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Main Image for COVID-19 Response

COVID-19 Response

Photo by Chris Kendall ’82
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Bard College’s plan for the academic year is designed with the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, and the broader Bard community as its highest priority, while enabling the College to continue its mission of providing an engaged and rigorous education.

COVID-19 Incident Report  Contact the Cares Team  Campus Data Dashboard

Last Updated April 18, 2021

Recent Updates to:

Data Dashboard
Vaccine Information
Adjustments to Campus Protocols
Updated Campus Visitor Policy
Group Travel Policy

COVID-19 Announcements by Date

  • Apr
    06
    Tuesday, April 6, 2021
    Vaccine Eligibility Update, Campus Safety Protocols, Gym and Library Access, and Response Team Office Hours
  • Vaccine Eligibility Update, Campus Safety Protocols, Gym and Library Access, and Response Team Office Hours

    Tuesday, April 6, 2021

    A COVID-19 Update

    In this update:
    • Vaccination eligibility update
    • Campus COVID protocols remain in force
    • Expanded gym and library access
    • Response Team office hours

    To the Bard College community,

    We are pleased to announce that starting today, April 6, everyone in New York age 16 and over is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. That means the entire Bard College community is now eligible, and we encourage all students, faculty, and staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The sooner we are all vaccinated, the safer we will all be. Since January, when vaccines were first made available, we have been working with local healthcare providers and State and county Departments of Health to try to organize a vaccination site at Bard. We have also diligently been exploring opportunities to reserve blocks of appointments for Bardians at nearby vaccination sites. Those efforts have not yet borne fruit but we hope they will soon. We will continue exploring every available opportunity to provide our community access to vaccines. In the meantime, please use this tool on the New York State website to find a nearby vaccination site and make an individual appointment. 

    Infection rates in New York and some other states remain stubbornly high and, in many places, are rising again. New York City, in particular, is experiencing an uptick in positive cases. As you can see from the campus dashboard on the Bard COVID webpage, Bard has sustained a low number of active student and employee cases for the past several weeks, and we still have lower numbers than many of our peer institutions and our surrounding community. Through our diligent collective efforts, together we have prevented an outbreak on campus, but our efforts to contain infection must be consistent and ongoing. For that reason, the College is not relaxing the prohibition on non-essential travel or the requirements to be masked and physically distant on campus. The College’s COVID protocols will remain in force until further notice. We know what works - mask wearing, physical distancing, and avoiding large gatherings both on campus and off, for example - and we know what behaviors risk infection and spread. We have been tremendously successful in maintaining a healthy campus. Let’s not risk that success now, with just six weeks remaining in the semester. We can enjoy the spring weather while wearing masks and observing the necessary behavior.

    Members of the Response Team continue to meet on a near-daily basis, to review scientific updates and changes to State guidance, consider adjustments to Bard policy, approve requests for assistance, supervise the College’s COVID operations including our extensive testing program and our isolation and quarantine spaces, and plan for the rest of the semester, the summer (including the MFA program, the Bard Summer Research Institute, Brothers@, and Bard Summerscape and the Bard Music Festival among other programs), and the fall semester. We are glad we have been able to safely expand access to some campus facilities, as has been recently announced: faculty and staff can now utilize Stevenson Gym under the same restrictions as students, and Stevenson Library has expanded its hours so students have increased access to study space in the evenings and on the weekends. Please see your email for detailed announcements from both facilities. Also, don’t forget about the new Taste Budd’s pick-up site on campus at the Old Gym, with twice-daily pick ups at 12PM and 5PM; order at www.TasteBudds.com.

    Finally, a reminder that the Response Team holds weekly office hours. Any member of the Bard community is welcome to drop by Tuesday afternoons from 4-5PM. Check your Bard email for the link and password. Please also feel free to reach out to us by email. 

