Summer/Fall 2022 COVID Health and Safety Update

Jul 22, 2022

To: Wellesley College Community
CC: Parents and families
From: Andrew Shennan, Provost and Lia Gelin Poorvu ’56 Dean of the College; Sheilah Shaw Horton, Vice President and Dean of Students; and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: Summer/Fall 2022 COVID Health and Safety Update
Date: July 22, 2022

As we all enjoy a quieter pace this summer, the Senior Leadership team has been planning our health and safety measures for the fall semester. It is clear that COVID-19 is not going away; infection rates have remained stubbornly high, and in many areas of the country they have increased in recent weeks. It is equally clear, though, that we are all finding ways to live with it.

Vaccines and boosters have proven effective at limiting severe illness and will remain the foundation of our strategy. At the same time, we are revising some of our COVID policies to allow us to teach, learn, collaborate, and build community more easily. As we update our guidelines, we recognize that members of the community may choose to mask or test more often than required based on their individual health and family situations, which we encourage.

Below is a summary of some of the most significant changes. These new protocols will take effect August 1. Please visit Keeping Wellesley Healthy for more details. We will share additional guidance for returning to campus closer to the start of classes.

Vaccination

  • All faculty, staff, and students must be up to date with COVID vaccinations, which includes having received at least one booster.
  • Medical and religious exemptions will be considered.

Testing

  • The College testing program will be optional, not required.
  • Faculty, staff, and students can opt in to weekly testing on campus.
  • Testing on or off campus is recommended if:
    • You are symptomatic.
    • You are exposed as a close contact.
    • You have traveled out of state or internationally.
  • All testing on campus will be at the College Club.
  • Please continue to report positive results of COVID tests taken off campus.

Testing platform

  • Beginning the first week of August, the College will use a new platform for managing test results through a company called Color. The Broad Institute will continue to process the test samples.
  • People who wish to test will need to sign in to Color using their Wellesley email and complete the registration process. At the testing center, you can use your smartphone or a tablet that will be available to activate the Color test. Testing staff will be on site to assist.

Masks

  • As a general rule, masks are optional on campus and in all campus buildings, with the exception of classrooms, in Health Services/Counseling, and in the testing center (the College Club), where they are required. This general policy is subject to the following qualifications:
    • Faculty members may make masking optional in their own classrooms/laboratories at their discretion.
    • Masks are required for individuals who have tested positive during the five-day isolation period and for the next five days.
    • Masking is encouraged for close contacts and for several days following out-of-state or international travel.

Isolation

  • Faculty and staff who test positive:
    • Faculty and staff will isolate at home for five days, then wear masks for another five days, and refrain from eating with others.
    • If faculty and administrative staff feel well enough to teach or work remotely during the isolation period they can, but they are not obliged to do so.
    • Catherine Cuddy, our COVID coordinator, will advise employees regarding return to work.
  • Students who test positive:
    • Students must isolate in their residence hall rooms for five days. As of August 1, we will no longer use the hotel for isolation. We have made this change based on the endemic nature of the virus and the experience of many peer institutions that have moved to in-room isolation.
    • During the five-day isolation period, students must not attend class or leave their residence hall room except to use the restroom/shower or to pick up to-go meals in a dining hall.
    • Following the five-day isolation period, students who tested positive may attend class, but they must remain masked and refrain from eating with others for an additional five days.
    • Health Services will advise students regarding release from isolation.
    • Students who are close contacts of individuals who tested positive are not required to quarantine and are expected to attend class.

Travel

  • There are no restrictions on travel, although community members are encouraged to wear a mask while traveling and are expected to test three to five days after returning from out-of-state or international travel.
  • Administrative staff will resume travel that is required for the College’s business purposes.

Spaces and programming

  • All campus spaces are back to 100% capacity. We will continue to follow CDC guidelines regarding ventilation.
  • People may eat together outdoors and indoors.
  • We recommend holding large gatherings outdoors where possible.
  • Tents have provided welcome gathering places and will remain in operation as long as weather permits. Tents can be reserved for events but not for classes.

Visitors and campus access 

  • As a routine matter, campus buildings will continue to be closed to the general public and will require swipe access where available. However, members of the College community may invite guests into buildings. In addition, events (such as lectures, performances, or competitions) may be designated as open to the public, and public-facing facilities (such as the Davis Museum, Global Flora, and the Office of Admission) may be open at specified hours, with the prior approval of the relevant division head.
  • All visitors to the College must be vaccinated. Individuals, departments, or offices inviting guests and members of the general public to the campus are responsible for communicating the College’s vaccination requirement to them. Masking is optional for visitors on campus.

Going forward, we will revise our health and safety policies according to CDC guidelines and as vaccinations against the newer variants become available. Because we are discontinuing broad-based asymptomatic testing, we will no longer maintain the COVID-19 dashboard starting August 1. The Keeping Wellesley Healthy site will continue to include detailed and updated information about our policies.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we continue to navigate our way through this pandemic. We look forward to seeing you all back on campus this fall.