Return to Campus: FAQ

Updated January 21, 2021:

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• • Return to Campus Planning
  • Academics
  • Financial
  • Health and Safety
  • Residential and Campus Life
  • Athletics and Fitness
  • Events

RETURN TO CAMPUS PLANNING

Are you planning for students to be living and learning on campus in the Spring 2021 semester?

Yes. Our students returned to residence halls and classrooms on campus for the Fall 2020 semester, and we currently plan that that will be the case for the Spring 2021 semester as well. We know that the public health situation may develop in a number of ways, which may alter our plans; but we will always put our students first, taking many precautions to keep you and our campus as safe as possible.

*Please note that all plans for Spring 2021 are contingent upon the evolving public health situation. We will be monitoring all guidance from local, state and federal authorities carefully and constantly. Should these plans change, we will notify the Curry community without delay.

How is the College making decisions about opening campus?

In May 2020, the college convened the Return to Campus Institutional Committee (RTCC) and subgroups made up of faculty and staff members to make recommendations and develop plans regarding all aspects of campus life including: Academic Affairs, Residential and Campus Life, Technology, Facilities (including campus access and housekeeping), Athletics, and Business Offices

These recommendations were made with three major considerations at the forefront:

• Safeguarding the health and safety of the entire Curry community;
• Providing the distinctive in-person and on-campus living and learning experience that is a hallmark of our College and deeply valued by our community;
• Understanding the need to provide options and flexible learning modalities and virtual experiences in the current environment to ensure continued student success under any circumstances.

We are continuing to monitor the public health situation, as well as guidance from federal, state, local and higher education authorities. The College is continuing to plan this academic year to the best of our ability under current circumstances, realizing that those may change, and will communicate all decisions or changes to decisions as they occur.

*Please note that all plans for Spring 2021 are contingent upon the evolving public health situation. We will be monitoring all guidance from local, state and federal authorities carefully and constantly. Should these plans change, we will notify the Curry community without delay.

Where and when will you post updates on the College’s plans?

We are committed to communicating new decisions, changes or plans to our community, including our faculty, staff, students and families, immediately in real time. Please check your Curry email, visit Curry.edu/returntocampus, follow our social feeds, or visit the myCurry portal ('Return to Campus' tab) for the latest updates.

ACADEMICS

What will the Academic Calendar look like for Spring 2021?

In the interest of safeguarding against possible adverse future public health developments, as well as meeting learning requirements and ensuring that our students receive a full and unique Curry educational experience this fall, the College has adopted emerging best practices and made the following changes to the Spring 2021 Academic Calendar:

• A staggered move-in to residence halls with an onboard testing program will be conducted.
• Spring semester classes will begin Monday, February 1* for traditional undergraduate students as well as 15-week continuing education courses.**
• The normally observed College Spring Break will be cancelled. Classes will be held and offices will be open throughout the semester (with the exception of Monday, April 19 when offices will be closed for Patriots Day, while classes will be held).
• The last day of classes will be Monday, May 10.
• Final exams will be held Tuesday, May 11 through Saturday, May 15.
• Residence halls will close on Sunday, May 16. Please note that residential students must move out no later than 24 hours after their last scheduled exam.

*Please note that all plans for Spring 2021 are contingent upon the evolving public health situation. We will be monitoring all guidance from local, state and federal authorities carefully and constantly. Should these plans change, we will notify the Curry community without delay.

*Note that the Continuing Education/Graduate semester will conform to the previously published Calendar for Continuing Education and Graduate Studies. Eight-week Term III CE/Grad courses will begin Monday, January 25 and Term IV will begin Monday, March 22, ending as scheduled on Saturday, May 15.

As in the Fall, for both traditional undergraduate and continuing education and graduate courses, for the Spring semester Curry College will continue to incorporate a mix of face-to-face (FTF), hybrid, hyflex and, to a limited extent, online courses in our offerings. The hybrid and hyflex courses will include both online and FTF components for a given course, designed to reduce contact intensity and frequency.

We have learned much since March 2020 about how to effectively design and deliver our curriculum using multiple modalities, as well as supporting this curriculum through virtual advising and our full portfolio of student support services. The College has invested in both faculty development and technology to support these efforts. As we move favorably along this “experience curve,” the quality of the student academic experience will continue to be enhanced

*Please note that all plans for Spring 2021 are contingent upon the evolving public health situation. We will be monitoring all guidance from local, state and federal authorities carefully and constantly. Should these plans change, we will notify the Curry community without delay.

Are you offering Winter Intersession classes?

Yes. We offered three fully online options for students wishing to either catch up on coursework or get ahead in credits:

Two 3-week sessions:  December 7 - December 28, 2020 and January 5 - January 24, 2021

One 6-week session:  December 7, 2020 - January 24, 2021

Why have you changed the Academic Calendar to start classes later on February 1?

Along with many other colleges and universities nation-wide, when making these decisions, we considered the Academic Calendar against the backdrop of possible positive or negative future public health developments. Taking into consideration not only those possibilities, but also the need to meet learning requirements and ensure that our students receive a full and unique Curry educational experience this spring, we concluded that moving residential students in and starting the semester later had the best probability of allowing us to meet that goal, as well as adhering to emerging best practices. We realize that there is no way to guarantee that a future surge of COVID-19 will not alter our plans, and we also recognize the possibility of a widespread vaccine this spring as a potentially positive factor. These changes are designed to provide both our faculty and our students with the best possible scenario for a successful on-campus Spring semester, despite that uncertainty.

