Planning Your Visit
FAQs about staying safe at W&J
We are excited to welcome W&J alumni, parents, families, and friends back to campus for an in-person Homecoming & Reunion Weekend to reunite with classmates, cheer on your favorites teams, experience life at W&J, and so much more. With that being said, following current CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Public Health guidelines with everyone's safety in mind, plans are subject to change if conditions necessitate.
If you plan to attend Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, please bookmark this page as the College’s policies and standards are being continuously reviewed, and will be modified as needed for the safety of the campus community. Homecoming & Reunion Weekend attendees will also be communicated to via email on a regular basis as updates occur.
What is the current masking policy for guests on campus?
In accordance with Washington & Jefferson College’s masking policy announced August 9, all faculty, staff, students, and visitors must wear a mask in any indoor campus setting, including all indoor activities that will take place during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. When actively eating or drinking, masks are not required to be worn.The Office of Alumni Engagement is working hard to pivot most indoor events to outdoor spaces and will ensure that dining and drink stations will be spaced appropriately to allow for social distancing.
At this time, masking is not required outdoors for vaccinated guests or for children two years or younger.
While vaccination is the most effective step we can take to minimize the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, masking provides and extra level of protection and help keeps our community safe, and we appreciate your compliance.
With the current masking policy, what is the policy on food and drink throughout the weekend?
There are exceptions for which masks are not required to be worn, including when actively eating and drinking. (And, this is a big part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend!)
To help us safely navigate events where eating and drinking is involved, we are working hard to pivot the majority of our indoor events to outdoor locations that will be both covered and heated, weather pending. We ask for your patience as we make these changes. A schedule update will be available soon.
Are vaccinations required to attend Homecoming & Reunion Weekend?
Yes, college leadership, with guidance from the W&J Clinical Advisory Panel, has made the decision to require Homecoming & Reunion Weekend attendees 12 and older to be fully vaccinated prior to attending the weekend's festivities. In keeping with the requirement of students, faculty, and staff all attendees also will be asked to show proof of vaccination during online registration or required to show proof upon arriving on campus. According to the CDC, an individual is fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-series dose (such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).
Any unvaccinated guests ages 12 and older are asked to refrain from traveling to W&J for the event. Guests under age 12 are permitted to attend the weekend's events, provided that they follow the masking guidelines set forth by the College and are accompanied by an adult who has shown proof of vaccination. All attendees are encouraged to prioritize their health and the health of their families, including unvaccinated children under age 12, when making decisions about attending the weekend's activities.
If you’ve already registered for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend prior to this policy being instated, please refer to the FAQ below: “What if I already registered but did not indicate my vaccination status?”
What if I already registered but did not indicate my vaccination status?
That's okay! Already registered attendees can visit jayconnected.com/Stay-Safe-at-HC to inform us of their own vaccination status, as well as the vaccination statuses of their guests.
Any attendee or guest who is not fully vaccinated and will not be fully vaccinated before October 8, 2021, (the first day of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend) are asked to refrain from traveling to W&J for the event. Refund requests can be made at the same link above.
According to the CDC, an individual is fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-series dose (such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).
Do I have to pre-register for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend?
To allow for us to plan for a safe Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, we require all those planning to attend Homecoming & Reunion Weekend activities, as well as the Class of 2020 Crossing of the Seal & Brunch Reception on October 10, preregister and provide self-attestation of vaccine status by October 1. To do so, please visit the online registration page or contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 724-223-6079.
A limited number of exceptions will be made for walk-in attendees of the Tailgate Lunch and Fifth Quarter events only, but we strongly encourage preregistration for these events given there will be a strict enforcement on these limits. Those who do not preregister for the Tailgate Lunch or Fifth Quarter may visit the “Walk-in Tent” set up near the big tent on Olin Lawn to request a ticket on a first-come, first-served basis. Proof of vaccination will be required by all attendees and their guests ages 12 or older.
Are visitors and guests of campus permitted to enter residential facilities during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend?
No outside guests (other than parents, guardians, immediate family members) will be permitted to enter residential facilities, to include all Greek housing. All parents, guardians, and immediately family members must adhere to the College’s current policy, which mandates that masks must be worn in all indoor facilities.
How will W&J confirm vaccination status and enforce rules?
1. During online registration, attendees will be required to self-attest that they have or will be fully vaccinated by October 8, 2021, the first day of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend events.
2. Attendees and guests will be given the option to upload proof of vaccination during online registration; however, attendees who are not fully vaccinated during the time of registration, but will be prior to October 8, can provide proof of vaccination at check in when they arrive on campus. To show proof of vaccination, you must provide your vaccine card or a photo of your vaccine card with clear documentation of:
- Full Name
- Birthdate
- Vaccine name/manufacturer/Lot #
- Date of vaccination(s)
Attendees unwilling to comply with Homecoming & Reunion Weekend safety protocols will be asked to leave campus immediately.
Questions about your Homecoming & Reunion Weekend registration can be directed to alumni@washjeff.edu.