Resources for Students on Campus, March 16, 2020
| by Baishakhi Taylor
Dear Students,
I realize this is a time of dramatic change on campus and it may feel overwhelming. As we all adjust to this rapidly evolving situation, our goal is to keep you informed and provide you with as much support as possible. We ask that you remain in communication with us as well.
Campus life will feel very different in the coming weeks. We want to tell you about our expectations for your time on campus, explain what services remain available, and offer some recommendations for keeping yourself physically and emotionally well.
We’ve assembled a list of resources and policies to help guide you as you continue living on campus.
CAMPUS LIFE EXPECTATIONS
Here are some of the most important requirements for students who remain on campus:
- Immediately complete this required Break Housing Agreement
- Do not travel outside the town of Middlebury unless you plan to leave campus and not return until we fully reopen
- Do not congregate in groups of more than 10 students
- Absolutely no alcohol or drug use is permitted
- Notify your dean if you choose to fully depart from campus housing during the break by completing this form.
These policies are essential for the health and well-being of our campus community. Not following these expectations may result in dismissal from campus. We ask for your help in maintaining a safe campus in this unprecedented time.
The following services are available to students who remain on campus:
CAMPUS SERVICES
Parton Health Center
Parton Health Center staff will support you! We are trying to manage medical issues at Parton first.
Be sure your phone is charged, and your voicemail inbox is not full so you can receive messages. (If you have not activated your phone voice mail, please do so at this time.) Below is the best way to get care.
Call First
- Parton Registered Nurse Line: 802-443-3290
- Parton Health Center main line: 802-443-5135
- Porter Hospital: 802-388-4701
- You must call before coming to Parton and Porter Hospital. If you are sick, we will know to expect you and can prepare for your visit. Parton will be open during the weekdays
- For a health emergency, call 911
- Please, do not go to Porter hospital directly without calling health services
- For non-health situations that cannot wait until morning or the next weekday, call Public Safety at 802-443-5911. They will take your number and have a Parton Health Staff member call you.
If you are tested for COVID-19 and sent back to campus for self-isolation while awaiting results:
- We may ask you to stay in a single room on campus other than your current room while we await test results
- We have a plan for supporting you, providing food, offering mental health and medical support, etc.
- Most young healthy individuals recover without significant issues
- Young individuals with chronic health conditions can also recover from COVID-19 illness without requiring hospital-level care, and we are ready to support you on campus
- Right now, getting a test for COVID-19 must go through Parton Health Center. That procedure could change, and we will update you if it does
Middlebury College Counseling Services
Counseling staff is available to students remaining on campus for counseling appointments or 15-minute check-ins via Zoom for any student who would just like to talk. Call: 802-443-5141
Students can also call the Counseling Support Line at any time: 855-465-5013
Dining Services
Meals will be available to students in Proctor Dining Hall on a grab-and-go basis. The Grille and MiddExpress will remain open on a limited basis. Full hours are listed below. We ask that students do not congregate in dining halls to comply with social distancing recommendations and minimize the spread of germs.
- Proctor Dining Hall: Open normal operating hours for students only, every day of the week.
- Breakfast: 7:30am-9:30am, limited between 9:30am-11:00am
- Lunch: 11:00am-2:00pm
- Dinner: 4:30pm-7:30pm
- The Grille: Monday-Friday, 11:00am-2:00pm
- MiddExpress: Monday-Friday 8:00am-2:00pm For updates check go/dining
Facilities Services
Cleaning supplies will be available next week in residence hall supply closets if you would like to clean your individual room. Custodial teams will continue to clean and sanitize residence halls. If you need to submit a work order, please do so through your commons residence director. If you have an urgent maintenance concern, contact Public Safety at 802-443-5911.
Residential Life and Commons Deans
Commons Deans, Commons Coordinators and Commons Residence Directors will remain available to you. Meetings can be held over Zoom or on the phone. Email your dean to arrange a time to talk.
In an emergency, as always, contact the department of Public Safety at 802-443-5911. Public Safety can respond themselves or alert the on-call CRD or Dean, who remain available to respond to campus. For non-urgent matters, please email publicsafety@middlebury.edu
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
International Student and Scholar Services will continue to support students as the situation evolves. Students may email isss@middlebury.edu with questions, or arrange an appointment through https://calendly.com/middleburyisss. Meetings will take place via Zoom or by telephone. Visit go/isss.
