A Message about Mask Dispensing Points, Required Actions, Travel, and Visitors
A COVID-19 Update
Topics in this update:- Mask dispensing points
- Required actions (check-ins and surveillance testing) and helpful resources
- No travel or visitors
To the Bard College community,
We would like to welcome back all of our students, faculty and staff for the spring semester. We can all be proud of the College’s collective success in maintaining a safe campus last fall, and begin the spring with a redoubling of our efforts to ensure a safe, engaging, and productive new semester. We all know that the COVID pandemic is not over and that national and local infection rates are at an all-time high. As we learned last semester, we can have a fulfilling and successful semester of in-person classes if we adhere to our COVID protocols, all of which are still in effect. We encourage everyone to visit the college's COVID-19 Response website to review these protocols, stay up-to-date on new developments, and understand our testing, assessment, and reporting protocols. We also encourage all students, especially those who live on campus, to review the important policies contained in the COVID-19 Addendum to the Student Handbook (scroll to the bottom of the page) that was disseminated last semester and continues to be in force.
Mask dispensing points
With new, more infectious COVID variants now circulating, mask safety takes on even more importance. Done properly, it is one of the most easily implemented and effective measures we can take to prevent infection and spread. Wear a mask at all times on campus and off, and wear it properly. The only exceptions are if you are inside your office or home alone or with members of your household. For the purposes of COVID protocols, New York State considers college roommates to be members of the same household, so you can be unmasked with your roommate, but not with anyone else. If you find yourself in need of a mask, please note that the College has mask dispensers at various locations across campus.
Required actions (check-ins and surveillance testing) and helpful resources
Students are required to resume daily health check-in with the Involvio app, and employees must continue their daily web-based check-ins each time they come to campus. Student surveillance testing begins next week, and employee surveillance testing is ongoing, so please read your emails and be certain to respond to any testing-related message. Details on employee testing can be found on the Human Resources website. The Bard Cares Team is up and running for the spring semester and is available for student support and reporting of COVID-related incidents. Students should also be aware that other support resources can be found on the Dean of Student Affairs website.
No travel or visitors
Another lesson from the fall semester is that, once everyone is safely on campus, we should all do our best to remain in the local area (Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, or Greene counties). Non-essential work travel is still prohibited, and students and employees should refrain from any non-essential personal travel. Students with special circumstances can discuss any essential or emergency travel needs with their dean, and employees should contact their supervisor or HR. We are still operating as a closed campus until further notice, so no visitors are allowed in any campus facilities or dormitories. All essential visitors still must be approved in advance (please do not write directly to the Response Team about potential visitors; the form at the link includes key questions that must be answered before we can consider your request). Academic programs seeking to arrange off-campus activities should contact Associate Dean Emily McLaughlin ([email protected]). No off-campus academic work may begin until an operation plan has been prepared and reviewed by the Response Team. Any student seeking to engage in off-campus activities for academic purposes should discuss with their professor or advisor.
The COVID-19 Response Team held two “return-to-campus” webinars this week: one for students and one for employees, to review the policies and protocols for the spring semester that we have disseminated through our updates, and answer questions. If you missed the webinars and would like to see a recording of either one (they are each around 30 minutes long and review the same brief slide presentation), please contact the Response Team to request a link.
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
Erin Cannan, Vice President for Civic Engagement
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, 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
For more information, call 845-758-6822.