Dear friends,

We are very excited to welcome you to campus on Saturday for the Commencement of the Class of 2022. I'm writing with a few updates and reminders.

Weather update: Rain is likely Friday evening and throughout the day Saturday. While our ceremony will be indoors in the Alumni Field House, please be sure to bring umbrellas and other appropriate gear for a wet day and allow extra time to walk in slippery conditions. If we are unable to hold the reception outside due to the weather, light refreshments will be provided to-go in Founders Great Hall following the ceremony.

Livestream instructions: Those interested in watching our livestream will find the link on Saturday morning at www.haverford.edu/commencement. Guest wifi will be available in outside spaces only for anyone on campus to watch the livestream. Open your wifi settings, select the network “Haverford_Commencement” and enter the password commencement22 to log on.

Commencement begins promptly at 10:00 a.m., and doors open at 8:00 a.m. Please plan to arrive early to ensure you don't miss it! In addition to our regular Commencement programs, abridged programs in Spanish and Mandarin will also be available.

Lastly, universal masking continues to be required for all seated indoor Commencement events.

Please contact me with any remaining questions about Commencement.

Sincerely yours and congratulations graduates!

Noemí Fernández
Assistant in the Office of the President and Chair of the Commencement Committee

Friends,

As indicated on our COVID dashboard, we have seen an increase in the number of positive student cases over the past few days. Contact tracing patterns are familiar as the majority of new positive cases can be linked to residential and social spaces on campus. There remains no evidence of spread in classrooms or other instructional settings; universal masking continues to be required in all such spaces. In light of the recent uptick in cases, we have extended the testing hours for tomorrow, Saturday, April 16th from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm in Founders. Testing will be available again on Monday during the normal hours of 8:30 am - 4:00 pm. 

We encourage you to get tested to know your status and to prevent further spread. Masking of course significantly reduces the risks of infection, and we recommend masking in indoor settings when in doubt. Masking is required for all close contacts and for 10 days for anyone who tested positive. While the risks of severe illness from COVID are significantly reduced because of our highly vaccinated population, some of our community members are at greater risk because of personal health conditions and others may have people in their lives who are similarly at risk. We appreciate your continued demonstration of care and concern for Haverford and our neighbors in the broader community.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group
John McKnight, Dean of the College

Dear Friends,

With the spring semester well underway, we are looking forward to celebrating Commencement for the Class of 2022. The ceremony at which we grant degrees to our graduating seniors takes place on the morning of Saturday, May 14, at 10:00 a.m., in the Alumni Field House. On behalf of Haverford’s faculty, and the entire community, we are pleased to invite you, your family, and guests to join us.

Our Commencement website lists a detailed schedule of events, a campus map, and additional information that may be of help to you. The ceremony will be live streamed and accessible from the College’s website, with captioning in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Tickets are not required for any of the festivities. Seating is not reserved and is set up to accommodate the vast majority of accessibility needs.

The Commencement Ceremony begins promptly at 10:00 a.m., in the Alumni Field House. We recommend that you arrive early to avoid heavy traffic as other local colleges hold their commencement ceremonies on the same day as Haverford.

COVID Protocols: Visitors are welcome in most outdoor spaces and may access indoor spaces as described in the 2021-2022 Access and Guest Policy. At this time, universal masking is required for all indoor seated Commencement events with an N95, KN95, KF94, or surgical mask unless individuals are actively eating and drinking. This Policy applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Haverford will provide masks and sanitation stations at the Alumni Field House. Graduates who wish to do so may unmask for photos as they cross the Commencement platform.

Parking: All guests should enter from the Lancaster Avenue entrance on Commencement Day. Campus Safety Officers will be stationed at all campus entrances to direct traffic, including for anyone who needs accessible parking. Parking passes are not required, and there will be sufficient parking for all guests. If you have questions, please call the Office of Campus Safety at 610-896-1111. To provide assistance for any guests who need it, golf carts will run between the Commencement site and various parking areas, all of which are within a five-minute walk from the ceremony.

Spring bouquets are available for purchase, and proceeds will benefit the Haverford College volleyball team. The bouquets can be preordered for $20, and orders will be accepted until Friday, May 1. You will also be able to purchase bouquets the day of Commencement for $25, but quantities will be limited. All orders can be picked up beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Alumni Field House on May 14. Please use this webform or email Drew Hargrave at dhargrave [at] haverford.edu to place your order.

If you have questions at any point regarding Commencement or other aspects of the weekend, please feel free to contact the Chair of the Commencement Committee, Noemí Fernández, at hc-commencement [at] haverford.edu.

Commencement Day is an occasion to recognize both the achievements of our graduates and the support of their parents, families, and friends. We hope you will be able to join in our celebration, and we look forward to welcoming you to campus.

Sincerely yours,

Noemí Fernández
Assistant in the Office of the President and Chair of the Commencement Committee

Friends,

Taking into account data indicating low incidence of COVID on campus and in the region, our overwhelmingly vaccinated and boosted campus, and individuals’ ability to manage their own COVID safety through masking and other measures, we are adding more flexibility around on-campus COVID protections.

Policies Effective Saturday, April 2, 2022

• Masking
  • Mask-Friendly: For individuals who are vaccinated, boosted, asymptomatic, and not a close contact, most campus spaces will default to be mask-friendly, but not mask-required, including dining rooms, residence halls, common areas, office spaces, libraries, meeting rooms, and exercise spaces.
  • Mask-Required: Masking is required with an N95, KN95, or surgical mask, in the following spaces: 
    • Classrooms, labs, studios, and other indoor spaces while used for formal instruction
    • Audience seating for events and performances, as designated for the event/performance
    • Clinical spaces including Morris Health Services and the Athletic Training Room (GIAC basement)
    • Serving areas and lines in the Dining Center, Coop, and Lutnick Cafe
    • Blue Bus and Tri-Co Shuttles.
  • Those members of the community who wish to continue wearing masks are of course welcomed to do so.
  • All community members should carry a mask with them at all times and be prepared to wear masks in consideration of others.
• Event hosting and space capacity
  • Event sponsors will designate masking requirements for their events; however, events directly supporting the academic program, or at which attendance may be expected of students for academic reasons, should require masking of all audience members.
  • Indoor events and activities can be at regular capacity. Event planners and hosts should remain sensitive to the needs and varying degrees of comfort others will have.
  • Students with questions about social gatherings or other student events should continue to consult with the Office of Student Engagement. Please host gatherings outdoors whenever possible and keep in mind that masking and/or maintaining safe social distances are the best practices for preventing the spread of infection. COVID outbreaks could necessitate a return to prior safeguards.
• Travel (no policy change)
  • Domestic: Employees or students who have been fully vaccinated may engage in College-related travel and off-campus activities within the United States and return to live and/or work on campus provided they are asymptomatic. 
  • International: College-related or -supporting international travel or off-campus activities by faculty, staff, and students, regardless of funding source, will be permitted only as authorized prior to such travel or activities. Applicable Senior Staff members must approve any international travel by staff or students related to their division’s activities. Travel by faculty must be approved by the provost. 
• As a reminder, our vaccination and booster requirements remain in place for faculty, staff, students.  
• Guests and visitors must be vaccinated, boosted, asymptomatic, and not a close contact in order to unmask in any of the above permitted spaces.

We appreciate your patience while we work to update the Be-Safe COVID-19 website as well as signs across campus so that they are consistent with these updates.

Thank you for all you do for each other.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group
John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

With data indicating low incidence of COVID following spring break, and declining rates throughout the region, we write to announce the following changes:

In Brief

1. Haverford will return to the unmasking framework with which we started in the fall, inclusive of unmasking in small groups, one’s own residence hall, and dining at regular capacity.
2. We anticipate further changes toward becoming “mask-friendly” rather than “mask-required” in additional campus spaces in the near future.

Indoor Unmasking Policy Changes Effective March 25

Indoor unmasking is now allowed for vaccinated, boosted, asymptomatic individuals who are not close contacts, in the following cases:

• Dining on campus: unmasking is allowed while eating in groups, with dining rooms and tables at regular capacity unless otherwise designated. 
  • For those who prefer it, low-density indoor dining will be available in designated spaces.
  • Individuals must mask in lines and serving areas. 
• Separate rooms and shared work spaces: Small groups of people in a separate room or work area (office/conference room/study room/private lab or studio) can mutually agree to forego masks; however, the default is to remain masked.
• Residence Halls: unmasking is allowed anywhere inside one’s own residential building. Students who wish to mask within their residential buildings are encouraged to do so. 
• Social Gatherings: Students are permitted to host social events. Please host gatherings outdoors whenever possible and keep in mind that masking and/or maintaining safe social distances are the best practices for preventing the spread of infection. COVID outbreaks could necessitate a return to prior safeguards.

Anticipating Additional Masking Flexibility in the Near Future

We are aware that a number of peer institutions have recently made their campuses partly or fully mask-optional. We are watching these developments closely to learn from their experiences, with an interest in adopting similar changes at Haverford in the near future. Our planning for further masking policy changes this semester includes the following understandings:

• In our current COVID conditions, masking with a well-fitted, quality mask protects the wearer from infection and will allow any Haverford community member to manage their own COVID safety.
• All community members should plan to carry a mask with them at all times and be prepared to mask up in consideration of others.
• Classrooms, labs, studios, and other indoor spaces for formal instruction will remain masked settings for the time being. Shuttle vehicles and some other designated spaces will also require masking.
• Haverford College will remain a “mask-friendly” campus and community — there will never be a requirement or expectation that anyone unmask if that is not their personal preference.

Thank you for all you do for each other.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group
John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

We are encouraged to see relatively low levels of COVID in our required student arrival testing thus far, with just 6 new student cases detected among results received from nearly 90% of the student body, with further results pending. We are hopeful that the remainder of our student results continue this pattern. We have not had any faculty or staff cases in recent weeks. As we look ahead to the final stretch of the academic year, we’d like to share our anticipated approach to living together with COVID on campus.

