With the new term underway, we write with some key reminders in advance of the resumption of limited in-person learning. Please note the revised information related to arrival and surveillance testing at the end of this message.

Academic Expectations
Just a reminder that winter term courses scheduled in the online-only modality will remain in online modality for the entire term. Courses in hybrid or required in-person components modalities are permitted to begin in-person activities on January 19, but some courses, particularly those in the hybrid modality, might not begin any scheduled in-person activities until sometime after that date. Keep in mind that masks, physical distance, frequent hand washing, and completion of the daily symptom checker are required for in-person settings.

Community Commitments
All members of the campus community are expected to abide by the Community Safety Commitments. These commitments include completing the daily symptom checker before coming to campus, masking, remaining physically distant from others, washing hands frequently, and participating in arrival and surveillance testing (unless you will not be on campus during the term and completed the opt out option).

Daily Symptom Checker
As noted above, one of the requirements for being on campus this winter is completion of the daily symptom checker using the MyChart app, which is available to students via their existing MyChart electronic medical records. When meeting with faculty or staff in person, students may be asked to show the green “clear” indicator to demonstrate that the daily symptom check has been completed. Get in the habit of completing it each morning to avoid hiccups when accessing campus resources.

TESTING PROTOCOLS AND EXPECTATIONS

Off-Campus Students

Off-campus students who will spend any amount of time on campus during the winter term for any reason will need to complete arrival testing. Off-campus students who will not spend any amount of time on campus in the winter term may opt out of arrival and surveillance testing using the opt out form. Please complete the opt out process by Friday, January 8, 2021. This will ensure that we work with the most accurate list of students to be tested.  

Arrival testing for off-campus students will occur at the following times in the Hicks Banquet Room:

•             Saturday, January 9       2–5 p.m.
•             Sunday, January 10       2–5 p.m.
•             Monday, January 11       3–5 p.m.
•             Tuesday, January 12      3–5 p.m.

Students can schedule their specific testing time and date. 

Reminders: Bring a photo ID of yourself, arrive at your scheduled time, do not bring friends, and wear a mask. If you are ill, stay home and contact the Student Health Center at 269-337-7200.

Residential Students

Every student living in a residence hall will complete COVID testing upon their arrival to campus, prior to moving into their residence hall. Testing times align with move-in times and will occur in the Hicks Banquet Room:

•             Friday, January 15         4–6 p.m.
•             Saturday, January 16     2–5 p.m.
•             Sunday, January 17       2–5 p.m.

Students will be guided through the process individually by campus staff, while families will wait outside of the Hicks Student Center. Though the testing process itself is very quick, you may need to wait while others move through the process. We appreciate your patience. 

Reminders: Bring a photo ID of yourself, do not bring friends, wear a mask. If you are ill, stay home and contact the Office of Residential Life. 

Student Athletes

Information regarding your initial testing protocols will come through the Director of Athletics and coaching staff. 

Surveillance Testing

Once we get through initial testing, we will begin scheduling surveillance testing. Students will be notified via email when they are selected to test and will be sent a link to schedule their appointment.

CAMPUS ACTIVITY LEVELS

K will continue to adjust its balance of online and on-campus activities throughout the 2020-21 academic year (or as long as it takes for the COVID-19 pandemic to become controlled) based on current regional and local conditions. We have developed a Campus Activity Levels chart that indicates various levels of on-campus activity, using color-coded categories: 

Shifts in level will depend on regional, local, and campus conditions. For example, changes in the number of regional COVID cases, hospital capacity, testing response time, or staffing levels in critical areas could trigger a change in level. The College will conduct daily monitoring of relevant factors and communicate changes via Hornet Hive updates, K Alerts, and signs on campus. You may visit the COVID-19 webpage to learn more about the Campus Activity Levels.

The College will begin the Winter 2021 term at the Red (restricted; online classes only) level while conducting initial baseline testing of all students, faculty, and staff who plan to participate in on-campus activities. Once the initial testing is complete, we anticipate moving to Orange, operating at reduced density.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you on campus and virtually. 

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

To Students and Families:

In light of the change to the College’s in-person learning and living schedule for winter term, communicated Monday, we write to provide updated information about COVID-19 arrival testing.

Early returning resident assistants, international students, and winter athletes have or will receive specific information from their campus contact people. 

