March 1, 2021

To the Dartmouth community,

As many of you have observed on our COVID-19 dashboard, the results of our virus surveillance testing show a continued increase in the number of students testing positive for the disease. There are currently 124 people with confirmed COVID-19 in isolation in our community; more cases may be added tomorrow following testing today.

In the interest of everyone's health and safety, we must therefore extend through Friday, March 5, the restrictions that are currently in place. This includes continuing to hold all undergraduate classes and most graduate and professional school classes remotely. Similar protocols with minor differences are being maintained by the professional and graduate schools and the deans will communicate to their communities as appropriate. Research laboratories and project spaces will remain open, but undergraduate students may not enter them at this time. Depending on what the following days bring in terms of case counts, these restrictions may be further extended. We are monitoring the situation closely.

Consistent with what other campuses have seen, trends continue to suggest that noncompliant social interactions--particularly those where people are not wearing masks or observing adequate physical distancing--are the primary cause of this increase in virus transmission. Despite the promise of vaccinations and a long winter spent taking precautions and observing state and community guidelines, this rapid increase in cases on our campus is a critical reminder that the COVID-19 crisis is not over, and we need to remain vigilant and attentive to all of the protocols. Each of us must rise to the occasion if we are to help break the transmission cycle that is affecting the experience of everyone on our campus. We cannot offer flexibility at this time, given the importance of halting further transmission. Those who are unable to adhere to Dartmouth's health and safety guidelines may therefore forfeit the privilege of on-campus enrollment for the remainder of the academic year.

How can you help? Please continue to wear an appropriate face covering wherever you go--when in doubt, mask up! Avoid group and room gatherings, maintain 6-foot physical distancing in all directions between yourself and others, and continue to participate in virus surveillance testing. Please remember that visitors are not permitted on campus. Now, more than ever, we must continue to be responsible citizens of Dartmouth, the town of Hanover, and the Upper Valley, and look out for one another.

Sincerely,