The new policy, which takes effect tomorrow evening, rolls back some restrictions implemented on September 17 and puts Columbia’s and Barnard’s guest policies in close alignment.

In separate emails Thursday morning, CC, SEAS, and Barnard announced the resumption of limited student access to dormitories to which they are not assigned starting tomorrow, October 1, at 5 pm. General Studies students will also have these limited dorm access abilities.  Each student will now be allowed to sign one guest into their residence hall, so long as the guest holds a CUID and a Green Pass from ReopenCU or CoVerify. This is a new development following the moratorium on all student access to dorms other than their own, which was implemented on September 17. 

Additionally, indoor gathering restrictions were clarified and unified between the three schools. Guests in each room or suite will be allowed up to a maximum of double the official occupancy limit, and at Columbia, indoor non-academic gatherings have now returned to the 25-person limit set prior to the start of the semester. 

These new policies will be reviewed in two weeks, and restrictions will be adjusted as necessary. 

Email sent by Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to students on Thursday, September 30, at 10:11 am:

Dear [insert student name],

We are pleased to announce that the following residential community restrictions, put in place on September 17, are being adjusted effective Friday, October 1 at 5 p.m.

Guests

Residential students will be able to sign in and host one undergraduate guest. Guests must be a Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, Barnard or General Studies student, with an active CUID and GreenPass.Only one guest is allowed at a time.

Guests may only visit their host’s room or suite. The total number of guests in a room or suite shall not exceed double the assigned occupancy.

Social and Extracurricular Gatherings

These masked indoor gatherings will return to the low risk (yellow) limit of 25 people for Columbia College and Columbia Engineering students.

To continue slowing the spread of COVID-19, the following restrictions will remain in place:

Students will only be able to swipe into their assigned residence hall. Commuter access to residence halls will not be allowed, unless signed in as the guest of a resident. A 25% random sample of undergraduates will continue to be selected each week for required PCR testing through the Columbia Testing Program. If selected, please schedule your test promptly. You will receive a RedPass and your campus access will be impacted if you do not test within the required time frame.

These revised restrictions will remain in effect for an additional two-week period, at which time we will re-evaluate and determine if any can be lifted safely. Continue wearing your mask indoors – on and off-campus – even with small groups of close friends, and maintain your commitment to the community health compact.

Finally, thank you for all your efforts in adhering with these measures to reduce transmission of COVID-19. We appreciate your continued support as we work to maintain the safety of our community and move to green.

Columbia College and Columbia Engineering

Email sent by Dean Leslie Grinage to Barnard students on Thursday, September 30, at 10:35 am:

Dear Students, 

We have been very appreciative of your flexibility as we work together as a campus community to mitigate the occurrence of COVID-19 at Barnard. I am happy to share that we will adjust the guest access restrictions that went into effect in the residence halls on September 17. These changes do not go into effect until 5:00 PM, October 1, and students are expected to follow our current guest restrictions until then. We remain in close contact with Columbia and will review this policy in two weeks. 

Effective Friday, October 1 at 5:00 pm: 

Residential students with valid BC ID may visit any Barnard residence hall and are required to complete the following steps:

  • Guest of the residence hall must tap their ID at the front desk and complete QR code Guest Form•The host must meet visiting student at the front desk of the residence hall
  • Unattended guests will not be permitted to enter the residence halls 

Non-residential Students and CU ID holders:

  • Must tap their ID at the front desk and complete the QR Guest Form at the front desk of the residence hall they wish to gain access to
  • Must show Access Attendant CoVerify or ReOpenCU ‘green screen’
  • The host must meet guest at the front desk of the residence hall
  • Unattended guests will not be permitted to enter the residence halls 

All students are reminded of the following guest limits:

  • Students may host 1 guest at a time, and the total number of guests in the room or suite shall not exceed double to assigned occupancy.
  • Example: a suite of four (4) residents shall not exceed a total of eight people in the space at one time (4 residents, 4 guests).

Please remember that the return to allowing guests does not go into effect until October 1 at 5:00 PM. Thank you for upholding the Community Commitment and Personal Responsibility Pledge and doing your part to help protect the health and safety of the community. 

Sincerely,
Dean Grinage

Reporting contributed by Eliza Staples and Henry Astor.

Wallach via Bwog Archives