Hello, Colgate Community.
It’s the first Friday in Gate 1, and this seems like a perfect moment to address questions that have arisen around student use of vehicles on and off campus in compliance with the Commitment to Community Health.
Colgate’s travel policy prohibits student use of cars for trips outside of the local area. Students with personal vehicles are permitted to use their cars to travel to a local business such as the grocery store. However, they may not use the car for daily transportation needs to and from class.
Students may not park a vehicle on campus, carpool, or provide transportation to others. The use of personal vehicles by more than the driver increases the chance of being identified as a close contact, increases the potential for spread of SARS-CoV-2, and is considered a violation of the Commitment to Community Health.
When walking on campus is not feasible, students are expected to use the Colgate Shuttle Transit Service, operating under new health and safety guidelines, rather than personal vehicles. Students may use RideAssist through Campus Safety if they have a medical need.
We all know where the weather is headed; maybe use this weekend to enjoy the fall days and find out how far your feet can take you. You will be surprised what you see and hear when you travel at the speed of sandal.
Talk to you on Monday,
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications
Take Note
Students: With the end of the drop/add period, it is no longer possible to adjust your course schedule should you forfeit on-campus study privileges due to a violation of the Commitment to Community Health. Violations will now result in an involuntary withdrawal and the grade of “W” for each course that you must drop. There can be no tuition refund for these lost credits. We wanted to remind you of these additional considerations and the importance of continuing to adhere to the Commitment to Community Health.
Varsity training and practice resumed today, based on plans approved by the Task Force on Reopening and the EOC. Observing Gate 1 restrictions, teams will work in cohorts with athletics faculty to limit close contacts, using new approaches designed to minimize COVID transmission. Staff-supervised club sports may also resume organized training outdoors, observing Gate 1 precautions, including minimal to no contact. Outdoor education and fitness programming continues in outdoor settings only in Gate 1, while indoor recreation and fitness opportunities will reopen in Gate 2 — more details to follow.
Volunteers are still needed for lunch and dinner deliveries, as well as for dining hall monitors. See our needs and shifts and sign up via this form.
Mail delivery for students in quarantine and isolation will continue, though not necessarily on a daily basis. Those expecting critical items (e.g. medication) should contact mail services to ensure timely delivery.
New York State Education Law Section 6438 (Kerry Rose Fire Sprinkler Notification Act) requires colleges and universities to provide written notification regarding fire safety systems to students residing in university-owned housing. The entire annual Colgate University Fire Safety Report required by the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act can be accessed via the Colgate Clery Compliance webpage. Please contact Gary Bridge, the Colgate University fire safety and emergency preparedness manager, at 315-228-6531 if you have any questions regarding the Kerry Rose Fire Sprinkler Notification Act.
A Closing Thought
Christine Lee Hanson was the youngest person killed on 9/11. She was two and a half when she died aboard Flight 175 and would be 21 at this point in the academic year, perhaps an upper-level student looking forward to graduation. Though so many years have passed, I remember noticing there was not a cloud in the NYC sky that sunny Tuesday morning. Today, we honor the nearly 3,000 people, including seven Colgate alumni, who lost their lives — and we remind ourselves never to overlook the opportunities that come with each new day.
Upcoming Events
Virtual ALANAPalooza
September 11
6 p.m.
Join ALANA virtually for their signature ALANAPalooza event. Hear from alumni as well.
Core and More With Katie
September 15
5 p.m.
Join Katie Kammerdiener, director of recreation and chair of physical education and certified personal trainer, for a 30-minute blast on Whitnall Field.
Slavery and the Constitution: A Debate in Celebration of Constitution Day
September 17
4:30 p.m.
Sean Wilentz, George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American history at Princeton University, and David Waldstreicher, distinguished professor of history, Graduate Center at CUNY, debate: “Did the original constitution of the United States enshrine slavery in national law?”
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