Will classes be conducted online or in-person in the Spring?

For both traditional undergraduate and continuing education and graduate courses, we will continue to incorporate a mix of face-to-face (FTF), hybrid, hyflex and, to a limited extent, online courses in our offerings this spring. The hybrid and hyflex courses include both online and FTF components for a given course. These are designed to reduce contact intensity and frequency. A hybrid course calls for the entire class to meet FTF as scheduled for one of the class meetings in a given week. This will be augmented on-line class time. Hyflex courses split a given class into two alternating sub-sections. Each subsection will alternate between FTF and on-line synchronous classes. Students will be assigned to one of the subsections for such hyflex courses.

The in-person, FTF experience for classrooms, labs and studios will be designed consistent with social distance standards as well as health and safety protocols.

I do not feel comfortable coming to campus, will there be an option to do online courses only?

Our faculty worked hard to develop the details of FTF, hybrid, hyflex and online options for Spring coursework. It is likely that students who wish to do so may create a schedule that is largely online given these options. As students consider making adjustments to their Spring schedules, please be aware of the need to maintain full time status so as to not impact financial aid awards or progress toward competing degree requirements for a given major. Students with medical issues may request an accommodation through the Office of Disability Services. All reasonable efforts in these cases will be made to design a 100% online schedule – or as nearly as possible -from the range of options available. For all other students, given the range of hybrid, hyflex and online courses the College will be offering, schedule adjustments and course selections may be made with the goal of working as remotely as possible. Curry College will work with any and all students in navigating such schedule adjustments through our Advising and Academic Success support processes.

How are faculty preparing to teach hyflex and online courses this Spring?

Curry College offers a Canvas certification process through the Faculty Center, which faculty members who are teaching in hybrid, hyflex, or fully online modalities are required to complete. Faculty are supported and provided resources to successfully obtain this certification before teaching in any online format. Thanks to our dedicated faculty and staff, and the willingness of our students to adapt admirably to a new and unfamiliar environment, our experiences in Spring and Fall 2020 have helped us better understand how to navigate the challenges and benefits of online teaching and learning. We will continue to improve, to evolve, and, most importantly, to safeguard our promise to deliver on a uniquely Curry educational experience.

How is classroom technology being adapted to accommodate different learning modalities?

The College has made long-term investments in classroom technology with these needs in mind. This past summer, the Education Technology committee (EdTech) worked with Buildings & Grounds and Information Technology Services to test out multiple camera and microphone options for classrooms.

Ceiling mounted cameras, able to capture video of the instructor as well as any images projected onto a screen and any writing on a whiteboard, as well as podium-mounted microphones that will be able to pick up all voices in the classroom, have been installed in most classrooms, to assist in live streaming courses to any students who are attending online.

Classroom WiFi adapters (AirTame) have also been installed in most classrooms, to allow faculty and students to wirelessly connect their own electronic devices (PC, Mac, Android, Chromebook, iPad, etc.) to the AV system within the classroom, without having to attach devices to the podium or use adapters.

How will you ensure social distancing for in-person classes?

We will continue splitting lab sections and utilizing our expanded classroom inventory to provide social distancing. Directional signage will prevent massing at points of ingress and egress. Where appropriate we will also be lowering course size caps consistent with space and facility limitations, and all advising and scheduled office hours will be conducted virtually through the Spring semester. In the fall, the College set up tents in locations throughout campus, for outdoor classes (as well as dining and student activities in some cases), and we anticipate a similar arrangement this spring.

What about group work outside of the classroom? Where will students study together?

We also understand the need for space for students to study and complete online coursework on campus, outside of classrooms and residence halls, and collaboration with classmates is an important part of the academic experience at Curry. Dedicated and appropriately socially distanced spaces have been identified for students to do online coursework, study together and complete group assignments and will be announced prior to the start of the spring semester.

Will Levin Library be open?

Yes. Levin Library will be open in the Spring semester, following operating restrictions imposed by COVID -19, and in line with College guidelines. While our team will strive to maintain a high level of service, limitations imposed by social distancing requirements, building capacity, and safe handling of materials, must be observed.

View more information, including operating hours

Will the Speaking and Writing Centers be open?

Yes. The Speaking Center, offering help to students with every step of preparing a speech or presentation, is located in the Learning Commons in rooms S-106 and S-107. For the Spring 2021 semester all appointments will be online. Once you schedule your appointment, you’ll receive an email with a Zoom link to meet with your Speech Associate. Students can make appointments through the myCurry Portal by going to the 'Academic Support' tab then 'Speaking Center'. Scroll down to find the 'Schedule an Appointment' button or go directly to https://tinyurl.com/curryspeaking.

The Writing Center, offering free feedback and writing help to Curry students, is located on the first floor of the Learning Commons in Room S-109. For the Spring 2021 semester, the Writing Center will be available mostly for online or telephone appointments only, with very limited face-to-face appointments. You can access the schedule and/or make an appointment by logging into the myCurry portal and clicking on 'The Writing Center' quick launch icon.

How will meetings with faculty members, such as office hours and advising, be handled?

All advising and scheduled office hours will be conducted virtually through the Spring semester. Please contact individual faculty members for details.

How are you going to handle commuter students who may have scheduling challenges created by back-to-back online and in-person classes?

The College has identified dedicated space for commuter students with laptops to work on campus:

• HAFER 120 (5 students)
• HAFER 214 (9 students)
• LCOM S-205 (6 students)

The College has also made every effort to work with individual students in order to create schedules that avoid conflicts of this nature.