Off-Campus Students

Off-campus students who will spend any amount of time on campus during the winter term for any reason will need to complete arrival testing. Off-campus students who will not spend any amount of time on campus in the winter term may opt out of arrival and surveillance testing through the Opt Out form. Please complete the opt out process by Wednesday, January 6, 2021. This will ensure that we work with the most accurate list of students to be tested.  

COVID-19 arrival testing for off-campus students will occur at the following times in the Hicks Banquet Room:

• Saturday, January 9       2–5 p.m.
• Sunday, January 10       2–5 p.m.
• Monday, January 11      3–5 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 12      3–5 p.m.

Students can schedule their specific testing time and date through the online scheduling form. 

Reminders: Bring a photo ID of yourself, arrive at your scheduled time, do not bring friends and wear a mask. You may not get COVID-19 arrival testing if you are ill or have a fever. Please contact the Student Health Center at 269-337-7200 should you need diagnostic COVID-19 testing.

Residential Students

Every student living in a residence hall will complete COVID-19 testing upon their arrival to campus, before moving into their residence hall. Testing times align with move-in times and will occur in the Hicks Banquet Room:

• Friday, January 15         4–6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 16     2–5 p.m.
• Sunday, January 17       2–5 p.m.

Students will be guided through the process individually by campus staff, while families will wait outside of the Hicks Student Center. Though the testing process itself is very quick, you may need to wait while others move through the process. We appreciate your patience. 

Reminders: Bring a photo ID of yourself, do not bring friends and wear a mask. You may not get COVID-19 arrival testing if you are ill or have a fever. Please contact the Student Health Center at 269-337-7200 should you need diagnostic COVID-19 testing.

We will communicate again in early January, and hope that this revised information helps in your planning. As a reminder, the College will be closed from December 23–January 3. You may direct any questions over the holiday break via email to the pertinent department (click here for links to department contact information) and someone will follow up with you.

We wish you rest, relaxation, and restorative time as we end 2020, and we look forward to seeing you, virtually or in person, in the new year.

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Students and Families:

As many of you know, the State of Michigan has had a series of pandemic orders in place since November 21, all of which are designed to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The orders have resulted in flattening the curve for infection in the state. On Friday, December 18, 2020, the current order was extended and slightly amended. As part of the announcement, Governor Whitmer asked colleges and universities to delay resumption of in-person learning until mid-January. We will comply with the governor’s request and will start in-person learning on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. 

The revised timeline for winter term is as follows:

• All classes will begin in an online format as planned on Monday, January 4, 2021.
• Classes with in-person components will start those in-person elements on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, after the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. 
• International students and Resident Assistants who had planned to arrive early for the start of the term will still be able to do so. Staff members working with each group will be in contact with those students separately.
• Winter sports athletes who had planned to return on December 26 will receive communication from Athletic Director Becky Hall regarding their move-in date and times.
• Other students planning to live on campus will now shift their arrival time by one week, with arrivals on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, January 15–17, 2021. Arrival times and COVID testing details are being confirmed and will be communicated as quickly as possible. You will also receive email communication directly from Residential Life.
• Students planning to live off-campus and avail themselves of campus resources will also complete arrival testing, as communicated earlier. We are in the process of finalizing the testing dates and times, and will send that information along as soon as we have it. We will be using an online scheduling system to ensure a smooth process for off-campus students. 
• Reminder: If you will not be on campus for any amount of time for any reason in the winter term, please opt out of the campus testing protocol via the Opt Out form. This link will enable you to opt out of both arrival and surveillance testing.

Billing and Credit

Student accounts will be updated by January 11, 2021 to reflect room and board credits for those students whose move into the residence halls is delayed. Any refunds owed to students as a result will be processed by January 15.  For those students who have not entered into a payment plan, final payments for ALL winter term charges are due no later than January 18. Questions may be directed to Billing@kzoo.edu.

Building Access

Academic buildings and the Fitness and Wellness Center will open on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, with the start of in-person learning. Students who need access to specialized facilities for SIP work and other similar special projects before January 19 should contact their faculty supervisor to request academic facility access, as they did during fall term.

