Keira Kant, Associate Dean of College Life, updates students living in town about the COVID rules and rubric in light of recent off-campus gatherings.
Dear Students Residing Off-Campus,
I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the warming weather! I write to you today with some updates and reminders for the remainder of the spring semester.
First, congratulations to the seniors on your upcoming graduation! I am delighted that the College is able to offer an in-person ceremony, albeit somewhat different than what we have come to know for a traditional Commencement ceremony. In talking with seniors since the announcement, I know many of you are looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with the entire Class of 2021.
Second, I want to highlight how well this semester has been going, specifically as it relates to our health and safety priorities. It is in large part due to the commitment of the overwhelming majority of our community members taking seriously the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Thank you for doing your part! While I fully expect the semester to continue in a positive direction, I am sure you’ve noted we had a recent rise in COVID cases, leading to isolations and quarantines. We want to finish the semester as a strong and healthy community, so please remember to follow the mitigation strategies for helping to prevent any spread.
It is important for you to know that we have had more reports from community members about students gathering at off-campus locations. Even as the availability of the vaccine becomes more widely available and utilized, masking and distancing continue to be critical in our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community, and gatherings can contribute significantly to the spread of COVID-19. Please be reminded that you must follow the COVID-19 rules when hosting guests. This includes masking and distancing by all students if a guest is present in your residence or elsewhere on your property. Please also remember you are permitted a maximum of 8 people.
We have also been informed by the local police that a few houses have become problematic beyond the COVID protocols and have violated State law and local ordinances related to alcohol possession, consumption, distribution; and, disruptive and disorderly conduct. Students have been cited by the police for these law violations and law enforcement efforts will continue in the area.
I have included this link of the COVID-19 Rules and Rubric that we have been using and will continue to use for the rest of the semester up until Commencement. Please review this document carefully to ensure you understand the expectations. Violation of the COVID-19 Hosting Guests policy will result in assignment of sanctions, including remote study, loss of privilege to participate in Commencement, a behavior contract, and/or suspension.
In closing, I know how important these coming weeks are and how hard you’ve worked to reach this point, including the opportunity for seniors to celebrate in person at Commencement. I encourage you to continue to strive for a successful and safe finish to the spring semester!
If you observe a violation of the Student Health Agreement, please submit a Community Concern Form. And if you have questions, please let me know.
Be safe and be well,
Keira S. Kant ’95
Associate Dean of College Life