Dear members of the Kenyon College community,
As reported in the COVID-19 dashboard and yesterday’s announcement about extending the quiet period through Feb. 28, our third round of testing students in residence has so far yielded 5 positive test results from 587 results received to date, a rate of about 0.9 percent (based on our experience, we expect the remaining 599 results over the next two days). While this rate is higher than what we saw in our first two rounds of testing, it is manageable with the proper precautions. The extended quiet period will allow us to collect more data, including a complete picture of the third round results.
Over the past few days, we have heard from members of the Kenyon community that they are concerned about the level of restriction we have set for the quiet period, both that the policies are too restrictive and that they are not restrictive enough. A particular area of concern is Peirce, especially the practice of permitting quarantined students to pick up their meals from the servery.
I understand and share the desire to mitigate risk wherever possible for the health of this community and for the most vulnerable among us. From the beginning of the pandemic, we have drawn on the best science available to balance three overarching goals: to lower the risk of transmission and illness; to preserve the Kenyon academic experience; and to create a familiar, albeit modified, campus experience.
We know that the greatest risk of transmission occurs when people are not wearing masks or not wearing them properly, when they are less than 6 feet apart for more than 15 minutes, and when they are projecting their voices or breathing heavily. The risk is greater when these activities are taking place indoors.
In deciding which activities to restrict during the quiet period, we considered both the nature of the activities and how much control we have over the environment in which they are happening. In classes, students and faculty wear masks and spaces are arranged to keep people 6 feet apart. The same is true in the Lowry Center. There, too, occupancy is limited and patrons must register to use the facility. While personal responsibility is a critical part of the equation, there are mechanisms to hold one another accountable.
In Peirce, we have focused on spreading out usage over extended hours and moving students through the servery quickly. Students wear masks when not actively eating and are directed to keep 6 feet between them. AVI staff monitor spacing in line and correct it as necessary. With these precautions in place, the risk of transmission is low, and quarantined students can safely pick up their meals there. However, we have heard from students that the public health practices are inconsistent — I suspect that this is not out of disregard for others but out of long-established habits of how we move through lines, find community over food and linger in conversation.
The COVID Steering Committee and AVI have therefore developed a plan to introduce greater mitigation controls in Peirce. Starting with lunch on Monday, students in quarantine will pick up meals from Peirce Pub, using a dedicated entrance on the north side of the building to access the lower level. (Students with mobility concerns will be able to arrange accommodations.) They will not be permitted in the servery or in the dining rooms. We recognize that this system still depends on personal responsibility, but we trust that our students have the best interests of the community in mind. We appreciate your patience as we work to make this as smooth a process as possible.
Finally, gatherings of any kind are prohibited during the quiet period — in study spaces and lounges, in student rooms and apartments. And while we trust that students are not gathering in large groups, wearing masks and staying at least 6 feet apart is the best way to reduce the number of close contacts each of us has every day.
Keeping a distance from our closest friends requires a different mindset and set of habits from what many of us have been practicing in our homes and learning pods off campus. I know, too, that of all the restrictions we must ask you to make, this is the hardest. But it is among the ones that matter most.
We will continue to monitor all our data closely, and we will not hesitate to adjust our operations should our assessment of the level of risk change. We all share an interest in the health and well-being of this community. I thank you for your ongoing feedback and am grateful for your partnership.
Sincerely,
Sean Decatur
President