    Sincerely,
     
    Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
    responseteam@bard.edu
     
    Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration
    Kimberly Alexander, Director, Human Resources
    Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Barbara Jean Briskey, Director, Health Services
    Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
    Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff, President's Office/Vice President for Strategy and Policy
    Brooke Jude, Associate Professor of Biology
    John Gomez, Director, Safety and Security
    David Lindholm, Interim Athletic Director
    Emily McLaughlin, Associate Dean of the College
    Jennifer Murray, Dean of International Studies
    Bethany Nohlgren, Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
    Kahan Sablo, Dean for Inclusive Excellence
    Michael Sadowski, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies
    David Shein, Associate VP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Studies
    Éric Trudel, Chair, Faculty Senate
    Dumaine Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs/Early Colleges
  • Mar
    27
    Saturday, March 27, 2021
    A Message about How Vaccines Work and Should Inform Community Behavior
  • A Message about How Vaccines Work and Should Inform Community Behavior

    Saturday, March 27, 2021

    A COVID-19 Update

    To the Bard College community,

    With the COVID vaccine becoming more widely available, it’s important to understand what the vaccine is designed to do, and how that should inform your behavior. 

    What the COVID vaccine does:
    • It strengthens your immune system’s ability to fight the coronavirus. 
    • It helps to ensure that if you are infected, the course of your illness will be far milder. All of the currently available COVID vaccines have been shown to be highly effective in that regard. 

    What the COVID vaccine does not do:
    • It does not eliminate or kill the coronavirus.
    • It does not prevent you from being infected with COVID.   
    • It does not eliminate the possibility that you could transmit COVID to others. Some evidence shows that the current vaccines lessen transmissibility, but there is not yet enough clear data to draw definitive conclusions.

    So, what does this all mean for us?

    Everyone, even those who have been vaccinated, must continue to observe COVID safety protocols, such as mask wearing whenever you’re near others, physical distancing, and avoiding large gatherings. Once vaccinated you must also continue to watch for symptoms, fill out your daily health screening, and continue to participate in Bard’s testing program, since you can still be infected with or transmit the virus. The COVID vaccine will not cause you to test positive. If your test is positive, whether you have been vaccinated or not, it means you are infected with COVID and must isolate immediately to prevent further spread.

    This is especially important as more contagious variants are spreading rapidly.

    Everyone should get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible and can do so. Being vaccinated offers a high degree of protection to individuals against severe illness. The more individuals in our community are vaccinated, the safer we will all be. Eventually enough people will be vaccinated that the federal government and New York State will relax the current policies. But we are not at that point yet. Until the majority of our community is vaccinated, we cannot change the protocols and behaviors that have kept us safe so far. 

    The arrival of increasing numbers of vaccines, and expanding eligibility, offer tremendous hope, and an extraordinary opportunity for us all to have a lessened fear of severe illness or death. It does not give us license to immediately ‘go back to normal’ or to disregard safety protocols. The pandemic is not over, but there is hope on the horizon. 

    We are now one year into this pandemic and we should take great pride in how successful we have been in protecting our community. Together, we have accomplished many things that may have seemed impossible just six months ago, including in-person classes for nearly two full semesters. We have conducted more than 17,000 tests on campus since last summer and found fewer than 30 positive cases. Thanks to these extraordinary efforts, we are very close to reaching a far more open and safe new normal. 


    Sincerely,
     
    Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
    responseteam@bard.edu
     
    Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration
    Kimberly Alexander, Director, Human Resources
    Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Barbara Jean Briskey, Director, Health Services
    Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
    Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff, President's Office/Vice President for Strategy and Policy
    Brooke Jude, Associate Professor of Biology
    John Gomez, Director, Safety and Security
    David Lindholm, Interim Athletic Director
    Emily McLaughlin, Associate Dean of the College
    Jennifer Murray, Dean of International Studies
    Bethany Nohlgren, Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
    Kahan Sablo, Dean for Inclusive Excellence
    Michael Sadowski, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies
    David Shein, Associate VP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Studies
    Éric Trudel, Chair, Faculty Senate
    Dumaine Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs/Early Colleges
     
  • Mar
    19
    Friday, March 19, 2021
    A Message about Campus Visitors, Off-Campus Travel, and Expanding Vaccine Access
  • A Message about Campus Visitors, Off-Campus Travel, and Expanding Vaccine Access

    Friday, March 19, 2021

    A COVID-19 Update

    In this update:
    • Campus visitors
    • Off-campus travel
    • Expanding vaccine access 
    To the Bard College community,

    Starting Monday March 22, the College is expanding the categories of approved on-campus visitors to include daily household members of Bard students, faculty, and staff. This new exception applies only to current, daily members of your local household, not anyone who has traveled to visit you, and pertains only to the outdoors campus grounds. For students, New York State considers residential college roommates to be household members. Please note that the main campus remains closed to unapproved visitors from outside of the campus community, and no visitors of any kind are permitted inside buildings or facilities unless they have been approved in advance by the Response Team via the Essential Visitor Request Form on the Bard Human Resources page. All visitors must be accompanied at all times by their Bard host and must follow all masking and physical distancing requirements.

