Middlebury welcomed students back to campus in fall 2020 and spring 2021 for in-person living and learning, with special measures in place to prevent and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Students, faculty, and staff were committed to protecting themselves and one another. As we look forward to a vibrant summer full of many activities and programs, the health and safety of our entire community continues to be our highest priority. When students, faculty, and staff return to campus for the summer, it is expected that conditions within Vermont and Addison County will be much improved, given the widespread availability of vaccines and the growing number of people who are vaccinated.
As Middlebury plans a safe transition from spring semester to summer programs, our priorities are protecting the health and safety of the community, preserving the academic program for Language Schools, and maintaining continuity of summer employment, internships, and other programs for students. Current health guidance and scientific research tells us that to reduce the risk of an outbreak of COVID-19, more than 80 percent of the Middlebury campus community must be fully vaccinated. This is critical for communities with shared living and dining spaces, such as colleges and universities. As such, all students and employees who will be on campus this summer must be fully vaccinated or have an approved religious or medical exemption on file. Fully vaccinated means that two weeks have passed since a person received the final dose of their vaccine.
The basic protective health measures—vaccination, wearing face coverings, maintaining physical distance from others, and washing hands—are proven to reduce transmission of the virus on and off campus. Keeping our campus and our community safe and healthy will require careful adherence to necessary public health measures, along with dedication and commitment to each other.
Our Campus Status web page will serve as the primary source of information about campus restrictions and health measures, and we urge students and employees to reference it often for the latest updates. This website informs the campus community about health and safety requirements, policies, and adjustments to academics and campus life.
This summer, students, faculty, and staff will protect themselves and others by doing the following:
Middlebury will continue to monitor state and federal COVID-19-related guidance, local, and regional health conditions, including local health system capacity and cases in the broader community. In the unlikely event that conditions on campus or in our community change, shifting to room quarantine or sending students and others on campus home to complete their Language Schools classes or summer work obligations remotely could become necessary. In the event of a high number or unexplained clusters of cases, Middlebury will rely on guidance from the Vermont Department of Health and our Porter Medical Center partners to determine how best to proceed.
Middlebury’s policies meet the requirements in Vermont’s Mandatory Guidance for College and University Campus Learning, which remains in effect until July 4. The information herein is subject to change depending on health conditions and state of Vermont guidance. Students, staff, and faculty should consult this website and the Campus Status web page regularly for updates.
Resources
Questions about the Summer Campus Guide?
For more information about COVID-19, consult the CDC and Vermont Department of Health COVID-19 websites.
Middlebury has updated its COVID-19 policies for summer 2021. Please refer to the links below for current information.
| by Smita Ruzicka and Mark Peluso and Caitlin Goss
Weekly updates including new testing and vaccination opportunities on and off campus for students, faculty, and staff. Information and reminders about what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.
| by Smita Ruzicka and Mark Peluso and Caitlin Goss
We are writing with information for faculty and staff about changes to COVID-19 protocols for the fall semester, to announce a new PCR testing program at Middlebury College and a change to our COVID-19 leave policy.
| by Smita Ruzicka and Mark Peluso
We are writing with information about our approach to the fall semester and to announce a new PCR testing program at Middlebury College.