In Brief:

• Required testing will continue for students for one more week, March 21-24, and then should become optional.
• Current masking and gathering protections remain in place for now, though we are hopeful about shifting toward additional flexibility in the DC and residence halls as we move through the spring.
• Out of care and consideration for those who need or prefer greater protections, we will continue to offer alternatives as we add flexibility in some settings, for example through low-density dining options.
• We invite your consideration as we evolve our thinking and philosophies on managing COVID along with the general population.

The Details:

As always, this plan reflects the guidance of our panel of infectious disease advisors, is based on current data and trends, and is subject to change if there are new COVID developments in the weeks ahead.

Testing:

• Compliance with arrival testing: Any student who has not participated in testing this week is non-compliant with current policy expectations and will be contacted by the Dean’s Office with further information and instructions.
• There will be another round of required student testing next week: Based on emerging data from other college campuses reflecting a pattern of COVID spread during the week following return from break, we will conduct one additional round of mandatory testing for the entire student body, next Monday, March 21 through Thursday, March 24 from 8:30 a.m until 4:30 p.m. in Founders Great Hall. 
• Student testing may become optional thereafter: if the results of our second round of student testing are encouraging, and barring no other major changes, we anticipate returning to recommended-but-optional testing thereafter.
• Employee testing remains optional: Individual faculty and staff may participate in voluntary testing throughout the semester on a drop-in basis whenever student testing is available in Founders Great Hall.

Masking and Gatherings

We will continue the below policies this week and next and then take stock of where we are. We strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of the improving weather by holding gatherings outside whenever possible, which significantly reduces the chance of COVID transmission. It has been great to see people doing this!

• Indoor Dining: Unmasking is allowed while actively eating, no more than two people per table. In the Dining Center or any other public indoor space, individuals must mask in lines, serving areas, before/after meals, and at all other times when they are not actively eating.
• Classrooms: Masking remains required in classes indoors. Our default assumption is that we will continue to mask in classrooms and other indoor learning spaces for the remainder of the semester.
• Shared work spaces: If pairs of people in a contained work area (office/conference room/private lab or studio) are aware that they are fully vaccinated and boosted, they can mutually agree to forego masks and be at distances less than 6 feet while sharing the same space; however, the default assumption is that masks will be worn.
• Residence Halls: Students must mask inside their own and others’ residential buildings. Students must continue masking when they are in the presence of any employee working in their residence hall.
• Parties and Social Gatherings: Students are prohibited from hosting parties and social events indoors until further notice because we have evidence that these were the sites of COVID transmission.

Evolving Philosophy of Managing COVID

The defining factors of the pandemic have changed significantly over the past two years. In the beginning, without knowledge of how the virus was transmitted and before vaccines, we needed to exercise extreme caution to mitigate the risks of severe COVID illness, leading to physical isolation and other significant safety measures. 

While the risks of severe illness remain for some on campus and in our surrounding communities, we now know much more about how to mitigate those risks. We know that wearing a high-quality mask protects the wearer and mitigates transmission to others. We know that vaccination and boosters are effective at preventing severe illness for most people. We know that adequate ventilation and being outdoors significantly diminish transmission. Antiviral treatments, currently available by prescription to those most at risk, will increasingly offer added security. Fourth boosters are recommended for and available to immunocompromised individuals and those ages 65 and older. 

With the above factors in mind, we anticipate that individuals will be increasingly able to manage their own COVID risk. Over time, and (importantly) barring new variants that evade our current protections, institutions like Haverford will likely take less of an active role in directly managing individuals’ COVID health. We may no longer need to search for asymptomatic cases. We may become a mask-friendly campus instead of employing mask mandates. We recognize that such an eventual transition of responsibility from the College to individuals could be as challenging for some as the start of the pandemic might have been. And we are not quite to that point yet. 

We wish to put forward these ideas now in order to invite everyone to imagine a future Haverford under changed circumstances, and to invite open conversations on campus, among friends, peers, and co-workers, about how exactly we would like to experience Haverford together as a residential learning community in an age when COVID may be endemic, and all that our being together in this enterprise entails.

Thank you for all you do for each other.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group
John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

This message contains important information about changes to on-campus COVID mitigation policies as a result of a spike in students’ positive test results.

As you know, we have seen a significant increase in COVID cases among students this week. The majority of the COVID positives this week came from a limited number of friend groups in which transmission occurred in unmasked social settings. Many cases have been linked to a single indoor student social event over the weekend. 

Our isolation plans anticipated the possibility of an outbreak like this one, and we are accommodating affected students in campus isolation spaces, with additional spaces available in a nearby hotel. Some students have opted to leave campus and isolate themselves at home.

Masking with a KN95 or KF94 mask continues to be the most important step everyone can take to keep themselves safe and care for those around them. 

Test Results

• 526 students tested over the past two days with Genetworx, while many other students tested on their own, yielding a total of 73 positive results.
  • A large majority of cases are appearing in clusters of students who are living and/or socializing together, unmasked.
  • There is no evidence of spread in classrooms or work spaces.
• 97 faculty and staff tested this week and all results are negative.

Additional Protections Effective February 25, 2022

In response to this spike, we will return to our campus COVID protections from two weeks ago, and maintain them through the week following spring break, so that we can assess the results of post-break arrival testing, required of all students March 15-17:

• Dining: Unmasking is allowed while actively eating, no more than two people per table. In the Dining Center or any other public indoor space, individuals must mask in lines, serving areas, before/after meals, and at all other times when they are not actively eating.
• Shared work spaces: If pairs of people in a contained work area (office/conference room/private lab or studio) are aware that they are fully vaccinated and boosted, they can mutually agree to forego masks and be at distances less than 6 feet while sharing the same space; however, the default assumption is that masks will be worn.
• Residence Halls: Students must return to masking inside their own and others’ residential buildings. Students must continue masking when they are in the presence of any employee working in their residence hall.
• Parties and Social Gatherings: Students are prohibited from hosting parties and social events until further notice because we have evidence that these were the sites of COVID transmission.

Testing Plans

• We continue to strongly encourage students to take advantage of on-campus testing next week in Founders Hall: 
  • Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Faculty and staff are again welcome to get tested at these times on a drop-in basis.
• All students will be required to participate in on-campus arrival testing after spring break, March 15-17.
• Some reports have been made to the Dean’s Office about students suspecting or knowing they are COVID positive but not reporting their status to the College. Students who are confronted for this and other blatant forms of COVID non-compliance will be subject to a dean’s panel or other disciplinary measures. 

While some members of the community are more comfortable than others with the risks of contracting COVID, we define our community of care as one in which we are all thinking about the health and safety of those around us. This includes our neighbors and family members beyond our campus. It is especially important to remember that there are students, staff, and faculty who may be at greater risk of severe illness from COVID because of personal health conditions. In the spirit of trust, concern and respect, we are asking student peers to confront one another if you see violations of COVID policy and to continue masking in order to help keep everyone safe.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group
John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

With data indicating a continued downward trend of COVID infections on campus and in the region, we write to announce the following changes to COVID safety policies. Taken as a whole, they effectively return the campus to our framework from the start of the fall 2021 semester. This mindful and selective flexibility around unmasking is in the context of us continuing to mask in all classrooms as well as indoor public spaces as detailed in our updated Face Coverings Policy.

Policy Changes Effective February 17

• Indoor unmasking: Unmasking is allowed in small groups* in the following cases:
  • Dining on campus: unmasking is allowed while actively eating, with dining rooms and tables at regular capacity unless otherwise designated. 
    • For those who prefer it, low-density indoor dining, limited to two-people-per table, will be available in designated spaces (as of today, the East Dining Room is designated for low-density dining).
    • In the Dining Center or when eating in any other public indoor space, individuals must mask in lines, serving areas, before/after meals, and at all other times when they are not actively eating. 
    • Community kitchens are available for use and may be reserved through EMS.
    • Dining Services will be able to support a limited number of catered events. Catering services can be requested via EMS. Please note that not all requests may be met, and menus and services may be limited. A preferred option for small groups or events may be to use the meeting rooms and food services within the Dining Center. 
• Shared work spaces: If small groups* of people in a contained work area (office/conference room/private lab or studio) are aware that they are fully vaccinated and boosted, they can mutually agree to forego masks and be at distances less than 6 feet while sharing the same space; however, the default assumption is that masks will be worn. 
  • When people leave such private spaces, they should wear a mask and remain masked when entering any other indoor space or any time a new person enters their space. No employee, student, or guest may be pressured or required to unmask in such situations. For the health and wellbeing of our coworkers and their loved ones, coworkers should always be respectful about their colleagues’ own masking and their colleagues’ possible preference that all others sharing a workspace remain masked.
• Residence Halls: Vaccinated students may be unmasked anywhere inside their own residential buildings. Students who wish to mask within their residential buildings are encouraged to do so. 
  • Students may ask others to mask when using a common space at the same time. There are many reasons why masking might be preferred in any given situation; remembering – and respecting – that fact is a welcoming gesture of inclusion.
  • Students should mask when they are in the presence of any employee working in their residence hall.
• Parties and Social Gatherings: We are eager to ease restrictions for those of you who are interested in gathering socially with friends. You are now permitted to host parties and social events, but we ask you—in the spirit of our shared values of trust, concern, and respect—to use your best judgment about safe socializing. Unmasking in small groups* is still less risky than doing so in larger groups. Also consider hosting gatherings outdoors whenever possible and keep in mind that masking and/or maintaining safe social distances are the best practices for preventing the spread of infection.

*What is a small group?” As in the fall, we are not setting a fixed numerical limit, but rather expecting community members to make thoughtful and respectful choices in the spirit of the policy, taking into account the relative proximity of others and the size and configuration of the spaces they are in. This policy asks community members to avoid crowded, unmasked indoor social gatherings, which continue to lead to COVID-spreading events on other college campuses and in the world.

