Dear Colgate Community,
The amount of information heading your way has increased considerably as we anticipate spring 2021. This is a good time to make lists of forms and deadlines as well as the people you can contact for support.
Amid the messages, we see that the upcoming semester will be lively and beautiful in its own way. Pandemics and ice skating can coexist — as can COVID and cherry blossoms or uncertainty and in-person education. This is what we hoped for while working from our various homes last April: a plan that would offer the chance for us to be together in some fashion. Many thanks to the task forces, the EOC, and everyone who is involved in the effort.
As wonderful as it is to anticipate the promise of the next calendar year, we are still several weeks from the move to remote instruction. We have done great, hard work together, and we must keep it up. That means complying with Gate parameters and, as President Casey noted, making randomized testing a priority if you are selected. Remember that our cases to-date have been mostly asymptomatic so you could be carrying the virus, and we need to know about it.
For once, just showing up is enough. How often do you get to say that at Colgate?
Talk to you soon. (I say that a lot these days).
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications
Take Note
The Academic Affairs Board (AAB) met Wednesday, Oct. 21, to consider a request originally brought to University leadership from students to change the grade mode options for the fall 2020 semester to mirror those of last spring (in particular, recording all grades as a P/X with students having the option to revert to letter grades for any or all courses on a course-by-course basis). After a careful and extended discussion, AAB formally voted not to implement a P/X option this fall, and agreed that, at a future meeting, AAB will discuss whether an alternative set of grading mode options for the fall of 2020 should be considered.
If you have yet to receive a flu shot, there’s still time. According to Colgate’s own Doc Miller, the flu usually hits central New York from December through February. In partnership with our local pharmacies, Student Health Services has administered more than 700 flu vaccinations so far and will continue to organize additional flu clinics throughout November. Stay tuned for sign-up information in upcoming Colgate Together Digests.
New York election law states that, if you do not have four consecutive hours to vote, either from the opening of the polls to the beginning of your working shift, or between the end of your working shift and the closing of the polls, you may take off up to two hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote if you are a registered voter. You may take time off at the beginning or end of your working shift, as your employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed. You must notify your employer not less than two days, but not more than 10 days, before the day of the election that you will take time off to vote.
Nominations are open for the Colgate Staff Excellence Awards. These awards — including team and individual excellence, outstanding contribution, and employee of the year — are designed to recognize staff members who demonstrate outstanding achievement in Colgate’s commitment to fostering a creative and expansive learning community. Awards will be presented in the spring of 2021. Place a nomination via this form before January 13, 2021.
All Colgate benefited employees can take advantage of MD Live for telehealth appointments. This cold and flu season, virtual care can be your first line of defense. Virtual doctor visits are a proven, safe way to take early action at the onset of an illness, often lessening the severity and downtime without the worry of leaving the comfort and safety of home. Doctors are available 24/7 for virtual appointments — from diagnosis and treatment to prescriptions, all in one call that you can make any time and from anywhere. Get started.
In accordance with Colgate’s Document Retention and Destruction Policy, the purchasing office has scheduled the Confidata shredding truck to arrive on Tuesday, Nov. 10. If you will be sending material for shredding, please contact Molly Ogden in purchasing with the number of copier boxes, banker boxes, bags, etc. Please make arrangements to have all shredding material sent to central receiving by Monday, Nov. 9. All efforts will be made to ensure the confidentiality of the material prior to the truck’s arrival.
Students seeking to remain on campus throughout the winter recess must receive approval. The deadline to complete the request form is today, Friday, Oct. 23. Students have been informed that, due to cleaning, sustainability goals, and to better provide support services, those who receive approval to remain on campus may be asked to move into vacant rooms during the winter recess to consolidate the number of residence halls in use.
Because of the excellent adherence by the Colgate community to the Commitment to Community Health, continued random testing, and wastewater monitoring, the COVID-19 test positivity rate in this area is very low and indicates no need for testing all students prior to departure. Nevertheless, individual circumstances may compel some students to desire an individual test beyond the University’s testing strategy. They may opt to arrange for their own at-home testing, recognizing that they will be responsible for the cost, and that it may not be covered by many insurance plans. Find further information on securing your own COVID-19 test here. Please be advised that, if you are planning to take a test before you go home, you may want to order your test a bit early to ensure you have it in hand when you want to take it.
A Closing Thought
The Department of Theater is excited to present a virtual festival of new works related to Colgate community members’ time spent in quarantine, isolation, and social distancing. View presentations of COVID-19-related short plays, monologues, video, photography, visual art, and more at festivaldiaries.colgate.edu. Presented Oct. 23–25 only. Don‘t miss it!
Upcoming Events
’Gate Skate
Oct. 24
7–11 p.m.
Join Mabel Dart Colegrove for Glow in the Dark roller skating this Saturday! Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Sanford Field House. Snacks and t-shirts will be provided.
21st Century Plagues: The Political, Ecological, and Economic Dimensions of Pandemic Disease
Oct. 28
5:30 p.m.
This panel discussion has been organized by the geography department.
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