Last updated: 3/17/22
At CUNY SPH, only those students who have been fully vaccinated, and received a booster shot if eligible, will be permitted to take in-person or hybrid classes on campus. Students are required to upload proof of their vaccination and booster to CUNYfirst. Students who are unvaccinated or who do not wish to disclose their vaccine status may take on-line classes.
You can upload your information by signing in to CUNYfirst and clicking in the Vaccination Verification portal. You will need the dates of your two shots for Pfizer and Moderna or the date of your single Johnson & Johnson shot, the location where you got your vaccine, a scan or photograph of your CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card, and, if you have the NY State Excelsior Pass app, a scan or photograph of your pass on your mobile device. We are working with NYS Excelsior to link the pass to CUNY for validation purposes. International students who have received vaccination outside the United States will also be able to upload in CUNYfirst their verification documentation, as long as the vaccine received was approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Students enrolled in any in-person or hybrid class will be required to get the COVID-19 booster shot when they become eligible. Governor Hochul announced this policy recently knowing that the booster provides additional protection against the virus and its variants and that vaccines are the best weapon we have to contain the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard our health and that of our community.
If you are eligible for the booster on January 28: You must upload proof of receiving the additional shot to CUNYfirst no later than March 1. This deadline applies even if your college’s spring semester begins in March.
If you become eligible after January 28, but before the end of the semester: You will have 30 days after you become eligible to get the booster and upload proof to CUNYfirst.
You will become eligible for the booster:
The CDC recommends you choose the Pfizer or Moderna booster in most situations, regardless of which shot you received. Learn more about the booster shot and find a site near you here: ny.gov/booster.
Instructions on uploading your booster proof are available here. If you attended in-person or hybrid courses this past fall and already uploaded proof of your first vaccines, you will have to add the booster shot — unless you have an approved exception or exemption.
Students who miss the deadline will not be able to register for Summer 2022 or Fall 2022 classes.
You can also submit in CUNYfirst your request and supporting documentation for a medical exemption or religious exception to the vaccine. Students requesting an exemption for medical reasons will be required to submit a COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Exemption Request Form signed by a healthcare provider. Students requesting an exception for religious reasons will be required to submit a written statement explaining how immunization conflicts with the student’s religious beliefs. Exemptions and exceptions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically granted.
For a visual step-by-step guide to submitting information to CUNYfirst, please visit here. For a list of frequently asked questions about the student vaccination policy, please refer to the policy FAQ or the Getting Back to Learning on Campus FAQ. If you have a technical problem, please contact the CUNY SPH HelpDesk (HelpDesk@sph.cuny.edu). If you still have questions, please contact Associate Dean of Student Affairs Lynn Roberts (Lynn.Roberts@sph.cuny.edu).
Students who currently reside in other countries should review the vaccination timelines for the vaccines they can access in their areas. Students who have completed the final dose of COVID-19 vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and after the specified time period, are considered fully vaccinated.
Please also see the #CantStopCUNY page for additional information on returning to in-person learning at CUNY.
If you have been on campus within ten (10) days of testing positive for COVID-19, students must report to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs Lynn Roberts (Lynn.Roberts@sph.cuny.edu), who will, in turn, report to the required school, university and public health authorities. The information will be kept confidential, to the extent allowed by law.
We urge all students to:
Please see the IT Resources for Students for information on, for example, how to contact the Helpdesk and Blackboard resources.
Click here to learn more about CUNY SPH’s library services, which can all be accessed online.
Please email CUNY SPH librarian Emily Pagano (emily.pagano@sph.cuny.edu) with any questions or concerns or to set up an appointment for a phone call, skype session, live chat, etc.
We will continue to provide student advisement, writing, and quantitative tutoring services via phone/email and through use of digital platforms like Zoom. Please refer to the Student Advising, Writing Assistance, and Quantitative Tutoring pages for more information on these services.
Please check the Fieldwork page for the latest info for students planning to complete their fieldwork in Fall 2020.
Please check the COVID-19 Updates for International Students page for the latest information.
Student Wellness Counselor Sherry Adams is available to provide free and confidential counseling to students experiencing heightened anxiety related to COVID-19 and other emotional health concerns. Please refer to the Counseling and Wellness Services page for information and helpful links.
Students who are in need of financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, may apply for a grant from the CUNY SPH Student Emergency Fund. The CUNY SPH Student Emergency Fund is a year round fund which provides grants on a case-by-case basis to students facing acute catastrophic financial hardship. Individuals who apply may be asked to submit supporting documentation to demonstrate their financial need. For more information and to apply, click here.
If you have questions or concerns not answered here, please reach out to Lynn Roberts, Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs (lynn.roberts@sph.cuny.edu).