The above changes reinstate the unmasking opportunities that were temporarily suspended in response to the Omicron surge this winter. Our medical guidance has been that in communities where vaccination, boosting, and masking are the norm, like ours, the decline in cases would be relatively fast, and that has proven true thus far, even while Omicron maintains a moderate presence in the region. We remain hopeful that with our community continuing to act out of care for one another, we will be able to keep cases low and enjoy a continued productive spring semester.

Testing Updates

• Student Testing: Weekly student testing remains highly encouraged and optional, and will continue to be offered in the Great Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Your continued participation in testing will help the College make informed decisions about its strategies to prevent the spread of infection. Arrival testing will be required of all students March 15-17, the week following spring break.
• Employee Testing: Employee snapshot testing has concluded. Thank you for your participation! No more population testing is planned at this point. Individual faculty and staff may participate in voluntary testing during student arrival testing March 15-17, on a drop-in basis.

Thank you for all you do for each other.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group

John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

Continuing the movement toward fewer campus restrictions, we write to announce additional changes to COVID safety policies.

Policy Changes

• Indoor unmasking: Effective Wednesday, Feb 2, unmasking will be allowed in pairs (no more than two individuals) in the following cases:
  • Dining: unmasking is allowed while actively eating, no more than two people per table. In the Dining Center or any other public indoor space, individuals must mask in lines, serving areas, before/after meals, and at all other times when they are not actively eating. 
  • Shared work spaces: If pairs of people in a contained work area (office/conference room/private lab or studio) are aware that they are fully vaccinated and boosted, they can mutually agree to forego masks and be at distances less than 6 feet while sharing the same space; however, the default assumption is that masks will be worn. When people leave such private spaces, they should wear a mask and remain masked when entering any other indoor space, or any time a new person enters their space. No employee, student, or guest may be pressured or required to unmask in such situations. For the health and wellbeing of our coworkers and their loved ones, coworkers should always be respectful about their colleagues’ own masking and their colleagues’ possible preference that all others sharing a workspace remain masked.
• Spectators at public events: As announced on Friday, spectators wearing masks (including visitors to campus) are now allowed at athletic events, as well as performances and other public events. Some event-specific restrictions may continue, based on facilities-related or other constraints, so make sure you check event postings for details. As in the fall, visitors must mask and follow all campus policies and protocols.

A Few Frequently Asked Questions

Why the delay in policy roll-back? Some community members inquired about the delay in rolling back this January’s interim changes responding to Omicron, including the solo-dining-only rule, which we originally forecasted to end on January 28. We understand that it was frustrating for some not to have hit that mark, and that we did not provide an explanation for the delay.

Our original estimates were based on the assumption that we'd have sufficient data from two rounds of testing following students' return to campus, which would inform our policy decision. Unfortunately, a significant number of students had not yet participated in both rounds of testing by the end of last week, so we decided to delay until we had an additional batch of test results over the past few days. We now have those results, which show very low numbers of students testing positive and do not indicate any instances of campus transmission.

Why are there still more limits than in the fall semester? Our plan for reintroducing indoor unmasking in select situations, and allowing spectators at athletic and other public events, was developed with the medical guidance of our infectious disease advisory panel. Whenever there are increased COVID risks to campus, like the arrival of the Omicron variant, we are likely to move quickly to mitigate those risks with an array of new limits/restrictions over various policy areas, which we will keep in place until we are able to assess how our campus is doing in terms of cases and transmission. In contrast to those quick and decisive additions of limits, once we understand campus cases to be limited in number, without indications of transmission, and asymptomatic or with very mild symptoms, we will be reintroducing flexibility incrementally, so that we can monitor the effect of looser policies and make sure we have not opened our community up to excessive COVID risk. That’s why we are first allowing pairs of individuals to unmask in this current set of policy changes. If COVID case numbers remain low and largely asymptomatic for at least two weeks, and dependent on regional COVID trends and any other exogenous factors, we will be poised to expand indoor unmasking from pairs to small groups.

Is COVID testing really optional for now? Yes – for now. Testing is no longer mandatory for faculty, staff, or students, for snapshot purposes, as of this week. We are moving in this direction because we know that testing is helpful for knowing one’s status, but it does not prevent COVID transmission. Our other protocols (e.g. booster requirement, masking indoors) are the most effective strategies for lowering the risk of spread. Still, we continue to highly recommend testing because it provides us with insights into our community’s overall COVID health in ways that will allow us to continue loosening campus restrictions when possible. We want everyone to feel reasonably confident that our excellent community-wide compliance with COVID protocols is mitigating COVID risk on campus. Please note, however, that testing may still be required by Health Services or a medical professional in the case of individuals with symptoms, and for close contacts and those with a vaccine exemption. We also plan to require arrival testing for students the week of March 14 (following spring break) due COVID risks related to off-campus travel and activities.

We hope this explanation is helpful and apologize for not providing it last week. We also recognize there are broad ranging perspectives and feelings about our shifting COVID policies, from those of you who are concerned about too many campus restrictions to those who are concerned about too few. Our hope is that the trust, respect, and concern we have for one another will help us move through this pandemic as safely as we can while continuing to fulfill our mission as an outstanding residential liberal arts college. We appreciate your patience and steadfastness as we continue to navigate these challenging times together.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle, co-chair, Operations Planning Group

John McKnight, dean of the College

Friends,

Two weeks into our return to campus, with classes having met largely in-person, we write with an update and short-term outlook on Haverford’s COVID response. We are encouraged by the relatively low incidence of COVID on our campus and thank you for the consideration and care this demonstrates across our community.

Key Points

• COVID Cases: Student and employee case numbers are higher than the fall, as anticipated with the Omicron variant, but relatively low compared to the surrounding community.
• Campus Policies: Pending this weekend’s test results, we plan to reopen athletic competitions to spectators effective Monday, January 31. We will maintain our other current COVID health and safety policies over the short term while we monitor our case levels.
• COVID Testing: Tomorrow’s (1/29) scheduled testing has been canceled due to weather. On-campus testing will continue for students, faculty, and staff for at least the next two weeks. Test results from across the community will help us know when the time is right to adjust additional protocols and policies. Your participation in testing is helpful and encouraged. 

COVID Cases

As you can see in the dashboard, student cases are holding steady in the ~1% range through our arrival testing. This is better than our surrounding community and many parts of the country, while it has yet to show a decline from arrival levels. As expected, with faculty and staff moving on and off campus, employee rates are trending higher than that.

Campus Policies

Current case rates and evidence to date about those cases indicate that our current health and safety policies and protocols, especially universal masking, are having their desired effect in limiting spread.

• Unless we see a surge in cases in this weekend’s test results, we plan to reopen on-campus athletic competition to spectators, including families and other off-campus visitors, beginning Monday, January 31. Universal masking will be required of spectators.
• We are hopeful that if student cases remain relatively low we will be able to modify some of our other current restrictions (e.g. indoor dining) over coming weeks.
• Our approach is likely to be incremental, i.e. making gradual policy changes over time and watching our data to make sure we are still managing COVID risks effectively. 

COVID Testing Over the Next Two Weeks

Broad participation in testing helps us understand whether our systems are working. We thank students, faculty, and staff for continuing to come to Founders to get tested, to understand your current COVID status and to help us develop sensible policy approaches.

• Due to weather, student testing will not be available tomorrow (Saturday 1/29). Students planning to test tomorrow should instead test on Monday 1/31 between 8:30am and 1pm.
• Bi-weekly student testing will continue to be offered through Genetworx on Mondays and Wednesdays (8:30am–1:00pm) and Saturdays (9:00–11:00am) in Founders. For the next round of student testing, we are asking students whose last names start with A–K to test next week on Monday (1/31), Wednesday (2/2), or Saturday (2/5). Students with last names L–Z will test during the following week: Monday (2/7), Wednesday (2/9), or Saturday (2/12).
• Employee testing will be offered February 9 and 10 through Genetworx. We especially encourage all faculty and staff who are working in proximity to others on campus to participate. Human Resources will communicate details directly to employees. 

Thank you for your care and concern for your own health and the wellbeing of those around you.

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle and Mitch Wein, co-chairs, Operations Planning Group

John McKnight, dean of the College

Dear Students,

I hope this message finds each of you doing well and settling into the rhythms of the spring semester. I realize that various deans and administrators have written to the full student body numerous times over the past several weeks about COVID-19 policy changes, and how best to limit the spread of this seemingly relentless virus. This time, I am writing to mark how well we are doing as a community and to ask for your continued vigilance, particularly as we head into the first weekend of the semester.

Our initial round of COVID testing yielded 17 newly identified positive COVID cases on campus out of 1180 completed student tests (about 1.4% positivity). These are higher numbers than our community has seen to date, but this is an exceptionally low positivity rate—though, of course, we want it to be lower still. The fact that we continue to have relatively low numbers of positive cases and no evidence of transmission on campus is a testament to our collective commitment to keeping one another safe and healthy. 

Here’s the request: we have to keep at it.

With the highly contagious Omicron variant, there is still the possibility that one infectious case can quickly spread. That is why the revised policies on dining, masking, and socializing are more restrictive at the start of this semester. I am eager for you to return to the kinds of social interactions that define an enriching college experience, but I am asking you, for the time being––and in the spirit of trust, concern, and respect––to continue avoiding situations where unmasking is likely, or even possible. It is especially important to continue wearing masks in residence halls anytime you are in the presence of others. If we keep up with our masking, we anticipate we may be able to start coming together with fewer restrictions very soon.

As a reminder, the next round of required COVID testing is scheduled to take place tomorrow, January 22, through Monday, January 24, from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in Founders Great Hall. This second round will help us determine whether transmission is occurring anywhere on campus. You are expected to participate in this second round of testing unless you have tested positive within the last 90 days––and if you fall into this category and haven’t already done so, please notify Health Services about your recent positive test.