How will lab and clinical coursework, or other coursework that is not easily translated to an online format, be handled in the Spring?

We are working closely with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education amongst others regarding clinical experiences in the spring.

Our Nursing department is making every attempt to place our juniors, seniors, and accelerated students in the clinical setting for at least a portion of the semester. To ensure continuity of learning, a greater percentage of time will be spent in high-quality simulation than in prior years. Lab courses and simulated clinical experiences will be held in a combination of face-to-face and virtual formats. All face-to-face experiences will adhere to social distancing guidelines or use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

In the sciences, all students enrolled in BIOL, CHEM, FSC and PHYS lab courses F'20 will meet face-to-face for most experiments, and students will be spread-out over two adjoining labs to maintain social distancing. However, labs have also been set up to translate easily to an online format; Biology lab instructors will offer several virtual labs throughout the semester; all Chemistry, Anatomy and Microbiology labs for NSG and PH students were pre-recorded this summer; and Physics and FSC will offer both synchronous and virtual labs sessions.

The Education Department is making every attempt to place our juniors and senior education students in field experiences this spring, and has been in frequent communication with field placement sites, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Public Health, as well as other colleges and universities in the Boston area to collaborate on these efforts. At this time, the process of securing field sites is slow and proceeding cautiously as state regulatory agencies and public health guidance continues to evolve; but in collaboration with the College, the Education Department is also working on alternative plans and experiences for students that will help students continue to gain the skills required and earn the credit associated with field placement.

Will theater productions be held this Spring?

Yes, but differently this year from years past. More information will be forthcoming as decisions are made.

What academic resources are available to students for online or hyflex courses?

All of our Academic Support Service offices remain staffed during normal business hours, regardless of whether study is online or on campus. The Office of Advising and Academic Success is available to assist with any questions you may have related to advising or progress in your classes. Advising questions can be emailed to academicadvising@curry.edu and concerns about academic alerts or progress can be emailed to academicsuccess@curry.edu. We also encourage you to visit our Remote Academic Resources webpage for much more information about the many resources (technological and otherwise) that are currently and will continue to be available to you.

What accommodations will you be making for PAL students or students who require disability services in the Fall for hyflex or online courses?

Students who receive academic accommodations through the Office of Disability Services or through PAL are still entitled to those accommodations, regardless of the mode of delivery or the class, and those offices will be open and available this Spring. We will also continue to evolve and improve upon them, finding creative solutions where needed in order to best serve our students and ensure their success.

For specific questions related to PAL, please contact your PAL faculty member directly. General questions can be emailed to  pal@curry.edu. For specific questions related to disability accommodations, please contact disabilityservices@curry.edu.

What technology or equipment should I have to be prepared for hyflex or online courses?

At minimum, students should be prepared with laptops according to Curry College specs, which may be found on the myCurry portal (Technology tab). We have also tested our campus Wifi system and confirmed that it will meet the increased demand of hyflex and online courses.

What learning management system should I expect to use for online courses?

Canvas is the learning management system of Curry College. You can access Canvas through the link located on the homepage of the myCurry Portal. When logged in to Canvas, one of the courses that are in your Dashboard is the “Canvas Readiness Course.” Please consider this a comprehensive resource to understand the features and functionalities within Canvas. You will also be able to view a five-minute video that provides an overview of the Canvas “must-knows.”

Will the Curry Bookstore be open?

Students can shop the bookstore online ( currycollegeshop.com) and choose to ship items home or request they be held for in-store pick up on campus. During the first two weeks of the semester, in an effort to comply with social distancing guidelines, ordering online is strongly suggested. Please contact Erin Niemisto, Store Manager, at 617-333-2322 or bookstore@curry.edu, with any questions.

What is your policy on Study Abroad for the Spring 2021?

The College has notified students that have expressed an interest in study abroad programs for Spring 2021 that programming has been suspended until further notice. Please contact Mireille McLaughlin, Director of International Student and Study Away Services at 617-333-2967 or  studyabroad@curry.edu with questions or for more information about future study away or abroad.

What is the policy on faculty travel?

All non-essential, College-sponsored travel remains prohibited through May 31, 2021. This policy will be reviewed as the Fall semester progresses with the hope that non-essential travel may resume for the Fall 2021 semester. Please visit the Health and Safety section for more information on personal travel.

FINANCIAL

Will changes to the start of the semester impact financial aid?

No. Any financial aid for which you are determined to be eligible will not be negatively impacted by the earlier Spring start date, as the semester will still be comprised of the normal 15 weeks.

Will full tuition be charged?

Yes. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we are committed to fulfilling our promise to our students and their families of a uniquely high-quality and uniquely Curry academic experience under any circumstances. Our faculty and staff will continue to devote their time, energy and resources to delivering excellence in the classroom and on campus in all capacities, and our students will continue to have access to all of the services, resources and support that are hallmarks of the Curry community experience. In addition, the costs to the College of providing these have increased, rather than diminished, due to COVID-19. We are investing in technology, campus safety, individual engagement tools, and other areas that we expect will be of significant benefit to students as they continue to live and learn at Curry this semester.

Will meal plans and board payments be adjusted due to the different dining experience this semester?

