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Hello, Colgate Community. 

I joined a meeting of the Health Analytics Team this afternoon. Our most recent rounds of testing have detected no new cases of COVID-19 on campus. We currently have no students in isolation and five in close contact quarantine. We hope that they will be joining us on the hill during the next few days. 

Based on these and other metrics, the HAT has recommended that we move to Gate 3 tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.

Meanwhile, the Task Force on Reopening also met to consider potential updates to Gate 3, aligning guidelines with revised New York State guidance. 

Research shows that 80% of infections come from super-spreading events, so the Task Force maintains the importance of avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks, and maintaining physical distance. Large gatherings continue to be investigated, and students found in violation of the Commitment to Community Health will be subject to the consequences we have so frequently outlined. Federal regulations prevent us from going into detail on specific cases, but please know that a thorough process is in full force. 

The Task Force continues to focus on infection control measures and public health practices that will allow students to remain on campus through May 8 — and for graduating seniors to have an in-person commencement on Sunday, May 9. 

With this in mind, the following changes have been made to Gate 3:

  1. Bedroom visitation allowed with roommate consent. Masks for non-direct family members must remain on and physical distancing practiced at all times.
  2. Guest(s) permitted in personal vehicles, only if the guest(s) is a direct family member (e.g. roommate).
  3. As of March 22, outdoor social gatherings of up to 25 people allowed, with face coverings and physical distancing (per regulations). Currently, indoor gatherings remain limited to 10 people.

All of these activities carry some degree of risk; however, recent research supports that these are lower risk than indoor dining or large gatherings. To reduce the level of risk, the Task Force reminds students of the following:

These Gate changes do not relax the University’s infection control measures. They instead focus on behaviors that represent the most risk. Colgate.edu/gates will be updated in the next 24 hours with this information, but I wanted to communicate with you as soon as possible.

You might have noticed that vaccination information is changing daily. Please review Take Note below for a few updates and answers to frequent questions. As you read, keep in mind that vaccination status does not change Colgate’s testing protocols. Anyone selected for a test must still report for testing as required, whether or not they have been vaccinated.

Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications

Take Note

Colgate doctors Merrill Miller and Ellen Larson would like to answer some frequently asked questions related to vaccinations.

Who Is Currently Eligible

  • A complete list of eligible individuals is available on the New York State website.
  • Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, March 10, individuals age 60 or older are eligible to receive the vaccine. All vaccination sites, with the exception of pharmacies, will be able to vaccinate any eligible individuals.
  • Starting Wednesday, March 17, individuals who work in public-facing roles, who otherwise do not qualify for the vaccine (based on age for example), will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Staff members or students could potentially be eligible under these new guidelines. We are asking for clarification from the Madison County Department of Health.  
  • NOTE: International students and students from outside of New York State can receive the COVID vaccine in New York if they are eligible under the current rollout phase. Any student who is a full-time student enrolled for in-person education at Colgate is considered a New York State resident for the purposes of vaccination.