Dear Kalamazoo College Community,

In late January, the White House announced that the COVID-19 public health emergency and national emergency will end May 11, 2023. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has noted that since the peak of the Omicron surge in January 2022, COVID-19 deaths have declined by over 80% and new hospitalizations are down nearly 80%. Daily reported cases are down 92%. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 81% of the entire United States population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Based on the latest COVID-19 data and trends and considering the availability of COVID-19 treatment options, the College will no longer require the COVID-19 vaccination for students, faculty and staff effective the start of spring term (March 27, 2023). All other COVID-19 health protocols remain in effect. We will continue to recommend masking when ill and as required by COVID-19 protocols, and we will continue to support community members who mask for any reason. Masks may still be required by faculty members or staff inside classroom spaces, in individual offices or for gatherings.

This was not a decision taken lightly. Like the CDC and many health experts around the world, the College strongly recommends all members of the K community stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.

We believe that our high rate of vaccination, along with our commitment to following established health protocols, allowed us to return safely to campus in the early stages of the pandemic and continues to offer protection from serious illness and spread. We also recognize that as the pandemic transitions from a public health crisis to a matter of personal health and responsibility, our policies will naturally transition as well. We will continue to make every effort to keep vaccination options available and accessible at a reduced cost to our community, and to encourage vaccination as a responsible health choice—for oneself, as well as to protect those with whom you live, study and work. 

We are deeply grateful to all members of our campus community who have done—and continue to do—their part to Protect the Hive.

Sincerely,

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

As we approach winter break, we would like to share some reminders to help ensure a healthy return to campus in January. We know that this time of year often includes family gatherings, seasonal jobs and other activities that bring people close together indoors, and that there are many respiratory illnesses circulating this season, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV. We strongly encourage students to:

• Practice good hand hygiene, washing hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Wear a high-quality mask when feeling ill or among others who are ill, or if you have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Get a flu shot as soon as possible, if you have not done so already.
• Get a COVID-19 bivalent booster as soon as you are eligible (at least two months after your last shot or three months after being ill with COVID-19), if you have not done so already.

When it is time for you to return to campus after break:

• If you are feeling ill with any symptoms of COVID-19, we strongly request that you take a COVID test before returning to campus.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 prior to move-in or a resumption of campus activities, we ask that you remain at home through your isolation period and contact the Student Health Center with your positive test result through MyChart. College staff will work with you to notify your professors if there will be any delay to starting classes.

Thank you for taking these steps to Protect the Hive. Have a safe and enjoyable winter break, and we’ll see you in January!

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Campus Community:

Before we say goodbye to students for the summer, we wanted to take a moment to outline the expectations for COVID-19 safety protocols starting this summer and continuing into the next academic year:

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS 

Students

As previously communicated, all students are required to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to arriving on campus next fall.

• The CDC considers you up to date when you have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended for you, when eligible. Current students will likely remain up to date through the start of fall term, unless recommendations change over the summer.
• To be up to date, you must be 2 weeks post your primary COVID vaccine series and have had your booster if you are eligible. You must get your booster when eligible to remain on campus. This date will vary based on your personal situation, so please plan ahead!
• Students will not be permitted to move into campus residences, participate in athletics, attend classes or engage in any in-person activities if they are not up to date with all of the College-required vaccinations.
• To update your COVID-19 or any other vaccination record, you may report it to the Student Health Center via My Chart or by email at healthsv@kzoo.edu.
• Vaccine exemptions will be extremely rare and will not be granted for personal preference. This is true for all vaccines required by the College, not just the COVID-19 vaccine. Students seeking an exemption should review the campus immunization policy and contact the Student Health Center (SHC) to request a form.

Faculty and Staff

• Faculty and staff are required to be fully up to date on their vaccinations.

Visitors

• Vaccinations will not be required for on-campus visitors beginning June 7 through the fall, unless conditions change. We will re-evaluate this policy in August.

ISOLATION HOUSING

• The College will be discontinuing COVID-19 isolation housing for residential students in the fall. Students should plan to return home to isolate if possible or isolate in their residence halls.
• We will continue to offer the “Sick Meal Request” form so that students may designate friends to pick up meals for them from the dining hall when ill (this applies to any illness).