    Understanding that off-campus group activities are an important aspect of the student experience, the College is developing new guidelines that will allow for limited organized group day trips in the Spring semester. These guidelines will enable student groups seeking to participate in college-sponsored off-campus activities to apply to travel for activities such as field research, academic enrichment, volunteer and civic engagement efforts, athletic Liberty League competition, and outdoors groups. 

    Health and safety protocols will be central to the planning and approval of any organized student day trips. Consideration for approval will include risk assessment, staffing (all group travel will require faculty/staff chaperones), transportation, and testing capacity. Groups approved for off-campus travel will be required to abide by Bard’s masking, distancing, and testing protocols as defined through the application process. No overnight travel will be permitted at this time. In the coming days we will circulate details on the application process.

    Off-campus travel by individuals is still restricted. COVID rates remain high, with very contagious variants continuing to circulate around the country. It is important for us as a community to uphold all the efforts we individually and collectively put into completing the “return to campus” protocols, which enabled us to carefully bring our community back together and prevent COVID from spreading on our campus. Students who are taking in-person classes and need to travel for personal reasons, whether you live on or off campus, should submit a request to travel HERE prior to departure, to receive guidance and ensure we can accommodate your safe return to campus. 

    Please remember that we are still in a pandemic and that this movement toward allowing limited group travel and household campus visitors can only succeed with continued adherence to COVID safety protocols, particularly mask-wearing, physical distancing, and testing. 

    We are encouraged by the recent expansion of eligibility for and availability of COVID vaccinations in the region. New mass-vaccination sites have opened in Ulster County, and we expect more to open in the region in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, the Bard Health Service continues to test and care for students who experience symptoms or feel ill; students are encouraged to call 845-758-7433 to make an appointment as needed.

    Sincerely,
     
    Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
    responseteam@bard.edu
     
    Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration
    Kimberly Alexander, Director, Human Resources
    Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Barbara Jean Briskey, Director, Health Services
    Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
    Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff, President's Office/Vice President for Strategy and Policy
    Brooke Jude, Associate Professor of Biology
    John Gomez, Director, Safety and Security
    David Lindholm, Interim Athletic Director
    Emily McLaughlin, Associate Dean of the College
    Jennifer Murray, Dean of International Studies
    Bethany Nohlgren, Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
    Kahan Sablo, Dean for Inclusive Excellence
    Michael Sadowski, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies
    David Shein, Associate VP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Studies
    Éric Trudel, Chair, Faculty Senate
    Dumaine Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs/Early Colleges
     
  • Mar
    17
    Wednesday, March 17, 2021
    An Update on Vaccine Eligibility for Faculty and Staff
  • An Update on Vaccine Eligibility for Faculty and Staff

    Wednesday, March 17, 2021

    A COVID-19 Update

    To all faculty and staff,

    We are pleased to inform you that New York State has expanded vaccine eligibility with new categories that apply directly to faculty and staff. Adding to last week’s expansion to include everyone over the age of 60, this new expansion makes all “in-person faculty and essential staff” eligible for vaccination. With the adoption of the new criteria, all faculty and staff working on the Bard campus are eligible for the vaccine.

    We encourage all on-campus faculty and staff to make an appointment as soon as possible. You can do so through the New York State vaccination website, and can confirm eligibility and vaccination locations here. Please bring proof of employment, such as an ID card or pay stub, to the vaccine site. You can also obtain a letter of employment confirmation from the Human Resources office. Please note that the new criteria currently apply to New York State vaccine locations, not pharmacies, though this might change in the coming days. Vaccine supplies are still somewhat limited, but they have increased this week, and both Dutchess and Ulster counties are starting up new sites intended to accommodate people in these new categories.

