The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College Health Association (ACHA) have both released new guidance on how colleges and universities can operate safely this fall as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, taking into consideration the substantial progress the United States has made in the months since widespread vaccinations were made available.
The CDC guidance states that colleges where everyone is fully vaccinated may return to in-person learning without requiring masks or regular testing, while the ACHA maintains that even with a fully vaccinated campus, some testing and masking might still be helpful. ACHA suggests that campuses consult with local public health authorities to tailor the CDC guidance to their unique circumstances, and provides some suggestions on how to do that.
Both CDC and ACHA recommend that all students be vaccinated before participating in campus activities, where state law and available resources allow. ACHA first issued recommendations on vaccinations back in April.
Along with the CDC guidance, the Department of Education issued a separate handbook that focuses on managing aspects of the pandemic not related to campus health, such as online learning.
The documents can be found here:
Considerations for Institutions of Higher Education (CDC)
ED COVID Handbook: Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff (PDF) (Department of Education)
Considerations for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education for the Fall Semester 2021 (PDF) (ACHA)