COVID Testing


Friday, January 15, 2021

Hello Penn Fraternity and Sorority Chapter House community,

We are so excited to welcome you to campus soon! You’ll find information below about arriving to campus and completing your COVID-19 arrival test (gateway test).

PennOpen Pass

You must complete your PennOpen Pass prior to arrival on campus. PennOpen Pass is a daily symptom tracker and exposure reporting system designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the Penn community. Daily symptom checks and exposure reporting on PennOpen Pass are required for those who are on campus.

Users who report no symptoms and no recent contact with someone who may have COVID-19 will get a Green Pass, meaning you are “cleared” for the day. All individuals on campus are required to:

• show their Green Pass upon entry into buildings
• wear a face covering
• practice physical distancing.

Users who do report symptoms or recent contact with someone who may have COVID-19 get a Red Pass. This means you are “not cleared” for the day. Users who receive a Red Pass will be asked to answer additional questions which allow follow-up to be tailored to their individual needs. It is important to read the instructions provided on your Red Pass carefully and follow them right away.

Arriving to Your Chapter House

Please note that staff will not be available to assist with street parking. If parking spots are available, you can park per the city’s parking guidelines. If street parking is not available, there are parking garages available.

When you arrive at Penn, you will go directly to your chapter house and receive your key. Your chapter leader in charge of moving in first will have the keys to disperse.

In order to stay within the two-hour move-in time limit, you should limit the number of belongings you bring. If your chapter provides standardized furniture, you need to use that and cannot remove them from the room. If your chapter does not provide furniture, plan accordingly for the limited essentials you would need. Large furniture, large storage containers, or other bulky items that would require more than one person to carry should be avoided when possible. For personal items such as clothes and personal care, It is strongly recommended that you bring only what will fit into 2 suitcases and a backpack. Penn move-in carts will not be available, and many in-and-out trips from your chapter house are strongly discouraged. To support that effort, please pack only your essentials – such as clothing, personal care products, bedding, and school supplies.

In order to open the door to the house, you must use your PennCard. Do NOT prop doors.

If you lost your PennCard, you can obtain a new PennCard at the PennCard office

 

Guest Pass

Each resident is allowed one guest to help them move in during their two-hour timeslot. Your guest must have a photo ID with them.

The guest must leave promptly at the conclusion of the two-hour timeslot. The guest is not able to stay overnight or enter the building again. Guests should remain with their hosts throughout the move-in process; however, guests are not permitted to accompany students into the testing sites.

Packages

Your living and mailing addresses can be found on Campus Express.

Testing Upon Arrival (Gateway Testing)

All students moving on to campus are required to schedule their gateway (arrival) test immediately upon arrival. Until your test is scheduled, you may have a Red PennOpen Pass and will not be able to enter campus buildings.

For more information about the testing process, including instructions on how to prepare for your test, visit the COVID Testing Site below. Please note: you must refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, gum chewing, vaping, and tobacco use for at least 30 minutes before your test. You must also arrive “hands-free” during the testing process. Storage of personal possessions will not be available. Please arrive with your mask on, your Green PennOpen Pass, and your PennCard.

If you are arriving on a Sunday, please note that there is no gateway testing available that day. You will need to schedule for Monday by visiting the COVID-19 Scheduling Site.

After-Hours Arrival

If you are unable to arrive to campus, move in to your Chapter House between 8 am and 5 pm and receive your gateway test (arrival test), you must immediately quarantine after receiving your access to your house. You must schedule your arrival test for the following day by visiting the COVID-19 Scheduling site. A map of the testing locations can be found on the Testing Sites and Hours page. 

Resources:

More information about COVID testing and other wellness questions can be found on the University’s COVID-19 website. You can also follow the University’s COVID-19 social media channels @COVIDPenn on Twitter and Instagram. A more comprehensive Chapter Housing Living Guide will be shared with you via email.

The requirements and protocols outlined here were instituted to minimize the risk of virus spread and better protect the health and safety of the entire Penn Community. For that reason, we strongly urge you to strictly follow these guidelines and plan accordingly.

Please consult the resources mentioned above for information that was not addressed here. We will continue to update the OFSL Housing page by adding the communications to it.

We encourage you to follow Residential Services on social media for updates and tips about living on campus: Residential Services is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and Penn Dining is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

For more information please visit the University COVID-19 Website, particularly the Student Testing information page and the OFSL Website. You can also email us at vpul-ofsl@upenn.edu. In order to expedite a response, you should include your chapter affiliation in the subject line.

Our best,
OFSL Team

Residential Services

Penn Dining