Library Services
There will be limited library hours, and access will only be granted to Middlebury ID holders, effective March 16th.
Library Hours:
March 14-29: Davis: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Armstrong: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm March 30 onward: Davis, Monday-Friday, 8am-pm and Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm; Armstrong: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Check go/library for updates and more information
Digital Learning and Inquiry
As we transition to remote learning, the Office of Digital Learning and Inquiry (DLINQ) is working on resources for students. Read more at go/dlinq For more information about their resources check their website: Guide to Participating in Online Learning
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Recommendations for Physical Health
- Wash your hands often. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with those who are ill. Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is known to be spreading in the community. Do not visit people in-person whom you know to be sick. This is especially important if you are at higher risk of getting sick.
- Clean and disinfect. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, desks, phones, and keyboards. Cleaning supplies are available in custodial supply closets.
- Stay away from others if you are sick. Keep yourself away from others except to get medical care. Ask others to bring you what you need and leave the items outside your door.
Recommendations for Protecting Your Mental Health
- Develop a routine. Unstructured time can become distressing. Having a plan for your day can help reduce worries you might have about COVID-19 and help make the situation feel more normal. Consider including a sleep schedule, time outside, doing something you enjoy, and spending time with someone you care about on the phone, over video chat, or in-person.
- Take a news break. Constant updates about COVID-19 can trigger our brain’s stress response. Give yourself a break by turning off news notifications or unfollowing news outlets on social media for some time. Select one time per day to check for news updates.
- Talk to others about how you are feeling. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Think of those in your life who are effective listeners and, if you are able, limit contact with relationships that feel like they drain your emotions or energy.
- Focus on what you can control and notice when you are feeling anxious. With constant information and updates like there have been for COVID-19, one can begin to feel helpless. Consider what is within your control (how you spend your time, who you reach out to, keeping the spaces around you clean, for example) and try to limit thinking about what you cannot control. Anxiety is normal at a time like this. Try doing things that distract you and give you a break from feeling anxious: listen to music, take deep breaths, talk to someone about something else, and know that anxiety passes.
- Reach out if you need more support. During times of high transition and uncertainty, it is common to feel overwhelmed, even for those who have not experienced difficulty with mental health before.
Support Resources:
Counseling Support Line: 855-465-5013. You can speak to a counselor 24 hours a day
Middlebury College Counseling appointments are available via Zoom video conferencing to students who remain on campus. Call the Counseling office at 802-443-5141 for more information.
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE
How and when will we receive communication?
The College will provide routine communication via email and then post information to the website FAQ section.
You can also access information about COVID-19 through the following resources: ·
- Vermont Department of Health COVID-19 Updates
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Updates
- World Health Organization COVID-19 Updates
Where am I permitted go on campus?
Students are welcome to spend time in their own residence halls and in buildings on campus which are open. Do not congregate in groups of more than 10 people. As a reminder, students are expected to stay in the town of Middlebury, unless they plan to leave campus to reside elsewhere. Athletic facilities are closed until further notice.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Students should contact Parton Health Center if they begin to feel ill. All students need to call ahead to make an appointment. Walk-in appointments have been halted in an effort to comply with social distancing recommendations. Health Center Phone: 802-443-5135
For general questions about COVID-19, contact the Nurse Hotline: (802) 443-3290
How will the college be kept clean?
Facilities staff will be working rigorously to keep public spaces and residence halls clean and disinfected.
What will happen if students do not return to campus or the College has to close?
The situation is rapidly evolving both on our campus and in wider communities. Unfortunately, this means we cannot yet communicate about what a plan for either of these situations will look like. It is our promise that we will provide communication as promptly and as clearly as we are able to. It is prudent to explore other options available to you for housing, finances, and food should students be asked to leave campus, though there is no current plan to do this.
What community resources are available to me?
Please keep this document close by.
We will be back in touch with you very soon.
Please take care yourself.
Sincerely,
Baishakhi Taylor
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students