We will be providing quality dining in the safest way possible, which may include a variety of options such as grab-and-go, take-out, and an increase of venue options throughout campus. Please note that meal plan options will be available at all dining facilities, with the exception of the Learning Commons Café/Starbucks (which will remain a retail venue). Although the dining experience this fall at Curry will be different, we do not anticipate that it will be diminished; our food quality will remain as high as ever, and enhanced offerings for dining will include satellite dining options on the North and South sides of campus and Bite +, a new app that will allow students to order food from the Market Place.

Will Comprehensive Fees be adjusted, due to all of the changes to living and learning on campus this semester?

No. The Comprehensive Fee allows the College to offer a variety of co-curricular, co-academic, and support services to traditional students to enhance their academic and student life experiences while enrolled at Curry. Although these experiences may be different this semester, the variety of experiences and support provided to our traditional students remains comparable to our prior offerings.

If it becomes necessary for COVID-related reasons for the College to close the campus again (as they did in March 2020), will tuition be refunded?

No. In the event of a campus closure related to COVID, as in the Spring 2020 semester, the College will not be refunding tuition and fees, as we will continue to fulfill the promise of a high-quality Curry education under any circumstances (remote or on campus). As in spring 2020, prorated room and board adjustments would be made, based on the point in the semester. 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Is it safe to be at Curry this Spring?

The College has instituted numerous protocols, precautions and changes to living and learning at Curry, all designed to keep our entire community as safe as possible. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, no one can eliminate all risks of infection and transmission, but we are working to mitigate risks on campus in order to provide you a safe environment for living, working and learning, following all guidance and best practices from federal, state and local public health agencies. In keeping with our mission, we are committed to always putting not only the success, but also the safety and well-being of our students first. We know that this will require flexibility, determination and commitment from all members of our community, especially our students, and we are confident that together, the entire Curry community will rise to the challenge to support and care for each other as we continue to navigate this unprecedented time.

What safety precautions are you taking to protect the campus community?

A number of safety measures have been instituted throughout all campus facilities. The following is not exhaustive, and additional measures may be implemented following federal, state, and local guidance. Signage is posted throughout campus to support hygiene, disinfection, and wayfinding for social distancing, and capacity has been reduced in all classrooms, public spaces and residence halls accordingly.

• An aggressive once-daily cleaning/disinfection with a second high-touch area cleaning/disinfection protocol for classroom and common spaces (including restrooms) is being enacted throughout campus, including in residence halls. Spaces are disinfected using an electrostatic sprayer weekly, and should a member of the campus community test positive for COVID at any time, heightened cleaning protocols, including electrostatic sprayers, will be enacted.
• Residence hall common areas and bathrooms will be fully cleaned and disinfected daily, with a second high-touch cleaning/disinfecting daily; suites at the SCRH and Suites building interior suite bathrooms will be cleaned once weekly. Individual room cleaning is the responsibility of the occupants; it is not included in the cleaning protocol due to individual sleeping habits and personal items in the rooms.
• Safety Stations have been installed in public spaces throughout campus, containing hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, gloves, paper towels and trash barrels, as well as extra temporary masks. *Please note that these temporary masks are available in public spaces in case of emergency; however, we ask that members of our community plan to utilize the reusable masks that will be provided by the College (or their own masks) whenever possible and in private spaces.
• All HVAC systems have been updated for increased fresh air makeup, and HEPA filters. Ionization units and UV disinfecting lighting has been installed where possible.
• Bathroom hand dryers and drinking fountains have been disconnected.
• Plexiglass or other clear dividers have been installed in open public spaces throughout campus to protect employees and student interactions.
• Masks are required for all members of the Curry community at all times in public spaces (indoor and outdoor).

Will students and other members of the community be provided/be required to wear masks?

Yes. The College has sourced personal protective equipment (PPE), including reusable cloth masks and level 3 surgical masks, which have been provided to employees (including student employees). All students will be provided with masks and required to wear them at all times in public spaces (with exceptions for dining).

Temporary masks are available in Safety Stations installed in public spaces throughout campus, which also contain hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, gloves, paper towels and trash barrels. These temporary masks are available in these public spaces in case of emergency; however, we ask that faculty and staff plan to utilize the reusable masks that will be provided by the College (or their own masks) whenever possible and in private spaces. Following this guidance whenever possible will ensure that the College is able to continue to provide enough personal protective equipment to fulfill our requirement that all community members wear masks while on campus this spring, and help us to keep Curry safe and healthy as we resume living, learning and working on campus.

What if I have an underlying health issue that makes it difficult for me to wear a mask, or if I have a disability that makes it difficult for me to understand those wearing them?

We will work with individual students with specific needs pertaining to personal protective equipment. Please contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 or the Office of Disability Services at 617-333-2990 with questions related to individual student circumstances.

Are students, faculty and staff members allowed to travel this Spring?

We are encouraging all resident students to stay on campus as much as possible in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. As a community we are committed to making our campus as safe as possible, and it is essential that we all continue to be vigilant.

If students, faculty or staff must travel at any time during the semester, we ask that they stay within Massachusetts or the designated lower-risk states. Please monitor the list online, as it changes frequently, while our policies remain the same for states excluded from it.

Due to the current Massachusetts travel restrictions, we are discouraging students, faculty and staff from any travel outside of the designated lower-risk states. Individuals who travel outside of these states will be subject to state guidance, which requires that individuals traveling to Massachusetts complete the Massachusetts Travel Form and show proof of a negative FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test (not an antibody or antigen test) performed within 72 hours of arrival to campus (or to quarantine until a negative test is obtained).

