As of Saturday, Aug. 7, the COVID-19 transmission rate in Saratoga County has moved from "substantial" to "high," as classified by the Centers for Disease Control. In the wake of this development, the College is now requiring a return to indoor masking for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.  

• All unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times in indoor public spaces. In outdoor settings, unvaccinated individuals may unmask unless social distancing is not possible. 
• All vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask indoors. Masking is not required when alone in a private office or partitioned cubicle/workspace or in a private residence. In outdoor settings, vaccinated individuals may unmask. 
• Masks are not required when eating or drinking in a campus dining area while seated, but they are required for both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals at all other times in a public indoor setting such as the dining hall. 

We ask all members of our community to be respectful in their communication with others regarding mask wearing and vaccination status. While individuals may voluntarily disclose their vaccination status, the College expects all community members to exercise sensitivity to individuals’ unique circumstances. This includes refraining from asking an individual why they have not been vaccinated.

All students who are not fully vaccinated (14 days after final dose) and who are arriving from international locations will need to meet CDC quarantine recommendations prior to moving into their student housing assignment and/or coming to campus.
 
Skidmore will support travel-related quarantines for students who are in on-campus housing starting on Aug. 23. We are not able to support student quarantine housing prior to that date. You must notify Jamin Totino in Student Academic Services at jtotino@skidmore.edu to arrange for Skidmore-supported quarantine. Students in off-campus housing must quarantine independently.

It is required for some groups and strongly recommended for others. 

• Pre-arrival testing is strongly recommended for all students. Pre-arrival testing will help ensure that students do not arrive on campus with pre-existing infections and need to isolate for 10 days. Free COVID-19 testing is widely available, and at-home antigen COVID tests are also a good option for pre-arrival testing. Students who are doing recommended, but not required, pre-arrival testing do not need to submit their test results to Skidmore.
• Pre-arrival testing, with either a PCR or antigen test, is required for the following specific groups of students. Students in these categories must submit proof of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours prior to their arrival to campus.

1. Students who will not be vaccinated or fully vaccinated (14 days after final dose of vaccine) upon their arrival to campus. Students in this category will be contacted by Health Services about how to meet this requirement.
2. Students who will participate in a Pre-Orientation program that involves being off campus overnight must send proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to their arrival on campus (Sept. 2). Students in this category will be contacted by the Office of Campus Life and Engagement about how to meet this requirement.
3. Early-arrival fall student-athletes must have a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of their first practice. Students in this category will be contacted by Athletics about how to meet this requirement.
4. Resident assistants (RAs) and community assistants (CAs) will be required to submit a negative pre-arrival test prior to coming to campus. The Office of Residential Life will be in touch about how to meet this requirement.

Yes. 

All students, including students who must submit pre-arrival testing, must get tested within 24 hours of their arrival to campus. Off-campus students should test within 24 hours of returning to campus for classes. Students participating in a Pre-Orientation program off campus will test within 24 hours of their return to campus on Sunday, Sept. 5.

All students must get a second COVID-19 test five to seven days after their first on-arrival test date and do daily symptom monitoring in CoVerified until their second COVID test result has been returned. 

Skidmore will decide about ongoing surveillance testing protocols for the fall semester based on county COVID transmission levels and campus testing positivity rates.  

Students who are not fully vaccinated and who have an approved exemption or extension to Skidmore’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement will need to test weekly for COVID-19. 

Initial testing will be done in Falstaff’s.

Yes, Skidmore looks forward to returning to a fully in-person, residential learning experience on campus this fall while continuing to prioritize students' health and safety.

Though some COVID health and safety measures remain, Skidmore is returning to normal on-campus operations this summer and into the fall, and a fully in-person Skidmore experience is planned for the fall semester.

Without question, the situation for our international students is especially fraught right now. We are exploring every possible solution to either help them get to campus or to arrange for off-campus study until they can arrive here.

Skidmore's fall semester classes will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 8, and end on Friday, Dec. 10, with the semester officially coming to a close on Dec. 18. A typical Thanksgiving break of Nov. 24-28 is built into the academic calendar. Additional information is available in the academic calendar.

Students should discuss academic plans with their advisors as needed. The Office of Academic Advising is also a resource and can be contacted at advising@skidmore.edu

Please visit the orientation site. 

Yes! Members of the Class of 2024 are planning a re-orientation to Skidmore. More information can be found here.