COVID-19 TESTING

• COVID-19 testing, as with other services, will not be available at the SHC over the summer. Students in the area over the summer may refer to the SHC website for other testing locations.
• As in the past, we recommend students test for COVID-19 with a rapid or PCR test prior to coming to campus in the fall. We do not anticipate offering mass testing at the start of the term unless conditions call for it.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 prior to move-in or a resumption of campus activities, we ask that you remain at home through your isolation period and contact the SHC with your positive test result through MyChart. College staff will work with you to notify your professors if there will be any delay to starting
• The SHC will continue to offer COVID-19 testing next year for students who are symptomatic or have been exposed.

MASKING REQUIREMENTS

• K anticipates that our mask-optional policy will continue.
• Faculty/staff will still have the option to require masking inside classroom spaces, in individual offices or for gatherings, and anyone who wishes to mask when not required should feel comfortable doing so.
• Mask-wearing will be expected whenever you are experiencing symptoms of any illness, have a positive COVID-19 test, are awaiting test results or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• Please plan to bring a supply of well-fitting masks in the fall to use as needed. 

COVID-19 DASHBOARD UPDATES

• Tuesday, June 7, will be the last update to the COVID-19 Dashboard for the summer months. We will resume updating the dashboard in September.

Thank you to everyone for the outstanding job Protecting the Hive this year. It has taken a dedicated effort by the entire campus community to ensure a healthy in-person academic year, and we are extremely grateful for your flexibility and commitment to our protocols. We are optimistic that conditions will continue to improve, and as always, if they fluctuate, we will be ready to adapt as necessary. Please monitor your K email over the summer in the event that conditions or requirements change.

Stay healthy and stay safe, Hornets!

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Please note that all Commencement health protocols remain subject to change based on COVID-19 conditions. 

MASKING: Following the campus mask-optional policy, Commencement activities will generally be mask-optional throughout the weekend, including the Commencement ceremony and Baccalaureate. The College will support all students, faculty, staff and visitors who choose to wear masks, and some of the smaller events may require them. Please be prepared to mask if required. 

VACCINATIONS: Given the high rate of vaccination for our students, faculty and staff and the low community level in Kalamazoo, we will not be requiring vaccinations to attend Commencement activities throughout the weekend. 

TESTING: While not required, we strongly encourage those who are unvaccinated and/or unboosted to test prior to coming to campus. All participants and attendees should test if they experience COVID-19 symptoms prior to Commencement and to refrain from attending if they are ill. Please help us continue to Protect the Hive and all our Hornet families and friends.

Dear Campus Community,

After review of the most recent COVID data, Kalamazoo College’s mask-optional policy will take effect today, Wednesday, April 6. 

As a reminder, mask-optional means:

• Masks will not be required as a general rule inside College buildings. They may still be required by faculty members or staff inside classroom spaces or in individual offices, or for gatherings. 
  • In classes where masks are not required by the faculty member, students and faculty may still choose to wear a mask if they wish. 
  • In classes where masks are required by the faculty member, all students must continue to wear a mask.
  • If you would like to post a sign in your area (office, cubicle, room, etc.) requesting that masks be worn, a printable sign is available online.
• Masks may be required by athletics staff as needed in shared spaces (such as team busses or athletic training room spaces).
• Mask-wearing is expected whenever you are experiencing symptoms of any illness, have a positive COVID-19 test, are awaiting test results or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. 
• Members of the community should feel comfortable continuing to wear masks anywhere and anytime, if they prefer to do so. 

We suggest that you always carry a mask with you on campus so that you can wear one if you want or need to. If you forget your mask, there will be some stationed in every building. 

We support those individuals who continue to mask up due to health conditions or other personal reasons and ask that you respond to masking requests with consideration and respect. 

Thank you for Protecting the Hive,

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Campus Community:

With the latest CDC guidance on masks released at the end of February, we wanted to provide further update on K’s indoor masking requirement.

As previously announced, the College will continue to mask through the end of Winter term and through at least Week 1 of Spring term. Provided that we do not see a serious spike in COVID-19 cases following spring break, we anticipate changing our broad policy to “mask optional” during the second week of Spring term. Watch for communication on the effective date after the start of the term.

What does mask-optional mean? 

