This website contains important information all residents living on-campus at UAA must understand and abide by for the safety of our community. These measures have been put into place to protect our residents from the dangers presented by infectious diseases in a congregate housing setting. By working together, we can keep each other safe and ensure continued access to education.

These policies were last updated in March 2024.

Health Disclosure Policy

In an effort to keep our community safe, residents are required to notify the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) or the Department of Residence Life of the following circumstances:

• Positive Case: A resident tests positive for any infectious disease for which the federal, state or local government (hereafter referred to as “the government”) requires isolation or quarantine, regardless of vaccination status. Notifications to the SHCC or Residence life of positive test results should be done immediately.
• Exposure: A resident has been exposed to an infectious disease for which the government requires isolation or quarantine. Notifications of exposures should be done within 6 hours of the resident being notified of the exposure.
• Symptomatic: A resident has developed symptoms consistent with an infectious disease for which the government requires isolation or quarantine. Notifications regarding the development of symptoms should be done within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms.

In these circumstances, residents are required to follow the guidance of SHCC professionals, Residence Life professionals and public health officials regarding isolation, quarantine, testing, etc. 

A resident who is exposed to an individual who is experiencing symptoms consistent with an infectious disease for which the government requires isolation or quarantine is not required to notify the SHCC or Residence Life, but they are encouraged to do so. Residents in these circumstances should minimize their interactions with others and monitor their health for the development of symptoms.

Note: The definition of “exposure” varies depending on the infectious disease. Consult with an SHCC professional or public health official to determine if you were exposed to an infectious disease.

During business hours, residents should contact the SHCC if they fall into any of the categories previously outlined. Residents can contact SHCC at 907-786-4040. The SHCC will then notify Residence Life to coordinate the quarantine or isolation of the student, if needed. Outside of business hours, residents should contact the RA-On-Duty for their area. Note: the SHCC will likely be required to notify public health officials of a positive test result for an infectious disease that requires isolation or quarantine by the government.

Residents are encouraged to contact the SHCC (907-786-4040), Environmental Health & Safety (907-786-1300) or Residence Life (907-751-7202) if they have any questions or want to consult about an individual case. Given the unpredictable nature of infectious diseases, guidance from medical professionals and public health officials may rapidly change, and we are here to assist you in understanding the policies and procedures that apply to your specific circumstances.

Policies and Procedures for Current Outbreaks

COVID-19 

On March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced significant revisions to their guidance for COVID-19. Citing data such as decreased hospitalization rates, decreased death rates and vastly increased rates of vaccination, COVID-19 is no longer considered a public health emergency. Infection rates of COVID-19 during last year’s cold and flu season closely aligned with those of other respiratory viral infections, and therefore the CDC will no longer issue COVID-19 specific guidance. Please visit the CDC’s website for updated guidance and supporting data points. Please visit the CDC's Respiratory Virus Guidance webpage for guidelines related to respiratory viral infections.  

Throughout the course of the pandemic, UAA strove to maintain the wellness and safety of the residential community as our top priority. We vigilantly addressed each exposure and positive case knowing that a widespread outbreak among residents could quickly overwhelm our resources causing a second shutdown of the residential campus similar to the spring of 2020. That was a scenario we feared most due to what we know about our students and what living on campus means to them personally and their ability to attend college.

Given the risks associated with high-density housing, UAA tended to take a slightly more restrictive approach to our COVID-19 policies and procedures. According to data from the CDC, populations at high risk for serious cases of COVID-19 include individuals over 65 years of age and young children. High-density housing is no longer identified as a high-risk subpopulation, and quarantine/isolation are no longer recommendations from the CDC, which is the threshold identified in the Health Disclosure Policy. Therefore, in accordance with the recommendations from UAA medical professionals and the CDC, Residence Life will no longer require residents to disclose positive cases of COVID-19 or to enter isolation if they test positive for the virus.  

Voluntary Disclosures and Emergency Housing

While COVID-19 may no longer be considered a public health emergency, some members of our community may be at higher risk for serious or life threatening symptoms related to a COVID-19 infection. Examples of when this may be the case include residents ≥65 years of age, residents with comorbidities, unvaccinated individuals, etc. Residents who test positive for COVID-19 or have a roommate who tests positive for COVID-19, may request that Residence Life place them in emergency housing for up to 5 days. Residence Life’s ability to fulfill these requests will depend on emergency housing availability and staff capacity. To learn more about emergency housing or to make a request, please contact the Department of Residence Life at (907) 751-7202 or via email at uaa_residencelife@alaska.edu.