Changes to Masking Policy Effective Monday, April 4, 2022

Dear students, staff and faculty:

Throughout the course of the pandemic, the college has closely monitored local, state and federal guidance along with campus case rates to set appropriate COVID-19 health and safety policies.  

Hampshire County is now considered to have a “low” COVID-19 Community Level rating according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Smith College COVID-19 cases continue to remain low. Concurrent with falling case rates and high levels of community vaccination, the Northampton Board of Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have lifted indoor mask mandates. 

Effective Monday, April 4, Smith College will lift its indoor mask mandate for fully vaccinated students, guests and employees in all settings except the following: 

• Indoor masking will be required in classroom settings (with the exception of allowing a single presenter to remove their mask to lecture or present).
• Indoor masking will be required in gatherings of 30 or more individuals.
• Indoor masking will continue to be required in the Schacht Center for Health and Wellness and the COVID-19 Testing Center.

As we noted in our February 2, 2022, letter to the community, we recognize that there are those within our community who have elevated health risks or concerns regarding COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. We ask that all members of our community be sensitive to these concerns and respect the choices of those who continue to wear masks. Please keep a mask with you at all times. Masks will continue to be available on campus for those who choose to wear them.

Barring any significant changes to pandemic conditions, this policy will be in place through the end of the spring semester. 

The college will continue mandatory, twice-weekly COVID-19 testing to monitor the health of the community and adjust this and other policies as needed. 

We would like to again extend our thanks to the Smith community for careful adherence to Culture of Care guidelines and the efforts each of you have taken to protect your own health and the health of those around you. 

If you have any questions, please contact us at covid19info@smith.edu

COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT)

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