I want to acknowledge the tremendous amount of change we have had to accommodate over the past two years; how difficult this has been for us all; and the sacrifices you are making in service of everyone's well-being. I hope that you are finding creative ways to remain connected to the people, places, and things that bring you joy in the midst of these challenges. There is often strength and comfort to be found in community. Please be in touch with staff in the Dean’s Office if there is anything we can do to support you.

I look forward to writing again, soon, hopefully with good news about our continued successes.

Sincerely,
Dean McKnight

We are writing to share the following message, sent earlier today by the presidents of Haverford and Bryn Mawr, to students, faculty, and staff, regarding plans for the Spring 2022 semester.

In addition to the below academic plans, students will come back to revised, stronger health and safety measures on campus that include:

• required vaccinations and boosters, which are highly effective in preventing serious illness
• surgical, or preferably, high-filtration masks such as the KN95 or KF94 are required; students are encouraged to bring a supply to campus if possible; the College will have a limited number on hand for those who need them
• expanded indoor safety measures, and
• additional testing, before and after arrival, to respond to the Omicron surge.

 

Thank you for your support as the College continues to update its operations to prioritize the health and wellbeing of our campus and surrounding communities.

- Alumni and Family Engagement

Dear Bi-Co Community,

We are eager to welcome students back to campus for spring semester 2022! Here are the latest plans for the first week of class.

Both Haverford and Bryn Mawr require boosters for all eligible staff, students, and faculty. Considerable data confirm the value of boosters in reducing the transmission and severity of COVID, and particularly the Omicron variant. Our plans for the start of the semester reflect four core assumptions based on the latest public health information and guidance from our infectious disease advisors:

• Our colleges cannot completely prevent COVID on campus, and we anticipate higher numbers of COVID cases among students, staff, and faculty throughout this semester than earlier in the pandemic. Specifically, we anticipate that our pre-arrival and arrival testing will likely result in some number of positive tests and that some students, faculty, and staff will be isolating. We expect these numbers to be highest through at least the early weeks of the semester while the Omicron wave peaks in the northeast US.
• Our vaccination and booster requirements significantly diminish the likelihood of severe cases of COVID.
• Masking with a well-fitting, appropriate (surgical, N95, KN95 or KF94) face covering is more important than ever in limiting COVID transmission, in the context of Omicron’s high transmissibility.
• Given our vaccination, booster, and face-covering requirements, there remains low risk of transmission in our classrooms, laboratories, studios, and workspaces. 

We appreciate that on the heels of student arrival and testing, the first week of classes will bring logistical challenges. Therefore, we will begin the semester with in-person instruction beginning on Jan. 18th as planned, with faculty having the option to offer their own classes virtually for the first week in light of the particular pedagogical needs of each class and individual circumstances.

Our deans and provosts will follow up with more information about how this flexible approach will be implemented; as with any health-related absence from class, students placed in isolation or quarantine due to a positive COVID test will have access to material they may have missed so that they are able to achieve learning goals. Flexibility will mean that we are better able to address the complexity and variety of educational needs of students and faculty and the particular challenges of this part of the COVID pandemic.

We wish you all the best for the new semester.  We feel fortunate to lead two colleges who share the values of community care and commitment to the best possible educational experience.

Sincerely,
Wendy Raymond
Kim Cassidy

Friends,

Emerging data about the Omicron variant of COVID-19 underscore the importance of booster shots to reduce transmission and severity of COVID-19, so our commitment as a campus and as a Bi-Co to be fully boosted will contribute significantly to our ability to care for one another. Those who are unvaccinated or have received only the initial courses of vaccination are proving to be at a greater risk of contracting and transmitting Omicron now than they were with previous variants. Based on emerging information, public health expertise, and the status of COVID-19 in our region and globally, we at Haverford are taking the following steps toward the Bi-Co’s expected in-person start of classes on Tuesday, January 18:

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS:

1. Boosters: All students, faculty, and staff must upload an updated COVID vaccine booster card ASAP (find instructions below) unless previously exempted.

2. COVID Testing: The College will require testing of all students upon return to campus and will also provide testing for faculty and staff.

3. Interim Policy Changes: Until we have evidence of low rates of COVID on campus based on the above testing, the College is:

• requiring universal indoor masking around others
• suspending all indoor communal dining and some public events
• suspending spectator access to athletics and other public events

DETAILS:

Booster Shots

As you know, the College has set a deadline of January 18, 2022 for all students, staff, and faculty to upload proof of boosters.

• We strongly recommend that all community members get the booster as soon as possible.
• Community members who have already received the booster should upload their cards as soon as possible to help us track our progress toward full participation in this effort.
  • Students should upload their booster information via the Haverhealth Portal.
    • Winter athletes will need to upload booster shot information in order to participate in training and competitions.
  • Employees should upload their booster information via Workday.

Employees are eligible to take paid time from work to receive the booster and for any needed recovery time. 

Campus COVID Testing

We strongly encourage students, faculty, and staff to test for COVID on their own before coming back to campus after Winter Break in order to avoid unknowingly exposing others or, in the case of students, needing to go into isolation housing if they test positive for COVID upon arrival.

• Students who are currently on or nearby campus may take COVID tests on-campus on January 3rd and 7th from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. or January 10th from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in Founders Great Hall. To expedite the process, please make appointments using the Aura app.
• All students will be required to test for COVID on campus January 15, 16, and 17 and again on January 22, 23, and 24 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Full participation is expected and we will track compliance. Health Services will provide more information in a separate communication.
• All staff and faculty are strongly encouraged and will have the opportunity to test for COVID on campus January 12, 13, and 14, and again January 26, 27, and 28. Human Resources will provide more information in a separate message.
• Plans for additional testing this spring are under development and will take into account emerging public health guidance.

Interim Campus Policy Changes

Because our community is in the process of receiving booster shots over the next two and one-half weeks, with un-boosted individuals more likely to contract and transmit Omicron in the meantime, the following modified policies will be in effect through Winter Break and the beginning days of Spring 2022 semester:

• Face coverings: Universal masking is required any time you are with another person in an indoor space, including residence halls, work spaces, and dining facilities.
  • Exceptions: 
    • Boosted individuals may unmask indoors to dine, distanced, one person per table; take-out dining will be provided for all (with dates of this interim dining policy through January 28 subject to change).
    • Unmasking will be permitted during staff-supervised varsity athletic activities in which all student athletes are in compliance with testing and booster requirements. Spectators will not be permitted at athletic competitions until further notice.
• Dining: Dining Services will start the dining program for the Spring semester by providing grab-and-go meals during the first twelve days (from dinner on Sunday, January 16 through Friday dinner on January 28). Dates of grab-and-go-only are subject to change. 
• Indoor meetings and gatherings: 
  • We regret that we will not be allowing spectators to attend athletic events or public performances until further notice. (Hopefully, we can adjust this rule after our initial test results.)
  • Catering will be strictly limited during this period and offerings will be boxed and/or individual meals only rather than buffet-style.
  • The universal masking requirement is especially important for student social gatherings and parties which carry great risk of becoming spreader events.
• Isolation periods for COVID positives: per new CDC guidance those who test positive for COVID will have their isolation periods shortened from 10 days to 5 days from the onset of symptoms and/or a positive test, provided they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving, with required masking around others for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and/or a positive test.
  • Everyone should still keep a contact journal! Contact journaling remains an essential part of our ‘new normal’ so that we can identify individuals who were close contacts of anyone who tests positive.
  • Employees must report to Human Resources any positive COVID test results they receive, even if from an outside provider.

Three things everyone can do to help set us up for a successful Spring semester:

• Get your booster shot as soon as you can and tell us you got it.
• Exercise care and caution over break: mask, limit high-risk situations, check daily for symptoms.
• Get tested before you return to campus.

Thanks for all you do, and wishing you a happy and healthy 2022!

Sincerely,

Jesse Lytle and Mitch Wein, co-chairs, Operations Planning Group

John McKnight, dean of the College

Greetings from Haverford! I'm delighted to send you best wishes, news, and words of appreciation. 

Just past the midway point of the semester, we continue to celebrate having students living and learning entirely in-person for the first time since March 2020. In and out of the classroom, our faculty and staff are fully immersed in outstanding teaching, engagement, scholarship, and support. The full color of our arboretum campus provided a gorgeous backdrop for our fun and informative Family & Friends Weekend this past weekend. I enjoyed meeting and speaking with so many of the 600 loved ones of current students who joined us for this annual panoply of events. Next spring's Alumni Weekend, which we anticipate holding in-person May 27-29, 2022, will be a bookend to this. I hope you will join us! Across my conversations, I heard the care, support, and gratitude that our families feel toward Haverford. 

I am happy to share a fuller summary of this semester’s news here. One highlight I would like to add is that students recently held a highly successful fall plenary two Sundays ago. They achieved quorum in just twenty minutes, after which they debated, considered, and completed important business—including the alcohol policy. These are accomplishments not to be taken for granted! Plenary is just one of many student-led practices that are vital to Haverford's distinctive approach to shared governance, which includes Honor Council, student representation to faculty-staff-student committees, and student representation to the Board of Managers. Last week also marked the one-year anniversary of the start of the student-led strike for racial justice; my message to campus regarding that important event and what has emerged from it includes links to a number of resources and updates that you might find useful and informative.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who supports Haverford with your philanthropy. Last week’s ‘Fall for the Ford’ effort quickly met its goal with outstanding participation. Your gifts make a profound difference in the lives and futures of all Haverford students. Thank you! 

With warm wishes for the upcoming season of giving thanks and celebration,

Wendy

Wendy Raymond
President, Haverford College

Operations Planning Group (OPG) Update:

Friends,

We have now concluded on-campus testing for our second COVID snapshot of the fall semester, which included all students over the course of Sept. 27-Oct. 8, and all employees on September 30 (or in limited cases via mail-in test kit).

