August 30 Weekly CIRT Campus Update
CIRT Update
Published August 30, 2021
Dear students, staff and faculty:
Below, please find important campus, regional and national updates from the COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT).
Campus Status
Over the past seven days, there have been two positive cases of COVID-19 reported through the on-campus campus screening program. For more data on the screening program, please visit please visit Coronavirus Screening.
COVID-19 Policy Updates
Testing Cadence
Students will be tested twice weekly until at least Friday, September 10. Employees will be tested weekly for those fully vaccinated and twice weekly for those who have an approved exemption from vaccination. Aggregated screening results will be reported via the college’s Coronavirus Screening Activity dashboard.
Dining Hall Density
Dining halls are open at 50% capacity until at least September 10. We encourage outdoor eating whenever possible. Indoor eating should be limited to small groups. Grab and go food is available.
Student travel restrictions
Student personal travel is restricted to Hampshire County until at least September 10. Travel organized by course instructors or college offices for curricular or co-curricular purposes is excluded from this travel restriction. Students are strongly encouraged to avoid indoor activities where masks cannot be worn (e.g. bars, restaurants, parties). Urgent travel needs (e.g. medical, family emergencies), outside the defined radius, must be pre-approved by the Dean of Students Office. Requests for exceptions should be made by filling out this form at least 72 hours prior to departure.
Guest restrictions for student residences
Guests (anyone who is not a current Smith student enrolled in the testing program) are prohibited from student residences until at least September 10, 2021. Requests for exceptions should be directed to and approved by Residence Life. Guests are not allowed in student dining rooms. Current Smith students enrolled in the testing program may visit other residence halls.
Return-to-Campus Information for Faculty and Staff
Employees returning to on-campus work and new hires must receive a negative COVID test from the campus testing site within the three business days prior to returning to campus. Employees must schedule their own tests. The testing center is located in the Carroll Room in the Campus Center. More information on the testing program can be found on the COVID-19 testing page.
As always, please send any questions to covid19info@smith.edu
COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT)
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