An email sent to the Hamilton College community on Tuesday, Feb. 22, detailed changes to the College’s masking policies. Effective Tuesday, Feb. 22, masks are only required to be worn in classrooms during class, labs and studios, the Testing Center, the Health Center and indoor events that include external audiences (e.g. indoor athletic and performing arts events). Additionally, individuals can request masks be worn during meetings, when interactions are in close proximity and for visitors while indoors in public areas. As stated in the email, “Hamilton is moving to relax some of the mask requirements on campus and, contingent on weekly test results, will proceed to relax other COVID-19 protocols as appropriate.”
Since Jan. 1, 2022, the College has recorded 187 total student, 54 total employee and 31 total third party COVID-19 cases.
In an interview prior to the mask update, Dean of Students Terry Martinez shared that “across the NESCACs, folks are having the conversation about when and how they are going to be moving, and we are definitely having that conversation in our task force.” According to Dean Martinez, the Hamilton COVID-19 Task Force considered a variety of factors in the decision making process beyond just the COVID-19 positivity rate on campus.
On Tuesday, Feb. 22, the COVID-19 positivity rate on campus was 1.26% among students and 0.81% among employees. “We know that it is likely that we will have folks throughout the semester that will continue to get it, but for us we’re trying to make sure that we can manage and so far this semester it’s evident that we can manage higher numbers,” Dean Martinez explained.
Dean Martinez also stated that the low positivity rate on campus, the declining numbers locally and the College’s capacity to manage positive COVID-19 cases “gives us an opportunity to take a look at our position” on masks. Dean Martinez ended the conversation by sharing, “We’re all looking forward to the day when we can see each other’s faces again, so hopefully that will be sooner than later.”
New York State required masks to be worn inside businesses beginning Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 in light of the rise in COVID-19 cases associated with the Omicron variant. However, in an announcement on Wednesday, Feb. 9, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul declared that the statewide indoor mask-or-vaccine mandate would expire on Thursday, Feb. 10. This change in mask policy emanated from a sharp decline in COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations.
Businesses, local governments and counties can now enforce mask policies independently. However, certain high-density areas will continue to require people to wear masks. These areas include all health care settings regulated by the Department of Health, nursing homes, adult care facilities, correctional facilities, detention centers, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, public transit and transportation hubs, trains, planes and airports. Educational settings in New York are also still required to enforce mask wearing, though Hochul plans to assess school mask requirements in early March (using public health data, including key metrics like cases per 100,000 residents, hospital admission rates, vaccination rates, global trends and pediatric hospitalizations).
With the lifting of mask mandates in New York and across the country, many other colleges and universities are adjusting their mask policies. The State University of New York (SUNY) system is basing their mask policies on ensuring an in-person learning experience. The universal mask mandate remains intact throughout the SUNY system, but administrators have established a plan to begin lifting the mask requirement in consultation with public health departments.
Colgate University, a private institution just 20 miles away from Clinton, has lifted the mask mandate on campus with a few exceptions: masks must be worn on the school’s buses and inside Student Health Services. Faculty and students are also advised to carry masks on their person at all times. Furthermore, the Colgate masking guidelines state that “a faculty or staff member may require a student or colleague to wear masks within their classrooms or offices. Faculty or staff members may require masks for programs and events held inside classrooms or other campus spaces as well.”
Professor of Economics, Department Chair and Henry Platt Bristol Professor of Public Policy Ann Owen expressed her opinion on the changing of the mask policy here at Hamilton. “If the CDC guidelines suggest that rates of transmission in our area are low enough to get rid of the mask requirement, then I think that we should. I don’t think we should do it simply because we are tired of wearing masks or not change the policy because we have an irrational fear. As we consider any changes to the policy, we should be sure to consider the impact on any vulnerable members of our community and ensure that the risk is manageable for all.” She continued, “personally, I dislike teaching in a mask and looking out at a bunch of masked faces in the class. So, I hope that conditions do improve significantly so that we can get rid of masks before the end of the semester.”
Professor Owen also addressed the policy changes at colleges nearby. “I hope we do not adopt Colgate’s policy in which it is up to the individual faculty member to decide if students should mask in their classrooms. It somehow puts the responsibility on the faculty member to determine the risk, and I don’t think we are always in the best position to do that.”
