A Message about Mask Guidance, Vaccination, and Surveillance and Departure Testing
A COVID-19 Update
- Mask guidance
- Vaccination update
- Surveillance and departure testing
- Event planning
- Response Team office hours
Welcome to the final weeks of the 2020-2021 academic year. Thank you for your continued care and mutual support as we approach the end of the semester.
Mask guidance
New York State regulations continue to require masking and physical distancing. Yesterday the CDC updated its recommendations on mask wearing for those who are fully vaccinated, but federal, state, and local authorities are still deciding whether and how to turn CDC recommendations into regulations. It is essential to keep in mind that New York State is reviewing the new CDC recommendations and has not changed its masking regulations to mirror the CDC, and that Bard continues to be subject to New York State regulations. We do not know if or when New York will update its regulations about masking, and equally important, we do not yet have an effective way to quickly distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated people on campus. Therefore, the College will continue to require mask wearing and physical distancing in all indoor and group settings until further notice. This insightful article helps explain why New York State and the College are keeping these policies in place for the time being. We are pleased that the Bard community has made great strides toward becoming fully vaccinated, but until we can quickly and easily verify who is and isn't vaccinated, we owe it to the community, which has worked so hard to maintain a safe campus for the past year, to do everything we can to support that safety.
Vaccination update
The new CDC recommendations are based on strong and growing evidence that being fully vaccinated not only protects you from developing severe illness, but also decreases transmission. The most important takeaway from this new guidance is that we should all get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines are plentiful and widely available to all New Yorkers age 12 and older, and all New York State-run vaccination sites are open for walk-ins. The route to a more safe and open campus and community life is through widespread vaccination, so please seize the opportunity and get vaccinated as soon as you can. Thank you to everyone who participated in and volunteered at the vaccination clinic we held on campus earlier this week.
Surveillance and departure testing
The College’s COVID-19 testing program will continue into the summer as we welcome summer cohorts of students and conduct surveillance testing of employees. We will continue to administer the same highly accurate PCR test through the MIT/Broad Institute program that has served us well all year and has often delivered results in less than 24 hours. As we approach the end of the semester, the testing program for undergraduates will shift from surveillance testing to pre-departure testing. This week was the last week of mandatory surveillance testing for undergraduate students. The College will make pre-departure COVID-19 tests available for all students who need one starting next week, particularly for those who will be traveling or attending Commencement activities, as follows:
- Testing will be available on a walk-in basis next week, Monday through Friday, May 17-21 at the Stevenson Athletic Center from 9-11:30 am and noon-2:45 pm, and the week after, Monday through Thursday, May 24-27 at the Stevenson Athletic Center from 9-11:30 am and noon-2:45 pm.
- Any unvaccinated students planning to attend the Student Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 24th need to get a COVID-19 PCR test on Friday, May 21.
- Unvaccinated students attending Baccalaureate and/or Commencement need to get a COVID-19 PCR test on Wednesday, May 26.
- Unvaccinated students planning to attend all three events (Student Awards, Baccalaureate, and Commencement) should get a COVID-19 PCR test both Friday May 21 and Wednesday May 26.
Event planning
As has been the case throughout this academic year, the Student Activities office and Response Team stand ready to advise students, faculty, and staff who would like to apply to hold an event, so that it can be planned and held safely and in full compliance with New York State and Bard policies. We first announced last fall that if you are interested in organizing an event or activity, indoors or outdoors, you must submit a specific plan for the event and receive prior approval, either via this form (for faculty and staff) or through [email protected] (for students). We would like to thank all the students, faculty, and staff who have gone through this process with us over the past year, and have creatively planned and safely implemented a wide variety of activities in our community.
Response Team office hours
Finally, a reminder that the Response Team holds weekly office hours. Any member of the Bard community is welcome to drop by Tuesday afternoons from 4-5PM. Check your Bard email for the Zoom link and password. Please also feel free to reach out to us by email.
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
For more information, call 845-758-6822.