At Mount Holyoke College, students have returned to a full residential experience this semester. While many students have eagerly returned to in-person classes and exchanging stories over late-night, others are unhappy with the College’s decision to extend its no-guest policy through the end of the semester. Mount Holyoke’s policies surrounding off-campus travel and on-campus guests have changed several times since the start of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. The College defines a guest as any person who is not enrolled in a Mount Holyoke course and does not participate in the College-sponsored asymptomatic testing program. This most recent update was sent to the community via email on Oct. 6. Following the announcement, the College sent out a survey on “students’ interest and comfort with having guests in the residence halls” on Oct. 19.
Senate convenes to discuss guest policy; announces new E-Board members
SGA senate convened this week with an announcement: from now on, students will be able to use safety net funds to cover outside medical related expenses, such as transportation and urgent care costs.
In further health-related news, the senate’s COVID-19 & Content Commission group is planning to petition the administration to relax the guest policy. Their proposed plan would involve guests filling out a Google form where they would have to provide proof of vaccination, agree to be masked indoors and in other designated spaces and commit to adhere to all other aspects of the community compact. Commission members suggested that Mount Holyoke students who break this policy should then be required to meet with the Honor Code Council.
COVID-19 policy updates: College allows vaccinated guests at events
The College sent out an update on Oct. 20 about new COVID-19 policies. Effective on Oct. 25, Emeriti faculty and other retired staff members are allowed to enter and use the Williston Memorial Library and Kendall Sports and Dance Complex as long as they show proof of vaccination and get tested by the College regularly.
Health Center holds flu vaccine clinic
On Friday, Oct. 26, the Health Center held a flu vaccine clinic for students.
“I really appreciated the event,” Lauren Gruen ’23 said. “I don’t have a car, so having something like this on campus was very helpful.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, flu season can start in the United States as early as October and end as late as early May, and normally peaks from December through February. About 8 percent of the U.S. population gets sick from the flu each season.
2021 LEAP Symposium showcases summer projects in hybrid format
Mount Holyoke College’s 2021 Learning from Application (LEAP) Symposium took place on Friday, Oct. 22, featuring presentations from over 150 students recounting their summer internships. Emerging from a completely virtual format in 2020, this year’s program was presented in a hybrid format that included 28 in-person panels and 14 panels exclusive to Zoom. The presentations took place over four sessions and were open to all members of the Mount Holyoke community, with in-person panels hosted in classrooms throughout the Science Center.
Senate discusses campus election; addresses dining hall concerns
The SGA senate meeting on Oct. 19 began with a land acknowledgement, read by Chair of Senate Shula Mathew ’22, in accordance with the new Mount Holyoke College policy. The Nonotuck, Nipmuc and Pocumtuc peoples were acknowledged, as they once occupied the land that is now Western Massachusetts, including the Mount Holyoke College campus. The land acknowledgement also included surrounding Indigenous nations such as the Nipmuc, Wampanoag, Mohegan, Eastern Pequot, Mohican and Abenaki peoples. Mathew asked for a brief moment of silence after the acknowledgement was read in order to give time for reflection.
Antisemitism at Mount Holyoke: Community reacts to hate symbol
“I blink, and I still see my reflection in the mirror with a [Nazi] swastika on it,” a Jewish resident of 1837 Hall said. On Oct. 6, the student came face to face with the hate symbol while on a routine trip to the single stall bathroom on the third floor of 1837. The room, as they described it, was a pleasant “safe haven.” But while washing their hands, they looked up to see a “line” drawn on the mirror. At first, they were confused.
College shortens Family & Friends Weekend
Mount Holyoke College will be hosting “Family and Friends Weekend” on Oct. 23, with events truncated into a single day. This significant change is paired with the fact all visitors had to register by Wednesday, Oct. 20, something that, in previous years, was not required.
Despite keeping the indoor guest policy for students in place until the end of semester, visitors will be allowed indoors this coming Saturday. The school has put forth health policies in order to keep the campus COVID-19-free. These policies include a pre-arrival health checklist, proof of an FDA recognized vaccine and a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival. Rapid tests may be taken within 24 hours as an option for those who cannot access the prior.
President Stephens announces new ‘climate action commitments’
In an email shared with the Mount Holyoke community on Oct. 18, President Sonya Stephens announced several plans to increase progress towards the College’s sustainability goals. The letter featured updates to the goals previously outlined in the College’s Sustainability Task Report in 2018, while also introducing new commitments. Stephens discussed the College’s plan to “eliminate holdings in fossil fuel investment funds” in the next 10 years, a commitment that was announced by the Board of Trustees in March, adding that no new investments in fossil fuels have been made since 2017.