We recognize that delaying move in and resumption of in person components to courses by a week will be disappointing to many students and families, as it is to us. As has been the case throughout our preparations for returning to campus, we are committed to basing institutional decisions on public health guidance and to maximizing options for students to make choices about whether to learn remotely or here in Kalamazoo based on their individual situations. For those who are returning to campus in mid-January, we remain excited about having you here in person this winter. 

Thank you,

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

How it Works

The app sends push notifications to users and maintains those notifications within the app platform itself. After it’s conveniently downloaded through Google Play or the App Store, MI COVID Alert seamlessly updates itself regarding new cases every two hours in the phone’s operational background without hindering any phone functionality.

“It’s very easy, it’s free and it’s a way to be automatically notified if you’ve been exposed to COVID,” Student Health Center Office Coordinator Jennifer Combes said. “Basically, you download it and you can forget it. As long as you turn on your push notifications, you don’t have to check it every day. It will automatically alert you if you’ve been in close contact with someone who’s tested positive. And if you personally test positive, it’s an anonymous way to notify others that they’ve been exposed as well.”

Designed with Privacy in Mind

The app will never publicly reveal a user’s name, who they’ve met or their specific location. That means it maintains privacy and security while reducing the time required to alert people when they’ve been exposed. Combes was among the Student Health Center staff who consulted the College’s technology experts in Information Services before seeking to use the MI COVID Alert app.

“Privacy advocates have been justifiably concerned about digital surveillance in response to COVID-19,” Education Technology Specialist Josh Moon said. “We’ve seen some overreach already. The Bluetooth technology behind the MI COVID Alert app is a step in the right direction with its use of random codes and anonymity. I was comfortable installing it on my phone.”

Contacts who receive push notifications of past potential exposure will be given the option to be put in contact with Public Health and may be subsequently enrolled in contact monitoring.

“Generally, a user who is exposed and voluntarily provides their phone number will get a phone call from a contact tracer,” Combes said. “The contact tracer will go through what needs to happen from there. It might mean quarantining, it will mean watching for symptoms, and it might mean testing if there are any symptoms.”

Participating helps support the efforts of local contact tracers. The number of COVID-19 cases continues to place a strain on state and local public health departments, and they are at capacity with contact tracing. The app can help speedup notifications and catch more potential exposures so people can take precautions sooner.

One More Tool in the Toolbox

MI COVID Alert can’t replace good habits such as wearing a mask, washing hands, practicing social distancing, covering coughs and sneezes, and getting tested when symptoms appear. Regardless, Student Health Center representatives including Combes encourage its use to add another level of protection and prevention. The more people who download and use the app within a community, the more effective it becomes.

“The main goal is to control the spread of this virus,” she said. “There are a lot of tools, but this one helps you know as soon as possible if you’ve been exposed so you don’t expose others.”

Learn more about the MI COVID Alert app at the MDHHS website.

To Students and Families:

We write with more specific information related to the planned COVID-19 testing protocols for the winter term at K. This is a lengthier message than usual because we have a great deal of information to provide related both to arrival and ongoing surveillance testing.As a reminder, all classes will be offered virtually during the first week of the winter term, from January 4–8, 2021. In-person classes and hybrid classes with in-person elements will begin their scheduled in-person meetings during the second week of classes, January 11–15, 2021. Online-only courses will start as scheduled on January 4 and will continue virtually through the end of the academic term.

Arrival and Surveillance Testing: Who Will Participate?

All students who will be living on campus or who will be physically present on campus for any reason during the winter term will participate in arrival and surveillance testing. This includes students who live off campus but work on campus and/or who plan to use campus resources—including but not limited to the library, the bookstore, the Fitness and Wellness Center, rehearsal space, studio space, dining, the Student Health Center, the Mail Center or campus mailbox, and who plan to visit campus for any reason for any amount of time. In short, every student who plans to spend any amount of time on campus at any point during the Winter term will be part of the arrival and surveillance testing plans. This is the surest way to keep the campus as safe as possible.Students who will not spend any time on campus in the winter (because they live far away, for example), may opt out of the testing program via the Student Testing Opt Out Form.

Arrival Testing

Arrival testing will occur in the Banquet Room of the Hicks Student Center. In an effort to control the density of the testing location and to ensure efficient traffic flow, family members and friends will not be permitted in the building. Family and friends may wait outside or in their vehicles, if they choose, and we appreciate their understanding and cooperation in this process. 

