Photo by Xinran Li ‘23
As of April 4, Amherst College has relaxed some COVID-19 guidelines, including testing policies.
By Sammi Craig ’23
Staff Writer
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, institutions within the Five College system have implemented various changes to their COVID-19 policies.
As of April 4, Amherst College has relaxed their guidelines related to testing. “Students will be tested on one of three days — Monday, Tuesdays or Thursdays — which will provide data over the course of the week to allow us to identify any increases in positive cases quickly. [Students] will receive a sign-up email the prior week to select their testing time,” Amhrest College’s website states.
While testing requirements have been altered from twice a week to once a week, wearing a mask indoors is now optional unless students are in an instructional space, a service location, walking around dining locations or in service locations in the Athletics complex. Campus guest policies have not changed.
On April 4, Smith College implemented changes to their mask mandates.
“Masks are optional for those who are fully vaccinated, except: in class unless presenting, at gatherings of 30 or more, at the Schacht Center for Health and Wellness and the COVID-19 Testing Center,” according to the Smith College website. Smith still requires students to get tested twice weekly, but masks are no longer required in all instances in indoor spaces.
Current guidelines for the University of Massachusetts Amherst as of April 7 highlight the current mask policy. “At indoor events at UMass Amherst, masks are welcome but not required. We encourage everyone to respect the choices that individuals make about their own masking,” the official UMass Amherst website states. Mask mandates have been lifted across the state of Massachusetts, and because UMass Amherst is a public state university, the institution follows state policy.
As of March 11, there are “No Significant Changes to COVID-19 Policies” at Hampshire College, according to the college’s website. Like Mount Holyoke, Hampshire College continues to require masks and offers free testing, which is only required once a week at Hampshire.
Mount Holyoke College has continued the same masking requirements they have maintained all year. Masks are required in indoor spaces unless eating or drinking, and testing is required twice a week for students and once a week for faculty. The most recent major change at MHC has been the closing of the testing center on Fridays due to a staffing shortage.
“I’m glad that Mount Holyoke continues to enforce the mask wearing policy.,” Sarah Hyde ’22 said. “Even though there have been COVID policy changes among the other five colleges and within the state, I appreciate that MHC is still requiring masks indoors as an extra precaution.”
Though, according to the Five College official website, “indoor masking in most areas has been relaxed by three consortium campuses,” the Five College system will continue to monitor changes in COVID-19 levels and state guidelines.