Employee Travel Policy

Bard College Travel Policy

BARD COLLEGE TRAVEL GUIDELINES
Bard’s updated travel guidelines are effective as of June 10, 2021, and are intended to help you return safely to campus while minimizing the possibility that you bring COVID back with you. The end of restrictions on official College travel and personal travel by students and employees reflects the improving public health situation in New York State, including rising vaccination rates and decreasing rates of COVID transmission. This update also recognizes that COVID remains prevalent in many areas of the world and vaccination rates vary considerably around the globe. The College acknowledges that the lifting of the mandatory quarantine into New York State, coupled with greater access to vaccines, will increase travel in the coming months. We urge everyone to remember that travel remains a higher risk activity, especially for those who are not fully vaccinated. Masking and physical distancing remain critical to stopping the spread of disease. 

As it has been all year, travel is defined as going beyond the 4 counties surrounding Bard (Dutchess, Ulster, Greene, Columbia) and/or staying off campus overnight. 

Before you leave campus:

• Make your travel plan keeping in mind that vaccinated people can still catch and transmit COVID, so until the preponderance of the population is vaccinated, masking and physical distance - especially when indoors or on public transportation - will remain important elements of preventing the spread of COVID. 
• If you are undertaking official travel on behalf of the College and will be flying on an airline or to a destination that requires you to provide recent COVID PCR test results in order to board your flight, please be in touch with the Human Resources office if you are faculty or staff, or email [email protected] if you are a student. 
• It is your responsibility to research and abide by the COVID-related requirements associated with your travel plan. Review the CDC and State Department travel advisories according to your intended destination. If you are traveling internationally, you may need to plan for a COVID test at your destination in order to be allowed to return to the United States.
• Feel free to reach out to [email protected] in advance of your departure for help planning your pre- and post-travel requirements. Please be aware that the College can only provide tests for official College business, not for personal travel.

• Observe all regulations including masking and physical distancing. 

• Quarantine is no longer required for any travelers arriving in New York State.
• Review the CDC’s latest guidelines and the College’s additional safety precautions before returning to on-campus work. Please remember that masking in indoor public spaces (including all common areas of on-campus residences such as kitchens, lounges, and hallways) is required on campus, as is physical distancing, and that all students and employees must continue to fill out a daily health screening until further notice. 
   
• If you are fully vaccinated (meaning that you are at least 2 full weeks past the completion date of your vaccination series): Monitor symptoms for 2 weeks after travel and report any COVID symptoms to the Bard Health Service (students) or your medical provider (employees). Stay home if you experience any symptoms.
   
• If you are not fully vaccinated:If you live in a College residence hall, shelter in place in your room and (if applicable) private studio space until receiving the result of your post-travel COVID test. This means you should not participate in any group activities indoors or outdoors, including class or social gatherings. You may go to the dining hall to pick up “to go” food and otherwise move around campus as needed by yourself.
• If you live off campus, you may come to campus for solo activities such as working alone in your office or in your studio space during the shelter-in-place period.
• Do not eat or engage in any unmasked activities in public places, on campus or off campus, with other people unless or until you are vaccinated.
• If you are a student, or an employee traveling on official Bard business, you may get a COVID test at the Stevenson Gym four days after you return from travel. If the COVID test returns negative, resume normal activities. Please contact [email protected] about your testing options.
• Avoid high-risk activities such as eating with non-household members or being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness in the 2 weeks following travel.
• Monitor symptoms for 2 weeks after travel and report any COVID symptoms to the Bard Health Service (students) or your medical provider (employees).