, and students attending in-person courses. In addition to education, case-management, community stay-at-home orders, quarantine, and isolation, this testing is part of the university’s multi-pronged Flex strategy to mitigate and monitor the spread of COVID-19. The purpose of this testing program is to allow the university to monitor and address real-time trends and prevalence, and make timely decisions on intervention and response.

This enhanced surveillance testing will begin on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, and establish a baseline of testing for on-campus residential students. The next phase of the surveillance testing will be to establish a baseline for students who attend in-person courses. All students living in SDSU residence halls and apartments, and those limited others attending in-person courses, will be assigned testing schedules at either the Student Health Services Calpulli Center, or the HHSA testing location at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, 5250 55th St., located just west of Viejas Arena. Students will be notified of their assigned testing window, along with instructions on what to do, via email to their SDSU email address.

As part of this surveillance testing program, students will be tested for COVID-19 regardless of whether they have a known exposure or are showing symptoms of COVID-19. Students will be tested every 14 days. This testing not only allows the university to properly care for our students who test positive for COVID-19, but enables the university to properly care for those they are closest to in the residential communities and those students who are attending in-person courses. It also allows the university to make inferences about the level of spread of the virus in the student population. Students will receive a personalized notification of their scheduled testing timeframes and options for time slot appointments, along with instructions of steps to follow, via their university email address. There will be no direct cost to students participating in the testing at either of the two campus testing sites - Student Health Services and Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.

This is a required program, with some exceptions, as noted below. Beyond those exceptions, failure to test as scheduled may result in a directive to quarantine or isolate until testing can be completed and/or the inability to attend in-person courses at SDSU. In addition, students may face possible student disciplinary consequences, including suspension.

As a reminder, when students chose to participate in student housing, they agreed to abide by the terms set forth in the housing license agreement, the COVID-19 Addendum, and the COVID-19 Notice and Disclosure. Students are responsible for their actions within a community and the impact those actions can have on others. Students are asked to continue to be responsible and considerate of their community.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 are not permitted to attend in-person classes until they have completed their isolation period, as defined by HHSA or SHS. Students who test positive will be advised regarding their ongoing testing requirements, based on guidance from the CDC and HHSA.

Students may be eligible to receive an exemption from this testing requirement. An exemption may be requested for the following reason:

If the student has had a positive COVID-19 test within the past 90 days, and has completed their isolation period, the student does not need to be tested again for proof of a negative test. Students can complete the exemption process by uploading test results and/or related documentation into the HealtheConnect portal on the Uploads tab. If appropriate documentation is not provided, testing will be required.

In addition, students may be able to opt-out of this testing for one or more of the following reasons:

• The student has a disability that would physically preclude them from taking the test.
• The student prefers to be tested by another source within three days, before or after their assigned time. This must be a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test. Antigen and antibody tests will not be accepted. Students must share the results with SDSU via HealtheConnect. SDSU will not reimburse for testing completed at alternative facilities.
• The student is currently sick and unable to get to a testing facility. A healthcare provider or university staff member will follow-up to provide appropriate support and directives. Directives of the healthcare provider and university staff member must be followed.
• The student has a sincerely held religious belief.
• The student has another outstanding reason. The student must provide rationale for this reason, which will then be assessed by Student Health Services and/or other university staff.

If the request to opt-out is not approved, the student must participate in the required SDSU COVID-19 Testing Program.

For more information regarding this testing requirement, the testing process, to request an exemption, or to initiate approval of opting out of this testing, please email covidcaseresponse@sdsu.edu.

Students are responsible for their actions within this shared community, and those actions affect others. We ask that all students continue to be responsible and considerate of their community.