Mandatory Student COVID Testing

If You Are Feeling Ill

This testing program should only be used by students without COVID-19 symptoms. If you feel ill, have any symptoms of illness, or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID-19 infection, please do not come to campus, and call (do not visit) Student Health and Counseling Services at 760-750-4915.

How to Schedule an Appointment

1. Use the CSUSM Mobile App to schedule your testing appointment.  Tap the link that says COVID TESTING, enter the unique code sent to you via text, select a location and time, complete the questions and you are all set.  You will receive an appointment confirmation via your campus email.   
2. Visit the testing location as scheduled – You will check-in using your campus Digital ID (found in the Mobile App) or you can use a government ID.  You will complete a quick PCR test that involves swabbing the inside of your nose. 
3. Get your results - You will receive your results within 24 hours via email or text, whichever you choose. If the test is negative, the text/email you receive will have that information. If you test positive, you will need to log in via the link that is provided in the communication to receive your results.

Appointment Location Schedule

• San Marcos Campus

  Hours updated Friday 2/26
  

  	SBSB 1103	MARK 106	ELB 102	USU 4600 Dining Pavillion	UVA Community (Housing Only)
  Monday	7am-7pm	7am-4pm	7:30am-3pm	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Tuesday	7am-6pm	7am-4pm	7:30am-4pm	CLOSED	10am-5pm
  Wednesday	7am-6pm	7am-4pm	7:30am-11am	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Thursday	7am-6pm	7am-4pm	7:30am-5pm	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Friday	7am-6pm	7am-4pm	7:30am-2pm	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Saturday	2pm-5:30pm	CLOSED	7:30am-11am	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Sunday	CLOSED	CLOSED	7:30am-11am	CLOSED	CLOSED

  Map Testing Sites for CSUSM Students, Faculty and Staff Only

• Temecula Campus

  Testing appointments will be available 7:30am-9:00am and 12:00pm-4:00pm on the dates listed.

  Feb 14-20	Sunday-Thursday
  Feb 21-Mar 21	Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
  Mar 22-28	Closed Spring Break
  Mar 29	Monday
  Apr 5-18	Sunday-Thursday
  Apr 19-May 10	Sunday, Monday & Tuesday

Student FAQ

• Why is testing required for students?

  Regular testing is one of the best ways we can help stem a surge of the Coronavirus among asymptomatic individuals and keep our campus healthy and open. 

• How often must students get tested?

  Every student must test once during each week (each Sunday through Saturday period during the semester) they come to campus.

  
  
  

• Do students need to test before going to class?

  No. Students need to test at least once per week, in any week that they are on campus (even if they only come to campus infrequently). 

• How do I make a testing appointment?

  Use the CSUSM Mobile App anytime you need to schedule your testing appointment.  Simply tap the link that says COVID TESTING and complete the quick process of selecting a location, time, and confirmation of your personal information. 

• What if I missed my appointment?

   Visit a testing site and they will help you rebook and get tested. 

• Which COVID-19 test will be used?

  PCR tests will be administered, which are very similar to the tests used at the San Diego County test site on campus. The test will be self-administered and entail a mid-nasal swab in both nostrils. This is not painful, and will be done by you, under the guidance of medical personnel that we have hired to assist with this testing program.  

• How and when will I get my results, and what if I am COVID positive?

  Test results will be delivered directly to you via a text message within 24 hours. Should you test positive, you will need to immediately isolate in your residence for a minimum of 10 days from the date of the positive test, as per County public health requirements. CSUSM will also receive notice of a positive result so that staff can follow up and offer services and support. In compliance with state and county regulations, any positive test results will  also be reported to San Diego County Health and Human Services Department. 

  I need to show proof of a negative test result for clinical placement. How do I get a copy of my lab results? 

  Please contact cs@hqesoterics.com to request a record of your COVID test result.      

• Do I still need to complete the COVID Screening on the Campus app each time I come to campus?

