August 1, 2020: COVID-19 Update
Fall Update #8A: Housing & Fall Move-In
This message is specific to students awarded Main Campus Housing for Fall 2020.
Dear Student,
Good news! You have received Main Campus Housing for Fall 2020. Thank you for your patience as you awaited this information.
Housing Selection
On August 3 you will receive an email from Housing and Residential Life with instructions for selecting your residence hall and roommate(s), if applicable. Housing selection will take place on Wednesday, August 5 at specific times that will be outlined in the email. Buildings for sophomores, juniors and seniors will include Valcour Hall, Butler Hall, Boardman Hall, and Sanders Hall.
You may cancel your housing before moving in or by August 24 (whichever is earlier) without incurring charges to your bill. We urge you to let us know at reslife@champlain.edu as soon as possible if you no longer require on-campus housing so we can make your space available to another student. Please see the complete 2020-2021 housing cancellation policy here.
Quarantine Requirements & Returning to Campus
Before making your plans to return to campus it is critical to understand whether you will be required to quarantine before or after you arrive. We created this illustration to help you determine whether you are required to quarantine. The State of Vermont requires that individuals traveling from specific counties quarantine; the most recent list of counties requiring quarantine are available here. Please review the material carefully.
Students Required to Quarantine:
If you are required to quarantine, you have two choices:
- You may choose to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to your arrival on campus. If you choose this option, you must be able to travel in your own vehicle to campus with limited stops (for example, you may stop for gas, but may not dine in a restaurant and must avoid groups). Any family members traveling with you must also quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival on campus. We encourage all students to quarantine at home if possible.
If you quarantine at home, your move-in options are:
- Friday, August 28 (morning only)
- Saturday, August 29
- Sunday, August 30
- You may choose to quarantine on-campus. Please understand that quarantining on campus requires that you stay on campus for the duration of your quarantine and follow strict social distancing policies, including engaging only with other students on the same quarantine schedule. All meals will be provided to you during quarantine.
If you quarantine on-campus, your move-in options are:
- Saturday, August 15
- Sunday, August 16
- Monday, August 17
Students NOT Required to Quarantine:
If you are not required to quarantine, your move-in options are:
- Friday, August 28 (morning only)
- Saturday, August 29
- Sunday, August 30
All Students: Action Required
You will receive an email no later than August 10 with instructions for selecting your move-in date and time. All residential students must select a move-in time before returning to campus; please follow the instructions in the follow-up email to select your date and time.
We understand that these windows may pose challenges for some students. If you are unable to arrive during your designated window, please email reslife@champlain.edu and we will work with you to determine an alternate arrival plan. If you are required to quarantine after arrival and are approved to arrive later than August 17, you will likely reside in a separate building during your quarantine.
Move-In
The State of Vermont has issued very specific guidance regarding students’ return to campus. Each student will be allowed ONE guest to enter their residence hall to assist with move-in. Again, if a student completes quarantine prior to arriving on campus, any family members traveling with them must also quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival on campus. We recognize that due to quarantine restrictions some students will travel to campus alone and will require help moving their belongings into their residence halls. We are actively working on plans to support you.
Please remember that you will be asked to remove your belongings from campus at Thanksgiving—pack lightly, bringing only those items you will need for the first 12 weeks of classes.
Testing
Routine COVID-19 testing will be required of all students. Any students arriving from a quarantine county or arriving by mass transportation will be tested within 48 hours of arrival on campus. All students will be tested seven days after arrival and weekly thereafter. Testing will take place on-campus and will require a reservation. We will provide instructions for scheduling your COVID-19 tests in an upcoming Update.
Questions?
Answers to many questions can be found on our COVID-19 website where we have a robust and newly updated FAQ section and links to all messages from the College. You will receive additional Updates regarding the specifics of our Health & Safety Pledge, scheduling COVID-19 tests, and details related to transportation, on-campus dining and the campus experience in the coming weeks.
We look forward to seeing you later this month,
Susan Waryck
Dean of Students
