On December 13, our four winter teams (men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball) will all begin a phasing-in period at home. Due to the fact that we were not in person in the fall, did nothing organized with our teams, and we have not properly phased our students into their environment, we will begin this process at home in order to come to campus and be ready to practice and compete this winter. What this means for our four winter teams is that we need them to quarantine at home for 14 days in order to report to campus on December 26. These are the guidelines that we are requiring our athletes, coaches and staff to adhere to for our process:  

Phase I: Dec. 13–26

For students who plan to travel back to campus by car:

• Quarantine at home starting December 13.
• Fill out a COVID-19 daily screening via the app.
• Travel by car to Kalamazoo College for move-in instructions. 

If students are not able to quarantine at home, they will start their 14-day quarantine once they arrive in Kalamazoo. They should still begin their daily health screenings on December 13.

For students who will be traveling back by bus, train, plane, etc.

• Fill out a COVID-19 daily screening via the app beginning December 13.
• Quarantine will begin once you have entered the Kalamazoo area.  

What quarantining at home means for Phase I and what is expected of our students:

• Restrict movement within and outside of the home. Avoid public areas, large gatherings, public transportation, etc.
• Quarantining in the home includes eating meals in a private space or outdoors with family at least 6 feet apart.
• Use separate servingware, utensils, glasses and plates.
• Use a separate bathroom from other family members. If not possible, then disinfect the bathroom after each use.
• Avoid physical contact, including hugging, kissing and shaking hands.
• Wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet when in the presence of others (not in your bubble).

If quarantine is not possible, stay physically distant from family household members, wear a face covering and avoid close contact, including hugging and shaking hands, for the 14 days at home. Consider placing HEPA filter units in the home and opening windows to increase air circulation.

Phase II: Dec. 26–Jan. 8

• Students arrive on campus for PCR test.
• PCR test on day one.
• Students will quarantine in their residence until all test results are back (or 14 days if student did not quarantine at home).
• Testing protocols will then follow the NCAA recommendations for in-season athletes.
• Complete daily COVID-19 symptom screening; temperatures will be taken.
• Once initial tests are complete and the results are back, teams may begin practicing together with <50 participants; there will be no contact with one another in this stage.
• Week 2 of Phase II: Teammates may start sharing equipment.
• No locker room use for anything other than changing clothes will be permitted. 

Phase II: Jan. 9–22

• Continue NCAA testing protocols as recommended for in-season athletes.
• Daily COVID-19 symptom screening and temperatures taken.
• Contact may begin in practices and in training sessions.
• No locker room for anything other than changing clothes will be permitted.

Phase IV: Jan. 23

• Competitions permitted.
• Continue NCAA testing protocols as recommended for in-season athletes.
• Daily COVID-19 symptoms screening and temperatures taken.

 If at any point we must shut things down due to outbreaks or as instructed by local, state, or federal health professionals or team medical doctors, then we will do so. Our first concern is the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff. We will update you with more information in the coming weeks, particularly with information regarding game day protocols and policies that we will be enforcing this winter. Information will come out later for our fall/spring seasons as well. If you have any questions, please email those to athletic@kzoo.edu.

General student move-in* will be at following days and times in the Hicks Center: 

• Friday, January 8, 2021 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. EST,
• Saturday, January 9, 2021 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. EST
• Sunday, January 10, 2021 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. EST

*Pre-season athletes and international students arriving prior to this on December 26 and January 1-3 respectively should refer to whatever information they receive, previous or forthcoming, from Athletics and the Center for International Programs.   

We encourage those who live close to move in on either Friday or Sunday, as we anticipate that students with longer travel distances will likely plan to arrive on Saturday.  Please note: The check-in times above will be strictly adhered to.  Keys will not be issued to students who arrive late and have not been tested. They will not be permitted to stay on campus and Campus Safety/Residential Life will not let them into rooms after hours.  Please find more details regarding move-in at the Residential Life COVID-19 page. If it is no longer your intention to live on campus, we ask that you let us know by submitting the opt out form.  Thank you!