  Yes, completing the COVID Screening on the Campus app is still required each day before you come to campus regardless of whether you also get tested that day. 

• Who is part of the CSUSM COVID-19 testing program?

  Any student who is registered for at least one face-to-face or hybrid course at the main San Marcos campus or at CSUSM Temecula, who is participating in research, living in university housing, or any other on-campus activity that requires them to come to the San Marcos or Temecula campus, is required to test once during any week (each Sunday through Saturday period during the semester) that you come to campus.  

• Is the COVID-19 testing mandatory?

  Yes. Students must be tested once a week during any week they come to campus for any reason. If students do not comply with the testing requirements, they will not be allowed to attend in-person activities and will be subject to student conduct.

  If you have a qualifying reason to be exempted you may submit our exemption form. 

• What if I've been vaccinated or have a reason for exemption?

  What if I’ve already been vaccinated?
  If you have completed your COVID-19 vaccination series (two-doses for currently available vaccines), please use the exemption form to submit the required documentation for exemption (iPhone photos of documents are not accepted.) You will need to provide an immunization record showing your name, vaccine product/lot number, date, and location of vaccination.

  What if I was tested at an off-campus site?
  If you have received a negative COVID-19 test, use the exemption form to submit the required documentation for exemption. You will need to provide documentation showing your name, date of test, and a negative result.

  What if I have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days?
  Per CDC guidelines, you should not partake in COVID-19 testing for 90 days following the date of your positive test. Use the exemption form to submit the required documentation for exemption. You will need to provide proof of a positive COVID-19 test showing your name, date of test, and a positive result.

  What if I have another exemption from testing?
  If you have other medical reasons that exempt you from testing, you must contact Student Health and Counseling Services (shcs@csusm.edu or 760-750-4915) to make an appointment to have your exemption approved and recorded.

  If you need more information about testing exemption, contact COVIDtesting@csusm.edu or the COVID Testing Helpline at 760-750-7800.

• Is the COVID-19 testing free?

  Yes, COVID-19 testing is free to the students who are required to be tested. CSUSM is assuming the full cost of all student COVID-19 testing. 

• Where can I park while I am testing?

  Complimentary parking for COVID-19 testing is available in designated area in lots F, X, Y and Z.  There are two free 30-minute spaces parking spaces in Lot H and several free 90-minute parking spaces in Parking Structure 2 (adjacent to the Extended Learning Building). 

  All other parking areas require a valid permit.  Craven Circle is not intended for parking, it is pick-up/drop-off only. 

• How can these sites be accessed if I am mobility impaired?

  SBSB and the USU can be reached by using the elevators in Parking Structure 1 and taking them to the top floor, then crossing over to the plaza level via the pedestrian bridge.  

  For individuals using the bus stop in front of Kellogg Library, the external elevator behind Starbucks is operational and may be used to access the plaza level to reach both SBSB and USU testing sites. The Starbucks elevator would also be the closest access point to the XYZ parking lots.  

  The USU testing location can only be accessed from the main plaza level at this time. The Extended Learning Building and Markstein Hall are both conveniently located directly next to ground-level parking, and the testing sites are on the first floor.   

  From the Sprinter station, use Parking Structure 1 elevators to reach the top floor and cross over to the plaza level via the pedestrian bridge. 

• If I live on campus and am already participating in the mandatory COVID-19 testing program for residents, do I still need to participate in the COVID-19 program?

  Yes. Students living in residential housing will need to test once a week - the same frequency as all other students. A testing site will be available in the University Village Apartments (UVA) once a week for resident-only use (including QUAD residents), and every day in the Extended Learning (EL) Building. In addition, students living in campus housing can use any other testing site on campus. 

  UVA testing open Tuesdays 10am-5pm for housing students only.

• Are COVID-19 test results confidential? Who will see my results?

