COVID-19 Response

What guidance is determining how campus will reopen?

Bard’s plans to reopen campus are informed by current national, regional, and local conditions and best public health practices. We are following New York State guidance related to the phased reopening of the State, 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 is planning the design and implementation of public health and hygiene measures, including detailed protocols for testing and screening, daily monitoring of symptoms, contact tracing, quarantine practices, and social distancing across the Bard campus. Our Health Services Team is following guidance from the American College Health Association and is in close contact with local and regional health officials. The College will release more information as these measures are finalized.

Students should be prepared to be tested upon arrival at Bard. New York State may also require some students to quarantine upon arrival on campus, depending on where they are traveling from.

When should students plan to arrive on campus?

We are staggering arrival dates and moving much of the arrival documentation online in order to apply social distancing to arrival and move-in. Staggered arrival dates are: August 4–7 for first-year students, August 18–25 for new transfer students and returning students. Students will receive details on arrival procedures and selecting arrival dates directly from the Dean of Students Office. The College will accommodate students’ travel schedules and the evolving situation.

Are there restrictions on numbers of family members on campus for move-in day?

New students will be allowed two people to accompany them when they arrive to move in and we ask that returning students bring just one person to help them move in. Everyone will be asked to socially distance and wear masks.

When will the semester end? When should I plan to travel home?

Fall 2020 classes will meet without any scheduled interruption or Fall Break through November 20. At that time the College, if necessary in light of the relevant public health considerations, will provide paths for instruction remotely until the final day of classes, which will be December 18 in accordance with the original academic calendar. 

For students wishing to travel for Thanksgiving, please be aware that, depending on public health restrictions at that time in Dutchess County and your travel destination, you may not be able to return to campus. Any student not permitted to return after Thanksgiving owing to COVID-19 restrictions will have a path to remote completion for the semester. 

Any student unable to travel is welcome to stay on campus at Thanksgiving and remain on their meal plans for the duration of the semester, through December 21. Tuition and room adjustments will not be made should coursework be moved online following the holiday. Special arrangements will be made for students who are unable to go home for the Winter Break and they will be allowed to stay on campus as needed.
 

How will dining services operate?

Staggered dining times and takeaway options will be available for students as well as decentralized dining in two additional locations. Students will be able to use their dining card at a small grocery store on campus. The College opened a food pantry last semester that can supplement the offerings made through the dining commons. More information about the specifics related to dining will be available in the coming weeks.

Will campus bus transportation be available?

Shuttle services will be available. Masks and social distancing will be required.
 

What kind of academic support or preparation is available over the summer?

Incoming first-year and transfer students are being invited to complete questionnaires in June and connect in early July with special faculty advisers who will guide them through a newly reimagined summer advising program and registration process. Webinars are also being planned for July to connect rising seniors with faculty from across the College in anticipation of making the most of the Senior Project experience. Students will be contacted directly via email with details. 

All students—entering first-years, rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors—will be offered additional opportunities to connect with faculty and alumni/ae over the summer as they look forward to the coming academic year. Incoming first-year students, for instance, have been invited to participate in one of four workshops offered by Language and Thinking and the First-Year Seminar in June and July. Through these workshops, students are meeting their future classmates while discussing the reading, writing, and conversation practices that make these programs such formative experiences for Bard students. 

Will social distancing be applied in the classroom this fall?

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

If a student gets ill or returns home, will they be able to continue learning remotely? 

Yes, and we will not penalize students for having to move online. Students will still be expected to continue to fully engage in their classes.
 

Will students have the option to take classes entirely online if they want to stay at home or cannot return to campus?

Only as an exception. The College is finalizing a system for students to 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.
 

What resources are available to students for remote learning?

The Bard Connects website has a suite of tools to facilitate online learning, as well as robust remote resources from the Learning Commons and the Bard Library.

Don't hesitate to contact your academic adviser or your dean for support in this difficult time. Find your dean and get information about advising on the Dean of Studies website. For information about registration, academic records, and student forms, visit the Registrar's Office website.

How have Bard's academic offerings changed to respond to the pandemic?

In addition to planning the logistics and processes of a safe return to the classroom, the faculty have prepared new interdisciplinary courses to engage our students with a unique academic experience relevant to the extraordinary global impact of COVID-19. This fall, the College will be offering a suite of multidisciplinary Common Courses available to all incoming first-year as well as interested second-year students. Each of these courses will address a critical global or local contemporary issue from interdisciplinary perspectives and allow for instruction either in person or online.

