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Skidmore College
COVID-19 Campus Planning 2023 - 2024

Important COVID-19 operational changes

September 29, 2021
Dear Students,
 
As shared in our recent message, the COVID-19 Logistics Working Group has been carefully monitoring transmission rates among our campus community. In the past week, we have had 19 positive cases and a significant number of resulting exposures.
 
Given the notable, upward, and ongoing trend of positive cases in recent weeks, we must act now to control, and ultimately reverse, these trends.
 
Therefore, we are implementing the following operational changes, effective immediately:
 
Residence halls and visitors
 
  • Students may visit others within their assigned residence hall only. Only one visitor per room is permitted at any time. If you are in a room or space other than your assigned room, masks are required.
  • Visitors are not permitted in apartments. Students living in apartments may not visit other apartments or residence halls.
  • Outside visitors (e.g. family members, friends from other schools) are not permitted in residence halls or apartments.
  • Informal, indoor social gatherings are limited to 10 individuals in common spaces across campus, including residences, and masks are required.
  • Masks must be worn at all times indoors when students are off campus (e.g. at the grocery store, in town).
  • Off-campus students must follow the same guidelines as on-campus students.
Athletics
 
  • Masks are now required for all teams – indoors and outdoors – during practice.
Academics
 
  • Effective Monday, faculty may ask students to show a “cleared” CoVerified status before entering the classroom.
We will continue to monitor cases closely in the coming days and over the weekend.If a rise in cases persists, grab-and-go protocol from the Dining Hall may be implemented next week.
 
Though the Skidmore community is overwhelmingly vaccinated, the Delta variant continues to present unique challenges, and breakthrough cases are occurring. Transmission is more likely to happen for off-campus students, in households, among friendship groups, and on teams.
 
Most students who test positive have symptoms they mistake for a cold and they inadvertently expose others.Please do not discount any possible symptoms: If you are symptomatic, stay home, mask up, and contact Health Services.
 
Our actions now will inform how the campus operates in the coming weeks. Going out to bars and restaurants and attending larger social gatherings increases your risk of contracting COVID-19. Please err on the side of caution, test every seven days, and use good judgement to help keep yourself and others safe.
 
Thank you,
The COVID-19 Logistics Working Group
 
  • Donna Ng (Co-Chair), Vice President for Finance and Administration & Treasurer
  • Gail Cummings-Danson (Co-Chair), Assistant VP for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics
  • Sarah Delaney Vero, Interim Human Resources Director/Assistant Director of Employment & Workforce Diversity
  • Pat Fehling, Associate Dean of the Faculty and Professor for Health and Human Physiological Sciences Department
  • Sara Miga, Director of External Relations and Strategic Communications
  • Tim Munro, Director of Campus Safety
  • Bruce Murray, Assistant Director of Facilities
  • Kelley Patton-Ostrander, Assistant Vice President for Financial Planning & Auxiliary Services
  • Ann Marie Przywara, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Residential Life
  • JuliaRoutbort, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Health and Wellness
  • AngelaValden, Strategic Communications Editor