November 4, 2020 Update: COVID-19
Update on End-of-Semester Plans
Dear Champlain Community:
As we pass the half-way point of the fall semester, I want to offer my sincere appreciation for the good work all of you have done to contribute to the health and safety of our community. We know this semester has not been an easy one; I am inspired by your resilience and care for one another. As we look toward the holiday season, I would like to provide some important information regarding our plans as we know them today related to operations that affect our on-campus students, faculty, and staff over the next few months.
As we announced in August, the College will shift all in-person instruction to remote instruction after Thanksgiving and teaching will remain remote through the end of the semester. Recently, as a reflection of rising cases of COVID-19 in Vermont, New England, and across the country, and due to risks associated with holiday travel and the approaching flu season, the Vermont Department of Health revised its guidance to colleges for the upcoming break. Current state guidance requires that all colleges conclude in-person instruction prior to Thanksgiving and that students not return to campus until mid-January. As a result, Champlain College’s residence halls will be closed between November 22 and January 22. Our intention is that residents of 194 St Paul Street will be allowed to stay in their apartments through the end of the semester and over winter break provided that they do not travel outside the state at any time. We will continue to monitor and adjust our plans as needed. Our residential students will receive an email with more detailed information—including good news for students who wish to leave their belongings on campus—this afternoon.
Below you will find additional details on our end-of-semester plans, including campus facilities, testing protocols, our move-out and academic schedules, and a virtual learning survey for students.
Our efforts to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 so far have resulted in a remarkably low infection rate on our campus. As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow nationally, regionally and in Vermont, we all will need to be prepared for a changing landscape.
In the meantime, I urge you to remain vigilant. Avoiding crowded places, maintaining six-foot spaces and wearing a mask are steps we can all take to contain the spread of the disease. Thank you again for doing your part to keep our community well. We have learned a great deal over the past few months and will use these lessons—in addition to guidance from the state—to inform our plans for the remainder of fall and as we look towards a successful spring semester at Champlain.
As always, if you have any questions, please write to feedback@champlain.edu.
Sincerely,
Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande
END-OF-SEMESTER PLANNING DETAILS
Student Survey
All students are asked to complete this virtual learning survey by Friday, November 13, so we can understand what unmet technical needs you may have for the end of fall and beginning of spring virtual instruction periods. This survey also helps us understand your plans for how you will participate in your courses next semester, whether as an in-classroom or fully virtual student.
Campus Facilities & Testing Operations:
November 22–December 18
Facilities: Computer labs and the fitness center will be closed; the dining hall will operate on a limited schedule. Contingent upon ridership, the shuttle will maintain its current schedule with the exception of Thursday and Friday, November 26–27, when there will be no shuttle service. The library will be closed but will be available each day for contactless checkout at designated times which will be posted on the library website. The building will be open by appointment for limited hours for students who remain on campus and are in need of study space or to take part in remote instruction. Students can reserve a study space by emailing Sarah Camille Wilson at swilson@champlain.edu or by calling 802-860-2717. The library will also maintain regular virtual reference hours Monday through Friday for research support.
Main Campus Residential Students: Main campus residential students are expected to depart by noon on November 22. A very limited number of main campus students will be approved for a “late stay,” which will allow them to remain in their residence through the end of the fall semester.
Staffing: We anticipate that only essential employees will report to work on campus. Each VP will work with their teams to determine which personnel are required to maintain campus operations during this period of time. If there are any changes to who is deemed as essential personnel you will be notified prior to the Thanksgiving break by your area leader. Employees who require sporadic access to campus should work with their Dean/VP to gain the necessary approval and access.
Student Testing: Only residents of 194 St Paul Street and those students who are approved for a “late stay” will remain in the testing pool during this period. Testing will take place inside Perry Hall.
Employee Testing: Surveillance testing will be limited to essential employees who are regularly interacting with others on campus. Employees approved to access campus for sporadic or intermittent use of resources (such as a private office or teaching from an empty classroom) and are not interacting with others will not be tested. Please speak with your VP or Dean if you are uncertain whether you will be included in the testing pool. Testing will take place inside Perry Hall.
December 18–January 22
Facilities: Computer labs, the fitness center, dining hall and library will be closed. Shuttle service will not be available, however, the city bus (with stops at main campus, 194 St Paul Street, and Lakeside) will be operating. The GMT schedule can be found here.
Staffing: We anticipate that only essential employees will report to work on campus. Each VP will work with their teams to determine which personnel are required to maintain campus operations during this period of time. If there are any changes to who is deemed as essential personnel you will be notified prior to the Thanksgiving break by your area leader. Employees who require sporadic access to campus should work with their Dean/VP to gain the necessary approval and access.
Student Testing: Only residents of 194 St Paul Street will remain in the testing pool during this period. Testing will take place inside Perry Hall.
Employee Testing: Employee surveillance testing will continue only for those essential employees who are regularly interacting with others on campus.
Spring Semester
All traditional undergraduate spring semester classes will begin virtually on January 25. We plan to re-open our Burlington campus facilities and resume student surveillance testing on January 23 when we will welcome back residential students who are required to quarantine before in-person classes resume on February 8. Students who are not required to quarantine on campus will move-in and re-enter the testing pool February 6-7; details on faculty testing will be shared prior to the start of the spring semester.
