Ten Key Takeaways from Haverford’s Fall 2020 Roadmap

Unlike many other educational institutions, Haverford’s campus will be open for all students come fall 2020. But the experience will be unlike any semester in the college’s history. Though the plan for the fall semester—made public on July 2—echoes many of the college’s previous statements, it also offers a freshly detailed look at how the return will work in practice.

Distilled here are ten key takeaways from the release. The latest information can be found at Haverford’s Coronavirus Hub.

Residential life

1. Students must chose a course of action by July 10: either returning to campus, taking a leave of absence, or attending remotely. While the survey, distributed by email on July 6, is not binding, Haverford will be unable to guarantee housing to students who do not commit to returning to campus. The school is using this as a tool to gauge student interest and plan accordingly.
2. To accommodate social distancing, most students will be placed into single rooms. This is made possible by lower expected enrollment, as well as Haverford’s usual abundance of single rooms. Some people may have their room assignments changed to properly accommodate this arrangement. If in-person enrollment is high enough, certain pairs of students will be able to opt-in to a double and social distance together. Off-campus housing is permitted, provided that students undergo the same checks as staff commuting to Haverford.
3. Move-in will be staggered over three weeks prior to the beginning of classes. On-hall Customs people will move in on August 16, with a number of other early arrivals joining them over the following two weeks. First-year students arrive between August 30 to September 2 for an entirely online Customs. Returning students will arrive between September 2 to September 7. Since students will be assigned specific move-in days later in the summer, they should wait to make travel plans.
4. During the week prior to their move-in date, all students will be required to submit proof of a negative COVID test. They will then be tested again when they arrive on campus. Checks and monitoring will continue throughout the semester.

Academics

5. Haverford will offer a blend of online-only and hybrid courses. All classes will be fully accessible for students that choose not to return to campus. A list of classes—and the format by which they will be administered—will be available before re-registration begins.
6. Haverford has planned for the fall in close conjunction with Bryn Mawr. As a result, classes at both colleges will be offered to students across the Bi-College Consortium. Swarthmore and UPenn have been developing their plans separately, so there is not a similar guarantee that Haverford students will be able to enroll in classes at the other two schools of the Quaker Consortium.

Campus life

7. Clear expectations have been outlined for students, designed to minimize risk on campus. Mask wearing and social distancing will be required in all spaces outside of one’s own apartment or suite. Students will be expected to self-monitor and keep a daily contact journal.
8. The Dining Center will have a significantly lowered maximum occupancy of 100 people. Seating will be adjusted and tables will seat a single person each. Dining services will be expanding Grab-n-Go options as an alternative to the DC, available to be picked up at the Coop, DC basement, and library cafe. Meal Plan Equivalencies will be available at all of these locations as well.
9. The college will become a closed campus. Although a document published by the Dean’s Office differs from information on the coronavirus hub, guests will either be strictly limited—with pre-registration required—or barred entirely. This restriction applies to residential, academic, administrative, and outdoor spaces as well as student events.
10. There will be designated quarantine spaces for students who are suspected to have contracted COVID-19. Those who test positive will remain in quarantine and stay in regular contact with Health Services. If the illness becomes too serious to be treated on campus, they can be transported to Bryn Mawr hospital for additional treatment. Health Services will facilitate the process if a parent or caretaker intends to remove a student from campus while sick.