Please note that:

• Commuter and CE-Grad students, faculty or staff who live outside the lower-risk states (notably, in Rhode Island) are exceptions to this guidance for travel to their homes.
• All students, faculty and staff are required to report travel outside the six lower-risk states to the College via the daily health screen email.
• Study abroad programs for Spring 2021 have been suspended until further notice.
• Non-essential travel for business will not be supported by the College through May 31, 2021. The policy will be reviewed as we progress through the Spring with the hope that non-essential travel can resume in Fall 2021.

Finally, we ask that you continue to be attentive and follow our outlined safety recommendations, as well as remembering that students are required to adhere to the terms of the Curry Community Agreement both on and off campus. Specifically, please remember to wear your masks and follow safe social distancing, hygiene and sanitizing practices.

How will you be enforcing requirements (such as mask wearing) and keeping students safe while at Curry?

Now, more than ever, we all need to reflect on and embody the Curry values of supporting and caring for one another. All of us have the responsibility to promote and maintain the health and safety of our entire community on campus. By adopting new policies, procedures, and a shared expectation of commitment to one another, we can do our best to help Curry stay healthy.

Therefore, as in the fall, we require that all students adhere to the Community Agreement, which includes behavioral expectations such as observing restrictions on social gatherings, wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing, following Residential Life rules and policies, completing weekly testing, and self-monitoring and reporting on your health. For the safety of our entire community, it is mandatory for all students living and learning on campus to adhere to the standards of the Agreement at all times, and students will be asked to re-sign and recommit to it before they will be allowed to return to campus this spring. It is important that on an ongoing basis, our students understand that together, by always thinking of how their actions may impact their friends, fellow students, families, professors and staff members, we can all help to create and maintain a safe environment at Curry.

What else can I do to protect myself and others?

To minimize the risk of COVID-19, follow the guidelines provided by Curry in the Community Agreement at all times, as well as CDC prevention guidelines, including:

• Wash your hands often.
• Avoid close contact.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Clean and disinfect.
• Monitor your health daily.

Will Curry College be doing testing, or requiring students, faculty and staff to be tested before returning to campus and throughout the semester?

Yes. Based on current public health and scientific guidelines, Curry College understands testing, contact tracing and isolation to be three key elements of a health and safety protocol designed to help keep our community safe. With that in mind, we have established the following:

• Testing: The College is partnering with the Broad Institute to facilitate testing throughout the semester for students, faculty, vendor employees and staff (see below for details). All students, faculty, staff, and vendor employees are required to self-monitor and submit a daily required symptom check through CoVerified, either via the app on a smartphone or the website on a computer. All tests will be conducted using the nasal swab process.
  
  
• Contact tracing: The College has established and will maintain contact tracing for the campus community including working with the School of Nursing and the Broad Institute.
  
  
• Isolation: As previously noted, several residence hall spaces are reserved should isolation/quarantine housing become necessary at any time due to the COVID outbreak. In this event, the College is prepared to follow the Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response Plan developed by the College’s Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Who will be tested and how often?

All residential and commuter students will be onboard tested upon return to campus this Spring. Faculty, staff and student workers and vendor employees coming to campus at least once a week during the winter break will continue to be tested weekly during that time and all will be required to be onboard tested prior to the start of the Spring semester.

On a weekly basis throughout the Spring semester, the College will conduct surveillance testing for all Curry community members in partnership with the Broad Institute’s Testing Program. This includes:

• All residential students;
• All commuter students who are taking classes on campus this spring, including all CE-Grad students coming to the Plymouth or Milton campuses at least once a week;
• All faculty who are teaching on campus this spring;
• All staff members;
• All vendor employees.

Tests will be conducted in the Miller Field House using the nasal swab process.

Importantly, the College’s daily health screen requirement further limits the presence on campus of individuals that may be symptomatic or may have been exposed to infected individuals.

What if I get a test from an external provider? Do I need to report the results?

Any community member who obtains a test from an external entity will have a responsibility to immediately report positive tests and negative test clearances to the College by uploading the result to the CoVerified app, both for tracking and reporting to the Board of Health.

• Faculty and staff should contact Human Resources at 617-333-2263 or hr@curry.edu;
• Traditional undergraduate students should contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 or healthservices@curry.edu;
• CE-Grad students should confirm with their test provider that the test provider will contact their local Board of Health (who will contact Curry College);
• ACCEL Nursing students should contact their clinical coordinator;
• MSN students should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Will Curry communicate the status of testing to the campus community?

The College provides a weekly testing update email to all students, faculty, staff and families throughout the semester. The College has also established an online dashboard for on-campus test reporting, in order to ensure that cumulative numbers, positivity statistics and comparisons are readily available to the entire community at all times. This page is updated weekly on Fridays. View the Test Reporting page and read FAQ about Test Reporting.

What does the required CoVerified daily health check involve?

All students, faculty, staff, vendor employees and visitors are required to self-monitor and submit a required daily symptom check through CoVerified, either via the app on a smartphone or the website on a computer.

CoVerified will assign individuals one of three status labels: Remote (gray), Cleared (green) or Restricted (red).

“Remote” designates an individual who is not on campus and therefore is not expected to follow the daily symptom check and testing expectations. Individuals will be “Restricted” if they do not complete their daily symptom check, if it has been more than a week since their last test, or if they are in quarantine or isolation.

