Berkshire Symphony hosts Sara Davis Buechner, piano concert is CANCELLED. Was scheduled for this Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapin Hall on the Williams College campus.
From President Maud Mandel on March 9 re) Additional steps for COVID-19 prevention & mitigation:
Williams students, faculty and staff,
The COVID-19 virus is continuing to spread nationally, including a confirmed case in Clarksburg, MA, 7 miles east of Williams, and another in Bennington, VT. I am writing today to announce further steps to protect campus and prepare for the possibility that a case occurs here despite our best efforts. You can always find this information on the college’s COVID-19 website, too.
Since activities involving heightened personal interaction, including gatherings and travel, can be a source of exposure, we are making the following changes as of today:
First, college-sponsored international travel will not be allowed through April 30, 2020, with a possible extension beyond that time if it becomes necessary to ensure campus health. College funds may not be used for any trips occurring during this time. This is partly to limit the risk to our community, and partly because all of us as members of society have an ethical obligation to avoid activities that increase the risk of contagion. It is not a decision we make lightly, and we will continue to review the situation with the goal of lifting the prohibition as soon as evidence indicates it is safe to do so.
Second, we are canceling all campus events between now and April 30, 2020 that have an expected attendance of 100 or more. The college has meeting spaces that can accommodate crowds of fewer than 100 while allowing the recommended six-foot minimum distance between guests to limit contagion. For this reason, we believe 100 people is a meaningful cutoff point for now. Again, we are continually reviewing the situation and will inform you if it becomes necessary to extend or amend the policy. As part of our decision, we are also canceling Previews, our campus program for admitted students and families, which was scheduled to begin on April 20. There will also be no admission tours, info sessions or admitted student overnights during this time, all decisions comparable to those made by a number of other schools around the country.
The COVID-19 team has begun contacting many organizers of affected events. If you fall into this category, faculty with questions should please contact the Office of Commencement and Academic Events, while students should reach out to the Office of Student Life. Staff, your point of contact will vary, so please work with the appropriate liaison for your particular program.
This global outbreak challenges all of us, not just logistically or economically, but psychologically. While in the great majority of cases the symptoms of COVID-19 will resemble the flu, the uncertainty demands resilience. It is important that we take time to care for ourselves and each other, and especially to think about the most vulnerable. Any Williams employee with a complicating condition or circumstance should contact the Office of Human Resources to request accommodations. The HR team will offer a streamlined, confidential process. Students, if you have health concerns please call Student Health Services right away—they will not accept walk-ins for now, to limit the risk of contagion, but are there to help you. The college will work with every student to help you complete your academic program safely.
This outbreak is challenging schools to think creatively about how to guarantee academic rigor under adverse circumstances, and I thank our faculty and staff for problem-solving to keep us on mission. Indeed, I’m grateful to everyone, from custodians and dining staff to Health Services, Study Away, Admission and Financial Aid, CSS and deans, student leaders, event hosts, and others who are all adjusting your work—sometimes day to day—to keep people safe and the college operating smoothly.
Our team has reviewed the situation with local, state and national public health experts, and they consistently ask us to emphasize to campus that the number one thing we can all do to protect ourselves is to practice good hygiene: wash hands frequently and for a minimum of 20 seconds at a time, cover coughs and sneezes with the crook of an elbow, avoid touching our faces, and avoid contact or proximity with anyone who is already ill.
Again, I appreciate your cooperation with the prohibition on travel and the ban on large campus events. We will review the outlook on both decisions frequently, and will let you know whether we need to extend them or whether they can be curtailed. These decisions have real consequences for our mission, jobs and lives, and I appreciate your temporary sacrifices for our collective health and safety.
Maud
Make a difference, one child at a time: The Fresh Air Fund is looking for local families to host visiting children for one week this summer. Income-qualified children from New York City are provided a chance to visit beautiful, safe, and quiet areas such as the Berkshires for a break from the city. With your help a child can experience the freedom of playing outdoors, swimming in clean water, and breathing fresh air.
For more information on becoming a Fresh Air Fund host family please visit https://freshair.org/ or contact Rachel, Rachel.Louis.241@
Williams College is offering an amazing science experience at the Williams College Summer Science Lab the weeks of July 6-10 and July 13-17, 2020. This week-long lab is run by two Chemistry Faculty at Williams College using the fully equipped Chemistry Labs at Williams with the help of Williams students and two local teachers.
The cost of the program is $225 for Early Bird registration through April 30th and $250 for registration on or after May 1st. Scholarships are available thanks to generous funding from Williams College. To request scholarship funding check the appropriate box on the online registration form and submit the form by May 1st. Please note that Summer Science Lab fills up quickly, so early registration is advised!
Contact sslab@williams.edu with questions.
The purpose of the fair is to provide community members with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with local nonprofits needing volunteers. Over 30 nonprofits will man tables and Age-Friendly Berkshires will coordinate a “civic station” with information on municipal committee and board openings.
The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) is teaming up Northern Berkshire Community Coalition & Northern Berkshire United Way to host “Give Back Berkshires” Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, April 15 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Campus Center gym at MCLA in North Adams.
The fair is free and open to the public.