We recommend that every residential student bring items needed to assemble a Go Bag in the event you need to go into a quarantine/isolation room. You should consider what you might need if you’re out of your room for several days. 

Suggested items include:

• Personal medications
• Fever-reducing medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen.
• Thermometer
• Tissues
• Towels, bed linens, blanket, pillow
• Personal hand sanitizer
• Several masks
• Refillable water bottle
• Snacks, tea, powdered drink packets
• Changes of comfy clothing for multiple days
• Slippers or socks
• Personal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, deodorant, contact lenses, contact solution, shampoo and conditioner, body wash or soap, brush/comb, ponytail holders, feminine products, etc.)
• Entertainment items—books, puzzle, etc.
• Computer and power cord
• Cell phone and charger
• Items for class: books, pens, highlighters, etc.
• I.D. and your insurance information
• Bag/bags to pack with  

You will be provided:

• Meals/snacks daily
• Access to microwave/ fridge
• Trash bags/paper towels
• Dish soap

The College will institute a robust COVID testing protocol as part of the return to in-person learning and working in the winter term. 

All students, faculty and staff will be tested upon arrival to campus in early January 2021. All classes will be offered virtually the first week of the term to provide time for students to be tested and to quarantine until test results are available. We anticipate a turn-around time of 24–48 hours for test results. Students who test positive at that time will be moved into isolation spaces on campus if they live in the residence halls. Off-campus students will be instructed about how to isolate in their residences. Thereafter, a program of daily surveillance testing will be in place. The surveillance program will test 1–2 percent of students, faculty and staff each weekday, with follow-up for additional testing as required. Testing for symptomatic students, or for students exposed to the virus, will be ongoing.  

Other health protocols established prior to fall will remain in effect, including enhanced cleaning protocols.The essential element in preventing the spread of the virus is physical distancing, wearing face coverings over the mouth and nose, frequent handwashing and staying away from others (and campus) when ill. Every member of the K community is expected to take these measures, without fail, when on campus. 

If a student had an active housing assignment at the point K announced it was going virtual for fall, and that student intends to live on campus for winter term, no action is needed. The housing assignment and meal plan are scheduled to automatically reactivate. Given the evolving nature of the pandemic, we know that some students may have changes in their plans. In an effort to streamline communication, the Office of Residential Life is providing a Housing Change of Intent Form for students to signal a change in their plans to live on campus. This form is only intended for those who received a housing assignment and whose plans for winter may be different from what was originally communicated to Residential Life. We will be making every effort to return students to their original housing assignments and configurations. However, since numbers are crucial to our planning, we ask that students submit the necessary information by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 8. While plans may continue to change, students should respond with their strongest inclination. We will not know until after the completion of this process whether any additional open spots will be available for students who did not receive a housing assignment originally, so please hold those questions until a later date.

Starting September 8, the library is expanding book pickup hours to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday. All current students, faculty and staff may request circulating items through Library OneSearch. Sign in with your K credentials to request an item. Library staff will retrieve the books for you. You will receive an email when your materials are ready. Most requests are filled within one business day.

Your materials will be on a cart for pickup in the receiving area of the library on Academy Street. Patrons will need to ring the buzzer at the door and wait to be let in. Please be patient. You might need to ring twice if library staff are performing other tasks.

Patrons may locate their items by last name, take their books from the cart and exit the same way they entered the building. Please ensure the door closes completely after visiting. Please wear a face mask when picking up items to keep Information Services staff safe. Patrons are welcome to use the available hand sanitizer near the pickup cart.

Please place all items you return in the Academy Street drop box. For staff safety, please don’t leave returns on the cart with pick up items. Returned items are quarantined for at least 72 hours in the drop box.