*Please be aware that in various places on campus, students may be asked to show the app status screen or a website printout to demonstrate their campus status as “Cleared.” Anyone seeking entry to campus must also display “Cleared” status in order to gain access to campus via the front gate, unless otherwise permitted.

Faculty, staff, and vendor employees who are designated “Restricted” via the app regarding possible COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result are not permitted to report to campus and should contact their primary care provider. Undergraduate students should call Health Services at 617-333-2182 (8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.) or outside business hours, call Public Safety at 617-333-2222.

More information and instructions for CoVerified

What about students with underlying health conditions that put them in a high-risk category? Will there be housing accommodations or other accommodations for them?

Please note that for students with underlying health conditions that put them in a high-risk category, we are prepared to make housing and other medical accommodations. While we plan to adhere to best practices and guidance and to take many precautions to ensure the health and safety of our entire campus community, we will be both flexible and prepared to work with individual students requiring additional protections. Please contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 and press 1 for the dedicated COVID line with questions related to individual student circumstances, or email healthservices@curry.edu with non-urgent questions.

What if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 on campus in the Spring?

Our focus is on prevention, but we are prepared to navigate an outbreak using best practices and guidance from state and federal agencies as well as following our established emergency protocols. We are asking all resident students to have a Personal Departure Plan. Students who live within 200 miles of Curry College should plan to self-isolate and quarantine at their homes in this case.

Several residence hall spaces are reserved should isolation and/or quarantine housing become necessary at any time due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In this event, the College is prepared to follow the Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response Plan developed by the College’s Emergency Preparedness Committee. The health and safety of our entire community, especially our students, is our first priority.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19*:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

* This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

What happens if I develop and show symptoms of COVID-19? 

If a student develops symptoms of COVID, he/she should immediately inform Health Services and arrange to be tested at the College’s Satellite Health Clinic (which has been established solely for this purpose). Do not go in person to any medical provider without first speaking to medical staff over the phone for advice. Students should call Health Services at 617-333-2182 (8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.). Outside business hours, call Public Safety at 617-333-2222. Faculty and staff should contact their primary care provider.

What happens if I test positive for COVID-19?

A student who tests positive for COVID-19 and who lives within 200 miles of the College will be required to enact their Personal Departure Plan to isolate at home immediately. A symptomatic or asymptomatic student who tests positive and lives more than 200 miles from the College will be immediately assigned a single room in the designated isolation housing space, where they will be required to remain for the minimum isolation period of 10 days (subject to change with changing guidance from public health authorities).

What will it be like in the quarantine or isolation spaces?

Students will have their own rooms with a micro-fridge, and meals will be delivered to them on a daily basis. Academic accommodations will also be provided for students in isolation or quarantine so that they can do their course work online (this will apply for the entire period for which the student is unable to attend face-to-face, hybrid or hyflex courses, no matter how long that period is). The Satellite Health Clinic staff will monitor students in this space via telehealth.

What if someone I have close contact with tests positive for COVID-19?

Any students who have been exposed (close contact to an individual who tested positive) will also be required to quarantine (either at home or on campus in designated quarantine space, depending on location of residence), as may be members of the student’s residential community (on a case-by-case basis).

Under what conditions would the Curry campus be closed and students sent home, as happened in March 2020?

At this time, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has not released specific metrics around school closure. Unless the College is required to do so by a state or nation-wide mandate, a decision to close the campus, if necessary, would be determined on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with the Milton Board of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Some of the metrics would include: the number of connected cases on campus; the total number of cases; and, the College’s capacity to safely isolation and quarantine students.

Consistent with the events of the Spring 2020 semester, if a state or nation-wide mandate appears likely, the College will activate the Crisis Management Team (CMT) to assess and plan for readiness efforts. If such an event occurs, the College will receive guidance and direction from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the rapid closure of campus. The CMT will communicate immediately with the entire community regarding processes for vacating campus, remote work and impact on classes (if any).

How will you handle grief counseling and wellness care for students who find themselves struggling under these circumstances?

Our Counseling Center & Health Services staff remain fully available to assist students in managing their mental and physical health. To access help, students may contact Carol Moser our Administrative Assistant, either by calling the front desk at 617-333-2182 or email cmoser@curry.edu.  Students will be directed to speak with the Clinician of the Day or a Nurse Practitioner who can provide support and guidance via a telehealth appointment.

The Counseling Center also offers a self-help resource for all Curry students. Students may access TAO Connect for anonymous online use at any time. TAO is free, and available with a Curry email account.  Students may sign up with their Curry email by visiting the Counseling Center web page.

RESIDENTIAL AND CAMPUS LIFE

How will the move-in process work in January, with social distancing and the later start date of classes?

The College has created a plan for a staggered move-in process beginning Wednesday, January 27 through Saturday, January 30. Reservation times will be assigned to each student in one-hour blocks, with scheduled intervals afterwards for cleaning. Students may bring no more than one person to assist them, and all participants will need to complete a health screen. All students will also be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival as part of the move-in process. The Office of Residence Life and Housing will be communicating further details directly to students and families; please monitor your Curry email closely. *Note that payment of your Spring 2021 bill is required in order to move onto campus.

If I live outside the states designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as lower-risk and approved for travel without quarantine, will I need to quarantine before or after I arrive on campus?

Not necessarily. Given the Executive Order signed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on July 24, students arriving to campus who live outside of the designated lower-risk states are required to complete the Massachusetts Travel Form and show proof of a negative FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 or antigen test (not an antibody test) performed within 72 hours of arrival to campus. Please monitor the list online, as it changes frequently, while our policies remain the same for states excluded from it.