  The medical provider that we have hired to administer these tests is required to report all positive results to the County.  As per the declared public health emergency, the County will conduct contact tracing efforts to help contain and reduce the spread of the virus, and this typically includes contacting employers and places the person attends school.  The County is otherwise responsible for keeping your information confidential, and individual results will not be shared unless needed for public health measures.  Such information received by CSUSM from the County is kept confidential by CSUSM, and individual results will not be shared unless permitted by law or needed for public health or campus safety measures.

  What will CSUSM do with my results?
  Test results will be disclosed only as allowed or required under public health and other legal requirements.  CSUSM will receive notice should you test positive so that we can follow up and offer you the services and support in place for members of our campus community. Access to positive results will also help with campus exposure investigations to further mitigate potential exposures. In compliance with state and county regulations, any positive test results will automatically be reported to San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.   

• What do I need to bring to a testing location?

  Bring your smart phone and download the CSUSM Mobile App to access your digital student ID. At the testing site, there will be a mechanism for you to report that you have been tested as required.  You will also be required to scan a QR code posted inside any indoor space that you visit on campus, such as classrooms, research laboratories and the computer lab. 

  What if I do not own a smart phone? 
  If you don’t own a smartphone, IITS can provide you with an older generation iPad to be used for this process. Please visit our Technology Equipment Request page for more information.   

• Am I considered “safe” or able to lower my guard after a negative COVID-19 test?

  No. Testing results only indicate whether you had the virus at the moment you took the test. This helps identify asymptomatic cases within the community and decreases the spread of the virus. Testing does not keep us negative in the future nor does it mean we can lower our guard or relax any COVID-19 precautions. All individuals will continue to be required to wear mandatory masks, practice social distancing, and follow all protocols assigned by the campus and faculty in classrooms and laboratories, work locations, or any other campus space.

• Who do I contact if I have other questions?

  Please call (760) 750-7800 or email COVIDTesting@csusm.edu if you have questions. The phone will be answered 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. There will be a voicemail box active during other hours. 

Employee FAQ

On February 9, 2021, University Communications sent an “Update on COVID-19 Testing Guidelines and Procedures,” noting that students who live in campus housing, come to the San Marcos or Temecula campuses for instruction, or come to either campus for any other purpose (e.g., to participate in research, use the computer lab, etc.), are required to take free COVID-19 tests.  These tests must be taken once each week the students are physically on campus.  The Update included a link to online FAQs. Although these COVID-19 Testing Guidelines and Procedures only apply to students, we wanted to ensure you were also aware of additional FAQs regarding the mandatory student testing, based upon the questions sent to date.

• Why is testing mandatory for students?

  Health officials have determined that regular testing is a way to identify and stop the surge in asymptomatic individuals. There is no perfect way to prevent the spread, but this is one means we can use to identify a number of asymptomatic individuals and stop them from further spreading the virus.  Although the testing is not perfect, it provides an additional layer of protection we did not have previously. “Surveillance testing” (a public health term used by the CDC and healthcare agencies) – as opposed to diagnostic testing – is another means to identify and more quickly contain any potential outbreak once a positive contact is identified.  CSUSM is adding surveillance testing amongst our in-residence and in-person student cohorts to its existing list of safety protocols. If there is a positive contact, strict health/safety protocols are already in place to mitigate the potential risk of spread to others, and the university has a robust process in place to support those students, and rapidly advise those who may have shared the same space.

   If anyone tests positive, whether a student or employee, they will have information they otherwise would not have had and will therefore be able to quarantine and take precautions. CSUSM will also receive notice of a positive result so that campus staff can follow up and offer services and support. In compliance with state and county regulations, any positive test results will also be reported to San Diego County Health and Human Services Department.    

• Will other safety protocols remain in place?

  Yes. All other COVID protocols will stay in place and will play a critical role in keeping everyone on campus as safe as possible. As noted in the online FAQs, all students must follow the campus, faculty and staff protocols as instructed. For example, regardless of testing, on any day that a student or employee comes to campus, they must do the symptom self-screening. Employees may choose to either continue using the web-based form or  the CSUSM Mobile App, which has been updated to allow filling out this form with only a few taps after choosing the COVID SCREENING button. This requirement still applies to students, regardless of whether they are tested for COVID on any given day.

