To the campus community:
As you may have noticed on the College’s COVID-19 dashboard, we’ve had an uptick in positive student cases on campus with 15 testing positive in 290 tests (5.5%) from Jan 18-24. In some cases, these results occurred after negative pre-arrival and arrival tests, which is a clear indication that even after the soft quarantine it is important to limit the number of close contacts.
This is a stark reminder of how life will be on campus during the spring semester. There’s no question that we will see COVID-19 cases throughout the semester. Our testing, contact tracing, quarantine, and isolation plans were developed to limit the spread of the virus. Your behavior is also a key factor in keeping COVID-19 at bay.
For example, based on the College’s mitigation plan that goes into effect Feb. 1, a similar scenario of new positive COVID-19 cases among students or employees exceeding 5% during any seven-day period will place the campus at operational level 4. That level represents a full campus quarantine, the most restrictive level, and virtually everything comes to a halt.
Our commitment to community health as expressed in Pard Pledge must be prioritized over many of the freedoms we enjoyed prior to the pandemic. The College’s ability to offer in-person residential education depends on it. As we navigate the spring semester together, we must all operate from the same place of caring for our own and each other’s safety. Let’s begin by committing to wearing masks and maintaining physical distance.
Sincerely,
Annette Diorio
Vice President for Campus Life
Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein
Director of Health Services