Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

There are a number of vaccinations that have always been required for a student to enroll at Franklin Pierce University. This series now includes the first series of the COVID vaccine. Documentation regarding all vaccinations is submitted through the required Health Services paperwork for all incoming students. All incoming students can find the process to submit your medical documentation through the New Student Portal.

For the fall semester, testing will be available for symptomatic students, if appropriate, through Health Services.

The process to request an exemption for any of our required vaccines is available on our Health Services website or for new incoming students through the New Student Portal. 

For Fall 2023, testing will be available for symptomatic students, if appropriate, through Health Services. Symptomatic students should contact Health Services.

Not at this time. 

Students who reside within New England and New York will be asked to return home for their isolation period.

Students that cannot return home will be asked to isolate in their rooms with masks. Students isolating or quarantining will be subject to the CDC recommended standards and will require Health Services approval before being cleared.

Students that are isolating on the Rindge Campus will be permitted to leave isolation/quarantine, with a mask on, for two reasons:

• Solo exercise, outside; and
• To walk to the student center to get grab and go meals each day and during the times specified.
• Students in isolation or quarantine should not socialize with other individuals during this time. Students who are unable to attend face-to-face classes will work with their faculty to ensure they are able to keep up with class discussions and coursework.

Individuals that are positive will be asked to identify and contact their contacts under the guidance of Health Services. 

If deemed a contact, you will be required to wear a mask indoors and when around other people, regardless of vaccination status, for 10 days and be tested if you become symptomatic. If after 10 days you have not tested positive for COVID-19 or become symptomatic, then you can remove your mask. During the ten-day “quarantine” period, as long as you are not symptomatic and as long as you wear a mask, you can continue to go to class, work, and be involved in other activities here on campus.

Individuals who test positive must isolate at home for five days, and then wear a mask for five more days while indoors and around others, unless you test negative on two antigen tests within a 48 hours period. 

Masks may be required in the certain settings with higher than normal traffic including the Library, Field House, Health Services, and the Bubble.  Additionally, faculty may require students in their classrooms to wear masks.  Students are expected to comply with this requirement or be subject to a Student Conduct review.

If deemed a contact of someone who has tested positive, you will be required to wear a mask indoors for 10 days and be tested if you become symptomatic.

Individuals who test positive must isolate for five days, and then wear a mask for five more days while indoors and around others, unless you test negative on two antigen tests within a 48 hours period.

Franklin Pierce University reserves the right to decline entry to campus to any individual who does not comply with current vaccination and masking policies.

Students should also continue to do the following:

• Wash hands for 20-30 seconds with soap and warm water frequently.  Take advantage of the hand sanitizer stations when washing is not able to be done. The stations will remain up around campus and in the buildings.
• If you cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue or your elbow.
• Take the occasional time to wipe down and clean the surfaces in your room and living space.
• Get your flu vaccine when it is available to do so. 

We will continue to use multiple communication channels to keep the university community across campuses informed.  These include:

• Emails to the university community at large and targeted groups (students, faculty/staff, parents, academic locations, etc.) with relevant updates and information; and
• University social media channels; and  
• Internal Raven Nation app posts and FP Alerts from Campus Safety.

Yes. Administration, in collaboration with Health Services, is coordinating closely with state health authorities on these and other measures, as well as following the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

For fall 2023, students who test positive will be asked by an FPU contact tracer to self-report their contacts and information, if known, via a Contact Tracing form link. Every student who is listed as a contact will receive an email from Health Services with additional guidance for follow up.

Students identified as contacts to a positive case of COVID, , are not required to quarantine, but should wear a mask for 10 days and be tested if they become symptomatic..

Your student will be referred through the Student Conduct Review process.

All of our updated dining hall policies and options can be found via the FPU Sodexo website: https://fpu.sodexomyway.com/.

Yes. We are not controlling students’ comings and goings from Campus, but we are heavily advising them that they be thoughtful when they are leaving Campus. We ask though that all students wash their hands and use hand sanitizer much as possible while doing so both for the safety and well-being of those on campus and surrounding communities. If you do become symptomatic, we ask for you to not leave Campus and to wear a mask when leaving your assigned space.

We leave the notification to parents and/or family up to the student. In every case we had last year, parents were notified.