Snapshot Results

The results of the snapshot, which are visible on the dashboard, include two detected student COVID cases and one employee case. (As with our first snapshot, the dashboard’s slightly different figures reflect any additional positive tests outside of the snapshot; this time, there was one.) Contact tracing has been completed for all cases, with known close contacts notified.

Analysis and Short-term Implications

Our results continue to show positivity rates well below regional figures. We have not seen transmission patterns on campus. Bryn Mawr’s experience this fall has been similar. These results provide us continued confidence in our current COVID policies and protocols, which we expect to maintain for the duration of the semester unless conditions materially change.

We thank all students, faculty, and staff for your ongoing care for yourselves and one another, which has minimized the effect of COVID on our fall semester together thus far, and which we have every confidence will continue through to winter break.

Looking Forward

• Our success continues to hinge on each of us taking responsibility for our own health and the health of those around us. That means sticking diligently with our masking and other safety protocols, especially as we spend more time indoors with the change of seasons. If you have COVID-like symptoms, including fever greater than 100.4, shortness of breath or persistent cough, please stay home until you have consulted with a medical professional. Vaccinated students with symptoms must contact Health Services at (610) 896-1089. Unvaccinated students can be seen at any time at Health Services. Students with mild concerns can be tested Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday at Founders Hall via Genetworx. 
• The College will maintain its enhanced testing capacity for students this fall, including drop-in hours, biweekly screening for each half of the student body based on alphabet, and testing for all students upon return from Fall and Thanksgiving breaks.
• At this time, since we are not planning for further employee COVID testing on campus, faculty and staff who need a COVID test should use an outside provider and report any positive result to Human Resources. 
• Looking ahead to Spring 2022, our default assumption is that we will carry forward with our current policies and protocols. However, as we have done since the start of the pandemic, we will continue to monitor COVID trends and conditions on campus in case  we need to make adjustments.

Thank you for all you do to support the health of our community.

For OPG,
Jesse Lytle
Mitch Wein

Hello all,

As we collectively navigate a semester that is bound to involve a range of emotions, experiences and opportunities for connection, I thought it might be helpful to have a quick reference guide of the many resources available to you. This list is by no means exhaustive. If you aren't sure where to start, please reach out to your dean. We are here to help!

1. HaverCare Training - Available Online

In response to feedback gathered in recent years, we have developed a training workshop for students entitled HaverCare. This training video will teach concrete skills for supporting a peer who may be experiencing emotional distress.  

H: Hear the student by using active listening skills

A: Ask open questions to show your concern and help them express their difficulties

V: Validate their present struggles and emotions 

E: Explore their situation further if they are willing to discuss it more

R: Refer them to resources

2. You@Haverford

You@Haverford is a personalized and anonymous online hub of evidence-based resources and articles focused on general health, well-being, academic, and personal success. Some of the more popular topics for students thus far have been leadership development, choosing a major, navigating loneliness, managing stress and anxiety, and helping a friend in need. The site also has an exciting new feature - individualized goal tracking and setting, which I hope you will consider taking advantage of.  To log on and create an account, simply use your Haverford College credentials.

Log in site - You@Haverford

3. Campus Resources

CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services)

Students can stop by in person (Stokes 203), call (610 896 1290), email, or use an online scheduling tool to make an appointment. The office is open 9-5 M-F, with daily drop in hours from 11-12 and 2-3. Email hc-capsdropin [at] haverford.edu to be added to a drop in session.  Students can speak to a Counselor on Call when the office is closed by calling Campus Safety.

OAR (Office of Academic Resources)

Students can use the online scheduling tool to schedule personalized academic coaching sessions. Students can access unlimited tutoring (free of charge) by reaching out to tutors through the online database on the OAR's website. Located on the first floor of Stokes (Stokes 118).

CCPA (Center for Career and Professional Advising)

Students use the online link to make appointments. Drop-in hours are also offered for general questions and pre-health/pre-law questions. Located on the third floor of Stokes.

ADS (Access and Disability Services)

Students can email, call, visit in person, or use online link to schedule an appointment.
Located on the first floor of Stokes in the OAR suite.

Health Services

Open M-Th 9-4:30, F 9-4:00. Health Services has instituted self-scheduling for students for certain types of appointments. Students can log in to their student health portal or call 610 896 1089 in order to schedule an appointment. Students can speak to a nurse on call after hours by calling 610-896-1089 or by calling Campus Safety.  

Advising Deans

There are many ways to connect with your dean.  We recommend connecting early and often. While we are here to partner with you during challenging moments, we also love to hear general updates and reflections, brainstorm opportunities and pathways, and learn about your hopes, interests and questions.  Look for us in the DC over the lunch hour, schedule a time to chat in person or over zoom, and keep an eye out for pop up meet and greet events. 

We look forward to chatting and are excited to:

• Learn about your goals, aspirations and concerns 
• Connect you with opportunities, resources, and networks of support and enable you to navigate college protocols and practices
• Identify structural barriers to equity and work with colleagues to enable you to fully animate your gifts and get access to the opportunities and resources of the College
• Encourage you to reflect on the interrelations between their curricular, co-curricular, and community investments 
• Provide scaffolding as you rise to meet challenges and identify opportunities and offer support in times of crisis.

Just a reminder that students can connect to the Dean on Call after hours by contacting Campus Safety.  Students can also reach the Nurse on Call and the CAPS Counselor on Call after hours by calling Campus Safety.

Thank you for all that you do to look out for each other and for taking the time to invest in your own well-being.

Take good care,
Dean Kelly Wilcox

Hello all,

With the semester only just beginning, it's seemingly difficult to picture the end of the semester, or even the spring semester. However, in an effort to provide information for travel plans as soon as possible, please find a list of important dates and times below in relation to breaks and hall closings for the entire academic year. As a reminder, all of these dates and times are posted to the ResLife Calendar each summer for the upcoming year. Please note that information regarding Dining Center and/or Coop availability during breaks is forthcoming.

Fall Break
Fall break begins Friday, October 8th and ends Sunday, October 17th. The residence halls are open during this period.

Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving break begins Wednesday, November 24th and ends Sunday, November 28th. The residence halls are open during this period.

Winter Break
Winter break begins Friday, December 17, 2021 and ends Sunday, January 16, 2022. The residence halls are closed* during this period.

Halls close on Saturday, December 18th at 12pm, noon. All students not previously approved for Winter Break Housing must be out of the halls by 12pm, noon. Failure to be out of the residence halls by this time will result in a $250 fine as well as automatic drop to the bottom of the lottery for the Spring Room Draw or applicable spring housing draws.  

*Information regarding applications for Winter Break Housing is forthcoming.

Spring 2022 Hall Opening
Residence halls reopen on Sunday, January 16, 2022. Early arrivals outside of department-sanctioned student workers will not be permitted. Please make all travel plans accordingly. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 18th.

Spring Break
Spring break begins Friday, March 4th and ends Sunday, March 13th. The residence halls are open during this period.

Summer Break, Semester Close
Residence halls will close for non-seniors on Saturday, May 14th at 6pm. 

Residence halls will close for seniors on Sunday, May 15th at 3pm. 

All students must be out of the halls by the designated date and time. Failure to do so will result in a $250 fine. Please make all travel plans accordingly. Students will not be permitted to stay past the aforementioned dates in order for Facilities to appropriately turn halls over for summer conferences and events in a timely manner.

Summer Housing is coordinated through Conferences and Events. Information regarding Summer Housing will be available on the Conferences and Events Summer Housing website. Questions regarding summer housing can be directed to hcasummerhousing [at] haverford.edu.

--
Kristin M. Vitacco
Associate Director of Residential Education

Friends,

I want to be sure you have access to today’s email from Dean John McKnight to all students, as one way to offer a fuller view of current student matters regarding COVID. As you know, we are conducting a full community COVID snapshot this week. Thus far, six additional students have tested positive for COVID, out of approximately 1170 students whose test results are in; we still await test results for about 250 additional students. (This is an updated snapshot relative to the letter John just sent, with test results now received for about 82% of students). The number and nature of the six positive cases – all asymptomatic or with mild cold- or flu-like symptoms – and resultant contact tracing, do not reveal or suggest to us any specific pattern or risk area in need of mitigation at this time. Of course we remain vigilant and prepared to respond should any evidence of COVID spread on campus arise. To date, we have obtained no such evidence.

Many of you have raised important questions about how we are adapting to yet another ‘new normal’ on campus this fall. This academic year's context of nearly full vaccination across students, faculty, and staff, combined with the significant learning experience our campus gained about community care last year, create a significantly improved landscape for us. We expected to see some increase in student COVID cases because of our return to regular density and more activity on campus and in the world, and that has been the case. We expected that these cases would generally be mild, and, thankfully, that too has been the case. Essentially, with widespread vaccination on campus, COVID patterns among students look to Health Services somewhat like those of other viruses from previous flu seasons, but with transmission meaningfully mitigated thanks to masking. (I will note that colds, flu, and allergies are still with us, even as we mask up and maintain good hand hygiene. Health Services has its hands full with the volume of students experiencing these common conditions in addition to the small number of COVID cases.) I encourage you to get your flu shot soon at a neighborhood pharmacy, or please plan to participate in our October flu clinic (date TBD). Thank you for your excellent participation in influenza vaccination last year, which was an important factor in decreasing our community’s COVID-like symptoms and thus in minimizing our stress on health care systems. 

We remain committed to supporting the health and well-being of the most vulnerable among us, including faculty and staff who may be immunosuppressed or have unvaccinated or immunosuppressed family members and others in their lives. Based on data in other large institutional settings (colleges, K12s, hospitals), we expected that vaccination and masking would minimize transmission risks in classrooms and workplaces; that has been true at Haverford and throughout the Tri-Co thus far. Because you all have been diligent with masking, and you assist students in embracing that norm in your presence, we have not seen on-campus COVID transmission involving faculty, staff, or students.