If you are not in or near Kalamazoo, please email reference@kzoo.edu and a reference librarian will help you identify libraries and services in your area. If you have a concern about your requests or need assistance placing a hold, please email circulation@kzoo.edu. 

MeLCat and Interlibrary Loan

MeLCat is available for students, faculty and staff. You will receive an email when your materials are ready for pickup through the method above. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is currently available for article borrowing only. You will receive ILL articles in PDF format through our Interlibrary Loan system.

Please call 269.337.7200 to schedule a visit with the Student Health Center as walk-in appointments will not be available this fall. Fall hours begin Tuesday, September 8, and will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Students will be seen primarily through virtual (phone or MyChart video) appointments. Visits will be available for students to receive prescription medications such birth control, mental-health appointments, sexually-transmitted infection testing, ill appointments and more. Very limited in-person services will be provided and referrals to other providers may be given.

Visit the Student Health Center website for up-to-date information and resources. Hours and services might change to adjust to students’ needs.

Health Insurance Questions
We understand Fall 2020 is complex and it is important that all students have access to healthcare where they will be living.

Health Insurance Questions

Health insurance charges have been removed from fall 2020 bills. Students who specifically enrolled in health insurance are still enrolled and have not been refunded. If you wish to change your insurance coverage, contact Healthsv@kzoo.edu.

The Student Health Center will provide nasal swab PCR diagnostic tests for COVID-19 to students who are ill or are concerned they have been exposed. These highly accurate tests look for the virus’s genetic material. Please call 269.337.7200 to schedule. Your health insurance will be billed for the test. Test results will take 2-3 days.

Feeling Sick?

If you are concerned about COVID-19, you can access COVID screening questions in your MyChart.

• MyChart Website: Under QUICK LINKS-COVID-19 Daily Symptom Checker
• MyChart App: Symptom Checker

You can contact the Student Health Center by MyChart or phone for an appointment.

After the Student Health Center is closed, you can:

• For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.
• If you need to speak to a resident doctor on call at the Family Practice Clinic at WMed 24 hours a day, you can call 269.337.6500. Be sure to identify yourself as a Kalamazoo College student.
• Visit the State of Michigan website for a list of local COVID-testing locations.
• Visit the Student Health Center website for a list of medical transportation options.

If you need to quarantine or isolate, visit the Student Health Center isolation and quarantine plan for more information.

Campus dining in the fall has been carefully planned to provide a variety of high-quality food options and locations while also enabling appropriate physical distancing. Dining will include options at Welles, the Richardson Room and the Book Club (in the library). We will also add a venue to pick up freshly prepared items in Dewing Hall. This will provide four locations for dining, and will enable as much distancing as possible.

• Welles Dining Hall will be able to accommodate sit-down dining at a reduced capacity that is physically distant. A variety of options will be available there, including traditional “home line” food, a daily vegan entree, salads, and desserts, to name a few. The food will be freshly prepared and packaged to go.
• As in the past, the Richardson Room will include freshly prepared and packaged salads and other items, as well as a limited offering of sandwiches to go.
• We are happy to share that we will be able to offer a limited commuter plan to off-campus students, and will provide more details in the coming weeks.
• Dining will be quite different in the fall given our collective responsibility to maintain physical distance and avoid waiting in lines and queuing. We will all be responsible for abiding by campus expectations related to physical distance, wearing masks, and hand hygiene at every dining venue. Dining, with appropriate distance, will work best when we use all four venues and when we move quickly through them.

Strategy

As scientists learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it is clear aerosolized virus from exhalation plays a primary role in transmission.  The operation of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can help reduce the concentration of virus, thereby reducing the risk of transmission.  This is done primarily through increasing the amount of outside air introduced into a building through its HVAC system’s outdoor air intake.  However, underconditioned spaces can cause thermal stress to people that may be directly harmful or lower their resistance to infection.  Therefore, modifications to the amount of outside air must not exceed the system’s ability to condition the air.  The College is following the guidance provided by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in implementing operational modifications to help mitigate the risk of exposure.  