New Common Courses for 2020–21

• Epidemics, Society, and Culture: What do epidemics tell us about microbes, markets, and ourselves? This course will cover the history, science, and art of protecting the health of populations and the social, political, philosophical, and cultural implications of public health catastrophes. 
• The Making of Citizens: Local, National, Global: This course aims to interrogate and analyze the concept of citizenship. Drawing on different disciplinary approaches, faculty will encourage students to think about how citizenship emerges, exists, and differs at the local, national, and global levels, and what forms of participation are necessary to sustain meaningful citizenship for themselves and others.
• Resilience, Survival, Extinction: How do individuals, species, languages, and cultures survive, show resilience, and become extinct? This course introduces students to methods of biological analysis and cultural interpretation that explore the many ways we understand resilience, survival, and extinction. 
• Designing the Futures Around Us: This course invites students to approach design as a tool for reflecting on the existing worlds in which we find ourselves and as a means to rethink them and invent new ones. In the spirit of critique and experimentation, students will engage in visual projects, design practices, and study the history of the ways the spaces around us have been constructed and understood.
• Alternate Worlds: In his essay “On Fairy-Stories,” J. R. R. Tolkien responds to accusations that fantasy constitutes an irresponsible “escapist” flight from reality. In this course, we will be considering the relation between imagination and reality by considering counterfactual histories, fantastical literary works, and utopias or dystopias. 

What is the cost increase to attend Bard for 2020–21?

The Board of Trustees accepted the administration’s request to keep tuition flat at its current level for 2020–2021, effectively giving all incoming and returning students some financial relief. For room and board, the College is passing through the expected cost of a 2.5 percent increase, which translates to an additional $396 for on-campus housing and meals.

I received a scholarship and loan, but it is not appearing on my bill; was the scholarship reversed?

Scholarship renewal occurred for all students in good academic standing, but you must reaffirm your financial aid (including loans) annually. If you have not already, accept your financial aid package and any loans you wish to take (if applicable) to ensure that everything is accounted for on your billing.

What if my circumstances have changed due to the pandemic and I need more financial aid?

Financial Aid
Given the unique circumstances presented to us this year, students may request additional funding if their family has been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please make a request to the Financial Aid Office in writing to finaid@bard.edu. Provide as many specifics as possible. For example, for COVID-19–related job reductions or losses, Financial Aid needs the following information:

a. The date of the change.
b. The gross income amount per week/month prior to the loss of employment. If a reduction, what is the new amount.
c. Is there eligibility for any unemployment and, if so, how much per week, including the CARES act supplement.
d. Was there any severance pay granted, and if so, how much.
e. Is the loss a temporary one, and if so, what is the expected date of reemployment. If it is a permanent loss of employment, please specify that.

What was refunded last semester when students departed campus?

Over $2 million was refunded to students who left campus due to the pandemic, but the campus never closed. Tuition was billed in full, in part because faculty remained fully engaged in the move to online teaching. Students who wished to remain on campus were able to access housing and meals throughout the semester. In addition to the aforementioned refunds, the College already distributed nearly $1 million in additional federal relief funds (sized by need) directly to students.
 

Are there additional resources for students impacted by the pandemic?

We have established a student emergency fund for those with needs beyond what was covered by refunds and stimulus funds. We have also completed our largest-ever review of financial aid appeals and granted more adjustments than any other period in institutional history.

What if I can't afford the tuition or need more time to make a payment?

The enrollment fee for the Bard Budget Plan was waived for any families that needed more time to pay tuition. (Please note, the first payment in all plans is due June 19.) For withdrawals prior to the start of the semester, charges are reversed in full. Full details on refunds can be found here.

I am not sure who to contact with my question on my scholarship/bill; where should I go?

In an effort to ensure the most informed response, please direct initial billing questions to sao@bard.edu and financial aid and loan inquiries to finaid@bard.edu.

Will face masks be required on campus?

Yes. As mandated by the State and to protect the Bard community, face masks will be required indoors in all communal areas and at any time it is not possible to be at least 6 feet away from another person. Outdoors, masks must be placed over the nose and mouth on pathways and in any open area where you are passing another person less than 6 feet apart. The College will provide masks to students who need them.