Our ongoing COVID planning across the BiCo recognizes that we may need to return to some of the more restrictive mitigation measures we had in place last year should any of the above conditions change. 

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about COVID safety by using the Community Care Form.

Best wishes for an excellent semester.

Sincerely,

President Wendy Raymond

________________________________

Hello, Friends. 

I am writing with updates on our ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at Haverford and within our local communities. I also want to call attention to concerns and ask for your continued vigilance and full participation in keeping our communities safe.

COVID Updates 

Positivity rates

After the first two days of spot testing, six new positive student cases have been reported, bringing the total number of active student cases to ten. While this number is relatively low, we are still receiving results from this week’s tests, and the number could increase. You can stay informed about active cases by visiting the COVID Dashboard, which is updated as results come in. 

Testing

In addition to our population-wide spot testing this week, the College is working to increase the availability of COVID testing on campus for students who are symptomatic or seriously concerned about having been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. More details about the upcoming increased availability of COVID tests will be available soon. 

If you experience symptoms

If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, you must contact the Health Center at (610) 896-1089 and consult with a medical professional there as to whether to continue attending classes or other daily activities, and whether a COVID test is appropriate in your case. In some instances, people with mild symptoms may be cleared by Health Services to continue with their daily activities; Health Services will determine in each case whether a COVID test is warranted. We are aware that many individuals’ symptoms may be due to allergies, a common cold, or the flu; continued universal masking will mitigate the risk of contagion in cases such as these, in addition to mitigating COVID risk.

Isolation

If you test positive you will be contacted by the Health Center and may be temporarily relocated to an isolation space on campus. You will also be contacted by a member of the HEART team, who will help you coordinate the logistics of your isolation period, including arranging for meals to be delivered to you from the Dining Center. You will need to keep in touch with your professors to manage your academics during this period.

Effective immediately, we are updating the College’s policy regarding the period of isolation in accordance with new CDC guidance. After contacting the Health Center, students who are symptomatic and subsequently test positive will spend 10 days in isolation, starting from the date they reported symptoms. Students who are asymptomatic will spend 10 days in isolation starting from the date of a positive test result. All students in isolation must test negative before returning to campus activities.

Some Frank Talk About Staying Safe 

Masking

We have received a number of questions and concerns from the community regarding students who are unmasking indoors, including in the GIAC, academic buildings, and residential buildings in which they do not live. Masking is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even outdoors, please mask up when you cannot keep a safe social distance from others, and follow the guidelines in the Face Covering policy. Thank you!

Parties and social gatherings

I am delighted to know that so many of you are making social connections and finding time to have fun with friends. However, students, faculty, and staff alike have raised concerns about parties and other large social gatherings where students are unmasking indoors; are unmasked in close quarters indoors or in close contact outdoors; and/or are engaging in other risky behaviors. Parties are red zones where COVID transmission risks are exceedingly high. A single COVID super-spreader event has the potential to alter our entire semester together. Each of us needs to make responsible decisions about how to gather safely. 

There have been several incidents of alcohol misuse resulting in illness, medical transports, and hospitalizations. With or without the presence of COVID, we have a responsibility to abide by the Honor Code and to care for ourselves and others by making safe and healthy choices. The use of alcohol and other drugs impairs judgment, increasing the potential for non-compliance with COVID policies. Alcohol misuse and other violations of the Honor Code, particularly any “deliberate, reckless, or repeated disregard of COVID-19 policies,” may result in a Dean’s Panel and subsequent disciplinary action as articulated here.

In order to avoid unsafe situations and Honor Code violations, we are asking you to limit the size of social gatherings; host or attend events outdoors whenever possible; and mask indoors and outdoors if social distancing is not possible. I am partnering with Students’ Council Co-Presidents Amolina Bhat and Sam Aronson in an effort to enhance outdoor social spaces that will permit safer gatherings. Ultimately, we want you to be able to continue gathering safely in the weeks and months ahead, but the range and nature of such activities will be determined by COVID compliance and rates of transmission on campus.

Thank you for doing your part! Please let us know if you have questions or concerns about COVID safety by using the Community Care Form. 

Be well,

Dean John McKnight

Hello, Friends.

I hope you are settling into your classes and enjoying the start of the new academic year. For those of you whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, please check out this short video introduction, and let’s connect soon! 

Today, I am writing to thank you for your continued commitment to guarding against the spread of COVID, particularly as we are still dealing with the highly transmissible Delta variant in this region and around the nation. I also wanted to share some information and, hopefully, answer some of the most frequently asked questions from our first weeks on campus. 

Student COVID Town Hall TOMORROW–September 10 from 12:30–1:30 pm

I will be joined by members of the College’s COVID planning group tomorrow as we share reminders about College policies and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. 

COVID TESTING–September 13-15, Founders Hall 

Please note that all students will be required to take another COVID test next week on Monday or Tuesday, September 13 and 14 from 8:30-4:00, or on Wednesday, September 15 from 8:30 am-12:00 pm at Founders Hall. Faculty and staff are also being tested next week so that we can have a snapshot of where we are as a community. Please self-schedule your appointment on your auratracker.org app when the schedule becomes available and remember to bring your Student ID and your health insurance information to Founders Hall. You will receive follow-up email messages from the Health Center providing additional details. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What are the vaccination rates for Haverford?

A: In keeping with our values of trust, concern, and respect, Haverford took an extraordinary measure to keep us and our neighbors safe by requiring all members of our community to be vaccinated, with a small number of people receiving medical or religious exemption. As of today, 99.6% of students and 97.5% of faculty and staff are fully vaccinated. The small number of unvaccinated employees and students on campus all have approved exemptions that require extra health and safety precautions from those individuals.

Q: Will we be tested for COVID on campus this year?

A: Yes. As noted above, we will test the entire College community next week to gain a snapshot of COVID rates on campus. While our high vaccination rates allow us to reduce the amount of surveillance testing from last year, the College may occasionally conduct sampled or campus-wide testing to check the effectiveness of our COVID mitigation strategies. It is important to remember that testing does not prevent outbreaks. Vaccination and masks are the best way to limit the spread of COVID.

Q: How many positive cases are there on campus?

A: You can see an updated report of COVID-related information on this dashboard.

Q: Are we still expected to mask indoors?

A: Yes. Per the College’s Face Covering Policy, all members of the Haverford community are expected to mask indoors everywhere on campus, with the exception of students who are within their own assigned residence hall, vaccinated persons while eating in the dining center, Coop, or Cafe, or by mutual agreement in small groups in contained workspaces. Our policies also provide a little flexibility for students and employees who are engaging in required College activities that are supervised, like if you’re asked to remove your mask for musical instruction or performance. 

Q: How do I know if I’m a close contact of someone who has tested positive?

A: The Health Center is using a very careful process to make determinations about close contacts using the CDC standard of being within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or longer, with or without wearing masks. The Health Center staff will reach out to you and provide instructions if it has been determined that you fall into this category. 

The current CDC recommendations for close contacts who are vaccinated and asymptomatic include wearing a mask and getting COVID tested in 3-5 days. Room quarantine and/or isolation are no longer required in such cases.

The Health Center is prioritizing testing appointments for those who are designated as close contacts and individuals who are showing distinctive COVID symptoms. Additionally, the Health Center needs to be available for students with acute medical needs.

Please know that if you do not meet the Health Center’s criteria for an on-campus COVID test, you may also receive a free COVID test at several nearby locations including CVS, RiteAid, and the Montgomery County Office of Public Health. If you are experiencing symptoms and cannot get an on- or off-campus testing appointment right away, you can keep others safe in the interim by following campus guidelines with respect to masking, hand-washing, and social distancing. 

Q: What can we do to prevent the spread of COVID at Haverford and in our community?

A: In addition to following all of the College policies and guidance on our Be Safe website, please consider limiting your social interactions to small groups of people until the Delta variant numbers in our region have decreased. Please avoid sharing food or drinks or entering social scenarios where you cannot stay masked or maintain a safe distance from others. 

Thank you for showing trust, concern, and respect for others within the Haverford community through your actions to prevent the spread of COVID. 

With gratitude,

Dean McKnight

__________________________
John F. McKnight, Jr. (he/him)
Dean of the College

Friends:

I cannot overstate what a pleasure it is to welcome everyone to the 2021-22 academic year. It is fantastic to have all of you here! After eighteen months of disruption, our 411 incoming first-year students and five transfer students began classes this week on our beautiful campus, fully in person with our peerless faculty and outstanding staff. The Class of 2025 breaks the record for class size, and I look forward to this class’s many indelible marks on Haverford. 

I have been buoyed by students’ joy as they settle into campus. Students have shared their excitement about inspiring professors, course schedules, being back in the Dining Center, bumping into people during the hectic time of walking between classes, and, as one student exclaimed, “just everything!” 

This is a time of connecting and reconnecting. I offer a special re-welcome to sophomores, and to colleagues who only recently stepped foot on campus. Even our returning juniors are experiencing Haverford “anew,” having enjoyed only slightly more than half a typical year before the pandemic interrupted their second semester at Haverford. 

And here we are, today, in an environment still affected by COVID-19 yet able to be together in physical community to learn, create, and grow. I am moved by our capacities to meet challenges together, across differing perspectives and change. Thank you for getting vaccinated, masking up indoors, and considering how your behavior impacts people within and beyond our campus. Our adaptability, determination, and concern for others continue as hallmarks of our way forward. 

Campus Updates

Much has happened since Commencement in May, and much is underway as we begin a new academic year. If you have not yet visited the new music building, behind and adjacent to Roberts Hall, I encourage you to check it out. Whether as an academic subject, personal immersion, or performing arts experience, music is a vibrant part of Haverford campus life, and our new facilities do justice to the richness that music brings to Haverford. 

