A Message about Vaccination Milestones, Easing Mandates, and Ongoing Restrictions

Topics in This Update:

• Vaccination milestones & easing mandates
• Policies that remain in force
• Response Team office hours

To the Bard College community,

Governor Cuomo announced today that New York State has reached the milestone of 70% of adults age 18+ having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. With that, the state is lifting most state-mandated COVID-19 guidance, giving businesses and institutions the freedom to apply safety measures on an individual basis. Colleges and universities like Bard, where there is congregate living and some higher risk activities such as singing, are working with State authorities to observe the updated guidance while retaining and adjusting some necessary restrictions specific to our individual circumstances.  

Vaccination milestone & easing mandates
We’re pleased to announce that Bard has also reached its own milestone of 85% of campus community members fully vaccinated. The College’s 85% threshold is in line with the CDC’s recommendation for herd immunity for COVID-19, and also reflects the threshold set by some other institutions. As noted in last week’s update, now that we have met our threshold we can begin to lift some of the college’s mandates:

• Bard’s mask mandate, already lifted for outdoor activities for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, will now be lifted for vaccinated employees working indoors on campus. Effective immediately, vaccinated individuals may choose to go unmasked inside campus facilities. This new guidance applies only to vaccinated individuals; any unvaccinated individuals must still wear masks indoors. Please note that some facilities and activities, such as Fisher Center and SummerScape events, may still require masking. Your supervisor or program director will advise you if your facility or program requires special protocols due to its specific circumstances. 
   
• Beginning the week of 6/21, employees and students will no longer be required to fill out the daily health screening form in order to work or attend class on campus. All employees and students should continue submitting the screening until this Friday 6/18, and all employees are highly encouraged to update their vaccination status, to assist the College in further refining our analysis of the percentage of vaccinated people in our community. If you are an employee, are vaccinated, and have not previously notified the College of your vaccination status, please take the opportunity now to update the Human Resources office. The more we know about the vaccination status of our employees, the more effective we can be in adapting or lifting additional protocols moving forward. Please note that some programs, such as the Fisher Center and SummerScape, will still require daily health screenings.
   
• Physical distancing and general group gathering restrictions are lifted for vaccinated individuals outdoors, with the caveat that many organized and specialized outdoor events and activities must still adhere to some restrictions. Please check with the event organizers about protocols before participating.

Last week we mentioned that we would also be able to consider lessening the frequency of COVID testing and resuming some in-person meetings indoors, upon meeting our vaccination threshold. The Response Team is working through some of the details associated with these policies, and will provide further updates soon. In the meantime, all employees - including student employees - remain subject to random weekly surveillance testing, and students participating in on-campus classes will also continue to be tested regularly. Please continue to watch your email and abide by the testing instructions you receive.

As we assess vaccination rates on campus and in the community in the coming days we will announce further adjustments to our protocols. Remember that the College and its community members must continue to prioritize health and safety even as the pandemic appears to be ebbing. Please abide not only by the protocols that are still in effect but also by common sense and the knowledge we’ve all gained during the past year. Lifting mask mandates does not mean you cannot wear a mask if you choose to do so. Campus life is beginning to return to normalcy. Following the science and working together as restrictions ease, we can help to ensure this return to normalcy is fulfilled when we return to the classroom this fall. 

Policies that remain in force
We are working with public health authorities to confirm further details of how today’s announcement from Governor Cuomo applies specifically in higher education and congregate living settings. Until we receive further information, the following policies remain in place as previously described:

• Visitors: visitors (vaccinated or otherwise) are welcome outdoors on campus grounds, but are not permitted inside campus facilities unless they have been approved in advance as Essential Visitors.
   
• Testing: the College’s testing protocols for weekly surveillance testing remain in place at our adjusted hours for summer (Monday and Thursday from 9am to 12 noon at Stevenson Gymnasium). We will continue to monitor the public health situation and coordinate closely with State and local public health officials on any testing protocols that may be required for student return to campus in August for the Language & Thinking program and the fall semester. We will make an announcement closer to the time about what if any pre-arrival and post-arrival testing requirements will be in place.

Response Team office hours
If you have questions about these or any other College COVID policies or protocols, please feel free to visit Response Team office hours, which take place every Tuesday afternoon 4-5PM. Check your Bard email for the URL and password, or email [email protected].  

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work through this time of transition.


Sincerely,

Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
[email protected]
 
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
 

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For more information, call 845-758-6822.

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