How will I social distance with my roommate?

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. 

Will students be monitored for symptoms?

Yes. The College is developing, in consultation with Nuvance Health, protocols and systems to monitor students for symptoms of COVID-19. More information about this process will be provided in the coming weeks.

What should I do if I feel sick?

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.

Where can I get tested for COVID-19?

Students will be able to get tested at Bard Health Services and with our local testing partners throughout the semester.

What happens when a student tests positive for COVID-19?

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.
 

What is the protocol for people who have been exposed to a person who tests positive?

If it is confirmed that a student has been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 14 days, that student will either self-isolate or quarantine until 14 days have passed since exposure. 

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.
 

Where can I find current information on COVID-19 and Bard Health Services?

The Bard Health Services website will update current COVID-19 information throughout the semester. Additional information can be found on the College’s COVID-19 Response website.
 

I feel sad, anxious, or depressed. Who can I talk to?

Bard Counseling is offering teletherapy. Please email counselingservice@bard.edu to set up an appointment. In addition, the Counseling staff is offering a regular column on mental health during COVID-19, and they have added a page of virtual mental health resources.

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

Are health and safety protocols in place for faculty and staff?

All employees will be required to conduct a daily health screening prior to coming to campus, wear face coverings, and 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. If needed, employees will quarantine and isolate in their own homes.

Is there guidance around the use of face masks on campus?

Face masks/coverings must be worn by all staff working on campus when in the presence of others and in public settings where other 6 feet of social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., common work spaces, meeting rooms, classrooms, etc.). Appropriate use of face masks/coverings is critical in minimizing risks to others near you. It is possible spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. The mask or cloth face covering is not a substitute for social distancing.

Bard will provide masks, if needed. Please contact Human Resources at 845-758-7428 or Security at 845-758-7460 if you need a mask.

Putting on a Face Mask/Covering

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer prior to handling the face mask/covering.
• Throughout the process: Avoid touching the front of the face mask/covering.
• Ensure the face mask/covering fits over the nose and under the chin, with nose wire snug against the nose (where applicable).
• Tie straps behind the head and neck or secure loop around the ears.

• Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth when removing the face mask/covering.
• When taking off the face mask/covering, untie the straps or loop your finger into the strap and pull the strap away from your ear.
• Wash your hands immediately after removing the face mask/covering.

• Keep face masks/coverings stored in a paper bag when not in use.
• Cloth face coverings may not be used more than one day in a row and must be washed after each use. Cloth face coverings should be properly laundered with regular clothing detergent before the first use and after each shift. Cloth face coverings should be replaced immediately if they become soiled, damaged (e.g. ripped, punctured), or visibly contaminated.
• Disposable masks must not be used for more than one day and should be placed in the trash after your shift or if they become soiled, damaged (e.g., stretched ear loops, torn or punctured material), or visibly contaminated.

Where can I find support for online instruction?

There are a number of online tools available on campus that faculty can leverage to keep connected to students during this disruption to campus life. Establishing a communication plan and maintaining consistent contact with students are key. Please visit the Bard Information Technology website to learn about remote teaching.

How do I adjust to working remotely?

The transition to remote work can be a challenge, particularly for those who have not done it before. Below please suggestions and resources for successfully working from home. Reach out to Human Resources Director Kimm Alexander at kalexand@bard.edu and let her know what is working well for you and your team or discuss any challenges you are facing.
 
Remote Work Basics
To be successful and ensure performance and productivity do not suffer, please:

• Ensure you have an internet connection.
• Have your calls forwarded to your cell phone or check voicemail remotely (additional information can be found here).
• Download teleconferencing software so you can hold and attend meetings.
• Log into your email and calendar daily.
• Ensure you can access applications and files remotely.
• Think of projects you can complete at home that you may not have had time to complete in the office. 
• Set up a defined workspace as free from distractions as possible. For some, working from home can be an opportunity to focus and get a lot accomplished without the distractions of the office or long commute. However, this kind of arrangement comes with a great amount of responsibility and its own set of challenges.
• Get clear expectations and priorities for your work from your manager/supervisor. 
• Collaborate with your manager/supervisor to determine a work plan of tasks and projects. 
• Build flexibility into your schedule.
• Check in with your supervisor at least once per day.
• Stay connected with your coworkers and coordinate workloads.
• Make sure you have what you need to be successful working remotely.
• Follow the appropriate steps for the treatment and storage of confidential and sensitive information.
• Set expectations with family and friends. 
• Be sure to focus on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

