Dear Students,
Welcome back!
As I walked around the campus this week, it was evident that Wellesley students are happy to be back together. And speaking for everyone in the Division of Student Life—we are so glad you are here!
This letter is the first of a series of biweekly updates we’ll send to share news of our successes or challenges with the health and safety protocols as well as updates to policies and practices. And while my past letters outlined expectations, I want to start by saying congratulations and thank you to those of you who are trying so hard to adjust. We are aware that some students have reported that neighbors have come on to campus or near the lake and are not practicing our protocols. We will work with campus police to address these concerns.
We have made it through move-in, quarantine, and the first week of classes. Thank you to the orientation coordinators and orientation mentors, and to the Residential Life staff, including the house presidents and resident assistants, who did their best to make our campus welcoming under the circumstances. We had some challenges with testing and quarantine meal delivery, and the RAs and HPs were an incredible help to support their fellow students. We are pleased that we are past that phase. As you become more comfortable with your surroundings and get used to being back on campus, you must remember that your vigilance with the health and safety protocols is necessary to ensure that you can remain on campus.
Some fun to come, I promise! I have been told that these past few days have been tough, especially for some of our first-years. I’ve heard that some students describe a culture of fear. Let’s help each other in a positive way. Be creative! Get to know your blockmates and classmates. Just keep the sizes of groups small and go outside as often as possible, and of course, keep your mask on and maintain 6 feet of distance.
Dining hall seating will be open for reservations and the meals will have more options for portion sizes and variety. You are now able to reserve a table for one, two, or three people using a reservation system. When you reserve, you will be asked to select a location and time and provide the name of anyone eating with you, and the system will let you select a table of the appropriate size. All the tables in the dining halls are numbered. Please check out the dining reservations site for more. We hope this will work well as the weather gets cooler this fall. Want to give feedback? Talk to your dining manager.
Impromptu gatherings where masks are not worn correctly must stop. I have already heard about a few incidents where physical distancing and mask-wearing were not practiced—a gathering by the lake, another near Tower steps, and groups of students smoking outside. These incidents are disturbing because simple acts like this can jeopardize our community’s health. I am sure you are aware that all of the outbreaks at other colleges, including those nearby in Worcester, were the result of gatherings where physical distancing was not observed. Your sibs are depending on you to follow the protocols. We will enforce the rules by taking names and filing Honor Code violations if this happens again.
Organized gatherings of 25 people or fewer outside will be allowed soon. Soon we will have outdoor movies and other fun events. We must get through the initial stages, but there are plans for more engagement. Be sure to check out the WEngage app for both virtual and in-person social activities.
Testing update: For the most part, students have shown up for testing on time. Asymptomatic testing is the only way to identify individuals who are COVID-19 positive without symptoms early, to reduce the risk that they will infect others. It requires everyone to follow the testing protocol. If you miss your testing time on a given day, you should go as soon as possible on your testing day. You may need to wait, but it is better to stick to the same day.
Please do the Daily Health Check daily! There seems to be some confusion around the symptom tracker so we renamed it the “Daily Health Check.” You must use the Daily Health Check every day, even if you do not have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, indicate them on the app and wait for a call from Health Services. The staff there will reach out to you as soon as possible. Stay in your room and don’t go to class. You should ask a friend to grab your meals. And if you are scheduled for asymptomatic testing, do not go and instead email campuskey@wellesley.edu indicating that you are symptomatic and not testing that day. If you develop symptoms later in the day, please call health service directly. The daily health check is not the way to communicate with health services during the day.
Residential policies will be reviewed and adjusted over time. There has been some concern about the restriction on not visiting each others’ rooms and about kitchen use and the sizes of gatherings. These strict rules are essential right now. Once we get on a regular testing regimen and feel more confident that our measures are working, we will re-evaluate to determine whether any changes can be made. Your patience, your diligence, and your trust in our professional judgment are necessary for all of these measures to work.
Prevent lock outs! The number of students getting locked out of their rooms is a concern. Please keep your key and student ID with you when you leave your room, especially during the late night hours.
Student input is welcome. One way to help us evaluate our policies will be gathering student input. As you may be aware, an ad hoc committee of students provided guidance and suggestions to the fall planning team. In order to open the committee to students who are on campus, I will be creating a student advisory board for COVID-19. My goal for the group will be to gather information on how students are doing and to generate ideas for improving the quality of life for students during this pandemic. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please email me at the deanofstudentsoffice@wellesley.edu.
One last thought about the Honor Code. Your chief justice said it best. The Honor Code expects you to think about honor, integrity, and respect as you make decisions. It’s about being responsible for learning about healthy practices and risky behaviors, and thinking twice to ensure that your actions do not put your community at risk. It is not about punishment—but it is about the consequences of your actions. The consequences of risky behaviors will be different than the consequences of safe behaviors. It is really that simple. Choose well.
Let’s work together to show the world that Wellesley College can stay COVID-19 free for the fall.
Sincerely,
Sheilah Shaw Horton
Vice President and Dean of Students