Families and friends are welcome to join students to help move in, but we ask that only two people join them in their residence hall or apartment at one time and that everyone wear a mask indoors. 

We are not currently asking for the vaccination status of visitors. However, everyone on campus must wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status. 

As of Saturday, Aug. 7, the COVID-19 transmission rate in Saratoga County has moved from "substantial" to "high," as classified by the Centers for Disease Control. In the wake of this development, the College is now requiring a return to indoor masking for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.  

• All vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask indoors. 
• All vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask indoors. Masking is not required when alone in a private office or partitioned cubicle/workspace or in a private residence. In outdoor settings, vaccinated individuals may unmask. 
• Masks are not required when eating or drinking in a campus dining area while seated, but they are required for both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals at all other times in a public indoor setting such as the dining hall. 

Individuals who are not fully vaccinated should continue to practice physical distancing in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Individuals who are fully vaccinated do not need to practice physical distancing.

Employees and students are no longer required to complete the Daily Health Certification before or upon arriving to campus.

Students and employees are encouraged to continue to self-monitor for symptoms of infectious disease, including COVID-19 symptoms. As was the case prior to the pandemic, employees who are sick should stay home.

Any employee who tests positive for COVID-19 must report the diagnosis to Human Resources, who will advise the employee on current isolation requirements. Any individual who is not fully vaccinated and is exposed to a positive COVID-19 case must report this to Human Resources, who will advise the employee on current quarantine requirements. Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine following exposure to a positive COVID-19 case.

Students: Skidmore will be conducting surveillance PCR testing for all Skidmore students at the start of the semester.

Skidmore will decide about ongoing surveillance testing protocols for the fall semester based on county COVID transmission levels and campus testing positivity rates.  

Employees: Surveillance testing is under discussion. More information will be released soon. 

Skidmore Health Services staff will call all students who have positive COVID-19 test results to share the test results, provide support and instructions about next steps.

By New York state law, all positive COVID-19 test results must be reported to the relevant public health authorities.

Additionally, any positive test results on Skidmore's campus will be shared with relevant campus administrators in order to facilitate needed next steps, like isolating and facilitating support. Information will be shared parsimoniously and only on a "need to know" basis.

We are confident in both the sensitivity and specificity of the COVID-19 tests, which are successfully processed by the Broad Institute. The Institute has several quality control protocols in place to ensure accuracy over time and across laboratory batches.

Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination or symptom status.

Any on-campus student who needs to isolate or quarantine based on COVID testing and/or exposure to COVID-19 will be strongly encouraged to return home to quarantine or isolate. Off-campus students will isolate or quarantine in their off-campus housing.

Fully vaccinated individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 will need to follow CDC guidelines which, as of Aug. 13, are to mask indoors and self-monitor for seven days following exposure and test three to five days after exposure. If the test is negative, and individuals are not symptomatic, individuals may stop masking after seven days, unless there is a general Skidmore requirement to continue indoor masking for all.

Individuals who are unvaccinated and who are exposed to COVID-19 will need to quarantine for 10 days, based on current New York State Department of Health and CDC guidelines. Students who need to quarantine or isolate can anticipate they will miss significant class time and will need to work with faculty members around meeting course requirements.

Any employee, regardless of vaccination status, who tests positive for COVID-19 must not come on campus to work and should stay home until it is safe for them to be around others. You may return to work after:

• 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
• 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.

Unvaccinated employees who are exposed to a positive COVID-19 case and who are required to quarantine by order of the Department of Health should provide a copy of their quarantine order to their supervisor.

Employees who can work remotely should do so during their isolation or quarantine period. Employees who cannot work remotely may be eligible for paid time off during their isolation or quarantine period and should contact Human Resources for additional information.

Vaccinated employees who are exposed to a positive COVID-19 case and who show no symptoms of COVID-19 are not required to quarantine. The CDC recommends fully vaccinated employees should get tested three to five days after their exposure, even if they do not have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public spaces for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Health Services will work with students on a case-by-case basis to determine the best course of treatment. This could include services delivered by on-campus providers, or referrals to Saratoga Hospital/local urgent care centers based on the nature and severity of the illness.

For state and local case updates, visit Saratoga County Public Health Services and the New York State Department of Health websites. 

Health Services is currently available for clinical appointments from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, and students who are living, working or taking classes on campus are eligible for clinical services. Request an appointment through the website, by calling 518-580-5550 or emailing health@skidmore.edu.