• Beware of isolation. Because most people tend to focus on the potential advantages of staying at home, they are completely surprised by how isolated a remote work arrangement can feel. They may not have anticipated how much willpower and self-discipline it takes to be productive when the temptations of home are just a few feet away. Supervisors, too, find the adjustment difficult. They tend to be uneasy when their staff members are not in sight at all times, even if deadlines are met and productivity is maintained. Some staff members feel concerned that being out of their supervisor's line of sight removes them from opportunities. 
• Accessibility. Off-site staff members should be accessible during specified periods or within a reasonable amount of time. Some staff members use cell phones to facilitate access, others schedule specific communication times. 
• Accommodate changes in circumstances. When jobs change, either in their nature or in their relationship with the overall objectives of a department, aspects of the remote work arrangement may have to be adjusted. 

I'm a staff member. What do I need to know about payroll, benefits, and office procedures?

The Office of Human Resources at Bard offers a range of support for Bard staff and faculty during this challenging time. Visit the HR website for information about returning to campus, insurance, employee assistance, and public health resources and guidelines.

What are the College's plans for Commencement 2020?

Bard College will hold its 160th commencement on Saturday, August 22, 2020. The celebration has been rescheduled from its original date of May 23 in response to COVID-19. The weekend of August 21–23 will be Bard's Commencement and Reunion Weekend.

On the days preceding August 22 there will be a Senior Awards ceremony, a Baccalaureate service, and the annual Alumni/ae Awards ceremony and student concert. After Commencement, on Sunday August 23, the annual memorial service will take place. All of these events are part of Bard's traditional annual commencement exercises.

Owing to the severity and longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College will hold a modified commencement. The events and ceremonies will be held in real time, but access to them will be limited. Therefore most participation in the events will be virtual. Everything will be done and streamed in real time and the entire weekend will be recorded and available for viewing after the fact.

The traditional commencement tent will be erected on the Seth Goldfine Memorial Field, next to Kline Commons, and it is likely that all the events scheduled will take place there.

Details on the schedule and arrangements can be found on the Commencement page. Please note that this schedule is subject to change as a consequence of public health policies and regulations. 

Are public events at Bard canceled?

Given the state of emergency for COVID-19, many campus events have been postponed, canceled, or moved online. Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival have been postponed to the 2021 season. Visit the campus calendar to browse virtual events. Bard continues to offer virtual performances, lectures, and conferences—many of them free—and we welcome and encourage our neighbors to join us. 

Are the Blithewood gardens and Montgomery Place grounds open?

The Blithewood gardens and Montgomery Place grounds will reopen to the public on Wednesday, July 1. We ask that visitors maintain physical distancing and wear a mask when distancing is not possible. View the guidelines.

Are the Stevenson Library, Hessel Museum, and Fisher Center open?

The Fisher Center has postponed SummerScape 2020 and the Bard Music Festival, but they are offering a rich collection of performances and special events via their online platform, Upstreaming. Offices at the Fisher Center are currently closed. Visit the FAQ page to learn more about Fisher Center's response to COVID-19.

All the facilities at the Center for Curatorial Studies and Hessel Museum of Art are closed to the public until further notice. Visit their website to browse exhibitions.

Stevenson Library is currently closed, however, the library staff offers research support and remote resources. Please visit their website for COVID-19 updates and details about services.
 

How is Bard supporting the great Hudson Valley community? How can I get help or get involved?

The Center for Civic Engagement continues to develop and support robust virtual and in-person community responses to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Bard students, staff, and faculty remain civically engaged and many continue to volunteer in the community. Bardians have been making masks and face shields, delivering groceries, writing letters to senior citizens, and connecting with our neighbors virtually. Please visit the CCE website to see how Bard is staying connected with the community, and contact us to suggest engagement initiatives.

How can I help Bard students and support the College's efforts during the pandemic?

We have been heartened by the outpouring of support and inquiries from Bard alumni/ae, families, and friends who want to support our students in this difficult time. You may choose to designate your gift to support the Student Emergency Fund. You may also select the Dean's Discretionary Fund / Face Shields to support Bard staff and faculty who are making face shields for regional health care workers. Learn more about that effort here. Thank you for your support!