Five Colleges adopt new policies to prevent COVID-19 spread

Photo by Rosemary Geib ’23.
Pictured above, Smith College’s Campus Center, where students test for COVID-19 twice weekly.

By Anoushka Kuswaha ’24 & Tara Monastesse ’25

News Editors

With the COVID-19 pandemic looming over the world since 2020, many institutions have strived to manage a “normal” working life while still maintaining the health, safety and well-being of their communities. This is applicable to each institution in the Five College Consortium, all of which are working within their respective communities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. 

For the Mount Holyoke College administration, controlling the spread of COVID-19 was about continuing to care for one another as a community, as stated in a letter from the Health and Safety Committee published on Sept. 14. Smith College described its continuation of its COVID-19 preventative measures as “build[ing] on [the] success” of previous years, as written on their website’s COVID-19 policy page. 

While each Five College community has taken measures to accommodate the third year of the pandemic, their strategies have varied. Some of the colleges within the consortium have also rapidly shifted their policies as the academic year commenced. Smith College’s current policy of mandatory twice-a-week asymptomatic testing contrasts their anticipated Fall 2022 COVID-19 policy from an Aug. 1 letter to the community, which did not forecast requiring asymptomatic testing.

Currently, all members of the Consortium also require mask-wearing indoors, with the exception of the University of Massachusetts Amherst whose policy is described as “mask welcome.” All of the Five Colleges also require community members to be up to date on vaccination boosters. 

Members of the Consortium have gradually gone back to weekly mandated testing for asymptomatic students. Hampshire College and Smith College are both mandating twice-weekly testing until further notice, as per the institutions’ COVID-19 policy websites. UMass Amherst readily offers symptomatic testing to all of their students, with a charge going to the student’s health insurance, as per the university’s Public Health’s Preparation website, last updated on Aug. 17, 2022. 

Like Mount Holyoke College, some members of the Five College Consortium — UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College — are also advising their students to isolate in place should they test positive for COVID-19 and cannot arrange off-campus isolation housing, as stated by each institution’s COVID-19 informational websites. 

Amherst College has been operating at level one of its four Campus Operating Status Levels, described as “Enhanced COVID-19 Precautions,” since Aug. 12.

Amherst College currently maintains a publicly-available COVID-19 dashboard on its website, which displays active cases from students, staff and faculty. Free COVID-19 testing at Amherst College has remained optional for students beyond the initial test administered to students upon moving back onto campus. 

As of Sept. 13, a KN95 mask is required on Amherst’s campus in most indoor spaces, including classrooms, dining locations and the COVID-19 Testing Center.

“It’s really nice, because the college is distributing [KN95 masks] for free,” said Anna Leake, a junior at Amherst College, in an interview with Mount Holyoke News. She noted, however, that the mask requirement is sometimes enforced inconsistently outside of the classroom, stating that “It doesn’t seem as hard and fast a rule as it has been in previous years.”

“I’m happy that we’ve — in some ways — been able to transition back to pre-COVID times,” said Leake. “But I’m also wondering if we’re doing it too quickly, or at least without enough clarity as to what the rules are.” 

““I’m happy that we’ve — in some ways — been able to transition back to pre-COVID times. But I’m also wondering if we’re doing it too quickly.”
”

— Anna Leake

Mount Holyoke’s mask mandate, originally slated to last until Sept. 16, has been extended to at least Sept. 30. In a letter to the community issued on Sept. 14, the Health and Safety Committee attributed the decision to “a high volume of COVID-19 student cases currently being managed by our campus health center.”

An email to the College community on Wednesday Sept. 21 identified 51 known cases among students, as well as 4 among employees. These numbers were stated to reflect the previous 7 days, and will be updated weekly in future “MHC This Week” emails.

“I definitely think they should bring back testing at least once a week, and isolation housing for people with roommates,” Sophie Simon ’25, a student who recently tested positive for COVID-19, said in an interview. Simon, who was unable to receive a free PCR test on campus due to having outside insurance, instead obtained her results from a local pharmacy. “There isn’t a lot of accessibility for testing right now, and if they’re going to get rid of the mandatory weekly testing, they should at least give you access to rapid tests. I think that would definitely prevent the surge in [COVID-19] cases that are happening, especially now, just so people know earlier on that they have [COVID-19], or that they’re spreading it.”