Counseling Center resources and counselors are available to all students. Please visit the Counseling Center webpage for information about clinical services, hours, access, and policies.

Students should speak with their faculty members to let them know they have an approved exemption. Faculty members will work with students to address classroom spaces and group work activities.

Human Resources will work with employees and their supervisors to address any physical space concerns.

• Donna Ng (Chair), Vice President for Finance and Administration & Treasurer
• Gail Cummings-Danson (Co-Chair), Interim Dean of Students and VP for Student Affairs, Assistant VP for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics
• Sarah Delaney Vero, Interim Human Resources Director/Assistant Director of Employment & Workforce Diversity
• Pat Fehling, Acting Associate Dean of the Faculty and Professor for Health and Human Physiological Sciences Department
• Sara Miga, Director of External Relations and Strategic Communications, and Angela Valden, Strategic Communications Editor
• Tim Munro, Director of Campus Safety
• Bruce Murray, Assistant Director of Facilities
• Kelly Patton-Ostrander, Assistant Vice President for Financial Planning & Auxiliary Services
• Anne Marie Przywara, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Residential Life and Student Conduct
• Julia Routbort, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Health and Wellness

Yes. Skidmore College is requiring that all students be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before arriving on campus for the fall. 

Please review the full policy. 

Yes. All new and current faculty and staff (union and non-union) are required to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 3, 2021, unless exempted from this requirement as a reasonable accommodation of a medical condition or sincerely held religious belief.

Please review the full policy. 

Currently accepted COVID-19 vaccines include Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and an evolving list of international vaccines accepted by the World Health Organization. Vaccines must be approved by either the Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization to be acceptable. Only individuals who have received all recommended doses of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 vaccine are considered fully vaccinated for the purpose of public health guidance.

The College will work closely with any international students who may have difficulty accessing one of these vaccines or have access to a vaccine not listed, and those instances will be examined on a case-by-case basis.

All returning students must submit proof of COVID vaccination through this form by Aug. 1, 2021. 
 
If you have already submitted proof of vaccination to Health Services, you do not need to complete this form. You can verify this documentation by checking your Health Portal account.

By Aug. 13, employees must:

• Provide proof of full vaccination; OR
• Provide proof of first shot and appointment for second shot**; OR
• Apply for a medical or religious exemption to Human Resources; OR, For staff: Apply for an unpaid leave of absence until vaccinated, and in any event no later than Jan. 3, 2022. For faculty: Apply for an unpaid leave of absence in accordance with Faculty Handbook provisions (Part I, IX, C).

**This provision only applies to vaccines requiring two shots (Pfizer & Moderna); One single dose of Johnson & Johnson is considered fully vaccinated.

Evidence of full vaccination, unless granted an exemption or leave of absence, must be submitted by Sept. 3, 2021.

Human Resources sent details on how to submit your information directly to employees via email during the week of July 26. Please contact HR for questions. 

Vaccination records will be maintained confidentially by Human Resources for employees and Health Services for students and will only be shared with those with a need to know and in accordance with federal and state laws protecting health information.

Employees in need of an exemption from this policy due to a medical reason, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, should contact Human Resources to request an accommodation in accordance with the College's Reasonable Accommodations for Employees and Applicants policy. 

Students can begin the process of applying for an exemption based on medical or religious grounds, or for an extension of the Aug. 1 deadline due to difficulties accessing an approved vaccine, by completing this form by Aug. 1. 

For staff members who have not received all doses by Sept. 3, 2021, and do not request an accommodation or leave of absence, the following will be implemented:

Non-union staff:

• Staff may voluntarily resign.
• In accordance with the College's Unpaid Leave policy, staff may apply for an unpaid leave of absence until vaccinated, or until Jan. 3, 2022, whichever is sooner. Failure to return to work by the end of an approved leave of absence will be considered job abandonment and the College will terminate the employee.
• Otherwise, the College will issue an involuntary termination notice.

Union staff: Those who choose not to comply with the College’s vaccination requirement will be subject to further action in accordance with the contract and other agreements reached with the applicable union.

Faculty:

• Faculty may apply for an unpaid leave of absence in accordance with Faculty Handbook provisions (Part I, IX, C); OR
• The College will initiate disciplinary action, up to and including suspension and/or dismissal, in accordance with Faculty Handbook procedures (Part I, XI). Violation of College policy is considered professional misconduct.

