2020-21 Statements

An Overview of Hamilton’s Fall 2020 Operating Plan

June 26, 2020

Dear Hamilton Students,

The start of fall classes is now just two months away, and I am pleased to report that we will reopen the campus for all who are able to join us safely. This semester will differ in many ways from any prior semester at Hamilton, but we look forward to providing the quality of education you expect from Hamilton in ways that protect the health and safety of our campus community and our neighbors in Clinton and the region.

This past weekend, New York State (NYS) released guidance on the reopening of higher education. The best practices detailed in the guidance are already part of Hamilton’s current planning. In keeping with those best practices and direction from public health authorities, the College’s plans for the fall will require significant changes in how we teach, learn, and operate. The purpose of these changes is to minimize the continuing risks posed by COVID-19, while maximizing our ability to provide a rich educational experience.

In the weeks ahead, as we finalize our operating plans, we will try to answer as many of your questions as we can. Following are some highlights that may be helpful to know now. A more detailed Return to Campus Guide for Students will be provided soon.

I. What to Expect When You Return in August

Campus Move-in
To facilitate physical distancing at the start of the semester, we will stagger campus arrival times and assign move-in dates over a period of several days leading up to the first day of classes on Aug. 24. The Dean of Students Office will provide a schedule and additional information. Upon arrival, every student will be tested and will receive a health kit containing face coverings, thermometers, hand sanitizer, and instructions on self-care.

Please note that New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have issued a joint travel advisory mandating that travelers from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 must quarantine for 14 days. We do not know whether this requirement will still be in place in August and will communicate further as we assess its potential impact on students arriving from the affected states.

Physical Distancing and Face Coverings
All of us must contribute to fostering a safe and healthy environment. Accordingly, face coverings will be required by everyone in the classroom and other shared spaces. The College will provide each student and employee with two reusable cloth coverings.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that all of us follow public health recommendations on physical distancing and face coverings. For most students, the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 is small, but for some members of our community, the risk is much greater. Because COVID-19 may be spread by individuals who are unaware they carry the virus, it is vital that everyone avoid large gatherings, maintain six feet of separation whenever feasible, practice good hygiene, and wear a face covering in public. The Student Code of Conduct will be updated with these and related expectations, and all students will be required to agree to these rules as a condition for coming to and remaining on campus.

COVID-19 Monitoring, Testing, and Tracing
As part of our effort to keep everyone safe, all students and employees will be required to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms on a daily basis and record the results into a mobile app. Self-screening of this kind is mandatory under the NYS higher education guidelines. In addition, and again in compliance with NYS guidance, the College is developing a comprehensive testing plan and will work with the Oneida County Health Department to conduct contact tracing for any suspected or confirmed cases of the virus. Diagnostic (PCR) tests, at no cost to you, will be conducted on campus, and the results will be processed by a certified laboratory. We are evaluating testing protocols for students, employees, and campus visitors, but all students will be screened for COVID-19 on arrival and periodically thereafter. We may also require PCR testing prior to arrival, and will share more information on that as soon as we have finalized our plans.

Under current public health guidelines, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate until cleared by medical personnel. Close contacts of anyone who tests positive must quarantine for 14 days. We have secured appropriate isolation and quarantine spaces for students and will provide food, health monitoring, and other support, and you should be able to continue your studies via remote instruction for most courses.

II. Changes to Academic Life

Fall Calendar
On June 15, I announced Hamilton’s revised academic calendar, with classes beginning on Monday, Aug. 24, a few days earlier than originally planned, and ending on Tuesday, Nov. 24, with exams taken remotely after Thanksgiving. We will not have a fall break. This compressed academic calendar will shorten time on campus by eight days, but will allow us to minimize travel to and from campus.

Students who cannot return home at the conclusion of the semester are encouraged to work with the Office of Residential Life on alternatives. We have not yet made a decision about the spring calendar.

Classes and Class Scheduling
Hamilton prides itself on the close engagement that occurs when faculty and students come together in small classes built around personalized instruction and lively group discussion. We aim to preserve this strength of a Hamilton education, while adapting the classroom experience as necessary to preserve everyone’s health and safety.

