July 23, 2021

Dear students,
 
CIM’s leadership learned late last week, along with you, about Case Western’s vaccination policies for fall 2021. We are deeply disappointed that we did not have the opportunity to understand and share these policies directly with you. Since that time, we have engaged with CWRU to learn more and we write today to share some updates to the fall 2021 vaccination protocols.
 
Because of the classes, campus services (gyms, dining, etc.), and University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) that CIM and CWRU students share, CIM students will be required to participate in CWRU’s vaccination protocols.
 
By August 6, you must do one of the following three things:
 
  1. Upload your vaccine card to the UHCS portal. You should do this as soon as possible, even if you are only partially vaccinated. You should also upload your card if you have received a vaccine other than Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Note: this is in addition to uploading your vaccination card to the CIM portal by August 6 as well.
  2. Notify CWRU that you have been unable to access a vaccine but wish to be vaccinated once you arrive on campus.
  3. File for a medical or religious exemption.
 
Please note: CWRU will consider students fully vaccinated if they have received full two doses for Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines such as Covishield and Vaxzevria, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

CIM’s leadership is continuing conversations with CWRU to understand more detail about their protocols and any impact they will have on CIM students. We will share new information as it becomes available, but a few points to note are:

  • Students filing for medical or religious exemptions will complete that process entirely with CWRU, who will communicate the names of students with approved exemptions to CIM.
  • Any student who is not fully vaccinated, including those with approved exemptions, will be required to participate in weekly testing at CWRU. The testing will be free of charge. More information on how to access this testing will be shared as soon as it is available.
  • CWRU and CIM’s masking policies are currently the same: masks are optional for those who are fully vaccinated and required for those who are not fully vaccinated. Both CIM and CWRU will manage this on the honor system. CIM will continue to evaluate and set the policy for masking requirements in our main building and on the first three floors of the residence hall.
  • We do not yet know if CIM students will be required to participate in the 3-week period of baseline testing at the beginning of the semester. CIM will share that information with you as soon as it is confirmed.

While CWRU’s protocols are very similar to those that CIM outlined in June, and both are designed to ensure a high rate of full vaccination while having a clear plan in place to manage risk and help protect the health of all students regardless of vaccination status, there are differences. Due to the nature of the shared campus facilities and classes, CWRU requires that CIM students participate in the protocols for both CIM and CWRU.

This is a very serious process and it is critical that you complete your requirements at CIM and CWRU by August 6. If you do not upload your card with CWRU and CIM, request to be vaccinated once you arrive on campus or file for a medical or religious exemption by the August 6 deadline, you will be contacted by the CWRU Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and consequences may include a registration hold on all CWRU classes. This will also be true for exempt or otherwise unvaccinated students who do not comply with the weekly testing or other requirements as directed once the semester begins.

Thank you for your careful attention to these important updates and details. CIM’s leadership is committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff and will work with CWRU to ensure that commitment extends beyond CIM’s walls to the larger campus community. Please consult CWRU’s FAQ page or reach out to one of us with any questions, and we will continue to share updates and other important information via email between now and the start of the semester in a few short weeks.

Sincerely,

Jerrod Price, Dean of Musician and Community Advancement
Cicely Schonberg, Interim Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Dean Southern, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Conservatory
Maddi Tolliver, Dean of Artistic Administration and Operations