A Message of Appreciation to the Student Body, with Notes on Summer and Fall Planning
A COVID-19 Update
To the Bard College Community,
As the semester comes to a close and we mark the accomplishments of our senior class with celebrations and Commencement, we would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude and congratulations to Bard’s entire student body. This has been an unprecedented and exceptionally difficult year, and you have demonstrated an extraordinary level of strength, intelligence, and perseverance during the past two semesters. Your commitment to education and the Bard community has made possible something few other colleges have been able to achieve over the past year: completing two uninterrupted semesters of in-person classes with one of the lowest community infection rates in the nation.
We have worked and learned together, following the science, adapting to rapidly changing circumstances, and creating and adhering to complex protocols that dramatically altered the way we operated but did not prevent us from sustaining a vibrant learning community. Throughout, our students have exemplified and inspired us with the best qualities of resilience and mutual support. From the first-year students who arrived in the midst of the pandemic, to the seniors who completed their Senior Projects under very difficult circumstances, to our international students who persevered virtually, and our dedicated faculty and staff, we want to thank you, applaud your work and your spirit, and wish you well for the summer and semester to come.
We are also very pleased that, thanks to the improving public health situation, summer this year will be much different from last year. We look forward to welcoming students and faculty in Bard’s MFA program to campus beginning next week, and are working closely with the Fisher Center to facilitate a full Summerscape program. We expect our work as the COVID-19 Response Team — if current trends continue — will focus on facilitating these programs while helping the College adapt to the State’s evolving requirements. The College still must adhere to many State-required COVID protocols specific to institutions of higher education and the performing arts; to support those efforts and planning for the fall semester, the Response Team will continue to meet and hold weekly office hours until further notice. Any member of the Bard community is welcome to drop by our office hours Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 5pm. Click here to join with passcode 679464.
Congratulations again to our graduates and to everyone who helped them reach this point.
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.