Off-Campus Students

Off-campus students who have not opted out of testing via the Student Testing Opt Out Form will have three opportunities for arrival testing:

• Saturday, January 2 from 3–5 p.m.
• Sunday, January 3 from 3–5 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 6 from 2–5 p.m.

All off-campus students must complete arrival testing during these scheduled times.Staff members will direct students to and through the testing process to retain the necessary distance from others. All students are required to wear masks that cover their mouth and nose. A robust staff of medical personnel will be on hand to administer the tests as quickly and efficiently as possible. Even so, you may have a short wait. All students must bring a photo ID to complete the testing process.All students who are tested are expected to quarantine at home until their test results are complete. This means students should stay in their living space, and should not interact with others unless at least six feet distant and masked. Students awaiting test results should not interact with others beyond their place of residence until test results are known. Test results will be shared with students via their K College email address from the Student Health Center.

Residential Students

Residential students (students assigned to the residence halls) will have three options for testing, all of which coincide with scheduled arrival times for the residence halls. Students approved for early arrival (RAs, international students and athletes, for example) will receive specific information about their arrival testing processes from their campus point person.

• Friday, January 8 from 4–6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 9, from 2–5 p.m.
• Sunday, January 10, from 2–5 p.m.

All residential students must complete arrival testing during these times.Residential students have already received detailed check-in information from the Office of Residential Life. Please refer to that communication, available at the Residential Life COVID-19 Policies and Guidelines page.Arrival testing is the first part of the residential check-in process, and will start at the Hicks Student Center. Staff members will direct students to and through the testing process to retain the necessary distance from others. All students are required to wear masks that cover their mouth and nose. A robust staff of medical personnel will be on hand to administer the tests as quickly and efficiently as possible. Even so, you may have a short wait. All students must bring a photo ID to complete the testing process.

NOTE TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE REQUIRED ENTRY IMMUNIZATIONS: If you receive an email from the Student Health Center stating that you are not cleared to move in, you must complete and submit the requirements listed by noon on Thursday, December 31, 2020, or you will not be able to move into your residence hall and begin in-person courses. Numerous reminders have been sent seeking resolution to this matter. The Student Health Center will not provide immunizations to new students. If you are unable to complete the requirements, please contact the Office of Residential Life to let them know that you will not be able to move on campus.

All students who are tested are expected to quarantine in their residence hall until their test results are complete. This means students should stay in their residence hall, and leave only to go to the dining hall, and should not interact with others unless at least six feet distant and masked. Students awaiting test results should not interact with others beyond their place of residence until test results are known. Test results will be shared with students via their Kalamazoo College email from the Student Health Center. 
More information about arrival testing can be found at the COVID-19 website: Initial COVID-19 Testing for Students.   

Surveillance Testing

The goal of surveillance testing is to test about 10% of the campus population per week, as a way of gauging the presence of the COVID-19 virus among employees and students.Surveillance testing will occur Monday through Wednesday, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.,enabling all test results to be received and acted on prior to the weekend. All students who will be on campus for any amount of time for any reason during the winter term will be part of the surveillance testing program, as indicated above. Surveillance testing is not optional as it is an important public health tool.Students will be randomly assigned to testing cohorts, and will be notified of their testing date during the week prior to their assigned date. They will have the ability to schedule the exact time of the test, and are expected to arrive on time and ready for the test. We estimate that each student will likely be surveillance tested only once or twice during the ten-week winter term. The College will continue to monitor emerging testing technology, which may alter the method and frequency of testing over time. Students will be notified of test results via their Kalamazoo College email from the Student Health Center, and are expected to comply with all directives related to quarantine and isolation.

More information about surveillance testing can be found at the COVID-19 website: Student Surveillance Testing. 

Bookstore Information

The Bookstore will be closed for in-person shopping during the three days of move in, January 8–10, but curbside pickup will be available from 4–6 p.m. Visit kcollegebookstore.com to place pickup orders for textbooks and general merchandise. When you select “Hicks Center Pickup” as your shipping method, your order will be bagged up and ready for pickup when you arrive on campus. Students will be able to pick up their orders at the front of the Bookstore from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on move-in days or during normal store operating hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.). Orders can also be picked up outside the Hicks Center during these hours. To do so, please go to the main front entrance of the Hicks Center, call the Bookstore at 269-337-7317, and someone will bring your order to you. Orders do take time to process, so if you plan on picking up an order, please place it the day before you are scheduled to arrive.