The opening of this spectacular space is significant for another reason: its completion fulfills the promise of our recent Lives That Speak fundraising campaign. The most successful in College history, the campaign has made it possible to enhance our liberal arts foundation through facilities like VCAM, Lutnick Library, and the Kim and Tritton student residence halls; academic enhancements such as new and expanded areas of study as well as co-curricular centers; and unprecedented support for financial aid. All of these will continue to exert transformational impacts on the Haverford experience. I am so grateful to the faculty, staff, and students who helped develop the visions and plans for all of these projects, and the alumni and friends whose generosity made it a reality.

This moment of completion overlaps with ongoing, campus-wide strategic planning, which will embody many of our aspirations and animate our next capital campaign. Begun in 2019-20, strategic planning has included dozens of open community events and the submission of hundreds of ideas toward building upon our many strengths and building new capacities. Last year, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee distilled this community input into an organizing framework with three focal areas—structural change toward equity and inclusivity, reciprocal community connections, and sustainability and action in planetary crisis. A task force of students, faculty, and staff for each of these focal areas has been charged with engaging our community to develop specific priorities and initiatives we will undertake over the next five or more years. I look forward to working with each of you as we co-create the path forward for Haverford. 

Of course important progress continues in advance of our next strategic plan. Haverford now has a Latinx Center at the heart of campus, just a few doors down from my home at One College Circle. A meeting place, learning space, and student residence, this long-awaited home for Haverford students emerged from several years of work and collaboration by the Alliance for Latin American Students (ALAS), Deans' Office and Facilities colleagues, faculty, and Senior Staff members. Our students’ agency in bringing the LatinX Center to life is one of many recent and ongoing antiracism and diversity, equity, and inclusion actions. That important and continuous work can be followed at a new, dynamic website where the College has inventoried—and will track—our commitments and progress. I look forward to collaborating with you and our new interim chief diversity officer (CDO), Norm Jones, in these investments.

All of that represents just a small portion of what's been happening at Haverford. Did you know that we have a new director of our Chesick Scholars program, or that Associate Professor of Computer Science Sorelle Friedler is on leave this year after getting tapped by the White House for an assignment in Washington? Did you see this summer's Innovation Incubator project presentations? How about that new major in neuroscience? I encourage you to check out all the exciting news about people and events that's chronicled in the HEADLINES area of our website, and on our social media channels (which are linked from the footer on virtually every Haverford web page). 

It is tempting to say that this upcoming academic year will be different from what we've experienced over the past two. No doubt that will be true in many ways. And I think it is also true that every year at Haverford has differed from all that have gone before. Nobody has envisioned and realized—or will—a Haverford experience exactly like ours. Yes, there are central c(h)ords of continuity that run all the way back to our founding in 1833, for any Ford who has heard President Isaac Sharpless' oft-quoted commencement address excerpt from 1888 will recognize the enduring values and aspirations of the Haverford of today. At the same time, because the people of Haverford make the College what it is, you—the students, faculty, and staff here today—will make your experience, and your mark. Nobody will live, and no one’s life will speak this story the way you will. I'm delighted to experience it with you, and eagerly look forward to what we will learn and accomplish together.

With gratitude,

Wendy 

--
Wendy Raymond

President

Friends,

As we begin the Fall 2021 semester, as you might expect, the health and safety guidelines we will follow at Haverford have evolved—and will continue to evolve—along with COVID-19 conditions. Haverford remains closely coordinated with Bryn Mawr in order to develop comparable approaches to COVID safety across the BiCo. We share at the bottom of this message links to updated policies effective today, August 13, and which the College may revise further should conditions change, for better or for worse. As always, the Be-Safe site linked from every Haverford web page has the latest COVID health information and guidelines.

COVID-19 Operating Context

This year’s context at Haverford differs from last year’s in three key ways:

1. We know more about COVID-19 transmission than we did a year ago. We are most focused on mitigating aerosolized particles from peoples’ breathing, with data indicating that surface contamination is less likely to spread COVID-19. With the Delta variant prevalent in our area, even vaccinated, asymptomatic individuals may shed viral load sufficient to infect others. Our current guidance is that masking remains highly effective at reducing that risk.
2. Our faculty, staff, and students are overwhelmingly vaccinated against COVID-19. The three FDA-authorized COVID vaccines cannot entirely prevent one from transmitting or contracting COVID-19, but data indicate that they have been extraordinarily effective at limiting the severity of the disease, if contracted.
3. Data indicate that the combination of masking and vaccination, together, provides an excellent (but not 100%) defense against viral transmission, including the Delta variant.

The Health, Safety, and Educational Ideas Behind our Fall 2021 Policies

Our adjusted framework for Fall 2021 is centered on these principles:

• The College’s mitigation efforts will be focused particularly on those who may be at risk of severe illness: (1) the small number of faculty, staff, and students who are unable to be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons, and (2) the people with whom faculty, staff, and students come into contact off campus, including unvaccinated loved ones and others, children under 12, elders, or anyone immunosuppressed. 
• With overwhelming vaccination and universal indoor masking (minus the exceptions detailed in the policies below), working together we can support nearly all elements of a Haverford education and campus life: classrooms at typical capacity, shared living spaces, indoor dining, performing arts and athletics, off-campus activities.
• Individuals will be afforded more flexibility and autonomy than last year to make choices about their own health and safety, ever mindful of the effects those choices can have on others. The College will still provide an overarching framework and baseline expectations, toward being in a community that is attentive to others’ well-being. Every community member has the opportunity to manage important components of COVID risk for themselves and to decrease risks for others through the choices they make: around masking, gatherings, symptom monitoring, hand washing, contact journaling, and other parts of our daily lives. 
• The College will remain flexible in its approach, monitor health trends, and follow the science and the advice of experts, including our alumni panel of infectious disease physicians, the CDC and Pennsylvania authorities, and the Montgomery County Office of Public Health.

Please take time to read through Haverford’s revised policy framework for the Fall 2021 semester, effective immediately:

• Face Covering policy: we will continue universal indoor masking with additional exceptions for vaccinated individuals (e.g. options for unmasking in a student’s own dorm, indoor dining, a contained faculty or staff workspace, some programmatic areas like music and athletics).
• Campus Access and Visitor Policy: visitors and guests will be allowed outdoors and indoors, under certain—generally controlled—circumstances.
• Event Policy: internal and public events can resume with an emphasis on outdoor and/or masked formats.
• Travel and Off-Campus Activities Policy: domestic travel and off-campus activities for vaccinated community members can resume; authorization is required for international travel and unvaccinated travelers.
• Vaccine policy: we estimate approximately 97% of our community will be vaccinated when classes start; the remaining individuals will have authorized exemptions and must comply with additional health and safety measures summarized in the policy.
• COVID Testing and Symptom Monitoring: all students will be tested upon arrival, and all unvaccinated students and employees must test weekly thereafter. While at this time the College does not plan to require broad-based surveillance testing of vaccinated community members, anyone experiencing symptoms, vaccinated or not, should self-isolate and seek testing (employees via a pharmacy or other provider, reporting any positive result to Human Resources; students via the Health Center).

We are grateful to you all for the tremendous care and concern you have shown throughout the  pandemic, and which we know you will continue as we launch the fall semester together. In this spirit, we welcome your questions and suggestions about how best to support our community through the pandemic via our Community Care Webform.

For the Operations Planning Group,
Jesse Lytle, vice president and chief of staff (co-chair)
Mitch Wein, senior vice president for finance and administration (co-chair)

Read the full update. 

Hello Class of 2025!

The Dean's Office staff, Residential Student Liaisons (RSLs), and Orientation Leaders (OLs) look forward to welcoming you and your families to campus on Wednesday, August 25th! Below you can find the information you need to prepare for arrival to campus and to safely move in! 

Key Pick-up
You will be able to get your key in Founders Hall from 9am-4pm. All students will be required to read and acknowledge the Residential Life Housing Contract prior to receiving their key. A copy of the contract will be sent to you in the next 2 weeks. As the contract will be on an electronic platform, you may sign the contract before arriving to campus or when you arrive - to expedite your check-in process, it is suggested that you review and sign the contract before arriving to campus. If you will be under the age of 18 on August 25th, your contract must be signed alongside a parent or guardian at the time you pick up your key. 

OneCard Pick-up
You will be able to pick up your OneCard when you arrive at Founders Hall. Please remember to complete the OneCard registration process before arriving on campus. Instructions can be found on the First Year Checklist website. You need your OneCard to access buildings all over campus, including your residence hall! If you want to add Campus Cash to your OneCard (or if family and friends want to leave you with some for laundry before they go!), you can do so using this link.

Testing & Vaccination Requirements Upon Arrival
Please note that the information found in "Testing and Vaccination Requirements Upon Arrival" comes directly from the College and Health Services. As such, questions that arise from this section should be directed to Health Services, not Residential Life.

All students must be tested upon arrival to campus on move in day. This is a requirement, regardless of vaccination status. Testing compliance will be monitored. Those students who have uploaded their necessary COVID-19 vaccination information to their HaverHealth Portal should report to Founders Hall for testing from 9am-4pm. Genetworx, our COVID-19 testing vendor, will be sending out a "welcome email" on Wednesday, August 11th with information about Aura, the scheduling application for COVID-19 testing. All students who are being tested between 9am-4pm on Wednesday must sign up for a testing slot on the app. If you arrive past 4pm, you must schedule a COVID-19 test at Health Services for Thursday, August 26th between 9am-3pm. You must call between those hours to schedule your test, walk-in's will not be accepted.

Those students who have not uploaded their necessary COVID-19 vaccination information to their HaverHealth Portal upon arrival to campus must report immediately to Health Services. Students without the necessary COVID-19 vaccination or other required information, will not be able to get their key and their OneCard will be deactivated until they report to Health Services. Once immunization and COVID vaccination compliance is complete, Residence Life and Campus Safety will be notified for OneCard activation and to allow students to retrieve their room key.

Health Services is currently reaching out to students who have either not communicated their COVID-19 vaccination status or students who have not completed the necessary protocols for uploading their information. Please do not resubmit your information if it has already been submitted.

