The information on this page reflects arrival guidance for undergraduate students for the Spring 2021 term only.
For the most up-to-date information about arrival for Summer 2021, please visit https://student-affairs.dartmouth.edu/resources/2020-2021-planning-information
Dear Students with spring on-campus room assignments,
We have important information for you about the spring term arrival process. Please read carefully and be sure to factor this in as you prepare to be here for spring. Thank you in advance for joining us in working together to keep our community safe, and to reduce the risk of another campus outbreak.
PRE-ARRIVAL TESTING OVER THE BREAK
Later today, those of you who were not here this winter who have addresses within the United States will receive instructions for participation in our pre-arrival testing process. Please watch for that message, follow the instructions carefully, and use the unique link within it to schedule your pre-arrival test as soon as possible this week. Timing will be critical to ensure that pre-arrival test results are back before you begin travel to Hanover the week of March 22nd.
Those of you with international addresses are exempt from this process because of international shipping limitations.
TRAVEL GUIDANCE
Please plan to limit your contacts to your current household the week before you travel, and continue to monitor your temperature and symptoms. If you have a temperature, feel ill in any way or are concerned about a possible exposure, please call the Health Service at 603-646-9440, 24/7, to consult before travel begins.
If you have not tested at Dartmouth this year, you must complete this testing consent form prior to your arrival on campus. Completion of this form is required to receive your first on campus COVID-19 tests. It will take only a moment to do now, and doing it in advance will streamline your arrival process at Leverone next week.
PACKING, FAMILY & FRIENDS
Please bring only what you can carry with you yourself in case you have to leave on very short notice. You will not be able to leave belongings in your room or controlled storage if that happens. Family and friends are not permitted to enter the residence halls or other facilities, so you will be moving your things into and out of your room yourself.
LEVERONE IS YOUR FIRST STOP
You must go to Leverone on South Park Street before going to your room on campus, to check in for the term and to do the first of your required arrival tests. Those of you who are temporarily test exempt still need to come to Leverone to check in, and are required to follow all health and quarantine guidelines.
Arrival by car: See the map below. If someone is coming with you by car, please have them wait with the car in the Thompson Arena parking lot while you test. Family and friends are not permitted in any college facilities. You can walk from Thompson to Leverone across South Park Street, do your arrival testing, and return to the car to take your things to your room and move in for quarantine.
Leverone Field House
Arrival by Dartmouth Coach: The Coach will be stopping in the turnaround in front of Leverone. When you get off the bus and collect your bags, College staff will greet you and direct you to the Leverone entrance closest to the baggage area. You will leave your things in a designated and numbered space, take a picture of your bags, and then proceed through the line for testing. When you complete testing, you will return to your bags to walk with them yourself to your room, or to transfer them to FO&M staff for transport to one of three designated hubs for pick-up.
If you have a travel emergency, please send an email to Dean.of.the.College@dartmouth.edu with a contact number, and we will get back to you.
ARRIVAL TESTING
You must wear your face covering, maintain 6' physical distancing, comply with all other health guidelines and follow the directions of college staff at Leverone.
Staff will be there to welcome you and guide you through Leverone. While you are in line, testing staff will do a temperature and symptom check. You will check in for the term with Housing staff, and then move on to testing. This term, we'll be doing two tests on arrival - a rapid test, which provides preliminary results within an hour, and the more sensitive PCR test, which provides results in 24-48 hours. Testing staff will coach you through both tests, which are self-administered. When finished, you'll return to the baggage area to get your bags or transfer them to FO&M for transport, or return to your car in the Thompson lot.
If your temperature and symptom checks raise any concerns, college staff will take you to an area in Floren for transport to the Health Service for further assessment. If that happens and you have bags in Leverone, a staff member will get them and bring them to you in Floren so that they go with you to Dick's House.
RESIDENCE HALL MOVE-IN
When you get to your room with your bags, please move yourself in quickly. Family and friends must remain outside and may not go in to assist you. Keep your face covering on and make sure you maintain physical distancing. If you arrived in your own car, you may leave your hall to park it in A-lot, and then return quickly to your room to begin quarantine.
Residential Operations will leave guidelines for bathroom use, laundry use and daily window opening to enhance ventilation in your room. Please be sure that you follow their instructions to reduce risk of transmission for yourself and for others.
If you encounter custodial staff in the residence halls, DDS staff in dining venues, or staff and faculty elsewhere, please be kind and appreciative, and again, please be wearing your face coverings and maintain 6' physical distance at all times when you are not alone in your room with the door closed. If you are not in compliance, employees may understandably become concerned about exposure, you yourself are at risk of transmission, and you are putting your ability to remain on campus at risk.
ARRIVAL QUARANTINE
Rapid test results and meals: With the availability of the rapid test in addition to the PCR test this term, we can do this a little differently than we have before. You should remain alone in your room, leaving only to use the restroom, until you have received your rapid test results (usually within an hour).
If your rapid test results are negative, you'll be able to pick up your pre-ordered meals at one of four assigned DDS locations on campus. You may eat alone outdoors or in your room with the door closed, but you should not be eating together during the quarantine period.
If your rapid test results are positive, Health Service staff will call you and guide you through next steps.
If for some reason your rapid test results couldn't be processed, Health Service staff will be in touch and you'll need to remain in your room (with meals delivered) until your PCR results are back within 24- 48 hours.
Going outdoors: Once you have your negative rapid test results, you may also go for walks or outdoor exercise on campus - wearing your face covering and observing all physical distancing and other requirements. You may walk or get out with one other person, provided that you're both following the health guidelines. Please note that you may not enter other College facilities or go into town or local businesses until you are fully released from quarantine after negative tests are confirmed on day 7.
Storage pickup: If you have items in storage that you need to retrieve, you may contact Residential Operations to schedule a time to get them during quarantine- again wearing your face covering and maintaining physical distance at all times.
Temperature/symptom monitoring: Please remember that you need to monitor your temperature and symptoms and that you must submit your Temperature Self-Assessment daily through the TSA tile on DartHub. If you experience symptoms or are concerned about a possible exposure at any time, please call the Health Service at 646-9440, 24/7.
Additional testing: You will walk to Leverone to test again twice more during quarantine. You'll get more information about that closer to arrival. You will be formally released from quarantine by the Health Service once they have confirmed negative test results on day 7. If you have a positive test result, Health Service staff will contact you and inform you of next steps.
You'll receive more information about dining and facilities access when you are fully released from quarantine. College facilities will begin to open for undergraduates approved for on-campus enrollment the week of April 5th, when everyone is out of quarantine.
We are relying on your compliance with all of these expectations to promote our greatest chance of a successful term. Thank you in advance for your continued good spirit and cooperation.
All the best,
Dr. Mark Reed, Director of the Health Service
Mike Wooten, Associate Dean of Residential Life