Currently, students on the College’s health insurance plan can obtain up to eight self-test COVID-19 kits every 30 days.

Students navigate new COVID-19 testing guidelines as they arrive to the College

Photo by Rosemary Geib ’23.
Blue signs posted around campus direct arriving students and guests through the move in process.

By Anoushka Kuswaha ’24 and Tara Monastesse ’25 

News Editors

Content warning: This article discusses ableism.

Over the summer break, the Mount Holyoke College community waited to see how the pandemic would impact the community’s modes of learning and lifestyle on campus this semester. The impact would begin with how the community would approach its campus move-in process for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

A July 28 letter to the community from Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum announced that three-layer face masks would be required within indoor campus spaces until Sept. 16. This date was later extended to Sept. 30 as noted by The Health and Safety Committee in a Sept. 14 letter to the community. The July update also requested that residential students receive a negative test result within 24 hours before their move-in time. For students unable to provide third-party documentation of a negative test result, on-campus testing was made available upon arrival.

Students interviewed by Mount Holyoke News about their move-in experience primarily chose to utilize the on-campus testing option to obtain a COVID-19 test. The opportunity to test on campus was particularly convenient for some, as the limited testing time of 24 hours made it difficult to receive a test at surrounding pharmacies while coordinating travel to campus, Emily Jones ’23 expressed. 

Some students were wary of the delay to the move-in process that was advertised on the Fall 2022 Move-In website, should they choose to get tested on campus. Felix Lawton ’24 expressed initial reservations about getting tested on campus for this reason. Lawton was also concerned with getting tested within the required timeframe, but voiced how the availability of testing on campus made the move-in process go “smoothly.” 

Jones also voiced interest in getting tested before arriving on campus to quicken her move-in process but was unable to do so as the nearby pharmacy where she sought out a test no longer offered [COVID-19] tests. 

“I got tested when I came to campus, and that was such an easy process,” said Talya Denis ’24, a resident of Creighton Hall. “I just decided to do it at the school. I thought it would be easier.”

While biweekly asymptomatic testing is no longer required for students, as was College policy during the previous academic year, symptomatic testing is still available upon request through College Health Services. 

However, it did not escape students’ attention that out-of-school testing was a non-feasible option. “I called a local Walgreens near campus but they said they weren’t doing [COVID-19] testing,” explained Jones when discussing why she had to get tested on campus. 

The lack of testing available prior to the beginning of the school year indicates that it could become increasingly difficult for students to access testing outside of the campus as the year progresses, and has raised concerns for health safety among students. “I wish the College had more options to get tested for [COVID-19]. The only way to get tested is if you have symptoms but I’m concerned about the spread of [COVID-19] without regular testing.” expressed Jones. This sentiment was echoed by Lawton who said “I think especially in light of the school not testing asymptomatic students for [COVID-19] anymore … that I am less comfortable with the idea of not having required masking … [COVID-19]-19 has only gotten more contagious and still poses a serious risk to immunocompromised students here on campus.” 

During Fall 2021 move in, residential students with guests were asked to provide the information of up to two guests in advance. This year, residential students were not required to register outside guests assisting with move-in, nor was there a stated limit to the number of guests allowed per student. There remained, however, a requirement for all guests accompanying a student to wear a face covering whenever they occupied a residence hall building.

The Office of Residential Life also released updated guidelines to the campus guest policy, including for overnight guest stays, in an email to residential students on Sept. 4. The only requirement is for student hosts to fill out and submit the Guest Registration Form prior to their guests’ arrival, affirming that they are either fully vaccinated or have received a negative COVID-19 test result within the last 48 hours. No additional steps are required after this point. The current maximum number of overnight days for each visitor is 14 days per semester, with no stay exceeding five consecutive days.

Convocation delayed due to anticipated heavy rain

Photo by Ali Meizels ’23.
This year’s seniors — the Yellow Sphinxes — celebrate their class pride at the 2021 Convocation.