The College has asked all faculty to plan for blended learning (where not everyone is in the same room together). Blended learning may take different forms, depending on the course. Faculty will have the choice whether to teach in person, remotely, or in a hybrid manner. We anticipate that a large majority of courses this fall will be delivered in person. The faculty are actively engaged in planning for their fall classes, and we are offering technology training and support. We expect that all classes, however delivered, will reflect the personalized attention and focus on individual learning that characterize a Hamilton education.

We recognize that some of you may need to take classes remotely this semester, and others may need to apply for a leave of absence. As was true this past spring, we will work as best we can to assist students whose circumstances present obstacles to studying on campus in the fall.

We have studied all our academic spaces on campus and will assign classrooms that allow for appropriate physical distancing. Face coverings will be required. For some classes, that may mean using spaces traditionally reserved for other purposes. For other classes, it may mean moving to an A/B schedule, in which half the class attends in person and the other half remotely, on an alternating basis.

To create as much flexibility in class scheduling as possible, we are adding additional class periods on weekday afternoons and evenings. In order to end the semester early, on Nov. 24, it will also be necessary to hold some Saturday classes. There will be a minimum of 20 minutes between class periods to facilitate cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces in classrooms.

III. The Residential Experience

Residential and Co-Curricular Life
As you are already aware, housing selection was delayed this year to allow us to plan for reduced occupancy in residence halls. Under NYS guidance, students sharing a room may be treated as a family unit and will not be required to wear face coverings or physically distance when in their rooms with their roommates. To reduce density, all single-room quads and triples have been converted to doubles, and new modular housing is being installed on the south side of campus to increase capacity. Shared kitchen and lounge spaces may be limited to permit physical distancing, and laundry facilities will be available by reservation only.

Dining halls must follow NYS guidance for restaurants. This will require a reduction in occupancy by as much as 50 percent and the elimination of buffet service. Accordingly, the College is working with Bon Appétit to increase the number of locations for dining and to offer more grab-and-go food options.

We will plan events and activities that comply with physical distancing requirements so you will have co-curricular and social options without having to leave campus. Non-essential College travel is restricted for employees until further notice, and students should also avoid unnecessary off-campus travel in order to limit the risk of exposure to and potential transmission of COVID-19.

Athletics and Extracurriculars
The NCAA has proposed a phased return to sports, with the move from one phase to the next contingent on the absence of a rebound of COVID-19 on a given campus. New York State has just released its own guidance, grouping sports into lower, moderate, and higher-risk categories. We are studying the NCAA and NYS guidance, and we are in conversation with our NESCAC partners about the implications for NESCAC competition. We will do everything feasible to provide appropriate experiences for our student-athletes.

We are also studying the impact of public health guidance on other extracurricular activities. We know how important participation in clubs and other student organizations can be to your experience at Hamilton, so we will work with you to find safe ways to engage in group activities.

Changes to Facilities and Operations
The NYS guidance includes many requirements and recommended best practices involving facilities and operations. The College is already addressing these issues. They include enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols, revised room occupancy limits, signage and pedestrian flow, physical barriers, and industry-recommended enhancements to air handling systems. Many of our staff are on the front lines of implementing these changes and performing these operations, and we are grateful for their professionalism and commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.

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Thank you for your patience and flexibility as teams of faculty, staff, and students continue to finalize plans for the fall. We will continue posting updates on the College’s Returning to Campus website and will soon publish a more detailed Return to Campus Guide for Students.

The decision to bring all students back to campus was not made lightly. It will require self-discipline and flexibility, as well as respect for and trust in others. It will not be an ordinary semester, and it will not be entirely without risk.

But I have heard from many of you, and I know how important the campus experience is. Many of you have told me how much you miss the campus, your friends, faculty, and mentors, and the sense of purpose that emerges from being part of an intimate, engaged learning community. Our educational model works best when we live and learn together, and we can’t wait to get started again.

In the meantime, we must all stay informed and be prepared to pivot when necessary for the health and safety of our campus community. I hope you can join us for the Q&A session on Wednesday, July 1, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Questions can be submitted in advance or live during the meeting.

Continued best wishes for a safe and healthy summer,

David