Vermont Law and Graduate School is continuing to adjust its operations and procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This page contains the school's current COVID policies, and resources for students, faculty, staff, and the greater VLS community. These policies are subject to change at any time, and we will continue to update this information as needed. More information can be found on the VLS Coronavirus Preparedness and Information page.

MANDATORY COVID HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Please see below for Vermont Law and Graduate School’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Please be sure to read these protocols in full, as failure to follow all protocols that are applicable to you may result in disciplinary action. These policies are subject to change at any time, and you are responsible for staying on top of any changes.

Masking OPTIONAL (STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF):

Masking is encouraged for all visitors on campus.

Masking while indoors is optional for all students, faculty, and staff.

While masking is optional indoors, professors may set a different mask policy for their class to require masks. You may also choose to continue wearing a mask and please be respectful of others, especially when meeting in smaller groups, if you are asked to wear a mask when meeting. The expectation is that you should have a mask available to use if needed.

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement:

Vermont Law School requires all campus-based faculty, staff, and students to be fully vaccinated with the booster against COVID-19 unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption. Please note that there will be no virtual or hybrid option for any residential classes.

To submit your vaccine information for verification, click here.

Being fully vaccinated means that:

• You have received all doses of an FDA- or WHO- approved COVID-19 vaccine;
• You have completed the mandatory two-week post vaccine waiting period;
• You have received a booster shot, and;
• You have submitted your vaccine info for verification via the VLS Vaccine Verification Form.

Masks may be worn by vaccinated individuals at any time. Please do not assume that someone wearing a mask outdoors or at other times when it is not required is not vaccinated. Also, please do not ask anyone their vaccination status. Employees and students with exemptions are entitled to privacy. If you have any concerns, you may contact covid19@vermontlaw.edu.

Covid-19 Symptoms and Daily Health Monitoring:

Monitoring yourself daily for possible symptoms of COVID-19 is crucial for our community’s safety. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, please contact covid19@vermontlaw.edu and/or registar@vermontlaw.edu by 8:30am EST and await further instruction before coming to campus:

• Fever (100.4 °F or higher)
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Testing Options:

Weekly testing is optional for students, faculty, and staff.

Please contact covid19@vermontlaw.edu and/or registar@vermontlaw.edu by 8:30am EST if symptomatic and await for further instruction before coming to campus.

Free, on-campus PCR testing will be offered by request only starting at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesdays to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Please contact covid19@vermontlaw.edu to request a PCR test during this time.

Rapid tests are also available upon request. Please email covid19@vermontlaw.edu to request a rapid test.

POLICY IN EVENT OF CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID19:

• Isolation
  • If you had symptoms, you may leave isolation and return to campus once all of the below criteria are met (unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider):
    • You have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers, and
    • Other symptoms have improved, and
    • At least 5 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared
  • If you did not have symptoms, you may leave isolation and return to campus once the below criteria are met:
    • 5 days have passed since the date you had your positive test (unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider)
  • You are NOT required to submit a negative covid test prior to returning to campus should the above criteria be met.
  • If you become symptomatic during this 90-day period, you must stay home and contact your healthcare provider and covid19@vermontlaw.edu. Students - please also contact covid19@vermontlaw.edu and Dean Brennan and the Office of the Registrar to notify them that you will be staying home as soon as you can. Faculty and staff – please also contact your supervisor. You will need either a negative test result OR a note from your doctor indicating that you are safe to return to campus without infecting others to return to campus.
• Students and faculty who were present in a residential class that in which a VLS community member who tested positive for COVID-19 attended while they were possibly infectious (48 hours before symptoms began, if symptomatic, or 48 hours before a positive COVID-19 test was administered, if asymptomatic) will be notified via email, even if they were not a close contact as defined by the CDC.
• You may refer to our COVID-19 dashboard, found by clicking the “Dashboard” button at the bottom of this page, for a count of all positive cases and positive cases within the past 7 days.
• If a significant number of positive test results are returned in one week, on-campus classes and meetings will be canceled for at least one day to allow the campus to transition to a virtual setting. The VLS community will be alerted via VLS Alerts and a more detailed email alert.
  • All students, faculty, and staff must be tested. Testing will be held ASAP on campus. VLS will also accept offsite PCR test results.
  • Classes and meetings will remain virtual for at least one week, after which VLS will return to in-person classes and meetings.

Visitor Policy:

Masking is encouraged for visitors on-campus. Visitors must stay home if they notice any possible symptoms of COVID-19.

You are responsible for any visitors that you invite to campus.

TRAVEL POLICY:

• Personal Domestic and International Travel: All students, faculty, and staff must follow Vermont Department of Health domestic and international travel policies, found here.

EVENT POLICY:

There are no restrictions on campus event location and size. Masks are optional for VLS faculty, staff, and students. Masks are encouraged for any visitors.

If you are planning an in-person event, we strongly suggest having a firm virtual back-up plan in the event that VLS policies change prior to your event.

There are no restrictions on the location or length of in-person meetings.

Policies are subject to change, and students, faculty, and staff are responsible for staying up to date on all changes.

Your patience and cooperation are deeply appreciated as we respond to this extraordinary and dynamic situation. If you have any questions, concerns, or require clarification on any information below, please email the One VLS Action Team (OVAT) at covid19@vermontlaw.edu.