By Michelle Brumley ’24

Staff Writer

One of Mount Holyoke’s most iconic traditions, Convocation, has seen both rain and shine since its formal kickoff in 1931. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020’s Convocation was entirely virtual. After a triumphant return in 2021, 2022’s Convocation has been rescheduled due to anticipated heavy rain on the original date of Sept. 6. As stated in an email to the community from the Office of the President, the new date for Convocation is Sunday, Sept. 18 — scheduled in part to accommodate student athletes, who frequently have games or meets on Saturdays. Some athletes, however, are scheduled to have their first game of the season this Sunday. This presents a scheduling challenge, according to rugby player Ava Healy ’24. Despite these setbacks, this year’s Convocation will take place on a day forecasted to be sunny and breezy, bringing together new and returning students alike.

New Zowie Banteah Cultural Center opens in new space

Photos by Gillian Petrarca ’23.
Left: Zowie Banteah ’96 and family traveled to the opening of the new Zowie Banteah Cultural Center. Right: Latrina Denson delivers opening remarks and background on the Zowie Banteah Cultural Center.

By Gillian Petrarca ’23

Staff Writer 

Content warning: This article mentions anti-Indigenous violence and addiction.

After months of preparation, the Zowie Banteah Cultural Center officially opened in its new space between Ham and MacGregor Halls on Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The event was attended by the center’s namesake — Zowie Banteah ’96 — and her family, as well as students, staff and faculty. 

Before entering the new space, attendees gathered outside of Ham Hall by Upper Lake to perform a blessing. Guests gathered around in a circle and were handed tobacco leaves to hold in their left hand, which were smudged with smoke. Larry Spotted Crow Mann of the Nipmuc Tribe performed the blessing. 

Before giving the blessing, Spotted Crow Mann shared that he began his storytelling and educational work after battling alcoholism. Spotted Crow Mann attributed the start of his recovery to watching a documentary about how Christopher Columbus brought alcohol and drugs to the Indigenous people. “Every generation suffered surfing our land and the deeds, and on and on it goes. All the health experiences that we suffer today [are] from that poison,” Spotted Crow Mann said. “I spent my entire life … [sharing with] young native people that [they] don’t have to drink or take drugs to have a good life. … I spread that message to all people to see the rapidness that it caused in our communities.” 

Spotted Crow Mann said that he takes a holistic approach to dealing with the trauma that Indigenous people may face. “I am so excited about what the youth are doing, what the elders are sharing and how we have access like never before,” Spotted Crow Mann said. “[My tribe] has more land now than we [have] had the last 300 years. When my great grandfather had his land, they took his land. … I am grateful to be here on this land of my people, to touch it and talk to all of you in a place that they weren’t even allowed to come on …” 

Spotted Crow Mann then gave a prayer in the Nipmuc language to bless the space. 

“I ask that we all celebrate by doing the work that needs to happen in these spaces that are Indigenous. It takes Indigenous people to show you. … I say that because we have the knowledge of this land. … We’re here to guide those allies and accomplish them and help them. So with that, I pray for this space to be a place of learning, sharing, teaching and coming together [for] social justice and collaboration. ,” Spotted Crow Mann prayed. 

Spotted Crow Mann thanked Zowie Banteah and her family personally. Banteah then led everyone into the space for the first time. 

After being led into the Center, Associate Dean of Students for Community and Belonging Latrina Denson gave opening remarks. Denson remarked that the opening was a moment the community had anticipated and worked toward. Denson acknowledged the ceremony as an opportunity to honor Banteah, faculty, staff, students and members of the community of Native and Indigenous origin. Denson then invited attendees to sign a green book to be placed in the College archives to remember the attendees of the opening. 

Denson specially thanked Juliette Gagnon Strong Heart ’24 for her work in helping create the new cultural center, commending Strong Heart for making strides in cultivating an open campus culture and inviting students to express themselves freely.

Denson went on to give a background of the Zowie Banteah space, which was opened in 1995 under its original name, Native Spirit. The Center was renamed in 1997 after alumna Zowie Banteah, who was instrumental in its founding. Denson then introduced Kijua Sanders-McMurtry, vice president for equity and inclusion. 

In their speech, Sanders-McMurtry spoke directly to the contributions that Banteah has made to the space and to the broader campus community. Specifically, Sanders-McCurty acknowledged the work that has been done since Banteah’s time as a student on campus. Before taking a moment to thank the individuals that cleaned the space, cooked the food and shopped for the decorations, Sanders-McMurtry thanked Banteah’s family for traveling to the event from New Mexico. 

