UPDATES: Safe Return to Campus COVID-19 Information
Dear Skidmore Community,
As we approach our planned return to campus this weekend for the start of classes on Tuesday, Jan. 25, our priority remains starting out as safely as we can to ensure the semester can continue as normally as possible.
The following policies and procedures are designed to protect the wellness of our community and minimize operational challenges as much as possible, particularly during the first week back. We understand that this is a lot of information and appreciate your close review of these updates.
SAFE RETURN TO CAMPUS
Please note that specific move-in instructions will be shared directly to students by Residential Life. Booster shot reminders have and will continue to be sent by Health Services to individuals who have not yet submitted their required proof of booster through the Skidmore Health Portal.
Pre-Arrival Testing Reminder
- All returning students, including students who live off campus, are required to take a PCR or rapid antigen test within 72 hours prior to arriving on campus and submit proof of test results to prearrivaltesting@skidmore.edu, by sending a photo (with your name and date) or other official confirmation.
- If you test positive, you may not return to campus until all isolation precautions are complete (at least 10 days).
Arrival Procedures
Immediately upon arrival to campus, students must pick up one Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test and two KN95 masks at one of the locations listed below. Students will be asked to show Skidmore ID.
- Upon receiving the test and masks, students should remain masked, avoid contact with others, and go directly to their private residence to take the rapid test immediately.
- If the test result is negative, there is no need to report it.
- If the test result is positive, the student must promptly contact Health Services (during business hours) or Campus Safety (after hours) and remain in their private residence. If living in a shared space, masking with a KN95 is required following a positive rapid test result.
Rapid Test and KN95 Mask Pick-Up Locations and Hours
Residence Halls: All individuals living in residence halls should pick up their rapid test and KN95 masks in their respective buildings during move-in hours.
Those arriving outside those hours or living in on-campus apartments or off-campus housing may pick up their rapid test and two KN95 masks at any of the following locations:
- Murray-Aikins Dining Hall: Friday, Jan. 21, through Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 a.m.-10 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-6:15 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 23, through Monday, Jan. 24, 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 5-8 p.m.
- Skidmore Shop: Friday, Jan. 21, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 24, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Williamson Sports Center: Friday, Jan. 21, through Monday, Jan. 24, noon-6 p.m.
- COVID testing site, 2nd floor, Murray-Aikins: During testing hours.
- Rapid test and KN95 masks may be picked up at Campus Safety, but only outside of the hours provided at the above locations.
Testing on Campus
- All students must be tested on campus within 24 hours of arrival with a PCR test and must test again five days later.The full testing schedule can be viewed here.
- Employees must complete an on-campus test the week of Jan. 23-29 or a PCR or a rapid test away from campus. Updated testing hours are available on the Health Services website.
- Surveillance testing schedules and requirements for students and employees after Jan. 30 will be evaluated and communicated in a timely manner.
Masks
- IMPORTANT UPDATE: The College has decided that given the extremely contagious nature of Omicron, a KN95 mask will be required now through Jan. 30 for everyone on campus when indoors in public spaces.
- Students will pick up their KN95 masks as outlined above. Employees will also be provided with two KN95 masks. Please contact Facilities at facilities@skidmore.edu to arrange for the pick-up of masks for each department.
Dining
From Friday, Jan. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 30, the following dining guidelines will remain in effect:
- Murray-Aikins Dining Hall will operate with a grab-and-go option in which students will be permitted to enter the Dining Hall to select their own food but must remain masked at all times while doing so. Physically distanced seating will be provided resulting in extremely limited seating being available. Please be prepared to utilize grab-and-go due to limited seating.
- Limited, physically distanced seating will be provided at the Spa and Burgess Café.
- Individuals must not move tables or chairs at any dining location.
Visitors
From Friday, Jan. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 30, the following visitor guidelines will remain in effect:
- External visitors are not permitted in campus buildings, including residence halls and apartments. This includes family members and friends who are not part of the Skidmore community.
- Students may visit others in residence halls, but only one visitor per resident (who must be present) is permitted at a time. For example, if you live in a double room and both you and your roommate are present, you may have two visitors in your space.
- Visitors are permitted in apartments. As with residence halls, only one visitor per resident (who must be present) is allowed at a time.
- Please remember: If you are in a room, apartment, or space other than your assigned residence, masks are required.
- Off-campus students are not permitted in on-campus housing and must follow the same guidelines as on-campus students at their own residences.
Please note: Individuals on campus for official college business are not considered visitors. During this time period, only Skidmore community members may attend events at their discretion (e.g. athletic games, lectures) in accordance with current events policy.
UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR POSITIVE CASES
As shared last week, in line with updated CDC guidance and in order to effectively respond to a likely significantly higher number of cases, Skidmore’s COVID-19 response to isolation, quarantine, and contact tracing will all be adapted this semester. We ask that all members of our community familiarize themselves with these new guidelines prior to arriving on campus.
At this time, the following guidelines are in place for those who test positive for COVID-19:
- Students who test positive must isolate for at least five days following their positive test and complete all subsequent isolation precautions identified by Health Services.
- Students who live off campus or who are in a single bedroom on campus, including students in residence halls, will isolate in place. If on-campus roommates test positive in the same timeframe, they will isolate together.
- Employees who test positive must isolate for five days. Employees who are feeling well enough to work, and the nature of the work allows for remote work, may work from home with supervisor approval. If the nature of the work does not allow for remote work, the College will provide paid sick time to use during the isolation period.
- Email and text messages will be used to communicate positive test results to students and employees. Everyone should monitor these closely. Students who test positive will have their CoVerified status changed to “restricted.”
- Faculty will continue to be notified when students are not able to attend in-person learning because of isolation or quarantine requirements.
- Contact tracing will be restricted to specific, high-risk situations where transmission is likely to occur. All students and employees in isolation will be asked to independently notify their close contacts.
- Students should pack a ‘to-go’ bag including medications, toiletries, comfort items, clothing, chargers, etc., in advance so they are prepared to move quickly into isolation housing, if necessary.
We are still working on the details of housing and support for isolation and will communicate the procedures by the start of the semester. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
While many of the above policies and procedures are for the first week of classes, the College will continue to assess and review these and others throughout our return to campus as we monitor transmission and cases within our Skidmore community and the region during the coming weeks.
Thank you in advance to everyone for your adherence to these requirements.
Sincerely,
The COVID-19 Logistics Working Group
- Donna Ng (Co-Chair), Vice President for Finance and Administration & Treasurer
- Gail Cummings-Danson (Co-Chair), Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics
- Sarah Delaney Vero, Interim Human Resources Director
- 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
- Julia Routbort, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Health and Wellness
- Angela Valden, Strategic Communications Editor