Important Links: F22 COVID Testing and Isolate-in-Place; Positive COVID Test Form; MHC Residential Life Community Standards; Guest Registration Form
Dear Residential Students,
Welcome to Mount Holyoke or welcome back! Our Residential Life team – student and full-time staff – having been busily preparing for your arrival through training and residence hall prep. On behalf of the full-time staff, we want to send a warm thank you to all of our Residential Fellows and Resident Assistants who we know will often be the first person you connect with as you’re moving (or have moved!) into your room.
We are so happy to have all of you on campus this fall and we are looking forward to a great year ahead for our residential communities.
We are emailing you today, as our community’s newest students have already arrived and most returning students move back today. Our office wants to make sure you have the information you need about the College’s COVID-19 testing and isolation plans as well as the residential guest policy.
COVID-19 Testing and Isolation In Place:
Sunday, September 4 as soon as a student has completed the move to campus testing review, the College will transition to an Isolate in Place plan for students who test positive for COVID-19.
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This was announced to the entire MHC community over the summer, in late July, and we want to provide all of our residents with the details and information about how this will work.
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You will find the policy and protocols on our ‘Fall 2022: COVID-19 Testing and Isolation Policy and Protocols’ page (you will need to log-in with your MHC credentials) – we have worked to try and address any questions you may have through the information on the page.
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When you have additional questions or if something is unclear, please contact the Dean of Students at dean-students@mtholyoke.edu.
Please note, that if you test positive for COVID through a home test or from a third party testing site, you should immediately begin isolation in place and notify Health Services by submitting the Positive COVID Test Form. You should not expect an immediate response from the Positive COVID Test form. You will be contacted by the next business day.
Guests in the Residence Halls:
Since the start of COVID-19 in Spring 2020, the College has been very restrictive as to who could enter the residence halls and when. With the College’s high vaccination rate and updated health guidance, we are excited to be able to open our residence halls more to guests. We know how much all of you enjoy having your friends and family visit.
You are welcome to have guests in your residence hall this year as long as you follow the guest policy found in the MHC Residential Life Community Standards:
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Your guests must be pre-registered by the host (you!) before they arrive. The host must submit the Guest Registration Form.
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The registration form asks for attestation that your guests are vaccinated or have had a negative test in the last 48 hours. This means that you are on your honor – per the Honor Code – to ensure that your guest(s) meet this requirement.
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You will not need to wait for any response or take any additional steps once you complete the form. Fill out and submit the form and then your guest(s) are welcome to join you.
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Please make sure you have fully read the guest policy and reach out when you have questions – res-life@mtholyoke.edu.
Our office asks that all roommates discuss and come to a shared agreement about overnight guests in your room or suite, including overnight visits of Mount Holyoke students.
The overnight provision of the guest policy is intended for short-term visits. Short-term is typically a weekend. The overnight provision of the guest policy also applies to students living in apartments, singles, and suites as well as students living with roommates.
Specific guidelines for overnight guests:
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Overnight is considered any stay in the residence hall between the hours of 2:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
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The actual permitted number of overnight days should be agreed upon by roommates. The maximum number of overnight days per semester is 14 per visitor.
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No overnight guest can stay in residence longer than five (5) consecutive days. Overnight guests are limited to one five (5) consecutive day stay per semester.
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Hosts and guests cannot sleep in residence hall common rooms, nor may any student remove common room furniture or cushions to accommodate a guest in their room.
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The guest policy may be adjusted in unusual circumstances for the safety and security of residents. Students will be notified of changes as soon as possible.
We hope that the information about the College’s COVID-19 testing and isolation plans as well as the residence hall guest policy is helpful to you. Please reach out to res-life@mtholyoke if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
The Office of Residential Life