• Do students need to be tested prior to coming on-campus? Can I require students come the day before?

  Students do not need to test prior to on-campus class, research, or to use the computer labs and cannot be required to come to campus the day before their on-campus class, research, work, or to use the computer labs.  They only need to test once each week they come to campus and can schedule anytime available under the San Marcos Campus Testing Site Locations and Schedule, using the CSUSM Mobile App and tapping the COVID TESTING button.

• How can students fit this into their tight lab schedules?

  Students can make an appointment at a time that does not conflict with their labs.  They only need to test once each week they are on campus.  They do not have to wait for the test results.  Students will be texted (or emailed) the results within 24 hours.  If a student is running late on any given day, they can bypass the test that day and get tested another day that week or after class.

• How long will tests take?

  As this is our first time using this process, we are not certain; however, our vendor has indicated each test will be around five minutes and that the timeline will improve as students become used to the process. We will do everything we can to minimize or eliminate waiting in line, as that would, of course, add to the time of actually taking a test.  We will learn as we go and will update this answer accordingly. When in line, all safety protocols will be mandatory – masks and social distancing will be required. 

• If students do not come to campus do they still come to be tested?

  No. If they are not on campus for a week, they don’t need to be tested that week.  They only need to be tested on weeks they come to campus.

• What happens if students check in and they have not been tested?

  Staff and Faculty will not be expected to track student testing.  Using technology, the testing will be tracked and monitored, in compliance with confidentiality, and other requirements.  If students do not comply with the testing requirements, they will be subject to student conduct, which will be handled by Student Affairs and other supporting offices.

• Why test after they've already come to campus?

  Health officials have determined that regular testing is a way to identify and stop the surge in asymptomatic individuals. Testing provides an additional layer of protection we did not have previously. Anyone testing positive will have information and will therefore be able to quarantine and take precautions. CSUSM will also receive notice of a positive result so that campus staff can follow up and offer services and support.

  In compliance with state and county regulations, any positive test results will  also be reported to San Diego County Health and Human Services Department.  

• Can staff and/or faculty tell students not to be tested?

  No. This is mandatory for students coming in person. If students do not comply with the testing requirements, they will be subject to student conduct, which will be handled via Student Affairs and other supporting offices. Staff and faculty cannot tell students to opt out. 

• I want to get tested, how do I make an appointment?

  IITS is working to make changes to the CSUSM Mobile App to also allow faculty and staff who must come to campus to schedule a testing appointment. (Currently it is only set up for student appointments.) When the app is updated, notification will go out to faculty and staff.

• What happens if someone tests positive?

  Anyone who tests positive will need to immediately isolate in their residence for a minimum of 10 days from the date of the test was taken, as per County public health requirements. CSUSM will also receive notice of any positive result so that campus staff can follow up and offer services and support, as well as review isolation requirements. In compliance with state and county regulations, all positive test results will also be reported to San Diego County Health and Human Services Department. 

  Any individuals who are believed to be at increased risk of exposure due to close contact with a COVID-positive individual will be notified directly and be advised of appropriate health precautions, resources, and quarantine requirements.  “Close contact” is defined as being within 6 feet of a COVID-positive person for a cumulative period of 15 minutes or longer over a 24-hour period. Anyone not identified as a close contact is not required to quarantine. For additional questions related to positive COVID cases, email  covidcasereporting@csusm.edu

• Can students get tested at other hours/off campus?

  Yes, students who received a test result that week from another testing site can submit those results through the exemption form.

• Are faculty required to enforce QR code scans?

  No. Faculty are not expected to enforce this practice.  Although it would be appreciated if faculty chose to remind students to scan the QR code for the classroom, again, there is no expectation faculty enforce the practice.  To help, in addition to other messaging, an A frame will be placed in the lobby of each building to remind students to scan the QR codes.