Community and Events

What is Bard doing to help keep nearby communities safe?

Bard’s plan for the fall takes into consideration our surrounding communities. Bard students who are enrolled for fall 2020 classes and 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 for the fall, including arrival testing, periodic testing, physical distancing, wearing face masks, 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 fall 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.

Are public events at Bard canceled?

Given the state of the pandemic, many campus events have been moved online. 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 Bard facilities open to the public?

Effective October 20, 2020, Bard will be operating as a closed campus. Access to the campus by members of the surrounding communities and casual visitors is prohibited. A person who does not live, work, or study at Bard will not be allowed access to campus without prior approval from the College. New signage will be posted at campus access points to alert the Bard and wider community of this change in policy. 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. 

 May I visit outdoor spaces on the Bard campus?

The campus’s outdoor spaces are currently closed to the public.

 How can I obtain permission to come to campus for urgent or essential matters?

Only requests for urgent and/or essential visitors will be approved until further notice.

• 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.