If you have additional questions about Genetworx or the Aura application, you will be instructed to email Genetworx in their introductory email, please do NOT contact Health Services. If you have questions regarding testing availability, testing in relation to move-in, vaccine requirements, or uploading vaccination information please email the Health Services team directly at hc-healthservices [at] haverford.edu.

Welcoming Family & Friends
We hope that treasured friends and family will be able to escort you to campus! The College is not limiting the number of people who may accompany you to campus and is not inspecting the vaccination or testing status of families who come to campus. That being said, all families, regardless of vaccination status, should expect to wear masks at all times, wash their hands, and sanitize frequently. In an effort to continue keeping our Haverford community safe, the College very strongly encourages COVID-19 symptomatic family members to not come to campus. 

Please note that the College is currently in communication with healthcare experts and following information regarding the COVID-19 Delta variant, specifically for Montgomery and Delaware Counties. The College will be in communication with students about any changes, if any, to living on campus that may affect current move-in procedures. 

Other Helpful Things to Note

• There will be some activities and fun swag to grab through the day at Founders Hall and on Founders Green before Customs begins at 4pm (check the email Dean Michael Elias sent on August 3rd for the Customs schedule) and you'll have plenty of time to show off your hall to your families!
• Please make sure to check out the Campus Map where you can find where to park, how to get to Founders Hall, where your residence hall is, and where the Whitehead Campus Center is located, for those who may need to pick up packages from Central Services! Questions about a campus address, packages, or deliveries should be directed to Central Services at hc-centralservices [at] haverford.edu.
• If you're still packing and buying or have questions about the halls, be sure to check out the "First Year Residence Halls Guide" and "Living at Haverford" pages from our First Year Housing site.

Once again, we're excited to welcome you all to our beautiful campus soon! If you have any questions about move-in, please reach out to hc-reslife [at] haverford.edu or email our Residential Life Co-Heads (student leaders who know the in's and out's about ResLife and living on campus) - Taylor and Natalie - at tseid [at] haverford.edu and nkauffman [at] haverford.edu.

The Office of Residential Life
Nate Diehl, Dean of Residential and Community Life
Kristin Vitacco, Assistant Director of Housing Operations

Dear Students, 

We hope this finds you healthy and well. Health Services is requesting that you upload your COVID vaccination status to your HaverHealth student portal no later than July 12, 2021.  After July 12, we will start sending out individual reminders.  Please be aware that students will not be permitted on campus unless they are vaccinated.  There are two exceptions to this policy - a  written letter from your healthcare provider for a medical condition that precludes you from obtaining the COVID vaccine or a written letter from your clergy that confirms sincerely held religious beliefs.

International students that do not have access to the college-approved vaccine in their country will be provided the opportunity to receive the vaccine once they arrive on campus.  Please be in touch with Health Services if you feel this applies to you. 

This year, we are NOT requiring a negative COVID test prior to arrival to campus. However, upon arrival to campus, all students must get tested.  We will be partnering with Genetworx again this semester to carry out the testing on campus.  You will be receiving information from Health Services and Genetworx in future communications regarding arrival testing.

Those students arriving on campus that are not vaccinated will be on room quarantine until their initial COVID test results are back.  All International students will tested upon arrival to campus. Those students that do not have the COVID vaccine will be on room quarantine until their initial test results are back (approximately 24-36 hours). With a negative result, international students will then be on campus quarantine for 3 days until they receive their second COVID test.  

Students that are not vaccinated will be tested monthly throughout the academic year. Compliance and communication will come from Health Services.  Additional details regarding room and campus quarantine will be forthcoming.

Finally, first and second year students must continue to upload their required health related documentation, including all vaccinations, prior to August 1st in order to avoid a late fee. All students must "enroll" or "waive" from the Student Health Insurance Plan by August 1st.

Our goal is to communicate throughout the summer so that arrival to campus is safe, informed, and seamless! 

Please call our office for any questions or concerns.  Take good care this summer. 

Respectfully,

Kathy McGovern
Kathy Pichel- McGovern, CRNP
Director of Clinical Services

Last week, the Office of Student Accounts shared a message with all current students containing information about billing and payments for the upcoming 2021-22 academic year. The message may be viewed here. 

Dear Students (and Parents):

It is Room Draw time! This is an exciting time of the year, as students are making decisions about where to live, and with whom, for the next year. As you are likely aware,  Haverford, like many of our peer institutions, had a record number of students say ‘yes’ to joining our community this year, resulting in a larger-than-usual incoming class. We had originally identified 390 spaces for first-year students, but 429 students accepted our offer of admission. We look forward to welcoming the class of 2025 as the newest members of the Haverford community. In the meantime, we are working to identify available spaces in order to house all students who want to live on campus.  

As you may remember, we reserve housing for first-year students, and all remaining housing is allocated by lottery, by seniority. Rising sophomores are the most likely to have questions about housing for fall. Here’s the simple answer: you will receive a housing assignment. Please also know that we are taking into account the possibility that your introduction to Haverford may not have been seamless given the unusual conditions created by the pandemic. With this in mind, we are planning some special activities to reintroduce you to Haverford in the fall. 

We will operate the lottery process the same as we have for years. We delayed the room draw so that we would have the most up-to-date information possible. We will finish the final round of Room Draw today.

Here are some additional factors that will likely create more spaces on campus: 

• Changes in student population. We continue to monitor changes in status for current and incoming students and expect the number to decrease a bit over the summer. Some students may choose to take a leave next year, some may choose to move off campus, incoming first-years may take a gap year, some students may be unable to get travel visas, or decide to transfer.
• Off-campus housing requests. We have asked students to let us know if they plan to live off campus next year. Some of them may be rising juniors and seniors, thereby creating more options for rising sophomores. 
• Themed housing assignments.Students who have chosen to live in our themed communities are not part of the room draw process.
• Deferred housing. Much like room draw, deferred housing is based on seniority. It does not matter when the student submits an application, as long as it is submitted by June 18. Once all applications are received, we run lottery numbers and begin housing students on a rolling basis. Once a student is placed, they are notified. You can access the deferred housing application here.

Please try not to stress over room draw. Haverford has a wide variety of very good housing options available to students. We have a large number of singles in our housing stock but we also recognize that many students would prefer to live with friends, which is why we also offer traditional double rooms, apartment style housing, and suite-style housing. We are currently exploring how to bring other spaces into the housing pool this year in order to accommodate the larger student body. We are doing everything in our power to plan for your successful housing experience next year. 

If you don’t receive the room assignment you hoped for, please know that we will work with you throughout the summer to get you suitable housing. After room draw is over, write to us if you have concerns. We will continue to monitor the situation all summer and will look forward to welcoming you back to campus in the fall. 

We recognize that this last year and a half has been an extremely challenging one. As we come out of the uncertainty and fear of the pandemic, we hope you can find time to relax this summer. Know that our team of professionals at Haverford is working diligently to create a fall experience at Haverford that will be as close to “normal” as possible. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon.  

Joyce Bylander
Interim Dean of the College

John McKnight
Dean of the College

Dear BiCo Students, Faculty, and Staff: 

As the 2020-2021 academic year ends, we write to thank you again for keeping our campuses safe – and to share initial health and safety information for Fall 2021. 

Bryn Mawr and Haverford are each grateful to have had the opportunity to offer vaccination clinics this spring.  As infectious disease and public health experts continue to advise, mass vaccination offers the surest path to community health and to the prospect of increased in-person instruction, activities, and gatherings in the fall. 

As a result, Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges will require all students, whether residential or commuting, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the 2021-2022 academic year.  

We recognize that this requirement may be complicated for some students, including international students and those who have limited access to vaccines. We are committed to working with all students to support them. Students who have concerns about this requirement should reach out to their deans.

Additional details about this requirement – including medical and religious exemptions, opportunities to acquire a vaccine, and a timeline for any forthcoming decisions regarding vaccine requirements for faculty and staff – will be provided separately by Bryn Mawr and Haverford to their respective communities and incoming students in the near future.

We look forward to the coming academic year and to opportunities to gather, work, and celebrate together once more.

Respectfully,  

Kim Cassidy
President, Bryn Mawr College

Wendy Raymond
President, Haverford College

Dear Members of the Bi-College Community: 

We are writing today to thank you for your exceptional efforts this year–and to share plans for next year. 

It would not have been possible for Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges to offer in-person options this year without your diligence and commitment. We are grateful to be members of a community where each person protects the wellbeing of the whole. 

As a result of your efforts, we have seen low COVID-19 transmission on our campuses this year. We also see reasons for optimism about longer-term progress in the vaccine rollout and reduced levels of infection, both locally and nationally. As we look ahead to the fall, we are planning for a fully in-person academic year in 2021-22. Next year, we expect that classes will be held in person, and students will again enjoy access to our wide range of facilities, experiences, and connections. 

As leaders and as individuals, we are optimistic about the year ahead. We look forward to engaging in both the work and the fun of Bi-Co life: classrooms and teach-ins, athletic competitions, arts performances, shared meals, and the enjoyment of our campuses. There may be precautions that we must carry forward. We may continue wearing masks around others, retaining reduced occupancy levels in some shared spaces, or limiting large gatherings. 

One adjustment that we will carry forward is our increased nimbleness and ability to respond rapidly to shifts in public health guidance. If unforeseen complications arise–an increase in vaccine-resistant variants, a lack of vaccines, or other problems that we have not yet imagined–this community will again adapt quickly, move forward, and learn. You have proven that.

In the coming weeks, we will share information from our individual campuses regarding summer research and work opportunities, fall faculty course planning, room draw, athletics, orientation, and other details needed to begin planning. 

Thank you, again, for all that you did this year to help our colleges continue, change, and grow.

Sincerely, 

Kimberly Cassidy, President, Bryn Mawr College
Wendy Raymond, President, Haverford College