Jan. 4, 2022

Dear students,

We are excited to welcome you back to campus this week. As promised in previous communications, please read below for details regarding the following:

  • Social gathering guidance

  • Arrival testing

  • Dining operations

  • Booster shots

  • A few important reminders

We recognize that life at Dartmouth this winter will look different than many of us had hoped, and we share your concern for your health and safety, as well as that of your peers, faculty members, and staff. We are incredibly grateful for your continued flexibility and attention to updates related to Dartmouth’s COVID-19 response as we learn new information about the omicron variant and work hard to bring students back to campus this new year. 

With adjustments to our operations for the winter, we ask that you renew your commitment to keeping the Dartmouth community as safe as possible. Please follow the guidelines below, continue to wear a mask indoors, and conduct your required weekly surveillance testing. Our individual actions will go a long way to help our community to continue in-person activities and work toward returning to a more typical Dartmouth on-campus experience.

Social Gathering Guidance

Our experience last fall suggests that COVID-19 transmission is most likely to occur in indoor social settings. While we previously mentioned there might be size restrictions on indoor social gatherings for the first two weeks of January, we believe the arrival of omicron and its higher levels of transmissibility mean that the responsible path forward is to cancel all College-sponsored indoor social gatherings for the first two weeks of January as we watch the progress of the disease. Academic-related and religious events will be allowed to continue as scheduled. We make this request to preserve in-person instruction and to minimize risk to our community. We are committed to reviewing this guidance after the first two weeks of the term.

We cannot monitor all indoor gatherings, and we do not intend to police enforcement, but we expect all students to act responsibly and avoid indoor social gatherings. While we know gathering outdoors may not be ideal given the weather, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that outdoor, uncrowded gatherings are a safer choice, when possible. We have made outdoor social gathering options available to you and encourage you to take advantage of those opportunities as you are able.

Arrival Testing

All students, regardless of where they spent the winter break, are required to conduct a PCR test in-person at West Gym within 48 hours of arrival at Dartmouth. If you are feeling ill or are concerned about possible COVID-19 exposure, you can call Health Services at 603-646-9440. More information about Dartmouth COVID-19 health and safety is available online.

  • Arrival tests must be completed no later than Wednesday, Jan. 5. If you have arrived on campus and have not yet tested, please test as soon as possible.

  • Students who did not leave campus for the winter break must also conduct a PCR test in person at West Gym no later than Jan. 5.

  • Students who will be arriving to campus late—and thus cannot complete the required arrival testing by Jan. 5—should complete this form. Regardless of when delayed students come to campus, all will be required to complete a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival.

  • Students who tested positive for COVID-19 over winter break should email documentation of their positive test results to medical.records@dartmouth.edu, followed by documentation of a negative antigen test if released from isolation in under 10 days.

    • These students will not need to participate in Dartmouth weekly surveillance testing for 90 days from the date of the positive test result if Dick’s House has these records.

    • Students who will miss the first week of classes as a result of a positive COVID-19 test should reach out to their professors to make appropriate accommodations.

  • For West Gym’s testing hours of operation, visit Dartmouth’s testing website.

Dining Operations

As previously communicated, all on-campus dining services will be grab-and-go for the first two weeks of January. This decision was made with the intention to help all community members avoid large indoor gatherings of unmasked individuals. More specifically, this decision means: 

  • Individuals will not be able to sit, gather, or eat in the dining halls.

  • All individuals will select their entrees of choice upon entering the dining halls and will need to eat in alternative spaces.

We are committed to reassessing this decision after the first two weeks of the term.

Booster Shots

As previously communicated, all Dartmouth students, faculty, and staff are required to receive their COVID-19 booster shot by Jan. 31. Those who are not yet eligible for a booster by that date must receive the booster within 30 days of becoming eligible according to CDC eligibility guidance.

  • Dartmouth is hosting on-campus booster clinics on Jan. 10 and 11. Please stay tuned for information on how to register for this clinic.

  • If you have already received your booster, please submit a picture of your COVID-19 vaccination record to medical.records@dartmouth.edu.

    • If you were immunized in the United States, the CDC vaccination card is the primary source of acceptable proof of vaccination. Other acceptable sources may include formal documentation from your health care provider or state or local department of health. All documentation must include your name, date of birth, vaccine manufacturer, number of doses and date received, vaccine lot number, and site of administration.

A Few Important Reminders

  • Mental Health Resources: We recognize the challenges associated with restricted campus life at Dartmouth, and we understand the toll that restrictions and limited social interaction can have on the psychological well-being of our campus community. We are working hard to maintain in-person instruction and promote alternative ways for you to connect with your peers, but we understand the ambiguity of what the rest of the winter will look like can be a source of stress. We encourage students to reach out to the Counseling Center or consult Dartmouth’s Wellness Resources for additional support.

  • Isolation: Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for a minimum of five days and will be released from isolation upon receipt of a negative rapid antigen test result or a full 10-day isolation. If the result of a rapid antigen test on Day 5 is positive, individuals may take a second rapid antigen test on Day 7. If the antigen test on Day 7 is negative, the individual can be released from isolation at that time. In the event that the result is still positive, individuals must complete the full 10-day isolation period. Students in on-campus housing who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to isolate in their residences.

  • Masking: Given the high transmissibility of the omicron variant, we ask for your partnership in recommitting to masking when indoors. We strongly encourage the use of medical-grade masks (e.g., the free KN95 face masks provided in the test kits distributed upon your arrival) or snug-fitting multi-ply masks, as early data show they reduce transmission of the virus more than cloth masks.

  • Testing: Please conduct your required weekly surveillance testing and encourage your peers to do the same. Results from weekly testing are an important source of information for us as we consider the path forward for the rest of the winter, and we need your cooperation to make informed decisions for our campus community. Dartmouth drop-box locations and testing site hours can be found online.

  • Courses. As noted in our communication last week, students may expect to see some courses go online for some periods of time–notably, if a large number of students in a course are out due to COVID-19 isolation or travel delays, the instructor may need to hold class online until students are able to return to class. We recognize that the situation is fluid and students and instructors will need to remain agile and flexible as the term proceeds.

  • Academic Continuity: We are committed to enabling all students to conduct their coursework as usual. With concerns regarding your coursework, your return to campus, or accommodations inquiries and requests, we encourage you to contact your undergraduate dean or the dean of your school.

We appreciate everything you have done and continue to do to keep yourselves and the Dartmouth community safe. Thank you for your recommitment to these safety measures and for your flexibility as we navigate this term. We are so happy to have you back on campus.

Sincerely,

Rick and Dave