    The sooner we can all get vaccinated, the safer we will be as a community. Remember that all COVID safety protocols, such as mask wearing and physical distancing, will remain in effect for all members of the Bard community, even those who have been vaccinated.

    We will continue to update the community as vaccine eligibility expands further.
     
    Sincerely,

    Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
    responseteam@bard.edu
     
    Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration
    Kimberly Alexander, Director, Human Resources
    Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Barbara Jean Briskey, Director, Health Services
    Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
    Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff, President's Office/Vice President for Strategy and Policy
    Brooke Jude, Associate Professor of Biology
    John Gomez, Director, Safety and Security
    David Lindholm, Interim Athletic Director
    Emily McLaughlin, Associate Dean of the College
    Jennifer Murray, Dean of International Studies
    Bethany Nohlgren, Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
    Kahan Sablo, Dean for Inclusive Excellence
    Michael Sadowski, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies
    David Shein, Associate VP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Studies
    Éric Trudel, Chair, Faculty Senate
    Dumaine Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs/Early Colleges
     

Campus Plan by Topic

  • Important Dates
  • Planning for the Semester
  • Academics
  • Health
  • For Employees

Important Dates

January 14–29: Citizen Science Program
February 1: First Day of Spring Classes
March: Respite Days in lieu of Spring Break on March 8, 11, 16, 19, 24, and 27
May 5: Senior Projects Due (5:00 p.m.)
May 25: Last Day of Spring Classes
May 29: Commencement (subject to change)

View the Full Academic Calendar

Planning for the Semester

What Guides Our Planning

Bard’s COVID-19 response plan is informed by current national, regional, and local conditions and best public health practices. We are following New York State guidance, which includes specific mandates for higher education, and guidance from the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health.

The College has a formal agreement with Nuvance Health, one of the largest health care providers in the region, and with them has created detailed protocols for testing and screening, daily monitoring of symptoms, contact tracing, quarantine practices, and physical distancing in the classroom and across the Bard campus. Bard also has a contract with The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for its Safe for School testing program. The Broad Institute has been at the forefront of developing and providing cutting-edge COVID-19 testing and has created this program specifically designed for higher education. Our Health Services Team is following guidance from the American College Health Association and is in close contact with local and regional health officials. 

Vaccines

As of April 6, everyone in New York age 16 and over is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. That means the entire Bard College community is now eligible, and we encourage all students, faculty, and staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Please use this tool on the New York State website to find a nearby vaccination site and make an individual appointment.

Adjustments to Campus Protocols for Spring

Now that Bard College has completed the return-to-campus process for the spring semester we can begin making adjustments to campus protocols:

  • Campus community members may now begin to plan small, COVID-safe in-person activities. All proposed events must adhere to COVID safety protocols as outlined in the COVID-19 Student Handbook Addendum, as well as any additional protocols needed for each specific event. Students should contact SPARC through the Office of Student Activities by emailing sparcevents@bard.edu. Employees wishing to hold events may apply by filling out the form here. 
  • The College is developing new guidelines that will allow for limited organized group day trips in the spring semester. Please visit the Group Travel Policy page for more information.
  • The Montgomery Place grounds have reopened for public access on weekends from dawn to dusk. Bard is operating as a restricted campus at this time, with limited guests allowed for outdoor visits from daily household members of Bard students, faculty, and staff, or for essential civic activities as outlined below.
  • The Stevenson Athletic Center and Stevenson Pool are now open to Bard students, faculty, and staff only, and non-remote graduate students who live on campus or in Dutchess, Columbia, Greene or Ulster counties. Reservations are required: visit bardathletics.com for access and protocols. Please note the facility remains closed to the public.
  • Stevenson Library has expanded its hours so students have increased access to study space in the evenings and on the weekends. Visit the library website for information about spring services and study spaces.
It is important to remember that all other campus COVID health protocols remain in place. The College is continually reviewing conditions both on and off campus, and will share any further adjustments going forward.

 Changes to Campus Visitor Policy

The College is expanding the categories of approved on-campus visitors to include daily household members of Bard students, faculty, and staff. This new exception applies only to current, daily members of your local household, not anyone who has traveled to visit you, and pertains only to the outdoors campus grounds. For students, New York State considers residential college roommates to be household members. Please note that the main campus remains closed to unapproved visitors from outside of the campus community, and no visitors of any kind are permitted inside buildings or facilities unless they have been approved in advance by the Response Team via the Essential Visitor Request Form (below). All visitors must be accompanied at all times by their Bard host and must follow all masking and physical distancing requirements.

