Important information regarding campus departure in November and spring semester return
November 5, 2020
Dear Trinity Students and Families,
As we near the end of our in-person learning period for the fall semester, we write today with important information about departing campus and what to expect in the spring. Please read this message carefully; the transition coming later this month requires planning and caution to help ensure you are healthy when you depart campus.
Plans for Departing Campus by Saturday, November 21
As was announced in the summer, beginning November 21, all 13-week classes will continue remotely through December, with exams concluding by Monday, December 21.
Residence halls close on November 21. In-person classes for the spring semester do not begin until March 1, 2021, so we expect students to clean their rooms and take home their academic and personal belongings. You may leave furniture and other large items, including refrigerators, but everything else should be taken home. Room inspections will be conducted in December. Please be sure to throw out all trash and do not leave food in your room/apartment. If a friend or family member is coming to help you depart campus, it is important that they not enter the residence hall. We ask that only one person assists in your departure and that they abide by all campus health and safety protocols (wear face coverings, symptom check before arrival to campus, and physical distancing), as well as state travel advisories.
Students who have received permission to stay on campus beyond November 21 because of extenuating circumstances will be notified on November 9 or 10. Students allowed to stay on campus will be tested on a weekly basis for COVID-19 in order to maintain the health and safety of our community. Students allowed to stay will be required to live by all health and safety protocols, including not leaving campus except for essential reasons. All other students will have their ID card building access turned off by noon on November 21.
As you prepare to depart campus, we urge you to take extra health and safety precautions in the coming days (and of course during your travel itself). We want to be sure that you are healthy when you arrive at your destination and that you do not inadvertently jeopardize the health of your families or home communities. Therefore, it is very important that you maintain your regular required COVID-19 testing schedule, including during the week of November 15. if you do not know the results of your final COVID test when you travel to your destination, we urge you to self-quarantine until you know the results. We suggest that you discuss your transition home with your family in the next couple of days to ensure appropriate planning has taken place.
It is important to limit your potential exposure to the virus prior to November 21; therefore, you may leave campus only for essential reasons, you must adhere to appropriate health guidelines, and gatherings whether inside or outside should be within the guidelines set forth by the college.
Students living in properties not owned by the College
Students living off campus (in properties not owned by the college) should depart for home by November 21 as well. You will not have access to campus facilities from November 21 until mid-February. If you plan to be in your off-campus rental for any length of time during that period, you should inform the Office of Student and Community Life.
What to Expect for Spring
Following the optional remote January term, the academic calendar for the spring semester mirrors the fall’s calendar; 13-week classes will begin remotely, and in-person classes for the spring semester begin March 1. Courses will again be offered as in-person, remote, or hybrid; flexibility to meet changing conditions will continue to be key.
We expect that your return for in-person classes will be similar to the onboarding process we followed in August, and students will again be housed in individual bedrooms in campus housing. More information will be shared in early January 2021, but you can expect the following:
- Arrival and move-in will be staggered and scheduled from Thursday, February 18, through Monday, February 22. The general plan is for students to arrive on campus in time to allow them to be tested twice through our campus COVID testing center (and receive results) before the start of in-person classes.
- You will be expected to self-quarantine at home for the two weeks prior to coming to campus.
- You will be required to obtain a pre-arrival COVID test 10 days or less prior to arrival on campus. We prefer the test to be administered 3-5 days prior to arrival, but we recognize this might not be possible for all students. You will need to submit test results via the CoVerified app.
- Upon arrival, you will self-quarantine until you have completed two COVID tests through our testing center.
- You will be expected to abide by and will be held accountable to the rules set forth in the student community responsibility agreement, including twice weekly COVID testing, the wearing of face coverings, and more.
In December, we will be sending out a survey to all students to verify their spring housing. We ask that all students respond to this, even if you plan to remain in your current housing assignments. This is especially important as we work to accommodate campus housing needs for students who did not have fall housing.
Thank you for your understanding and your partnership to do all we can to support the health of our community.
Sincerely,
Joseph DiChristina, Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management
Jody Goodman, Dean of Student Life and Director of the Bantam Network