Students will not be allowed on campus. Please reach out to Health Services with any questions. 

Current federal guidance supports employers mandating approved COVID-19 vaccines for employees, and employers are within their legal authority to do so.

Students and employees are encouraged to review Centers for Disease Control and New York State Department of Health information regarding the safety of available COVID-19 vaccines. 

COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available at state-run vaccination clinics as well as local grocery stores and pharmacies. To locate a convenient and free vaccine location, please visit this New York state website.

Yes. The CDC recommends individuals get vaccinated regardless of whether they have already had COVID-19, based on studies that show that vaccination provides a strong boost in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19.

There is currently no vaccination requirement for visitors. However, in an effort to protect the health and safety of our community of students, faculty, and staff, and the greater Saratoga Springs community, Skidmore College will require that all visitors follow current College masking guidelines, in line with CDC guidelines, while visiting campus.

As of Saturday, Aug. 7, the COVID-19 transmission rate in Saratoga County has moved from "substantial" to "high," as classified by the Centers for Disease Control. In the wake of this development, the College is now requiring a return to indoor masking for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.  

• All unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times in indoor public spaces. In outdoor settings, unvaccinated individuals may unmask unless social distancing is not possible. 
• All vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask indoors. Masking is not required when alone in a private office or partitioned cubicle/workspace or in a private residence. In outdoor settings, vaccinated individuals may unmask. 
• Masks are not required when eating or drinking in a campus dining area while seated, but they are required for both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals at all other times in a public indoor setting such as the dining hall. 

Doors are locked at all times and no visitor can enter campus housing on their own, or be left alone in a hall or apartment.

Visitors can enter campus housing if they are wearing a mask, have been invited by a student, and that student has gotten the permission of their roommate(s). At this time, we ask that students bring no more than two non-Skidmore students into a residence building at one time and be exceptionally considerate of those whom they share a space with and their comfort level with guests. 

The Dining Services team will continue to provide the high-quality food that our students appreciate while maintaining a safe environment.

This fall, Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and The Spa will operate at normal capacities. Summer hours may vary. 

Yes.

Yes. Competition schedules will be posted on team webpages on the Skidmore Athletics website as they become available.

Student employment will continue to be available on campus.

Yes. As we return to a fully in-person learning environment this fall, we are eager to resume events and gatherings on campus, and will do so while maintaining a safe environment for all who live, work, visit and conduct research at the College.

For campus gatherings and events that include visitors, an event sponsor may request proof of vaccination as a replacement for the mask requirement for visitors. This request must be made to the appropriate Cabinet member for approval. If request is approved, the event sponsor must work with the Office of Conferences and Events to establish appropriate procedures or gathering visitors’ proof of vaccination.

Yes. Administrators are working closely with the Student Government Association, and student leaders continue to provide opportunities for engagement within health and safety guidelines.

Yes. When students leave campus, they must follow state and local guidelines. We encourage families to have conversations with students about expectations for behavior within the surrounding community. The College will be sharing guidelines and expectations with all students as well.

The Skidmore Pledge asks all our students to be thoughtful about how their travel could impact them and others.

Building hours and additional information can be viewed on the Lucy Scribner Library webpage.

For the latest on the Tang Teaching Museum's hours, visit the museum's website

Celebration Weekend 2021 is scheduled for October 15-17. You can learn more on the Celebration Weekend website. 

The College is planning residential spaces for students that will maintain standards of health and safety and prevent too much social density. 

If students are interested in living off campus, they are responsible for finding housing.

The College encourages students to consider the items listed on our packing list.

We would advise that parents ask their students to share emails with them. If you have specific questions upon review, please reach out to the Office of Residential Life at reslife@skidmore.edu

Yes, you may have friends visit you but they must wear a mask at all times regardless of vaccination status

As of Aug. 7, all individuals on campus who are indoors should be wearing a mask. Unvaccinated individuals should wear a mask at all times. Guidelines for athletes in competition are forthcoming. 

Williamson Sports Center is now open to all students, faculty and staff without restrictions. Faculty and staff may bring guests, who are expected to sign in at the front desk. Sign-ups will still be required for all users of the cardio and weight rooms. Everyone must swipe in at the front desk with their Skidmore ID. The pool will reopen in the fall. For more information, contact Keelin Hollowood.

Competition schedules are posted on team webpages at skidmoreathletics.com.

We are currently awaiting guidance from the NCAA regarding possible athletics restrictions.