  • Other third-party visitor requests will only be approved in exceptional cases and for essential civic activities such as elections, where visitors will be directed to closely controlled facilities operated and cleaned in keeping with New York State and CDC approved COVID-19 protocols. Do not submit a request unless it is urgent or essential to the welfare of our community.
  • For the health and safety of our campus community, supervisors must request permission and receive approval for any non-Bard, third-party visitor to campus at this time. This is not required for visitors going into private residences.
  • Once approval is received, the authorized visitor will be sent an email from the COVID Check-In Coordinator with a link to the health screening form, which they must complete prior to their arrival on campus.
Essential Visitor Request Form

Health and Safety in Bard Facilities

Bard is operating as a restricted campus. Access to the campus by members of the surrounding communities and casual visitors is prohibited. Limited exceptions are outlined in the Campus Visitor Policy above. A person who does not live, work, or study at Bard will otherwise not be allowed access to campus without prior approval from the College.

Signage to this effect is posted at campus access points to alert the Bard community and our neighbors. Local government leaders have been notified that this is a precautionary measure in light of regional upticks in COVID-19 cases, and is intended solely to preserve the health and safety of the Bard community. Access to residence hall dormitories continues to be limited to those who reside there, and students living off campus should limit campus visits to classes and outdoor spaces.

During this period, Bard facilities will:

  • Prohibit unauthorized/nonessential visitors. We will webcast as many student artistic events as possible.
  • Limit noninstructional gatherings and congregations in communal spaces.
  • Limit the number of students in the classroom and provide for physical distancing.
  • Designate entry and exit points for buildings.
  • Adhere to sanitization and physical distancing requirements, including adequate hygiene and PPE supplies, and reduce common seating areas.
  • Limit occupancy of classrooms and other public spaces on campus to 50 percent.
  • Enforce physical distancing through placement of signs and barriers.

Getting a COVID-19 Test at Bard

Academics

Physical Distancing in the Classroom

New York State guidance requires physical distancing and masks. We have conducted a space audit and site visits with Nuvance Health to determine how best to manage physical distancing in the classroom. In addition to applying physical distancing best practices in all of our teaching spaces, we now have longer periods between classes to minimize traffic and use alternative teaching spaces to expand capacity.

Special Circumstances for Online-Only Learning

Students may take classes entirely online only as an exception. Students may apply for exceptional remote learning status through the academic executive committee. Our primary concern is that students follow a course of study that makes sense for their academic progress. Faculty advising and the support of the deans in the Center for Student Life and Advising are critical to ensuring students have a successful and productive semester. Online learning in undergraduate education at Bard is a path of last resort.

If a student gets ill or returns home, they will be able to continue learning remotely. We will not penalize students for having to move online. Students will still be expected to continue to fully engage in their classes.

International students who cannot travel to Bard for the start of the semester may enroll in Bard’s online courses from their home countries. See “Supporting International Students” below.

Supporting International Students

Many of our international students are unable to attend classes in person in Annandale, due to travel restrictions and challenges obtaining visas. We have developed options for these students to continue with their Bard education from their overseas locations. For students in Europe who are able to travel to Berlin, we are offering places at Bard College Berlin. For students in China, we are offering options with some Chinese universities so that students can take a mix of online courses through Bard and in-person courses on site in China. Through the Bard network and the Open Society University Network, we have partner institutions on five continents, and we will work individually with each student on a plan that preserves their visa status and gives them the best possible access to the Bard experience.

We hope to welcome all international students back to Annandale as soon as circumstances allow. We are closely monitoring current travel restrictions to the United States, and advise students to check the website of the U.S. Consulate in their home countries for updates on exceptions for student travel to the United States. In the meantime, we will strive to keep all of our students connected around the world. Students and families with questions should contact International Student Adviser Manishka Kalupahana (kalupaha@bard.edu or 845-758-7328) or Dean of International Studies Jennifer Murray (jmurray@bard.edu or 845-758-6822 x7387).