*Please note that all residential and commuter students (regardless of where they are from) will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival as part of the move-in process.

Parents and Guardians from outside of the lower-risk states who plan on spending the night in Massachusetts are also required to complete the Travel Form and provide proof of a negative SARS-CoV2 PCR or antigen test performed within 72 hours of arrival to campus. If they are not spending the night and only plan to drop off their student and return home the same day, they are exempt from the travel requirement. *Curry College will continue to follow best scientific practices and state orders as they evolve in this and other matters pertaining to preventing potential virus spread, and will keep students and families informed should these requirements change.

Are there specific items I should pack/bring to campus related to COVID-19?

We are encouraging all students to bring an overnight bag prepared with all personal items you will need in case of relocation to be used as a “COVID bag.” If you test positive and need to be relocated or to enact your Personal Departure Plan, this bag may be picked up by someone else and brought to you. You will also be responsible for taking your temperature daily for self-monitoring, so please bring a thermometer (they will not be provided).

• View a comprehensive list of what to bring

What provisions have been made in order to prepare residence halls for the Spring semester?

As in the Fall, in addition to aggressive cleaning and sanitization protocols which will be enacted in all common spaces, including bathrooms (see Health and Safety for details), the College made the decision to continue to only offer double and single occupancy bedrooms for the Fall semester. Additionally, we have increased the number of single rooms available on campus, and rooms that previously accommodated three or four residents will be occupied as doubles. If you have questions, concerns or individual housing needs, please contact the Office of Residence Life and Housing at 617-333-2252 or reslife@curry.edu.

There will also be other restrictions and protocols in residence halls to ensure health and safety, including (but not restricted to):

• A staggered move-in plan for January (see details above).
• All resident students are required to have and to have shared with the Office of Residential Life and Housing a Personal Departure Plan. Please share your plan via a link sent to your Curry email address.
• Students who live less than 200 miles away from Curry College should plan to self-isolate and quarantine at their homes in this case. *Please note that with regard to departure plans as always, we will work with each individual student to meet the specific needs of your situation. However, quarantine and isolation space on campus is very limited, so we ask students and families to please plan accordingly if possible.
• Kitchen spaces will be locked, with exceptions for specific individual dietary needs.

Will visitors to campus be allowed?

A strict “no-visitor” policy will be in place on campus. This policy will be reviewed frequently and restrictions may be eased or revised as the semester progresses. *Note that students will be allowed one person to assist in move-in to residence halls in January, and that this policy excludes accommodations for personal care attendants or disability needs as well as registered Admissions Tours.

Can I have family members visit me on campus?

Students may register family member(s) to visit campus on weekends. Upon submitting the registration form on the myCurry portal, you will receive an automated email confirming receipt of your request. Within 48 hours, you will receive a confirmation email from Public Safety which you will need to share with you family member(s) for them to show the front gate attendant when they arrive on campus.

Remember to adhere to the following visitor requirements:

• Visits must be for 2 hours or less
• Visitors must remain outside the residence halls.
• Visits may take place at the Student Center while maintaining social distancing from non-family members.

Can I have visitors in my room/residence hall?

American College Health Association (ACHA) guidelines have informed our decision not to allow visitors in residence halls. This includes fellow students and other members of the Curry community not housed in the residence hall, as well as external visitors who are not members of the campus community. Students may meet in public spaces on campus, including the Student Center and the Learning Commons.

Can resident students leave campus once they have moved back in?

We are encouraging all resident students to stay on campus as much as possible in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. As a community we are committed to making our campus as safe as possible, and it is essential that we all continue to be vigilant.

If students, faculty or staff must travel at any time during the semester, we ask that they stay within Massachusetts or the designated lower-risk states. Please monitor the list online, as it changes frequently, while our policies remain the same for states excluded from it.

Due to the current Massachusetts travel restrictions, we are discouraging students, faculty and staff from any travel outside of the designated lower-risk states. Individuals who travel outside of these states will be subject to state guidance, which requires that individuals traveling to Massachusetts complete the Massachusetts Travel Form and show proof of a negative FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test (not an antibody or antigen test) performed within 72 hours of arrival to campus (or to quarantine until a negative test is obtained).

Please note that:

• Commuter and CE-Grad students, faculty or staff who live outside the lower-risk states (notably, in Rhode Island) are exceptions to this guidance for travel to their homes.
• Study abroad programs for Spring 2021 have been suspended until further notice.
• Non-essential travel for business will not be supported by the College through May 31, 2021. The policy will be reviewed as we progress through the Spring with the hope that non-essential travel can resume in Fall 2021.

Finally, we ask that you continue to be attentive and follow our outlined safety recommendations, as well as remembering that students are required to adhere to the terms of the Curry Community Agreement both on and off campus. Specifically, please remember to wear your masks and follow safe social distancing, hygiene and sanitizing practices.

What plans have you made to address concerns specific to commuter students, such as scheduling complications or social distancing on the Curry shuttles?

For students commuting to the Curry campus, in order to prevent scheduling complications due to the hyflex model (an in-person class immediately followed by an online class, for example), the College has identified dedicated space for commuter students with laptops to work on campus:

• HAFER 120 (5 students)
• HAFER 214 (9 students)
• LCOM S-205 (6 students)

The College has also made every effort to work with individual students in order to create schedules that avoid conflicts of this nature.