We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation locally and within the state as we prepare for the winter term. New cases in the Kalamazoo region continue to decline and the initial availability of vaccines is an additional source of optimism for the spring term and beyond. Even with these positive signs, it remains important for all of us to be vigilant in our individual behaviors to limit the spread of COVID-19 throughout the coming months by continuing to mask, remaining physically distant from others, carefully monitoring our own health, and, for those returning to campus in a few weeks, following testing protocols and the Community Safety Commitments. If we do these things, we can protect not only our own health, but the health of others in the campus and the greater Kalamazoo communities. 

We wish you well as the year ends and as we move into 2021. 

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Students and Families:

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services extended a slightly modified statewide epidemic order effective through December 20, 2020. This is an effort to sustain recent practices designed to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in the state. We anticipate information about any subsequent state orders close to December 20.

While we monitor state and local guidance, we also continue to plan for the limited resumption of in-person living and learning in January. For students moving into residence halls, move-in dates are scheduled for January 8–10. The Department of Residential Life will communicate with every student planning to live on campus for the winter term about details related to arrival times and procedures, assuming state guidance permits in-person learning. In subsequent communication, we will provide more specific information about entry and surveillance testing.

If you are interested in living on campus—whether you are a first-year or upperclass student—please contact the Office of Residential Life directly at reslife@kzoo.edu. Space is available for a number of upperclass students who wish to live on campus.

Preparing for Winter Term

As the year-end holiday season approaches, it is essential that all students prepare for the winter term in a variety of ways. We recommend the following:

• Follow CDC guidelines for safely navigating the holidays in terms of indoor gatherings, physical distance, and other COVID-prevention practices. Get adequate sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise and eat a healthy diet.
• If you live with friends off campus, consider renegotiating expectations related to safe and healthy behavior. Off-campus students in Kalamazoo experienced ongoing COVID outbreaks through the fall, some of which were attributed to inconsistent behavior within large houses. The decrease in comfortable outdoor gatherings in winter necessitates greater control of indoor gatherings and navigation, so clarity of expectations is essential.
• If you will be in multiple locations in the coming weeks—at home, in Kalamazoo or elsewhere—adhere closely to practices that keep yourself and others safe. Wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands.
• If you plan to live on campus or participate in on-campus courses in the winter, take seriously your responsibility to limit contact with others, especially in the two weeks before classes start. Quarantining in a committed way prior to starting campus classes and residential living is an effective way of minimizing the spread of the virus. If we have a safe start, we are more likely to have a successful winter term.
• Pack smart. If you plan to live on campus, we have previously noted you should prepare a “go bag.” We also encourage you to pack lightly so that you can return home quickly if public health circumstances warrant. Please come with an adequate number of masks and a personal supply of soap and hand sanitizer. Remember that you will want to wash reusable masks regularly.
• Remember that the first week of classes will be online for everyone, even for students taking classes with in-person components.
• Visit your course Moodle sites, where applicable, before the first day of class to familiarize yourself with expectations and the Moodle system. If you require books or other resources, make plans now for getting them.
• Think carefully about what worked well in the fall in terms of time management, how you were able to get academic work done, and what helped you focus on your classes. What can you continue for the winter and what can you change or improve?

Preparation will be key to a successful winter term and we thank you for doing all that you can to protect the hive. We encourage you to take the next few weeks to rest and recharge. We will continue to email weekly updates, and if you have questions or concerns, please contact us at info@kzoo.edu.

Stay healthy, stay safe.