Health

Use of Face Masks on Campus

Wearing a face mask on campus is mandatory for all students, faculty, and staff. Consistently wearing a face covering has been proven to be one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19 (along with physical distancing and hand washing). The College’s policy complies with new public health regulations in New York State requiring any person over age two to cover their nose and mouth with a mask when in a public place and unable to maintain social distancing. Much of the Bard campus can be classified as a “public place,” so both Bard College policy and New York State face mask regulations apply throughout the Bard community.

Face coverings must be worn in all locations on the Bard College campus, both indoors and out, with the following exceptions only:

  1. In a private office when working alone.
  2. In your own dorm room and when brushing your teeth or taking a shower (masks must be worn in the hallway between your dorm room and the bathroom), or in your own private family residence.
  3. When eating while practicing physical distancing (all Bard community members must wear face masks inside the dining hall at all times, except when seated in any designated dining area). 
  4. In a designated mask respite area (which may only be used by one person at a time).
  5. For B&G grounds workers only: when working on campus grounds away from buildings and all other people.
The College will coordinate with public health authorities to consider exceptional circumstances.
 
Bard shuttle drivers will refuse entry or ask riders to get off the shuttle if face masks are not worn the entire ride. 

In keeping with New York State regulations, wearing a face mask is also mandatory in all public off-campus locations, including inside all public buildings and businesses and on sidewalks in town.

Read the Full Mask Policy

Physical Distancing in the Residence Halls

Under New York State guidelines, students who share a room are considered a household. Masks must be worn in communal areas, but are not required when only roommates are together. 

Monitoring Symptoms among the Student Body

  • All students are required to take online COVID-19 training and to sign a pledge committing to adhere to the health and safety requirements to maintain a safe and healthy campus before they arrive on campus. Staff and faculty are required to go through a similar training and are also submitting health pledges.
  • All students, living on campus and off, will be required to complete a daily health screening, just as all employees do every day they come to campus. Our partners at Involvio, with whom we were already working on student engagement activities, have developed a Safe Reopen app, which enables students to complete their screening online. All students will have to show that they have completed the screening and received a “pass” before entering campus facilities including classrooms and the dining commons.
  • The College has also established a contact tracing team to supplement the efforts of the Dutchess County health department. All members of this team have taken online training developed by Johns Hopkins University. Bard’s contact tracers, in close coordination with county health officials, will follow up with anyone who tests positive or believes they have been exposed to COVID. This work mainly consists of time-sensitive phone calls. Any Bard employee interested in taking the Johns Hopkins training and joining the contact tracing team is encouraged to contact David Lindholm at dlindholm@bard.edu for further information.

Bard Health Services and COVID-19

As much as possible, we ask Bard students to be in touch with Health Services directly via phone: 845-758-7433. If you are experiencing fever and lung symptoms or you suspect you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please call Health Services for a medical consult before walking in. In keeping with Health Department guidelines, Bard Health Services requests that you not walk into the clinic until you have consulted with the staff over the phone. Phone consultations are recommended to receive the best care and advice and minimize the chance that others will be exposed.

COVID-19 Testing on Campus

All students and employees who are cleared to come to campus will be tested through our weekly random testing protocol throughout the semester. Students who need a COVID test, as determined by our Health Services staff, will be tested through Health Services. Students will be required to get tested for COVID-19 within three days before returning to campus for the semester, and will be tested again after arrival.

Responding to Positive Cases on Campus

Students with positive test results will be moved to dedicated isolation housing. While keeping a student’s identity and health information secure, we will, in coordination with the Department of Health, begin contact tracing.

Health Service providers will check in daily via Telehealth or in person for mild or moderate illness. We will ensure that students have the medications and supplies they need. Meals will be delivered and isolation housing will include beverages and snacks. If warranted, students will be referred to the emergency room at Northern Dutchess Hospital (part of Nuvance Health), which is 10 minutes away. Bard Counseling Service will be available via Telehealth for mental health care.

Protocol for Students Exposed to Someone Who Tests Positive

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced updated quarantine guidelines for New York which are consistent with the latest Centers for Disease Control guidance. Under the new guidelines, individuals exposed to COVID-19 can end their quarantine after 10 days without a testing requirement as long as no symptoms have been reported during the quarantine period. After day 10 is reached, individuals must continue monitoring for symptoms through day 14 and if any develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare provider to report this change and determine if they should seek testing. Individuals should continue strict adherence to all recommended safe behaviors to stop the spread—wearing masks, socially distancing and avoiding gatherings.

