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As of March 30, there was one confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus. We are tracking the current number of known COVID-19 cases in the Trinity community, as we receive confirmation from public health officials or the individuals who test positive, on the following page: Confirmed COVID-19 Cases within the Trinity Community.

For the remainder of the semester, the college has moved to remote learning.

What Students Need to Know 

• Only students who have obtained permission from the college to stay on campus may be on campus at this time. 
• From Monday, March 23, through the end of the semester, all classroom instruction will occur remotely.
• We will provide ways for students to get their belongings from campus. Please see the detailed plan created by the Bantam Network.
• Students/families will receive partial refunds or credits toward room and board. We are working out the details of this and will communicate them as soon as possible.

Administrative operations at the college will remain uninterrupted. To attend to the students who need to remain on campus, to support the academic endeavor occurring remotely, and to continue the essential business of the college, the college’s administrative offices will remain open, and its core services will continue uninterrupted during this period. We will continue to assess this decision as well and adapt as circumstances and conditions evolve. 

We appreciate that staff and faculty will have a variety of circumstances that will require various accommodations. We will be as flexible as we can in meeting those individual needs as we continue operations. Staff should be in touch with Human Resources to discuss their needs (now or as they arise), and faculty should contact the Office of the Dean of Faculty to discuss theirs.

Per an executive order by Governor Ned Lamont, non-essential businesses are required to move to 100% remote work by Monday, March 23, at 8:00 p.m. Because of this order, Trinity will limit employees on campus to those whose functions are critical to supporting the health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and our campus buildings and grounds. All other work, including essential functions that can be performed remotely, such as staffing the Help Desk or Library, recruiting and retaining students, and fundraising, should be completed remotely.

Trinity’s division heads have been communicating with their staff and faculty members about who is needed on campus to support our critical needs and who should work remotely. To avoid confusion, unless you receive specific instruction or approval from your division head, you are required to perform your duties remotely. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Human Resources.

We continue to follow the rules for essential employers as articulated by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). Those rules were updated most recently on April 17, 2020, and specify requirements for masks or cloth face coverings in the workplace, among other things. Please consult the DECD website for an updated and comprehensive list of rules for employers and guidance for employees. Essential employees or department heads may contact Campus Safety (860-297-3333) if they need additional masks/face coverings.

Our aim is to reduce the number of people on campus, including visitors, so that we may contribute to the work of slowing the spread of the virus and protecting vulnerable populations from exposure. We appreciate your understanding and help in this effort.

To that end, and following directives from the state of Connecticut, all indoor athletic facilities are closed, as is Cinestudio and on-campus dining facilities (with the exception of grab-and-go service for students who remain on campus). The Raether Library and Information Technology Center’s 24-hour zone remains available to Trinity ID cardholders only, and the Watkinson Library is closed. You can read more here about library services during this period.

In-person campus events have been canceled, as have all on-campus admissions tours, information sessions, admitted student events, and walk-in appointments. More information for admitted and prospective students is available here.

Access to campus buildings is limited to Trinity ID cardholders. 

A message announcing the postponement of Trinity’s 194th Commencement ceremony scheduled for May 17, 2020, was shared with the Trinity community on April 2, 2020. Commencement for the Class of 2020 is postponed until after the 2020–21 academic year. Read the message here.

A letter was sent to alumni on April 3, 2020 announcing the postponement of Reunion 2020 until a date to be determined in 2021. Read the letter from the director of alumni relations.

We have decided to suspend all in-person summer classes and programming, including in-person research and student employment. We are working to ensure that in-person classes, research, and student employment will be replaced with remote options wherever feasible. The faculty will vote on a motion from the Curriculum Committee to allow summer 2020 courses to be offered remotely. We also are reaching out to our area partners for key summer programs, including Hartford Youth Scholars and Dream Camp. Please read more in the April 14, 2020 Updates on Summer Programs message.

A detailed Move-Out Plan has been created by the Bantam Network. Please see all of the information on their site.

On March 10, the NESCAC presidents met and concluded unanimously that conference competition, including conference championships, will be canceled for the 2020 spring season. We know this is extremely disappointing for our students, families, coaches, and fans. We will find ways to recognize your commitment to your sport and the college as we move forward. 

In addition to the measures and guidance listed above, the college’s facilities management company, ABM, is employing enhanced cleaning practices across campus. The college is in daily contact with local and state health officials and have activated our campus COVID-19 response group, which is meeting regularly to assess and anticipate short- and long-term impacts to the Trinity community and to share information with you. The college’s response to the pandemic is being led by a multi-divisional Emergency Operations Center, whose membership will change as necessary to meet the evolving nature of the crisis. One critical piece of keeping the campus healthy is sharing up-to-date information and resources, which we will continue to do.  

Please continue to use the COVID-19 email address, [email protected], to share feedback and ask questions for more specific guidance. Please also continue to consult the college’s advisories website, where all community messages about the COVID-19 response are posted, as well as a number of internal and external resources. 

Students and families with questions about these decisions are encouraged to call 860-297-2822. Please leave your message and a staff member will reply. 

Remote instruction will mean different things for different classes. It does not mean that every class will be online at the same time as your regular class meeting; it means that teaching and learning will not take place in-person, though there will be regular interaction. Please contact your professor directly with any questions about a specific class.

Virtual tutoring and resources are being offered by the Writing Center, the Quantitative Center, the Library and other offices; please avail yourself of their outstanding support. There is also a guide for remote learning for students, prepared by the Research, Instruction, and Technology staff in Information Services, and the Advising Fellows in the Center for Academic Advising are also available to support you.

We are extending Advising Week from one week to three weeks, running from April 6 through April 24.

The major declaration deadline for sophomores has been extended to April 10; the online form is available here.

Registration is being moved to mid-June. We are also working to adjust registration times to better serve a wide range of time zones.