The following COVID-19 testing (PCR nasal swab) is available on campus for CMU students, faculty and staff:
- General testing for individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been identified as a
close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Surveillance testing for healthy individuals who are not
experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. This allows CMU to monitor and respond to virus trends.
Location:
- 28A Foust Hall, lower level.
- Please use the southeast entrance, stairwell 112.
-
Use only doors marked for COVID testing; do not use any other entrance and do not walk through
the building.
Testing is available for CMU faculty, staff and students by appointment:
- Beginning Jan. 4, 2021:
- Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: 8 a.m. - Noon
- Wednesdays: 10 a.m. - Noon
Before visiting Foust Hall for testing:
- Call 989-774-1317 or email
covidtesting@cmich.edu to schedule an appointment.
- Use only the southeast entrance to Foust Hall.
- Outdoor signage will guide you to the appropriate door.
- Do not use any other entrances when coming to Foust for testing.
- Wear a mask covering the nose and mouth.
Self-Report a Positive COVID-19 Test
If you visit another health care provider, health department or drugstore and test positive for COVID-19, please call
the COVID-19 Intake Team at 989-774-7136 or email
covidtracking@cmich.edu immediately.
Your medical information is confidential. CMU Health will not share your diagnosis with others.
Self-reporting helps university health care professionals conduct contact tracing and provide resources and support
you may need for working, learning and living in our campus community.
If You Test Positive for COVID-19
Please refer to the information included on
the Health and Safety Protocols
page. If you have other questions, please call your health care provider or CMU Health at 989-774-6599.
Frequently Asked Questions about Testing
- CMU will prioritize testing for individuals who are symptomatic and individuals who have had
close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
-
The CDC defines close contact as having been within 6 feet for 15
minutes or longer with or without use of masks, 48 hours prior to when symptoms first
started with the infected individual.
- CMU faculty, staff and students who believe they are at risk due to close contact with a
symptomatic person may also make an appointment for testing.
- At this time, CMU is only testing current CMU students and employees. CMU is not testing family
members or dependents.
- Test results are usually available within 48 hours.
- Individuals awaiting test results who have been directed to quarantine should not return to
campus until they receive a negative test result and receive clearance to resume on-campus
activities.
- If you receive a positive result, you will receive further instruction on isolation and contact
tracing.
- Most insurance programs will cover the cost of one test. If you are required by CMU to complete
additional tests, CMU will cover the cost of those tests if they are completed in the CMU Foust
Hall testing site.
- Students who do not have insurance will be covered by CMU.
Find support
Students who need health care may contact
CMU Student Health Services, located in Foust
Hall. Please call 989-774-6599 before visiting the clinic. CMU Health also provides
psychiatry services.
Students also may contact the
CMU Counseling Center for free, confidential counseling services.
Call 989-774-3371 to schedule an appointment.
Faculty and staff may contact
University Human Resources for information on leave options, including
options available under the
Families First Coronavirus Response
Act.
Surveillance testing for COVID-19
Central Michigan University continues to conduct surveillance testing for SARS-CoV2 (the virus associated with
COVID-19) among students, faculty and staff on our Mount Pleasant campus. To generate a representative sample of the
university community, we are seeking volunteers each week to participate in testing.
Sign up for a surveillance testing appointment
Surveillance
testing appointments are available by appointment Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays from 1-5 p.m. beginning Jan. 5 through March 4. There is no charge for surveillance tests.
Understanding surveillance testing
In pooled testing, samples from several people are combined prior to being tested. If the pooled sample returns a
positive result, each individual sample is then tested separately to determine which individual or individuals were
infected. This process allows CMU to monitor and respond to virus trends, and to quickly screen for individuals who
are asymptomatic but infected with SARS-CoV2 — the virus associated with COVID-19 — reducing the risk of virus
spread. This approach is FDA and CDC approved and has been used by many large educational institutions across the
country.
Your surveillance-testing appointment
After you
schedule an appointment for your test, you will receive a confirmation
email with a link to a COVID Surveillance Survey. Please complete the survey on the day of your test;
do not complete the survey more than 24 hours before your test.
When you arrive in the testing center, located on the lower level of Foust Hall in room 28A, you will complete a
brief check-in process, including a consent form, before the test is administered.
CMU is using a molecular nasopharyngeal test, which involves inserting a swab into your nose to collect a sample of
the fluid in the back of your nasal cavity. It may feel a bit strange or uncomfortable, but it doesn't last long
— the swab should take less than one minute.
Test results
Within 48 hours, you will be contacted by staff from the testing center with your results. If your test result is
positive, you will receive additional instructions which may include isolation and additional testing. Please read
the "If You Test Positive for COVID-19" information on our
Health and Safety Protocols webpage.
As required by law, CMU must share any positive test results with the Central Michigan District Health Department.
CMU will comply with all health care privacy laws and will only share positive test results with individuals and
organizations deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of the community. Anonymous aggregate data on test
results may be used for additional research purposes, and results of the surveillance testing will be included in
CMU's COVID-19 reporting dashboard. This data will not include any personally identifiable information.