Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, starting Feb. 1.  

Fresno State students, faculty and staff who have tested positive*, and have submitted a COVID-19 report, are eligible for rapid antigen testing when their symptoms have cleared or are getting better by day five of isolation. 

First day of symptoms or date of positive test result*, whichever comes first, is day zero. They may test on day five or later and return to in-person activities with a negative rapid antigen test no sooner than day six. 

*If unvaccinated, this is the date the person tested positive at the campus testing center or SHCC.

Unvaccinated or booster-eligible, but not boosted: Yes, you are required to quarantine. Please submit a COVID-19 reporting form. You will receive an email in response with next-step guidance. 

Vaccinated and boosted, or not yet booster-eligible: No, you will not be required to quarantine. You must get PCR tested at the campus testing facility five days after your last close contact. (test on the following Monday if day five falls on Sunday).  

If you start to have symptoms, or test positive, please submit a COVID-19 reporting form.

Isolation: what people have to do if they have COVID-19 symptoms and/or they test positive for COVID-19.

Quarantine: what people have to do if they have a close contact exposure to someone else with COVID-19.

Close contact: being within 6 feet for 15 cumulative minutes or more during a 24-hour period with a person during their infectious period. Infectious period begins two days prior to the start of symptoms or testing positive without symptoms.

Booster-eligible: Five months after your last Moderna or Pfizer shot, or two months after your Johnson & Johnson/Janzen vaccination.

Rapid antigen testing is helpful for diagnosing COVID-19 if you have symptoms.  

• If you have symptoms and test negative with a rapid antigen test, you must get retested with a PCR test, which is readily available at the campus testing facility for employees and students (vaccinated or not).  
• Positive home test results will be accepted by campus if you are fully vaccinated. If not fully vaccinated, you must have your test result confirmed via a PCR test at the campus testing facility.  

Fresno State Student Housing residents who may need to cancel their spring 2022 housing contract due to documented COVID-related reasons or if they are now taking a majority of their classes virtually may submit a request to be released from their 2021/22 license agreement without financial penalty. Please contact housingaccounting@mail.fresnostate.edu for more information. 

The campus parking permit fee amount is pro-rated every 30 days. Due to the virtual instruction being extended, the next date for a pro-rated parking permit will be Feb. 7. Learn more about prorated permits and refunds on the parking permit webpage.  

Pfizer or Moderna vaccine recipients are eligible for a booster five months after your second dose. 

Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients are eligible for a booster two months after your initial dose. 

Fresno State will no longer require masks to be worn indoors beginning March 14 for students who meet the following criteria:

• Have not been in close contact with someone ill with COVID-19 within the past ten days (vaccinated or not)
• Have not tested positive for COVID-19 within the past ten days (for those who exited isolation early after having tested negative after the 5th day of illness)

While masks will no longer be required, we strongly encourage their use, as face coverings are still a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19, especially in large group settings. We fully support and respect those who wish to continue wearing face coverings.

Yes. Any student who has had a close contact exposure to COVID-19, is experiencing symptoms, and/or has tested positive should submit a COVID-19 reporting form.  The student will get guidance applicable to their situation in accordance with the CDPH guidelines.  

Isolation: what people have to do if they have COVID-19 symptoms and/or their illness is confirmed with a positive COVID-19 test.

Quarantine: what people have to do if they have a close contact exposure to someone else confirmed to have COVID-19.

• Testing is not required for student clinicians who are vaccinated and have been boosted.
• Twice/week testing required per CDPH for student clinicians who are unvaccinated; or vaccinated and booster-eligible, but not yet boosted. Note:  Healthcare facilities may have more stringent requirements. 

At this time, you are not required to test weekly for 90 days following the date of your last positive PCR test.

Spring 2022 students participating in in-person activities (such as: on-campus classes and research, use of the library, and participation in internships, service-learning, or practicums [on or off campus]) are required to complete the 10 minute online CSU - Student Safety On Campus During COVID-19 training.  If the student took the training in fall 2021, they will not be required to take it again this semester.  

Click the link below to access the course in the CSU Bridge student learning platform. Login using your Fresno State student email credentials and then click LAUNCH to begin the course.

Use this link to access CSU - Student Safety on Campus During Covid-19 training.

Be sure to print out or take a screenshot of your completion certificate in case you are requested to show proof of training. The deadline to complete the course if required is Feb. 1, 2022. 

If you have any questions about this training, email EHSRMSREQUEST@listserv.csufresno.edu. 

Student clubs and organizations may hold in-person activities in accordance with current campus event guidelines. However, all established policies and procedures (such as masks indoors) must be followed.

There are numerous resources and support programs available through the Student Health and Counseling Center. Please visit the Student Resources page for a complete list of student support services. 

