Welcome back.
I hope you had a moment to relax last week. We were fully remote at this point in 2020, so we have at least one reason to remain thankful as we work toward winter break.
Settling back into the semester, the Task Force will meet as scheduled this week, reviewing COVID-19 data and making community health decisions based on the numbers. The HAT dashboard currently shows three active student cases of COVID-19, but you will note that Madison County positivity rates are higher than regional and state averages, and the world continues to track the spread of the new, concerning Omicron variant.
To date, SHS staff and volunteers have administered 660 boosters. Our numbers would be higher, but 40 people missed their appointments, and we had to dump doses. I know we live in a throw-away society, but there’s something particularly upsetting about pouring vaccine down the drain. This is vital medicine, in limited supply, with a short shelf life. Additional booster clinics are taking place on Thursday, so if you sign up, show up.
Good luck with the week ahead. If you’re like me and run to combat stress, be sure to remember that it gets dark early now. The cars might not see you in the street, so wear bright colors and stay on the sidewalks when possible.
Sincerely,
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications
Take Note
The Colgate Community Reads Selection Committee invites you to submit suggestions for the 2022 summer reading. While the committee is looking for texts that are both current and accessible, we are ready to consider any and all creative suggestions. To receive full consideration, please submit your suggestion on or before Tuesday, Nov. 30.
For the first time since 2012, the Patriot League volleyball championship trophy has returned to Hamilton. The NCAA released the 64-team field for the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, and Colgate will meet No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round on Friday at 7 p.m. (CT) at the University of Wisconsin Field House. Friday’s winner will play the winner of Florida Gulf Coast vs. Texas Tech on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT). Stay tuned to colgateathletics.com for coverage of the team all week, including forthcoming details about how to watch the match from home.
Colgate On-Demand is providing winter break transportation to the Syracuse airport and train station — which serves Greyhound, Megabus, and Trailways — at a reduced price of $25.
Departures: Friday, Dec. 17 (noon and 4 p.m. ); Saturday, Dec. 18 (8 a.m. and noon)
Returns: Saturday, Jan. 22; and Sunday, Jan. 23. (Airport at noon and 5 p.m.; train at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.)
All other times may be serviced upon request via On-Demand at the normal On-Demand shuttle pricing. Make reservations via Google form or email colgate.ondemandscheduling@firstgroup.com no later than Thursday, Dec. 9. Reservations made after this date cannot be guaranteed.
Localist, our campus events calendar, is being upgraded to a new version. The campus community can expect to see visual changes to the calendar during the next month while the event submission form and process will remain the same. Email website@colgate.edu if you have any questions.
Free shuttles to Destiny USA Mall will depart on Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 from Donovan’s Pub at noon and 3 p.m. (returning at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.). Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Register for Dec. 4 shuttle | Register for Dec. 11 shuttle
Rapid tests will be available to students by appointment only — Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m in the Clark room. Please sign up online.
Upcoming Events
Interstellar, with the Star ’Gate Astronomy Club
Nov. 30
6 p.m.
Hamilton Movie Theater
Pizza and mozzarella sticks provided. RSVP at tinyurl.com/stargatexhmt.
James Webb Space Telescope Pre-Launch Event
Dec. 4
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
The Ho Tung Visualization Lab is partnering with the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and Star ’Gate to host a pre-launch event for the James Webb Space Telescope. Come for dry ice comets, weather and atmosphere demos, light and optics demos, liquid nitrogen ice cream, solar observing, volcano demos, and more.