Methods

Increased Percentage of Outdoor Air

All campus buildings with central air handling will be set to increase the percentage of outdoor air intake to the point that the HVAC system can still condition the air.  Occupants can expect that this increase in fresh air will have an impact on the ability of the system to control temperature and humidity and should plan for less thermal comfort.  The amount of fresh air that can be introduced into the building will vary in accordance with outdoor air conditions.  Opening windows in these buildings is discouraged, because this will further impede the ability of the HVAC systems to condition the air.

Central Air Filtration

All buildings are receiving new filters prior to the beginning of the academic year.  These are high quality filters that meet the design specifications of the system in which they are used.  They are not in all cases HEPA filters, which capture particles down to .3 microns.  This is because that level of filtration may impede that system’s ability to draw air through the filter, negatively impacting the system’s ability to circulate air.

Forced Air System UV Treatment

For buildings with residential type forced air systems, UV treatment modules are being installed at the furnace.  This will expose the air to UV light as it passes through the furnace, which has been shown to kill the virus.

Local Electrostatic Air Purification

In special situations, where increasing the outdoor air may be difficult, or the virus load is more localized, electrostatic air purification units will be installed.  For instance, singing is known to project exhalation further, so spaces used by groups for this purpose will have stand-alone electrostatic air purifiers.   

Single Occupancy – Radiant Heat Only

Some buildings on campus, typically residence halls, do not have centralized air handling, only radiant heat.  These buildings have exhaust fans that exchange air in bathrooms, but individual bedrooms have only heating radiators.  In these cases, each bedroom has only one occupant, and they have control over who enters the space.  Occupants are encouraged not to have guests.  These rooms also generally have operable windows that allow them to introduce fresh air directly, but they will need to cooperate with other occupants who may be affected through shared thermostat zones. 

Specific Buildings

The following is a list of buildings or building groups that will help occupants know what to expect in their specific circumstances. 

Admissions Center, Anderson Athletic Center, Arcus, Dewing Hall*, Fieldhouse, Fitness & Wellness Center, Hicks Center, Light Fine Arts*, Mandelle Hall, Stetson Chapel, and Upjohn Library Commons

This group of buildings all have centralized air handling.  Fresh air will be increased to the point where conditioning can still be maintained.  Occupants should expect that thermal conditions will be less controlled than normal.  Operable windows should NOT be opened.

* Dewing Hall: 3^rd Floor Instructional Spaces, and Light Fine Arts: Singing and Wind Instrument Instructional Spaces: These specific spaces within buildings already listed above will have electrostatic air purifiers within the instructional spaces.  Thermal conditions will be less controlled than normal, as the main air handler will have increased outside air.

Dow Science

This building normally operates with 100% outside air due to the nature of the laboratory work within.  This will be operated as normal.

Olds-Upton

This building has central air-handling; however, the thermal conditioning is limited and the building houses sensitive scientific equipment.  To maintain conditioning, the outdoor air will be increased only moderately when possible, and electrostatic air purifiers will be operated in the instructional spaces.  Operable windows should NOT be opened.

Humphrey House

This building has a central make-up air unit, but thermal controls are dispersed in zones throughout the building.  Operable windows may be opened, occupants will need to cooperate with those in adjacent spaces.

Crissey, DeWaters, Harmon, Hoben, Severn, Trowbridge

This group of buildings does not have centralized air handling.  Bathroom air is exchanged with exhaust fans and bedrooms will be single occupancy.  Operable windows may be opened, occupants will need to cooperate with those in adjacent spaces.  Common spaces will be arranged to allow only socially distant occupancy and gatherings will be discouraged.

Living Learning Houses

Living Learning units in individual houses will have UV light treatment installed on their furnaces, these spaces will operate as normal.  Operable windows may be opened, occupants will need to cooperate with those in adjacent spaces.