Updates in advance of the fall term

Key details for the new term

August 19, 2022

campus shot

The following message was sent to the Towson University community Aug. 19.

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Dear Towson University students, faculty and staff —

We're excited to welcome our full community back to campus in the coming weeks, and we wanted to provide all Tigers – those new and returning — with an update on TU's preparedness for the fall term.

In simplest terms: if you are sick or you don’t feel well, stay home.

TU's COVID Response Leadership Team is joined in this message to campus by Suzanne Caccamese, MD, Medical Director of TU's Health Center.

Update regarding COVID & return to campus  

TU will continue to monitor the presence of COVID-19 within our community, consult with local, state and USM medical and public health experts, and confer with TU Medical Advisory Committee and shared governance. Our community remains highly vaccinated, and in alignment with guidance from health officials, remains a mask-optional campus.

This fall, as in the past, anyone who is symptomatic, exposed to COVID-19 or confirmed positive should complete the Tigers Care QuickScan — TU's symptom monitoring and reporting tool — regardless of vaccination status. Individuals experiencing symptoms should also isolate and be tested — either using an at-home test or through their healthcare provider. TU’s Health Center is available for students who need to schedule a COVID test. While not currently in operation, TU's West Village Test Center site remains in place in the event community testing is needed again in the future.

TU also has maintained limited isolation space on campus in the event it is needed to help those residential students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unable to isolate at home. Updated CDC guidance shared last week recommends that, instead of quarantining, individuals possibly exposed to COVID-19  should wear a mask for 10 days and test on the fifth day. 

We continue to strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated and fully boosted, based on CDC recommendations. Vaccinations and boosters are widely available through health care providers, pharmacies and other clinics as outlined at vaccines.gov. TU will be hosting COVID and flu vaccine clinics throughout the fall semester in partnership with Safeway. More information about these clinics and how to schedule an appointment will be updated on the University Health Center website by the start of classes.

Anyone with specific questions about COVID-19 protocols is encouraged to visit Towson.edu/Coronavirus and email  if you can't find what you're looking for on the website.

Update regarding monkeypox & return to campus

TU continues to closely monitor the presence of monkeypox in our area. No cases have been reported among the TU community at this time and the University Health Center is working closely with the Baltimore County Health Department to keep our campus safe. 

The current risk of contracting monkeypox is low, as it is spread through close, intimate contact. However, as the disease continues to be present in surrounding communities, it is likely we will experience cases in our community. 

The CDC has provided guidance for individuals on how the disease spreads and prevention efforts that can be taken. Monkeypox symptoms may include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a rash that can appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body. 

Guidance regarding access to the monkeypox vaccine is available through the Baltimore County Health Department. For more information, visit the CDC website or contact the Health Center at  or 410-704-2466.

Thank you for continuing to show how Tigers Care! We look forward to an exciting return to classes, campus life and seeing our fellow Tigers again this Fall!

Sincerely, 

Melanie Perreault, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
Chair, COVID Response Leadership Team

Vernon Hurte, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs

Steve Jones
Chief Human Resources Officer and Vice President for Operations

Suzanne Caccamese, MD
TU Health Center Medical Director