Hobart and William Smith Colleges

January 8, 2021

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we begin to welcome students, faculty and staff to campus for the start the spring 2021 semester, HWS will again provide free COVID-19 testing to all employees who are asymptomatic. To protect the health and wellbeing of all members of the community, including staff who will be administering the tests, if you are symptomatic, we ask that you reach out to your health care provider for guidance and alternate testing options.

Tests for faculty and staff will be administered concurrently with students on a walk-in basis from January 15-24, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., in the Winn-Seeley Gymnasium. As we did in the fall, the Colleges have partnered with the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., which will process the tests generally within 24 hours. Results will be communicated directly to employees, with negative results delivered via email and positive results via a phone call to determine next steps regarding isolation and contact tracing. Positive results will also be sent to the Ontario County and New York State Departments of Health. Testing for faculty and staff is not mandatory and is offered as a service to employees only.

As we wrote earlier this week, we will communicate any information regarding vaccine distribution as soon as it becomes available. If you have any questions about the Colleges’ testing plan or any other matter related to the start of the spring semester, please feel free to reach out us any time either directly or via Spring2021@hws.edu.

Thank you in advance for your continued efforts to keep our community safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Mary Coffey
Provost and Dean of Faculty

Robb Flowers
Vice President for Campus Life