To: Wellesley College Faculty and Staff
From: Andy Shennan, Provost and Lia Gelin Poorvu ’56 Dean of the College; Piper Orton, Vice President of Administration and Finance and Treasurer; and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: Update on Winter Break and COVID-19 Testing on Campus
Date: December 14, 2020
As we head toward the winter break, we want to update you about what will be happening on campus and the plans for COVID-19 testing over the next eight weeks.
We anticipate that approximately 40 students will remain on campus during the winter break. They will be housed in Munger Hall and will be dining in Lulu. The custodial staff will undertake a thorough cleaning of the residence halls, preparing for the return to campus of approximately 1,200 students for the spring semester.
Because of the significant surge of COVID-19 that is expected this winter, and the extended length of the break, we want to reduce the number of people on campus during this time. We encourage administrative staff and faculty who are able to work effectively off campus during winter break to do so. Human Resources is reaching out to administrative division heads to identify the staff who need to be on campus during the break period. Any faculty member who has a need to be on campus on a regular basis during the break should fill out this Permission for Regular On Campus Work form, which the Office of the Provost will review and respond to within 48 hours.
Testing during winter break
We will continue COVID-19 testing on a reduced schedule and for a reduced number of individuals during the break.
Students remaining on campus will continue to be tested twice a week. We will also provide weekly asymptomatic testing for those employees who will have regular in-person contact with students. This includes staff in residential life, dining, health services and counseling, testing, police, and custodial and trades. Please note that COVID-19 testing will not be available to faculty who are approved to come to campus on a regular basis because they are not expected to be in contact with students during the break.
The current testing schedule will end on Thursday, December 17.
During winter break, all testing will take place at the Davis Garage/Lulu.
During the two holiday weeks, the Davis testing schedule will be as follows:
- Sunday, Dec. 20: 12–4 p.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 22: 7 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 27: 12–4 p.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 29: 7 a.m.–12 p.m.
From Monday, January 4, through Friday, January 29, the schedule will be as follows:
- Mondays: 12–4 p.m.
- Thursdays: 7 a.m.–12 p.m.
Just as during the fall, negative results from on-campus asymptomatic tests can be viewed through the application link. A health care professional will personally contact individuals who test positive. Faculty and staff who experience COVID-19 symptoms should coordinate directly with their own health care providers for symptomatic testing. We will continue to keep the community informed of the number of cases on campus through our COVID-19 Dashboard.
Some faculty and staff members have asked if they can be tested for travel-related purposes (either because testing is required by the airline or the point of destination, or because of quarantine rules for a return to Massachusetts). The College cannot offer this service. The Broad Institute’s testing program is designed for consistent, regular asymptomatic testing, not for occasional or one-time testing. We encourage you to consult with your health care provider and to look at the state’s list of testing sites for more information.
People have also asked about quarantine protocols for faculty or staff who travel out of state over the winter break. Wellesley College’s requirements for quarantining before returning to campus are stricter than the state’s requirements. There are two options:
- You can simply quarantine at home for 14 days before returning to campus.
- You can return to campus following post-travel quarantine on day 10 if you take a test on day eight and receive a negative test result.
Building access
The Science Center, Lulu, Munger, Slater, police, and trades buildings will be open during the winter break (December 18 through January 31). Faculty and staff who are approved to be on campus will have access to Clapp Library from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other buildings will be closed, pending plans for identified needs. Faculty and staff who come to campus will be required to complete the daily health check. Faculty and staff who are not coming to campus regularly should first obtain approval from the provost or their manager so that they can receive OneCard building access.
Please note that regular custodial services will not be provided in the closed buildings during this period. The temperature in the buildings will be lowered to 55 degrees. When you leave for the winter break, please check that your office windows are closed, the lights are turned off, and any equipment in your office or in the common areas (such as printers, copiers, coffee machines, etc.) is powered down. These actions will conserve energy.
Spring testing
Testing for faculty and staff on campus for spring semester will begin on a phased-in schedule on February 1. We plan to open the testing sites six to seven days a week for the first several weeks, and then will follow a Sunday through Thursday testing schedule for the remainder of the semester. As in the fall, weekly testing will be available to faculty and staff who have significant and regular in-person contact with students. This includes faculty who are teaching in-person classes and working with students in the lab as well as staff from residential life, health services and counseling, testing, police, dining, and custodial and trades.
We will not be providing asymptomatic testing to other faculty and staff, even if they will be working on campus and might have some contact with students. With adherence to the campus health and safety protocols, including maintaining physical distance, wearing face masks, and frequently washing hands, they do not face risks that warrant inclusion in the asymptomatic testing program.