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

As we look toward the limited resumption of in-person learning in January, we write to provide some detailed information about the College’s quarantine and isolation (QI) plans. As with all of our COVID-19-related practices, QI housing plans are aligned with public health guidance and may change if/as recommendations change.The College has set aside space in campus housing to quarantine and isolate students living in the residence halls who require it, based on COVID-19 testing results or exposure/contact with others who have contracted the virus. Students who live off campus and need to quarantine or isolate will be provided guidance from the Student Health Center (SHC) about how to do so in their living spaces. The SHC has provided such guidance to off-campus students this fall. They will not be housed in campus QI spaces. Designated COVID-19 Care Coordinators (CCC) have been appointed and will manage the logistics of ensuring that students who transition to QI housing have the support they need. This includes coordinating communication with dining, residential life, campus safety, and faculty, among others. QI housing space comprises small, home-like environments and include kitchens for food and snack preparation. (Meals and snacks will be delivered to QI students daily.) These spaces will also be provided with cleaning supplies compliant with guidance from the CDC. Students in QI spaces will be in daily communication with CCC and/or SHC staff. The College will work in concert with the Kalamazoo County Health Department on contact tracing. 

Expectations for students: 

• Comply with directives for quarantine and isolation from campus health officials. This includes relocating to QI housing promptly and following all directions for the duration of time in QI housing.
• Respond quickly and honestly to contact tracing efforts.
• Prepare a “go bag,” including your own bedding and towels, study materials/resources, and items to help pass leisure time. Having this ready ensures the quickest possible response to health guidance.
• Take seriously your responsibility in QI to protect others by keeping your distance, wearing a mask, and cleaning up after your use of shared facilities (kitchens, bathrooms) with the supplies provided.
• Stay in communication with CCC and Student Health Center (SHC) staff, as appropriate. 
• Stay in QI housing until approved for return to regular housing assignments, do not invite visitors (including family members) to QI space and do not visit others while in QI housing.
• Stay in regular communication with your family and loved ones. 
• Do not “cheat” time requirements for QI because you are tired of the restrictions, as this puts others at risk. 

Expectations for families: 

• Support good planning by your student (preparing a go bag, for example). 
• Support guidance and direction from the College, including participation in contact tracing efforts.
• Stay in regular communication with your student as they will have the best information about their health status.
• Do not plan to visit your student on campus, in their regular housing location or in QI housing.
• Make and finalize explicit plans regarding a student who has contracted or been exposed to the virus. Please see below.

If you plan to quarantine or isolate at home with family, plan now for safety measures:

• How quickly can you leave campus? Prompt action (within a few hours) is a key to mitigating the spread of the virus.
• How will you travel? Public transportation places others at risk if you are infected or have been exposed. If travelling by car, create as much space and ventilation as possible, ensure that all occupants wear masks, and do not stop once the infected/exposed person is in the car.  
• How will you minimize risk to loved ones at home? How will you minimize physical proximity to vulnerable people (due to age or underlying health conditions) at home?

The College has planned for QI housing carefully, and we ask that you do the same. Please prepare for the winter term as if you will contract the virus. If you will consider returning home for QI care, please make concrete, explicit plans now so that you don’t have to do so in the midst of making other medical decisions.Other campuses have experienced students and families attempting to “game” QI housing—by arguing about test results, by being dishonest about contact/exposure, and by demanding multiple tests to “test out” of QI status. Our limited human and testing resources require that all of us come to campus prepared to comply with the plans that are in place. They are designed to ensure as much safety as possible, and they will not work without cooperation across the board.We will expect prompt, cooperative response to health directives; specific protocols will be shared with students who require QI housing once on campus.Finally, the month of December includes traditional times for family and other gatherings. Such gatherings enable the virus to spread quickly. If you plan to be on campus, living in a residence hall, attending classes, or using campus resources, we implore you to adhere closely to public health guidance in the weeks prior to the start of classes. Wearing masks, avoiding gatherings, keeping physically distant from others, and practicing good hand hygiene are all proven methods of minimizing the spread of the virus. They also give us the best chance of a successful winter term back on campus. We also strongly encourage you to get a flu shot prior to coming to campus, if you haven’t already. This will minimize the risk of having multiple respiratory outbreaks on campus or putting additional strain on testing and health center resources, as the symptoms are very similar to COVID-19.We know that this pandemic is an ongoing source of uncertainty for many people. By providing options to return to campus for winter term or to continue learning remotely, we seek to provide agency for each student and family to determine the best option for their individual situation. For those who are returning to campus, it is imperative that all of us, individually and collectively, follow campus protocols and public health guidance so that we can protect the hive. 

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

Dear Students and Families:

As the fall term concludes, we write to provide an update on planning for the winter term. We know that the fall has been challenging in many ways and hope that the coming holidays bring some respite and safe reconnection with loved ones. 

