Frequently Asked Questions

• Masks are encouraged but not required in all healthcare and clinical spaces except during sick visits, as well as other high-risk settings, effective May 11.
• Masks continue to be required based on CDC guidance for those who are experiencing symptoms, who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 10 days or who have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 10 days.
• KN95 and surgical masks are available on campus through UD’s Environmental Health and Safety Department, in the Perkins Student Center and Trabant University Center.

The University will provide initial KN95 masks to each person through the Environmental Health and Safety Department. 

• Students living in the residence halls will receive the masks through their residence halls. 
• Students living off-campus can pick up masks at the distribution points listed below.  
  Distribution points: Morris Library, Carpenter Sports Building, Perkins Student Center, Trabant University Center, STAR Health Science Complex (North entrance)
• On-campus employees will receive the masks through their departments. 

Individuals are free to wear masks they have procured as well. They are readily available online and in many local retailers. KN95 masks, while disposable, are designed to be worn multiple times safely; they can be used for a week before disposal, unless they are damaged or soiled.

Employee units should submit a single COVID Prevention Supply Order form per unit to the UD Office of Environmental Health and Safety to procure KN95 masks at the department level. KN95 masks are also readily available online and in many local retailers. 

For those who forgot their mask or their mask becomes unusable, single KN95 masks and surgical style masks are available at the following locations: 

• Morris Library
• Carpenter Sports Building
• Perkins Student Center
• Trabant University Center
• STAR Health Science Complex (North entrance)

More info on KN95s can be found on UD's Environmental Health & Safety website.

• If possible, wash or sanitize your hands immediately before and after putting your KN95 on and immediately before and after taking it off when planning to reuse it.
• Unfold your mask and flatten the metal nose clip.
• Place the mask over your face, with the bottom below your chin and the nosepiece up.
• Place the straps of the mask over each ear.
• Adjust the metal nose clip using fingers from both hands to mold the clip to the shape of your nose.
• Adjust fit as necessary to reduce air flow around the edges of the mask.
• Significant facial hair (more than 3-days growth) adversely affects the ability of the KN95 to form a tight seal around your face, and thus reduces the KN95’s effectiveness at protecting you from COVID-19. Therefore, parts of your face that come in contact with the KN95 should be free of significant facial hair.
• KN95s should not be worn in a lab setting with a potential for a fire hazard or work with pyrophorics.  EHS has flame-retardant fabric masks available for those who work with these materials.  If you wear a flame-retardant lab coat, you should be wearing a flame-retardant mask as well.
• If you wear glasses and find fogging to be a nuisance, ensure you have a proper seal at the nosepiece. You can also wash your lenses with soapy water and shake off the excess before putting on your mask (wipe off nose piece to minimize skin irritation).

More info on KN95s can be found on UD's Environmental Health & Safety website.

You should replace your KN95 when it:

• Becomes soiled

• No longer covers the nose and mouth

• Has stretched out or has damaged ties or straps

• Cannot stay on the face

• Has holes or tears in the fabric

A KN95 may be disposed of in the normal trash.

More info on KN95s can be found on UD's Environmental Health & Safety website.

As of June 5, 2023, students will no longer be required to receive the COVID-19 primary vaccine and boosters. UD strongly recommends that all students, faculty, and staff remain up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Particularly, all students, faculty, and staff are highly encouraged to receive a bivalent COVID-19 booster.

Individuals who are immunocompromised should consult their healthcare provider for vaccine recommendations.

COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available for students at Student Health Services. Information about COVID-19 vaccine sites near campus is available at vaccines.gov.

Individuals who are immunocompromised should consult their healthcare provider for recommendations.

Students can connect with the Center for Counseling and Student Development at 302-831-2141. The UD Helpline is available at 302-831-1001 at any time, night or day, for students feeling anxious, overwhelmed, depressed or otherwise in need of counseling.

In addition, staff members in the Office of the Dean of Students are available to assist any student who wishes to talk. Call 302-831-8939 to schedule an appointment.

Mental health support for UD benefited employees is provided from ComPsych® GuidanceResources®. The link provides steps on how to access services or call 1-877-527-4742 for support.

Yes, hand sanitizer dispensers are strategically located at entrances and exits across the campus, and in other high-traffic areas.

If a student is ill or must stay home due to isolation restrictions, the student should contact the instructor to work out an arrangement to make up the work. Instructors need to provide assistance to help students keep up with the content of the course. For example, UDIT has enabled all centrally scheduled classrooms to connect to Zoom, including a connection point for an instructor’s laptop to the in-room document camera. Instructors in centrally scheduled classrooms will be able to make Zoom recordings of their class session to post in Canvas or request UD Capture service for their classes.

To ensure compliance with FERPA, Zoom recordings that include the names or images of students in the class should only be shared with students enrolled in the same section of the class. UD Capture does not record student images, only an instructor’s laptop or document camera and audio in the room. As a courtesy, please notify students that your course is being recorded. As an alternative to providing recordings of lectures, instructors could provide copies of their PowerPoint slides and lecture notes.

During your time as a Blue Hen, you may be presented with the opportunity to enroll in online or hybrid classes. 

Synchronous classes are facilitated online, but you still meet “live” with your instructor and classmates during the designated times in your class schedule. Asynchronous classes are facilitated online without a scheduled meeting time with your instructor and classmates. Asynchronous learning allows you to engage with the course materials during times that are most convenient for your schedule. 

In Courses Search, online courses are designated as “ONLINE” in the location details. Synchronous online courses will display the days and times the class will meet; asynchronous classes are designated as “ASYN” in the day details. In WebReg, you will see “ONLINE” in the schedule field if the course is online. Those that are synchronous will have specific days and times listed as well. Those that are asynchronous will state “ASYN ONLINE.” Once registered, synchronous courses will appear in the calendar view. Asynchronous courses will only appear in the list of courses and not on the calendar view.  

Students who need accommodations due to underlying medical conditions or disabilities must work with the Office of Disability Support Services.

Study abroad programs are still being held. Students who are currently abroad should continue to adhere to the travel policies in place at the beginning of their international travel program.

For the most up to date information about study abroad programs and policies, visit the Study Abroad webpage and Study Abroad COVID FAQ webpage.

Faculty and staff are highly encouraged to be up-to-date on vaccinations, including the bivalent booster. 

No, the policy will not change. Supervisors are encouraged to work with their employees to identify flexible work arrangements as needed. 

UD is committed to supporting its employees’ overall health and wellbeing and provides all employees and their families a number of benefits to meet the diverse needs.  Consult the resources below to assist in the adjustment to working from home, returning to work, tele-health options, as well as cope with the broader realities of the pandemic, create new family experiences and maintain optimal emotional wellbeing.  

• Working at UD
• UD Health Telehealth Options
• Employee Health and Wellbeing Offerings
  • Customized Department Programs
  • Fit for Life and Virtual Fitness Programs
  • Purposeful Mobile App
• UD Mental Health Resources
• Employee Assistance Program/Health Advocate

Email Wellbeing@udel.edu or call 302-831-8388 to learn more about any of the programs and services offered above.