From Thursday, Jan. 28 to Sunday, Jan. 31, returning and new Rose Hill students moved into their residence halls, but many were met with complications that delayed their move-in process. 

On each day, there were 700-800 students who moved in during the screening process, said Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Rose Hill Christopher Rodgers. Students were told to upload their COVID-19 test results to the Student Health Portal. However, some students were confused about the type of test and quarantine days required to move in. 

The emails sent to students by Residential Life made it clear that spring semester move in would not be identical to the fall. In a message sent through the Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs, the move-in requirements were outlined as follows: Students from contiguous states to New York (New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Vermont) had to obtain a PCR saliva or nasal swab coronavirus test a minimum of seven days before move-in and upload it to the student health portal. 

Students from outside these states were told to obtain a negative PCR test within three days before quarantining in a contiguous state for four days, and to get another test on the fourth day. This seems to be where confusion arose. Although an email sent from University Health Services stated that rapid tests would not be accepted, it was unclear to many if that referred to just the first test, just the second test or both. 

Julie Connelly, FCRH ’23, is from Virginia, so she was required to submit two tests: one a week before arriving at Fordham, and a second after being on campus for four days. She uploaded a negative PCR test before quarantining, but submitted a negative rapid test on the fourth day. However, according to New York State COVID-19 guidelines, travelers should receive two PCR tests. 

“The email [from Fordham] specified that the first test had to be PCR, but did not specify about the second test,” said Connelly. She, along with other students who received a rapid test, was turned away when she arrived and stayed with relatives in New Jersey until her results from a PCR test came back negative. 

Many other students got a rapid test at the end of their quarantine in order to move in quickly afterwards, not realizing that they would be turned away. 

According to Dean Rodgers, the PCR versus rapid testing requirements were enforced by Fordham due to the higher percentage of error of rapid tests. 

“Most elements of the screening process were derived from New York State’s regulations,” said Dean Rodgers. 

“Unfortunately, New York State’s specific quarantine requirements made it impossible for the University to allow quarantine on campus for the vast majority of students at opening/move-in … we also assisted quite a few students on a case-by-case basis, allowing temporary quarantine with meal delivery in Faber for the most severe situations,” said Rodgers. 

Rodgers and Alex Fischer, assistant dean of students and director of Residential Life, maintain that the spring move-in process was more efficient than the fall. 

“Throughout the fall opening process, we learned a lot and made changes for our spring process, which made it run even smoother and more successful,” said Fischer. “I want to thank each of the staff members in Residential Life, as well as staff in Student Affairs, Campus Operations & Facilities and the department of Public Safety for making this process smooth and safe for all involved.”