Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,
As part of our reopening plan, Colgate outlined a series of phases or Gates that specify the ways in which we will maintain health and safety while progressing through this semester. Tomorrow morning, Sept. 8, Colgate will move from Gate 0 (universal quarantine) to Gate 1. You will see more movement of students around campus and in the village as we begin in-person instruction for the first time since last March. For full details on Gate 1, visit our website.
The University’s move to Gate 1 follows completion of a second round of testing of our entire student body. The effort identified 14 active cases of COVID-19 among more than 2,500 tests, and those students are currently in isolation; close contacts have been identified and are in quarantine for 14 days. Please note: We work closely with the Madison County Department of Health when active cases are identified. Due to several factors, the number of cases we report may not match the number of active cases listed on the county’s website.
Every week through the end of in-person classes on November 20, we will test 6% of faculty, staff, and students, while also monitoring wastewater. The Health Analytics Team will publish data from these and other efforts on its dashboard.
Today, President Casey sent a video message to students, acknowledging their accomplishments during the universal quarantine and reminding them that Gates can open or close depending on the trajectory of the data — and their individual and collective choices. Unfortunately, as many as 12 students will be sent home and will continue remote study for failing to live up to the commitment to community health.
We are doing this together so that we can be together. It is exciting to clear the first hurdle, but it is indeed the first, and there will inevitably be more to come. In order to reach the end of in-person classes on November 20, we need steadfast commitment to each of Gates 1, 2, and 3.
We will continue to abide by our commitment to community health. We will continue to provide updates to the campus community twice per week. You can read those messages — and all of the messages we have sent during Gate 0 — on our website.
This pandemic is not over. Vigilance is as necessary as ever. But, today, we recognize the fortitude and determination that went into maintaining a campuswide quarantine for two full weeks. With those same virtues, we will pursue our educational mission in the days to come. Together we will do what it takes to protect the members of our community, and we will emerge stronger — collectively and individually. Thank you for being part of this remarkable effort. If you have any questions, please email covid19@colgate.edu.
Sincerely,
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications