Dear Students,

We hope you are well. We are writing to communicate the plans to return to campus for Spring 2021.

Students are assigned a return date based on the last digit of their 999#. The intention here is to create a manageable and safe transition back to campus that accounts for testing and a gradual return.

Testing:

Students will need to obtain a COVID test before arrival on-campus. We will provide you with Information about acceptable tests in January. Students will be given a first on-campus test upon arrival and then tested again four days later. If you fail to obtain a COVID test within 72–hours of your arrival in New York State, you will need to quarantine upon arrival for 14 days. Testing protocols are subject to change based on orders issued by the Governor of New York State. If you test positive for COVID after November 1, 2020, please contact Health Services at 845-437-5800 or health@vassar.edu to discuss your future COVID testing schedule.

Keys:

Students will be able to pick up keys between 9 am and 4 pm on the assigned date. Students arriving after 4 pm will be housed in a hotel for the night and then return to the campus and tested the next day. Students can only move into their rooms after the first test on campus.

Request change of date:

If you would like to request arriving on a different date, fill out this form due by January 15th, 2021. It is important to know up front that it may not be possible to accommodate the request. Arrival date requests prior to February 1st or after February 10th will not be accepted.

Roommates:

We are asking students who share the same sleeping space (roommates, not housemates) to communicate with one another and choose a single date. For example, Luis and Carlos are roommates. Luis’ 999 ends in 0 (2/1) and Carlos’ 999 ends in 5 (2/6). Luis and Carlos are expected to talk and choose to either return on 2/1 or 2/6. They select 2/6. Luis then fills out this form no later than January 15th.

Visa and health issues

Students with visa issues and/or with documented health concerns that necessitate arriving after February 10th can request to do so using this form.

Remote for Spring 2021?

If you are planning to learn remotely next semester and have not already done so, please fill out the remote learning form.

Live off-campus?

If you live off-campus and plan to learn in-person, you would still need to arrive back in Poughkeepsie by the 10th, so that you could be tested on the day of arrival and then again 4 days later. This will enable you to attend in-person classes on the very first day.

Good luck with your finals. We hope you get to relax and restore during the upcoming break.

In community,

Dean Luis and the Dean of the College area

Luis Jimenez Inoa, Ph.D.
he.him.his.
Vassar College
Associate Dean of the College,
Student Living and Wellness
inoa@vassar.edu<br/.

@vcdeanluis