Colgate Together Digest

Back to Colgate Together Digest

Hello, Colgate Community.

There are many reasons to enjoy some optimism this Monday afternoon. New cases of COVID-19 on campus have dropped into the low single digits during the last few days, and our numbers in quarantine and isolation continue to trend in the right direction. If you are one of the 50 students we are missing this week, know that we are sending you best wishes for a negative test result soon.

Last week, we updated our masking guidelines. Today, we are watching for a similar update to event guidelines from the Task Force on Reopening and the Executive Group. This will be important both for the traditional gatherings that we hold here and for upcoming special events, such as visits by Amal Clooney and Jesmyn Ward, during our celebration of Women of Inspiration and Influence. Stay tuned, and we will provide more information as soon as possible. Read more about accessible and inclusive event planning in the meanwhile.

Mid-term recess will be here before we know it. But I remind everyone to keep an eye on their mental health between now and then. There are people who want to talk with you — whether you are a student or an employee — if the stress of the semester is wearing away at your well-being. Consider checking in on a friend or colleague to congratulate them on all that they have accomplished and encourage them to keep going.

Again, we will be in touch soon with updates to gathering guidelines. Thank you for everything you have done — and will continue to do — for this campus and each other.

Until next week,

Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications 

Take Note

Gateways Through Music, a new series focusing on non-Western music and musical fusions, will host two upcoming performances: Balla Kouyaté and World Vision (West African music and fusion) on Feb. 24 and Indonesian Gamelan on March 25 — both at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel. These events are paired with the Longyear Museum’s exhibition Beyond the Beat. Find out more at colgate.edu/calendar.

The Village of Hamilton will be conducting its annual fire/life safety inspections at all university-owned properties, starting Tuesday, Feb. 22. The Fire Safety Department asks all students to review their spaces for code compliance. Common violations have included covered smoke detectors, evidence of smoking indoors, candles (lit or unlit), obstructed sprinkler heads, items on sprinkler pipes, use of extension cords without circuit breaker/overload protection, propped fire doors, blocked exits, and improper storage of flammables (e.g. propane tanks). Please contact Fire Safety Manager Gary Bridge at x6531 or email gbridge@colgate.edu with any questions. Thank you.

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah returns to perform as part of the Brown Commons Coffeehouse and Live Music Collective Series at the historic Earlville Opera House, this Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Testing is available to students by appointment — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m in the Clark room. Please sign up online. Employees can find free COVID testing at SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Polytechnic.