Illness and exposures due to COVID-19 must be reported at: online reporting form. A case investigator from campus Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will contact you to provide guidance. Do not come to campus for any face-to-face activities until you have received clearance from an EHS case investigator. If you are asked to isolate or quarantine, you will be provided an email that can be forwarded to your instructors as needed. 

If the individual who was potentially infectious was in a classroom environment and if we are unable to determine duration or proximity to others in the classroom, our EHS case investigators will notify all students and the instructor (via email) in that particular class and also provide applicable guidance. 

Fresno State follows the guidance of local, state and federal public health agencies when addressing confirmed coronavirus cases among its students, faculty and staff. The University is in regular contact with the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH), to ensure our campus protocols are compliant and responsive. 

Please fill out this COVID-19 Reporting Form if you are: 

• A student living on campus, authorized to be on campus and/or participating in campus-sponsored off-campus experiential learning (such as: service learning, internships and practicums).
• AND you either test positive for COVID-19, have been exposed to someone who has tested positive, or you suspect to have COVID-19, or if you are feeling ill. (As a reminder, your health information is confidential.)

You will receive further guidance from the campus Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). 

For students with a medical or religious vaccine exemption, the University requires mandatory, weekly COVID-19 testing. This mandatory testing (self-collected saliva PCR) is available in the Student Recreation Center (east gymnasium) at no cost. Days and times are subject to change. Test results will be available within 24 - 72 hours. 

For non-vaccinated students living in the residence halls, or participating in direct patient care at a on-campus clinics, weekly testing at the Student Recreation Center is required.

Daily health self-assessments using an online daily screening tool are required for anyone coming to campus. Individuals are approved to come to campus if they clear the health screening. Anyone with COVID symptoms will not be allowed on campus, and must follow the guidelines/protocols given by the assessment.

Yes, residents will need to present a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) 48 hours prior to move-in. 

These facilities are open. Masks are required for anyone not actively eating or drinking.

The Library is open for students, faculty, staff and the community. Visitors may browse the stacks and check out items from Tech Lending and circulation without a reservation. Masks are no longer required in the building but strongly encouraged. Eating restrictions are lifted. Many of the library’s virtual research services continue online for students still learning from home. See the library’s Services-At-A-Glance page for information about specific service points or the Services Overview page for more information. Please call 559.278.2551 to confirm the availability of services.

The Library is open for students, faculty, staff and the community. Visitors may browse the stacks and check out items from Tech Lending and circulation without a reservation. Masks are required in the building. Food and eating are not permitted in any library study spaces at this time. Starbucks is open with only grab-n-go food. Many of the library’s virtual research services continue online for students still learning from home. See the library’s Services-At-A-Glance page for information about specific service points or the Services Overview page for more information. Please call 559.278.2551 to confirm the availability of services.

DISCOVERe is currently offering hotspots to students impacted by the temporary transition to virtual learning. To request a hotspot, please fill out the student request form. You will receive more information via email after completing the request form. There could be a 48-72 hour delay in a response to your request.

Students should take such concerns to the chair of the department in which the course is offered. If the instructor is the department chair, they should take the concern to the College Dean. 

The Library provides spaces for taking Zoom classes in between in-person courses. The best option is for students to “Book a Study Room” on the library website. The library has individual and group study rooms available. The North wing study areas are collaborative, and could be used as well. Library Tech Lending has headphones and some other peripherals available to support virtual learning. Besides the library, many outdoor areas of our campus are Wi-Fi accessible. In addition, we are exploring other spaces that students can access while on campus. 

No, the instructor is only obligated to teach in the modality specified in the student portal and the course schedule.

Classes are taught in a variety of modalities, including fully online, virtual, hyflex, hybrid, and face-to-face. The modality of the class is listed in the schedule of classes in the student portal, and designated on the course syllabus. Each course will be offered in the modality listed only, and face-to-face classes will not have an online option. Students who have health concerns about specific courses are encouraged to discuss them with their advisors for options. Fresno State is not accredited to offer online degree programs, and some courses cannot be offered online. 

No, but individual faculty may choose to record their own Zoom-based online or hybrid lectures.

The campus community will be required to wear face coverings in indoor spaces, including classrooms and laboratories. If a student has difficulty hearing/understanding a faculty member because of their face covering, the student should discuss this with the faculty member to determine options. Students with hearing disorders should contact Services for Students with Disabilities to discuss options for any accommodations needed.

Fresno State will no longer require masks to be worn indoors beginning March 14 for students and employees.

We strongly encourage their use, as face coverings are still a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19, especially in large group settings. We fully support and respect those who wish to continue wearing face coverings.