Sanders-McMurtry closed the night by urging audience members not to simply identify themselves as “anti-racists,” but to address past wrongs and to work towards a more equitable future. On a hopeful note, the vice president for equity and inclusion addressed the audience as being collectively joined on a path towards anti-racism.

“I’m really excited about what can happen with all of you here today by doing that intentional work,” Crow Mann remarked.

Guests then enjoyed Indigenous food from Sly Fox Den Restaurant & Bar. After eating, guests viewed a song and dance by pow wow drum group Urban Thunder.

Senate holds Town Hall with Residential Life, discusses accessibility

Photo by Artemis Chen ‘25. At Senate, students asked Residential Life representatives about selecting and switching rooms.

Gillian Petrarca ’23

Staff Writer

After a land acknowledgment from the Chair of Senate Shula Mathew ’22, the April 26 senate meeting began. The meeting agenda included a Town Hall with Residential Life, E-Board updates and a presentation from the all-campus elections committee.

E-Board updates included Chair of Halls EJ Jankovic ’23 sharing the results from last week’s in-senate elections. Next year’s chair of senate will be EJ Jankovic ’23, Chair of halls will be Serynn Nowlin ’25 and chair of special interests will be Oumoulakyre Mounkaila ’24. Vice President of SGA Ananya Singh ’22 announced that the student activities fee will increase by $25 next year to pay for free menstrual products in the restrooms on campus and allow the E-Board to be paid.

Director of Community Standards & Housing Operations Rachel Alldis and Associate Director of Residential Life Nashalie Vasquez joined senate for a Town Hall meeting. Senators submitted questions last week with their commissions. Question topics ranged from housing selection times to room changes to accessibility in the dorms. 

When asked if students can be provided with basic cleaning supplies for their residence halls, such as vacuum cleaners and dustpans, Alldis replied that she knows facilities provide trash bags for students. Alldis stated that in the past, the school provided each dorm with a vacuum cleaner; however, vacuum cleaners were often either broken or stolen. Still, she expressed that she is happy to put in that request to facilities. Next, the two were asked if ResLife and the registrar could coordinate next year so that the housing lottery and class registration are not in the same week. Alldis responded that it is hard to do both of these things before spring break because many students do not begin thinking about their living situation until after this time. However, she will talk to the registrar moving forward. 

Vasquez was asked how ResLife uses the roommate preferences survey to match students with a roommate. Vasquez replied that for incoming students, she reads all of their applications and tries to match students that have similar habits. However, some students change their habits as they come to college. Vasquez reminded students that they can update their roommate profile each year when finding a new roommate. When asked what circumstances can warrant a room change, Vasquez explained that switching rooms should never be a student’s first response to a conflict with their roommate. The student should first talk to their RA or RF to try and mediate the conflict. Next, they should talk to their Area Coordinator. If going through these channels is unsuccessful, then the student can be moved. 

Lastly, Vasquez and Alldis were asked about accessibility in the dorms. A concern was raised about accommodations for students who live in buildings without elevators but become temporarily disabled during the school year. Vasquez responded that ResLife would work with Health Services on an individual basis to get the student temporary housing accommodations. In a follow-up question, a senator asked why there are no empty rooms on the first floor of every building in case this happens. Alldis replied that there are first-floor housing accommodations that prohibit non-accessible buildings from having empty rooms on the first floor. Vasquez and Alldis thanked everyone for inviting them to the senate meeting. 

The floor was then opened for a presentation by all-campus elections committee member Isabela Haskell ’23. Haskell stated that the all-campus SGA election did not reach a quorum. According to the SGA constitution, senate can approve the election or vote to allow the election to be open for one more week to reach a quorum. Senators had the opportunity to vote on this matter. 

Senate concluded with a statement of gratitude from the senate team and a cording ceremony for senior members, where senators sang the alma mater.

Mount Holyoke reinstates isolation in place policy

By Mariam Keita ’24

Managing Editor of Web

On Friday, April 22, the Division of Student Life announced in an email to students that the College will once again ask residential students who test positive for COVID-19 to shelter in place within their residence halls starting on April 25. 

The decision to reinstate the isolate in place policy comes from an upward trend in positive testing rates over the last few weeks. 

