After two days of the in-person International Student Pre-Orientation (ISP) program, the program transitioned to an online platform following a positive COVID-19 test from a student.
Everyone in the program was put on “shelter in place” for one day. They were told the “shelter in place” would last for three days. After CIRT assessed all the information, the “shelter in place” was rescinded. “This has been a continual process for CIRT of reevaluating policies as the ground is moving underneath us,” Caitlin Szymkowicz, Associate Dean for International Students & Scholars, said.
International students arrived August 22 for ISP, and quickly moved into their dorms and began programming in person. The Cutter-Ziskind Dining Hall opened exclusively for international students and they generally did not socialize with the rest of campus.
Vaccinated students were tested for COVID-19 as they arrived, while unvaccinated students were given a rapid test. Programming for ISP began before the test results for all participants were received.
While all indoor programming requires students to wear masks, there are no social distancing rules, people eat in groups in dining halls, and no masks are required outside.
During planning over the summer, when they did not arrange to require everyone to wear masks indoors, the school decided ISP would have a mandatory masked policy. Szymkowicz told The Sophian they came into the programming knowing international students had reported a lower vaccination rate, coming from countries with varying vaccine capacities, as well as had more exposure to the virus due to flying in from around the world.
One student in the program tested positive for COVID-19, prompting program leaders to move the entire program online for the rest of the program. All students in ISP were notified via email they were to be under a “shelter in place” order because someone in their program tested positive for COVID-19. The name of the student who tested positive was not given to the rest of the program due to confidentiality. “We didn’t cancel ISP, I think that’s a really good indicator of the fact that we weren’t prepared for this,” Szymkowicz said.
Szymkowicz explained during orientation it is often difficult to remember all the names of the people you sit next to. Because of this, contract tracing becomes difficult.
When asked why students did not quarantine when they arrived on campus Szymkowicz explained that decision was made by CIRT, and she did not want to act against their recommendations.
The rest of campus was not notified that all of the students in the program were put on hold in place despite many sharing hallways and bathrooms.
The day the students were put on “shelter in place”, Smith changed the COVID-19 testing requirement from once a week to twice a week. Administration did not say this incident led to the change in policy.
The Sophian spoke with one student in ISP who chose to remain anonymous, who said they thought that Smith handled the program well. They said they feel it is better to have orientation in person despite the potential risks.
As of September 3, there is one person in isolation and zero students in quarantine.
(Photo via MassLive)