Face coverings, provided at no cost, are available at:

• Library
• University Student Union
• Student Health and Counseling Center
• Student Housing Atrium
• Student Recreation Center COVID Testing Site (north east gym, near the Save Mart Center Box office)

Due to the severity and highly contagious nature of the new Omicron variant, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends that vaccinated people wear masks indoors when there is substantial community transmission. At this point in time, Fresno County has substantial community transmission; therefore, it is recommended that we require everyone to wear masks in all indoor spaces, including classrooms.This may change when transmission rates decline, and/or should CDPH revise its recommendation.

Yes.

Requesting that a student/employee provide documentation as to their vaccination status does not violate their privacy. The University will restrict access to this information to specific campus staff authorized and trained to properly manage highly confidential student/employee data. 

With support from our partners at UCSF Fresno, we have scheduled additional walk-in clinic dates for COVID-19 vaccinations that are available to all students, at no cost.

COVID-19 booster shots (Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) will be available for students over 18 years of age and who are five (5) months past their full vaccination status for Moderna and Pfizer, and two (2) months past their Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. If you have not yet received your COVID-19 vaccine, you can get your first dose at one of these clinics, and then arrange to get your second dose at the UCSF Fresno location. 

For up-to-date information and instructions, please visit the campus vaccination page on the campus COVID-19 website. 

Free community resources are also available; find a clinic through MyTurn.ca.gov. Or schedule an appointment with your health care provider.

No. If you have proof of completing a series of any FDA-licensed or FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine consistent with your country’s implementation, you will be considered to have complied with the vaccine mandate. 

• To protect your personal health as well as that of others, including friends, loved ones and your campus community. Getting immunized helps prevent serious illness, and even death, due to COVID-19.
• It is safe, effective, free and convenient at upcoming campus clinics.
• The vaccine helps to prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and replicating, which would allow it to mutate and possibly become more resistant to vaccines.*
• The sooner we stop the spread of COVID-19, including the far more contagious Delta and Omicron variants, the sooner we can all get back together on campus — for studying, enjoying campus events, cheering our fellow Bulldogs and working toward our future goals.

*Source: MayoClinic.org

If you completed a Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine primary series outside of the United States you should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for booster shots. 

Otherwise, if you were vaccinated abroad with other COVID-19 vaccines you can get a booster shot if you are 18 years or older and you either: 

• Received all the recommended doses of a World Health Organization emergency use listing (WHO-EUL) COVID-19 vaccine not approved or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Or completed a mix and match series composed of any combination of FDA-approved, FDA-authorized, or WHO-EUL COVID-19 vaccines 

If you meet the above requirements you can get a single booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 5 months after getting all recommended doses or completing a mix and match COVID-19 vaccine series.

Yes, if the vaccine is authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has developed a process for assessing and listing unlicensed vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics during public health emergencies. Through that process, a number of vaccines not available in the United States have received Emergency Use Listing (EUL).  When the final CSU Vaccination Policy is adopted, the University, consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Department of Public Health guidance, will accept proof of vaccination with any international vaccine that has been authorized for emergency use by WHO. 

The CSU COVID-19 Vaccination Interim Policy announced on July 27, 2021, allows for students to seek an exemption based on medical or religious reasons.

If a student submits a declaration for a religious exemption, they will not need to provide any supporting documentation at this time. If documentation is needed in the future, a personal statement from the student explaining the basis for the religious exemption will likely be required. The University does reserve the right to seek further documentation in any instance where there is significant evidence that a student has fraudulently requested the exemption.

If a student submits a declaration for a medical exemption they will need to upload documentation from a licensed healthcare professional.

Students seeking either a medical or religious exemption will need to attest to this on the Self-Certification which is an online form available through their My Fresno State student portal.

For students who seek either a medical or religious exemption, the University will require mandatory, weekly COVID-19 testing. Additional information on the hours and campus location for the COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated students can be found here.

Students who only enroll in virtual/online courses are not required to provide proof of vaccination. However, these students will need to declare/attest on their Self-Certification form that they do not plan to access Campus/Programs, and that if their plans change, they will submit a revised Certification in advance of any such access. If students need to access any in-person support services, they will need to revise their Certification in advance of arriving to campus.

A vaccine mandate is our best opportunity to create a secure space for everyone who works and studies on campus. This is especially important for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and those who live with young children and others who cannot yet be vaccinated. Additionally, we now know that the Delta and Omicron variant is much more transmissible than earlier forms of the virus.  

Regardless of vaccination status, everyone will be required to wear face coverings indoors.

Effective Jan. 3, 2022, all individuals who access campus/programs must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or have attested to a medical or religious exemption. Students who are eligible should get their booster as soon as possible, by Feb. 28 at the latest. Compliance with the vaccination policy is required as a condition of being physically on campus. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action. 

Update your vaccination documentation with your booster information on your self certification form located in your MyFresnoState student portal.