NASPA Global Health, Safety, and Responsibility

Updated August 7, 2022

 

On-site Participation Guidelines

Event Safety During Ongoing Public Health Emergencies

With ongoing public health emergencies, NASPA is prepared to manage our place-based events with the health, safety, and well-being of our attendees, staff, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers in mind. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, NASPA staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by our code of conduct and all polices in effect for any event sponsored by the Association.

We will continue to monitor and update safety precautions for all of our conferences regularly and coordinate with trusted national resources, state and local public health agencies, and the hotels/venues hosting our events.

In all cases, we will continue to assess the risks in the area local to the event and the current status in the United States. In keeping with the Association's duty of care and the responsibility as host, NASPA has implemented safety requirements for many of our place-based convenings.

We reserve the right to modify these policies and procedures at any time given the rapidly changing nature of any current and ongoing public health emergencies. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

In keeping with the Association's duty to care and responsibility as host, NASPA leadership strongly encourages all participants at NASPA events whether a presenter, attendee, exhibitor, staff, guest, or vendor to be fully vaccinated. Updated July 19, 2022, the CDC Vaccines website provides definitions of "Fully Vaccinated" and "Up To Date".

  • "Full vaccination" means that either 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose of FDA or WHO authorized (or emergency use authorized) double-dozed vaccines or single-dose vaccine. Proof of vaccination will be required to attend NASPA events. 
  • "Up to Date" means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. At this time, we are not requiring boosters of attendees.

We strongly encourage all attendees who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 Booster in addition to being fully vaccinated. NASPA is following the CDC definition of fully vaccinated for vaccination requirements, but we encourage individuals who are eligible to receive the booster prior to attending any NASPA event.

NASPA strongly encourages individuals to be tested for COVID prior to traveling to any NASPA event. Individuals who test positive should stay home and cancel your registration. If you are on-site and test positive for COVID-19, please contact NASPA staff by emailing [email protected]. 

Mask Requirement

NASPA will follow the requirements of the city and state in which a meeting/event is taking place in regard to masks. However, all participants at NASPA events are strongly encouraged to wear procedural (a.k.a. surgical) masks with at least 3 layers of fabric, KN95, KF94s, or N95 masks during events. Masks are encouraged to be worn at all times, except while actively eating/drinking, and in any venue that is considered a NASPA event space (both on-site and off-site venues). Masks should cover both the mouth and nose. We ask that participants honor the requests of others to mask up and/or maintain physical distancing. See the CDC webpage for the most updated information about face coverings and masks, including COVID-19 Community Levels to make decisions about what prevention/mitigation measures to implement based on the latest data.

Please contact Stephanie Gordon, vice president for professional development, and Amy Shopkorn, vice president for operations at [email protected], for more information.

Physical Distancing

While many venues are not currently requiring physical distancing, NASPA will provide physically-distant seating and event space set-up to allow individuals who wish to physically distance while in sessions to do so comfortably. 

Continued Planning

NASPA is continuing to develop onsite protocols for seating, signage, meals, and other events during NASPA events. More information will be posted on individual conference websites throughout the preparation for attendees' arrival in the various locations we hold events. 

COVID-19 Notice and Waiver

NASPA will require registrants to understand the place-based, in-person conferences are taking place during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Registrants will be asked to click "I understand" following reading the wavier information. If you are a registrant for one of our events, you will be asked to check an "I understand" button for this waiver. The waiver language is listed below:

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization and is extremely contagious. NASPA has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at our various events; however, NASPA cannot guarantee that attendees will not become infected with COVID-19. By registering for the a NASPA event, I,

    • acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19;
    • voluntarily assume the risk that I may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending the NASPA event which exposure or infection may come from the actions, omissions, or negligence of myself and others, including, but not limited to, NASPA employees, volunteers, and program participants and their families; 
    • acknowledge that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death; and 
    • hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless NASPA, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from any injury to me resulting from being exposed to or infected by COVID-19 in connection with my attendance at a NASPA event (including claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of NASPA, its employees, agents, and representatives).

 

Venue and Location Safety Information

NASPA event planners will work with vendors, facilities, and local areas to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements and recommendations regarding cleaning surfaces, food service, air flow and circulation, sanitation of common areas, housekeeping services for lodging rooms, and other environmental health and safety. 

NASPA is contracting event space from the venue and therefore is able to maintain rules and regulations for that space alone. The Association is not responsible, nor are we able to, require masks or vaccination for the other spaces or areas where events and meetings are being held. NASPA is not able to require vaccinations of the venue’s staff, but we can require masking of staff working NASPA contracted space.

Information about COVID-19

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus (SARS-CoV-2). It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world. People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported - ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Some people, including those with minor or no symptoms, may suffer from post-COVID conditions, also known as "long COVID." There have been millions of documented cases of COVID and over one million deaths since December 2019.

You can learn more about the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic by visiting the World Health Organization (WHO) webpage or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) webpage.

COVID-19 has impacted the field of higher education and the roles of student affairs professionals. NASPA has assembled select resources related to COVID-19 to support student affairs professionals in their work.

Information About Monkeypox

Monkeypox (sometimes written as MPX) is a virus which is generally spread through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact which causes symptoms including fever and rash. The virus is spreading in the United States and globally. Transmission is also possible through handling contaminated bedding or surfaces, with ongoing research on other methods of spread within communal environments being evaluated. 

On July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and on August 4, 2022, the Biden Administration declared the United States outbreak a public health emergency.

You can learn more about monkeypox by visiting the World Health Organization (WHO) webpage of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) webpage.

Monkeypox has the potential to impact the field of higher education and the roles of student affairs professionals. The following resources may help student affairs professionals in their work.

With ongoing evaluation of spread, student affairs professionals are recommended to work with local and state public health authorities until more specific guidance is made for institutions of higher education.