Parking permits ($125/yr) can be obtained Monday through Friday (8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) at the Public Safety office. Although no cars will be ticketed during the first week of classes, we encourage you to request your parking permit as soon as they become available. Please keep in mind that your tuition bills must be settled in order to secure a parking pass. If you are planning to use public transportation to campus, we are looking at the hours of our T-Van shuttle that provides transportation from the Mattapan T-station to campus daily. The shuttle will operate the same hours as the fall semester.

Further information will be forthcoming regarding social distancing measures on Curry shuttles and other matters of concern to commuter students in the near future.

Will commuter students be tested for COVID?

Yes, ALL commuter students will be onboard tested upon their return to campus. On a weekly basis throughout the Spring semester, the College will conduct surveillance testing in partnership with the Broad Institute’s Testing Program. This includes ALL commuter students (including CE-Grad students) coming to campus at least once a week during the semester.  

Will students be able to work on campus?

Yes. The College has equipped open office spaces with plexiglass, signage for social distancing and hand-washing, and receptacles on each floor contain hand sanitizer, disinfectant solution, masks and gloves. The College will also provide students with masks. Student employees will be expected to wear masks when they are in areas working with others, when they are traveling to and from a private, enclosed office, when they are moving around in common areas, in bathrooms, or otherwise away from their work space

What steps will you be taking to mitigate high traffic and large gatherings in the Student Center building?

In order to ensure social distancing in the Student Center, seating capacity has been reduced and wayfinding signage is present to direct the flow of traffic in this high-use building, as well as extending the building’s open hours. We have increased options for dining on campus and as well as adding pop-up dining locations to minimize high traffic areas (see below).

What will dining on campus look like this Spring?

The Curry College Dining Team has worked hard to adapt dining procedures and locations to ensure your health and safety on campus.

• View the Spring 2021 Curry College Dining Plan

What will life at Curry be like in the Spring? How will student activities and events work with social distancing on campus?

Life at Curry, and everywhere, will continue to be different this spring; but we are committed to ensuring that your experience on campus will be both safe and enjoyable, as you reconnect with classmates, faculty members, mentors, and friends. Throughout the semester, we will be offering both virtual and small, appropriately socially-distanced, in-person events and happenings, including:

• Extended hours in the Fitness Center and Student Center.
• Enhanced virtual offerings, including movies, wellness events and cooking classes.
• Virtual and in-person Paint Nights.
• Food trucks and pop up food offerings.

Further information about events, as well as other campus involvement and engagement initiatives (virtual and face- to- face) are updated regularly. Please  please visit the Events section or our Presence portal for more information about annual campus events including fight the frost and spring events.

ATHLETICS AND FITNESS

Will Winter and Spring sports be played in 2021?

The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) announced its decision to suspend all sponsored athletic competition for winter sports for the 2020-21 season.

As part of the announcement, the CCC will allow member institutions to determine whether they independently could safely engage in winter sports athletic competition, including contests against other conference or non-conference schools that choose to play. If it is deemed safe to do so following the established safety procedures and guidelines as set by the College, the state and federal government, and NCAA regulations, Curry College intends to explore competition opportunities for men’s and women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey.

As you would imagine, the CCC’s decision to suspend the formal conference schedule and championships was a challenging decision, which was made only after a great deal of deliberation. The conference considered all options and strategized extensively to discern ways in which competition could take place this season. Ultimately though, based on the current infection rates, state regulations on travel, and campus information and guidelines at this time, the decision not to participate in winter intercollegiate competition was made with the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and staff members, at the forefront. This will continue to be the College’s basis for decision making.

Will student-athletes engage in any athletic activities at Curry this Spring?

Similar to the fall semester, the Curry Athletics department staff and coaches will continue to provide student-athletes with in-person practices, and conditioning and training opportunities throughout their traditional season, as state guidelines and health and safety conditions allow. We will continue to explore new ways for our student-athletes to actively engage with their coaches and teammates to support their physical and mental well-being. 

How will student-athletes be kept safe during practices and training?

As at the College at large, a number of established protocols and policies will continue for the safety of both student-athletes and the entire community engaged in athletic or fitness activity, including requiring personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing, sanitary and disinfection processes, safe and appropriate care of student-athlete injuries, amongst others.

When will student-athletes be moving into residence halls?

Spring student-athletes will return to campus with all Curry students beginning on January 27. Please monitor your Curry email closely for communications from the Office of Housing and Residential Life concerning your move in date and related details.

What about Club Sports, Intramurals and the Fitness Center? Will they be offered/open in the Spring?

Intramurals will be held on campus in the fall, following guidelines outlined by the Commonwealth reopening plan under Adult Amateur Sports Activities. A schedule and additional league information will be forthcoming. The Fitness Center will be open with extended hours and registration is required for use in order to ensure social distancing.

EVENTS

The current guidance in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not allow gatherings of more than 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. This impacts the College’s usual event schedule, from Commencement to theater productions. We will continue to follow all state guidance in this matter, and will offer a robust schedule of small in-person and virtual offerings to engage our community in the meantime.

Class of 2020 and 2021 Commencement

At this time, we are hopeful that it will be possible to hold traditional in-person Commencement exercises for both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 in May; however, please be aware that these plans will be entirely subject to Commonwealth of Massachusetts mandates regarding gatherings, which are currently restricted to an extent which would not allow for this event. We will adhere to all federal, state, local and public health guidance and best practices in this respect, and will provide further information to the Curry community about this event. Please visit the Commencement section for updates.