With a few exceptions during holiday weeks, we will provide weekly email updates on the College’s plans. We also encourage you to keep an eye on K’s COVID-19 page.

Students and families have raised the question of what would prevent in-person, residential learning in January. The College’s ongoing assessment of key indicators—community spread of the virus, local hospital capacity, spread of the virus among students and employees, testing supplies and resources, availability of PPE, capacity of designated campus quarantine and isolation spaces, and health of staff in key areas (for example, the Student Health Center, Campus Safety, Facilities Management and Dining), to name a few—will inform decisions about in-person learning. If our assessment of these issues suggests that we cannot safely resume a modest level of residential living and in-person learning, we will change our plans and communicate them immediately. Similarly, we will continue to pay close attention to federal, state and local public health guidance. A legal mandate from any of these entities could result in an immediate change to our plans, as well. The primary concern for the College is the health and safety of students, faculty and staff, and this priority continues to guide our planning process. 

As we go forward, planning efforts to resume a modest level of in-person learning in January 2021 are aligned with the most successful practices currently in use. Plans for the winter term include:

• Testing upon arrival for all students and employees who will spend time on campus during the winter term.
• Daily surveillance testing for up to 2% of students and employees.
• Ongoing testing and support for symptomatic students and for those students who have had exposure to a COVID-19 positive person.
• Residential students assigned to rooms by themselves to decrease density.
• A phased move-in for residential students, controlled access to residential spaces by non-residents and designated quarantine and isolation spaces. 
• Designated staff members to facilitate COVID-related care and support.
• Reduced classroom densities to accommodate physical distancing; airflow in each classroom space has been evaluated, with appropriate modifications made, as part of the campus ventilation analysis.
• Enhanced cleaning and ventilation protocols for campus facilities, including the provision of ultraviolet lights and air purifiers in public places where they are needed.
• All winter term classes offered in an online format for the first week to facilitate entrance testing for students and employees. Designated classes will transition to hybrid or required on-campus components during the second week of the term.
• Assigned dining times for lunch and dinner to decrease density and to avoid queuing, with a range of freshly prepared meals to go and a limited number of in-person dining seats (depending upon local and state guidance).
• Clear expectations for community behavior (community safety commitments) designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. These expectations—such as masking and social distancing requirements—will be continually communicated in the coming weeks and are expected to be met by every member of the campus community and by every visitor to campus. Students who fail to meet the expectations risk immediate removal from campus residence and/or access to campus resources. While our goal is to rely on the good judgment of community members in abiding by the commitments—without reminders—we will enforce them with speed and rigor when warranted. This means that access to in-person classes might be jeopardized if students fail to abide by the expectations.
• Careful planning by the Athletic Department, aligned with guidance from the NCAA, about the resumption of athletic preparation and competition. Winter sports will include men’s and women’s basketball as well as men’s and women’s swimming and diving. Spectators will not be permitted at practices or competitions.

We will provide more detailed information about these broad areas in the coming weeks, along with other relevant matters. We invite questions, which can be submitted to info@kzoo.edu, and we will answer them as soon as possible.

We wish you a happy end of finals, a happy Thanksgiving, and healthy, safe days ahead. 

Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost

In response to the newly announced epidemic order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), which the Governor announced Sunday, the College is implementing the following campus restrictions to flatten the curve, protect the health and safety of all K students, faculty and staff, and to increase the chance of successfully re-opening the campus to limited capacity in January.

Effective Tuesday, November 17, through Tuesday, December 8:

• The Library student study space will end and the Fitness Center will re-close (current fitness reservations through Tuesday, Nov. 17 will be honored)
• In-person campus tours for Admission will be put on hold 
• Each vice president will review their business areas to reaffirm that only staff who are required to be on-site to carry out their work are coming to campus; all others should continue to work remotely
• Individuals who have obtained permission to be on campus for specific business or academic purposes will continue to have access.

Please note that access to campus spaces is predicated on everyone wearing a mask and practicing appropriate physical distancing—and can be revoked for non-compliance.

We are convening a meeting of the Fall Monitoring Group today. 

We encourage you to download the MDHHS COVID Tracking app, which will alert you to possible exposures.

Thank you all for doing your part to Protect the Hive.

Saludos,

Jorge G. Gonzalez

President