If it is confirmed that a student has been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days, that student will either self-isolate or quarantine. In many cases, students will be able to self-isolate in their rooms adhering to Department of Health guidance. In some cases, students may be relocated to other housing. Students in isolation or quarantine will be supported by health, counseling, wellness, our COVID-19 Contact Team, and Residential Life staff. Meals will be provided along with digital check-ins. Academic support will be provided by academic advisers and the deans in the Center for Student Life and Advising.

Mental Health Resources

We understand that many students have experienced a great deal of change and disruption since the outbreak of COVID-19. Bard Counseling Services, in collaboration with Health Services, Student Government, Residence Life, and Wellness, are offering a range of workshops, programs, training, and support groups that use a trauma-informed approach and are guided by racial and social justice principles. Our programming is geared to support the mental well-being of all students as they begin or return to Bard. 

Bard College remains cognizant and concerned about the disparate impact of this pandemic on people of color and individuals from financially challenged backgrounds, and the additional stress and anxiety during these difficult times. The Office of the Dean for Inclusive Excellence, the Financial Aid Office, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and other campus resources are available to offer assistance in coping with the additional stressors generated by COVID-19.

Bard Counseling is offering teletherapy. Please visit the Counseling website to set up an appointment. In addition, the Counseling staff has added a page of virtual mental health resources.

Bard Wellness is offering a host of virtual programming during the pandemic, including meditation, peer health open hours, and “Show and Tail” (virtual Dog Days). They also offer resources for self-care during this time. Visit the Wellness website for details.

Montgomery Place Access

The Montgomery Place grounds have reopened for public access on Saturdays and Sundays only from dawn to dusk.

Mansion tours are currently suspended. Please visit the Montgomery Place website for information about visiting.

Restricting Travel

Restricting travel is another core element of the College’s COVID safety protocols. The College prohibits nonemergency travel for students outside of our local area (Dutchess, Ulster, Greene, and Columbia counties), and prohibits all work travel and nonemergency travel for our employees. Traveling to visit friends, shop, or even visit family on a nonemergency basis is considered higher-risk behavior, as are visits to campus by friends and family. Among the most common vectors for the spread of COVID-19 are pre- and nonsymptomatic individuals. Unnecessary travel and contact with people outside of the Bard community constitute an ongoing threat to campus safety. Any student who needs to undertake emergency travel should be in touch with the Dean of Students office to work out a travel plan.

Health and Safety in the Community

Bard’s COVID-19 response plan takes into consideration our surrounding communities. Bard students who are living off campus are subject to the same expectations and policies as those living on campus. All off-campus students must sign a health pledge and adhere to our daily health screening protocols. All students living off campus or visiting local communities must adhere to Bard’s health and safety policies, including arrival testing, periodic testing, physical distancing, wearing a mask, and quarantine and contact tracing protocols. They are also expected to abide by all state and local health and safety measures. All Bard students are expected to adhere to these rules whenever they are off campus in the local communities for any reason. Students who fail to adhere to these protocols are subject to the same disciplinary measures as those living on campus. Throughout the semester we will be reminding everyone in the Bard community of the importance of taking personal responsibility for the safety of others, both on and off campus.

Health and Safety Compliance

The College has established the Bard Cares Team to address instances where students or employees are having difficulty abiding by the community norms of behavior regarding the College’s established COVID-19 protocols. The Team, chaired by Vice President and Dean of the Early Colleges Dumaine Williams, has developed a clear set of steps based in restorative practices to respond to reports seeking assistance, guidance, or a resolution of issues related to compliance with health and safety measures in the Bard community. It also seeks to equip members of the Bard community with information about bystander intervention techniques and other actions we can take to help keep each other safe and accountable. Dr. Williams and other members of the Cares Team can be reached at caresteam@bard.edu. Individuals may use the COVID-19 Incident Report Form to report violations of community health standards related to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and requirements.

For Employees

Visit the Office of Human Resources website for guidance about working on campus, as well as information about payroll, benefits, and office procedures during the pandemic.