According to the email, this policy will affect those students who live alone or are currently rooming with a student who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days. Students who reside within three hours of campus and have a private vehicle will be asked to isolate at home. 

Alex Moreno ’22 was one of the first student at Mount Holyoke who was asked to isolate in place in their residential hall upon testing positive for COVID-19 when they arrived back on campus for ResLife training during winter break prior to the start of the Spring 2022 semester. 

“I tested positive [for COVID-19] literally the day I got to campus,” Moreno said. “I had taken a PCR at home. Because of the delays … the PCR that was supposed to come back in 24 hours took four days.”

Moreno, who works as a residential fellow, was in a Zoom training session for ResLife when they got the alert that they had tested positive. Upon receiving the alert, they immediately sent a text message to their area coordinator in ResLife asking what their next steps should be. 

“[My area coordinator was] like, ‘I’ll get back to you. You should call a health center.’” Moreno said.

Upon calling Health Services, Moreno’s phone call was sent to a voicemail box which relayed the message that the center was closed for several days. The voicemail then directed Moreno towards a number to call in case of an emergency. 

 “I was like, ‘Okay, I feel like I really need to talk. COVID[-19] like, that feels kind of serious.’ So I call them and then … [the person on the emergency line was] like well this isn’t an emergency so call at a different time and then they hung up on me. Yeah, they were just so mean,” Moreno recalled.

Having had yet to hear back from anyone as to what their next steps could or should be, Moreno described feeling uncertain about what to do. 

Eventually, Moreno received a call back from a Health Services employee during which they were presented with two options: opt into a quarantine and isolation housing space in one of the apartments on campus, or participate in the pilot launch of a new isolation program. 

Since Moreno’s room as a residential fellow contains a private bathroom, they were offered the chance to remain in their room. However, Moreno was given a caveat along with this option — they would be responsible for coordinating having all of their meals delivered to their door, because Dining Services employees were unable to enter residential buildings. 

“I chose to stay in my room just because I had also just moved back from Hampshire. I needed to unpack. I needed to be in my room. I couldn’t just leave all my stuff.” Moreno said. 

Moreno further explained that they were only asked to isolate in place for about three days, as Health Services was following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in counting the date that they received the first positive PCR test result as the beginning of their five-day contagion window.

Mount Holyoke Review hosts 3rd annual publication celebration

Photos by Ali Meizels ‘23. Left: Danyah Shaikh ‘25 reads a poem about her senior skip day in high school, published in the Mount Holyoke Review’s latest edition. Right: Morgan Sammut ‘22 performs their newly published writing, an interactive prose piece in the format of a personality quiz, with audience participation.

By Sammi Craig ’23

Staff Writer

On April 25, students gathered in the New York room of Mary Lyon Hall to celebrate the third publication of the Mount Holyoke Review, the College’s student-run literary magazine. Hard copies of the Review were distributed for personal ownership and for attendees to follow along with while contributors read poems, short stories and other written works aloud. 

The Review is an organization whose “mission is to provide a platform for Mount Holyoke College’s diverse voices through creative writing in the form of an annually printed quality literary magazine that will be compiled by the org,” according to their website. The organization works on each publication throughout the year before hosting an end-of-year launch party celebration.

The event started with introductions from the Review’s editors-in-chief, Kylie Gellatly FP ’23 and Ella White ’22, before the floor opened for writers to perform their work aloud. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., contributors to the publication were called up by name to present their work, while attendees followed along with their hard copies of the Review. Following the readings, some guests socialized while members of the Review congratulated one another. 

““It was really special for all the members of the org, especially for the seniors who have been with it from the start.””

— Sage Sanderspree '24

“I loved it. I’ve been a reader of the Review for two years now, so seeing it be published in a physical book was really satisfying. It was really special for all the members of the org, especially for the seniors who have been with it from the start,” Sage Sanderspree ’24, an audience member, said. 

The Review was founded at the beginning of the spring of 2020, with their first publication cycle interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After publishing two online-only editions throughout the 2020-2021 school year, this was the first in-person publication launch party. Excited to finally convene in person for an end-of-year event, several presenters thanked the founders of the organization and the publication’s contributors.

A virtual copy of the first two issues of the Mount Holyoke Review can be found on the organization’s website under the Issues section, with the new third publication scheduled to upload shortly.