• Masks will not be required as a general rule inside College buildings. They may still be required by faculty members or staff inside classroom spaces or in individual offices, or for gatherings.
  • In classes where masks are not required by the faculty member, students and faculty may still choose to wear a mask if they wish.
  • In classes where masks are required by the faculty member, all students must continue to wear a mask.
• Masks may be required by athletics staff as needed in shared spaces (such as team busses or athletic training room spaces).
• Mask-wearing is expected whenever you are experiencing symptoms of any illness, have a positive COVID-19 test, are awaiting test results or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. 
• Members of the community should feel comfortable continuing to wear masks anywhere and anytime, if they prefer to do so. Even after we move to a mask optional policy, our expectation is that all the members of our community will accept and respect those individuals who choose to continue wearing masks.
• Masks will be made available in campus buildings for those who need them.

Additionally, effective Week 2, the College will no longer require vaccinations for visitors who are attending outdoor-only events, such as outdoor sporting events. Up-to-date vaccinations will still be required for visitors who will be inside campus buildings for more than 15 minutes. Admission events and tours will also resume stops at the model residence hall room and Welles Dining Hall for lunch. (Admission guests are required to be vaccinated.)

Kalamazoo County is now at a “Medium” COVID-19 Community Level based on hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. We will continue to monitor local transmission and hospitalization rates in Kalamazoo County and will adjust should the data warrant a modification to our policy.

Thank you for your commitment, feedback and respect toward one another as we continue to navigate the challenges of the pandemic.

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Campus Community,

Consistent with national and global trends, we are seeing increased COVID-19 transmission within the local area and our campus. The latest data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows a COVID-19 positivity rate in Kalamazoo County of 28.7%. Fortunately, cases seen at the Student Health Center have been largely asymptomatic or have presented with mild symptoms. However, because of the high level of transmission in our area and throughout the state, the College is putting in place some additional mitigation measures, effective immediately.

• Masking Inside and Out
  • Masking is now required in all public areas of campus, including outdoors. This follows CDC recommendations that encourage outdoor masking in areas of high transmission.
  • Residence halls: Students are required to mask in residence halls anytime they are indoors, including their own rooms if they are sharing the space with individuals who are not roommates. Unmasking is permitted in a student’s own room in the presence of roommates if all roommates are comfortable with that arrangement. This guidance is not new; however, it will be strictly enforced and noncompliance could result in consequences up to and including suspension from residence halls.
  • Again, please wear the mask properly over nose and mouth and do not pull it down to talk/sneeze/cough. Wear a snug-fitting mask with two or more layers.
  • The College is working to secure extra N95/KN95 masks for distribution to individuals who may be seeking a higher-filtration mask.
• Temporary restrictions on visitors
  • Residence Halls: Students are not permitted to invite visitors from outside campus to visit and stay in residence halls. Parents and other visitors may drop off items to students.
  • Any upcoming visits to campus should be reviewed for need (can a planned visit be accomplished virtually?). For visitors who will be spending time on campus (example: job candidates, guest lecturers), vaccination including boosters (if eligible) will be required. Any exceptions must be approved by President’s Staff.
• Eating and Drinking
  • Eating and drinking poses a higher risk for COVID transmission. For this reason, eating and drinking may be restricted in areas of buildings where it is normally allowed. Please watch for signage.
  • If you are hosting in-person meetings, please eliminate food/drink or make these items grab-and-go.
  • At this time, Dining will be operating normally and is providing grab-and-go items; if transmission continues to increase on campus we are prepared to switch to fully grab-and-go options.

Per yesterday’s Hornet Hive, we encourage you to sign up for our on-site booster clinics if you are eligible (the latest eligibility timeframes are five months if your initial regimen was Pfizer, six months if your regimen was Moderna, and two months if your initial shot was J&J). Walk-in booster clinics are also available off-campus Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the Kalamazoo County Health Department.

We have been living with COVID-19 for many months now, and we have many tools to reduce transmission and severity of illness. This has allowed not just our campus, but our larger community, to move from a “zero transmission” strategy to a “managing transmission” strategy.

For this to be effective, however, every member of the community has to be committed to health protocols and encourage one another to follow them—politely reminding each other of proper mask use and ensuring we are gathering safely, for example. Let’s do our best to care for one another as we manage through this latest COVID challenge.

Thank you,

J. Malcolm Smith
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost