Marco Valera, vice president for administration and COVID-19 coordinator, sent an email on Tuesday, Sept. 29, updating the campus community about COVID-19 testing procedures. 

There will be two more rounds of mandatory testing this semester for students, faculty and staff on campus. According to the email, every university community member will receive an email later this week, laying out the timeline and protocol for those tests. 

This update clarified that Fordham has not officially capped or limited testing at a specific number. However, they are not currently accommodating “on-demand testing,” citing that Fordham runs at or above the weekly testing capacity. 

Fordham’s testing plan previously said that students would undergo only two rounds of mandatory testing: once upon or before arrival and again after being on campus for two weeks. 

The Tuesday email clarified that students living off-campus are subject to the same testing requirements as students living on campus. 

“All students are responsible for adhering to the code of conduct and the expectations the University has laid out regarding COVID-19 precautions,” read Valera’s email. 

At the moment, Valera said the university is focused on ensuring that students, faculty and staff complete the second round of mandatory tests. The university will be conducting diagnostic tests and testing in cases of possible exposure to the COVID-19 virus. 

The Fordham administration previously declined to comment about the number of tests each student could receive. 

“In the near future, the University will accommodate on-demand tests on a case-by-case basis — students, faculty, and staff should call University Health Services in advance to request a test,” read the email. 

Valera’s email did not provide any details about surveillance testing, the planned third phase of testing.