Jeffrey Foster, Interim Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students, informs the campus community about the the latest COVID-19 test results and reminds students of current COVID-19 restrictions.
Dear Students,
At this point, we have received nearly all of last week’s test results. We are pleased to report that we have no new positive cases from our Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday tests. You may review the latest information on the College’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
We know this doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of your individual and collective efforts during our Arrival Quarantine period. It likewise underscores the impact our community can have against COVID-19 when we rally together and follow the necessary protocols. Thank you for your hard work in combatting the spread of the virus on campus and getting this semester off to an encouraging start.
Due to the unchanged number of positive cases on campus and overall compliance by the majority of our student body, we have decided to lift the policy that no visitors can be in your single room. Please continue to follow the room capacity signs that are posted throughout campus. For quick reference:
- Masking and distancing rules apply when students host guests/gather. Appropriate masking and distancing is absolutely critical to our success this spring semester – I want to thank everyone for their efforts to mask up at all times.
- Students may only gather with others students who have exited quarantine.
- Common Spaces in Residence Halls, College Houses, and CUB: Students may get together in small, masked/distanced groups of no more than 8 students.
- Students may host 1 or 2 students in their single room (3 people total). Masking and distancing rules apply.
- Apartments and Suites: Students may host guests in the common/shared living spaces (i.e. living rooms, kitchens) once all assigned residents of an apartment/suite have completed Arrival Quarantine. No more than 8 students total may be present in the entire apartment or suite.
Visiting or hosting more individuals in your room than permitted could result in short-term or permanent remote study for the semester. Please review the behavior rubric for more information. While we are glad to be able to lift this restriction, we know that its success is in your hands. Please do your part to follow the masking, capacity, and distancing rules that are in place.
In addition, I want to make you aware that we received reports this weekend of students traveling together in vehicles. In some instances, these groups of students were also unmasked. Please note that you may only travel with one other passenger in your vehicle and masks must be worn at all times.
We all remember what happened last fall and how quickly the status on campus can change. We also see this happening each day at many other colleges and universities around the country. Please continue to make safe decisions for yourself, for our community, and for a healthy semester in residence.
Enjoy this week of in-person classes and stay safe!
Jeffrey D. Foster, D.Ed.
Interim Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students
Gettysburg College