Visit Bard HR

Bard College Travel Policy

All nonessential work travel is prohibited for faculty and staff.

The College has invested extraordinary effort and resources in designing and implementing plans to bring students, faculty, and staff back to campus. All community members must do their part to uphold these efforts by refraining from nonessential travel. Please adhere to the guidelines outlined below.

  • All nonessential work travel is prohibited for faculty and staff.
  • The prohibition on nonessential travel should be extended to the personal lives of everyone in the Bard community: students, faculty, and staff. Examples of essential travel include medical treatment and family emergencies.
  • All New York State–­mandated regulations continue to apply to any out-of-state travel, even for essential travel.
  • If you travel during the semester for any reason, you may be ineligible to work on campus for a number of days, as determined by the State regulations in force at that time.
  • Failure to report out-of-state travel can lead to barring return to or removal from campus.

Face Mask Guidance for Faculty and Staff

Wearing a face mask on campus is mandatory for all students, faculty, and staff. Consistently wearing a face covering has been proven to be one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19 (along with physical distancing and hand washing). The College’s policy complies with new public health regulations in New York State requiring any person over age two to cover their nose and mouth with a mask when in a public place and unable to maintain social distancing. Much of the Bard campus can be classified as a “public place,” so both Bard College policy and New York State face mask regulations apply throughout the Bard community.

Face coverings must be worn in all locations on the Bard College campus, both indoors and out, with the following exceptions only:

  1. In a private office when working alone.
  2. In your own dorm room and when brushing your teeth or taking a shower (masks must be worn in the hallway between your dorm room and the bathroom), or in your own private family residence.
  3. When eating while practicing physical distancing (all Bard community members must wear face masks inside the dining hall at all times, except when seated in any designated dining area). 
  4. In a designated mask respite area (which may only be used by one person at a time).
  5. For B&G grounds workers only: when working on campus grounds away from buildings and all other people.
The College will coordinate with public health authorities to consider exceptional circumstances.
 
Bard shuttle drivers will refuse entry or ask riders to get off the shuttle if face masks are not worn the entire ride. 

In keeping with New York State regulations, wearing a face mask is also mandatory in all public off-campus locations, including inside all public buildings and businesses and on sidewalks in town.

Read the Full Mask Policy

Health and Safety Protocols for Faculty and Staff

All employees will be required to conduct a daily health screening prior to coming to campus, wear face masks, practice physical distancing, and follow all recommended public health guidelines. If concerns arise during the self-administered health screening, they will be required to self-isolate until it is determined that it is safe for them to return. In the case of a positive test result, contact tracing protocols will be initiated. 

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 or have received a quarantine notice from Bard College or the Department of Health will be required to self-isolate off campus for up to two weeks. 

Employees who test positive must provide medical clearance to the Office of Human Resources before returning to work on campus. A letter from a doctor or health department are both acceptable forms of medical clearance.

Employees who receive a mandatory quarantine notice cannot return to campus until their clearance date, as provided by Bard College or the health department. There is no ability to test out of a quarantine from close contact exposure.

COVID-19 Testing for Employees

Beginning in the spring 2021 semester, COVID-19 surveillance testing will be mandatory for all employees working on campus. This testing applies to employees who (1) are actively working on campus, (2) have submitted the new Health Pledge, and (3) pass the daily check-in screening. Remote employees will not be part of the testing pool until they return to campus for work. Learn more about mandatory surveillance testing for on-campus employees.

Please note there is no on-demand testing on campus for employees. Employees should seek testing off campus for all instances except when they are selected for a weekly surveillance test. Employees can get tested locally through their health insurance, and should discuss their options with their primary care physician. You can locate your nearest COVID testing site at this site operated by the New York State Department of Health, or at the Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield Coronavirus Resource Center here.

Please Note

As the public health situation evolves and the state provides new guidance,
we will adjust plans accordingly and keep the community updated.

COVID-19 Response: Tools + Resources

  • COVID-19 Concern Report
  • Contact the CARES Team
  • Campus Data Dashboard
  • CARES Act HEERF Grants to Students
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Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 12504-5000
Phone: 800-BARDCOL
Admission Phone: 845-758-7472
Admission E-mail: admission@bard.edu
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