Students currently living locally are “strongly encouraged” to remain in the area during spring break in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on campus, Dean of the College Kathryn Lively wrote in an email on Friday.
Interim housing will be offered to those living on campus for both winter and spring term, and the winter term meal plan will be extended through March 25 so that those on campus during the spring interim will have access to meals free of additional charge.
Any students currently residing outside of the local area are “strongly encouraged to limit contacts to their current household” before traveling to campus and to avoid unnecessary travel.
“Although there may be light at the end of the tunnel later this year, we must remain vigilant right now to reduce risk to everyone,” Lively wrote.
Those eligible for interim housing will receive another email with more information early next week.
Arrival dates for the spring term have been determined based on house community membership. Students in Allen, East Wheelock and South Houses will arrive on March 25 between 11 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., while those in North Park, School and West Houses must arrive on March 26 between 11 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. There will be no early or late arrivals, and family members may not enter campus facilities to help students move in.
Students traveling to campus for the spring who were not in the Upper Valley this term will participate in pre-arrival testing.
As was the case for the winter term, students arriving on campus will stop by Leverone Field House for testing and to check in with Residential Life before moving to their residence halls.
Those continuing to live locally off campus in the spring who leave the Upper Valley over the interim are “strongly encouraged to align their return” with the on-campus arrival dates of March 25 and March 26. Students must follow all testing and arrival quarantine guidelines in order to retain on-campus privileges.
All students approved for on-campus enrollment — regardless of vaccination status, whether they are living on or locally off campus or where they stayed over spring break — will then enter a two-phase arrival quarantine for their first eight days. Students will test three times during arrival week — first on the arrival day, and then on the third and seventh day of the eight-day period. Students will be formally released from quarantine upon a third negative test result.
During the first phase of the arrival quarantine period — spanning the one to two days before students receive their first COVID-19 test results — students will receive meals delivered to their residence halls and may only leave their rooms to use the restroom or for medical care.
In the second phase, after receiving a negative test result, students will pick up meals twice a day from Dartmouth Dining locations and eat their meals in their rooms. The second phase allows for masked and distanced outdoor walks and exercise with one other person. Students can also schedule a time to pick up items from storage during this phase, and the Hinman Mail Center will reopen.
College facilities like Baker-Berry Library and Collis Center will reopen for student use after all undergraduates have been released from quarantine, which the College expects to be “sometime early during the week of April 5.” Courses with on-campus components will also begin in-person meetings at this time.
