COVID-19 on campus: How are Bates and Bowdoin holding up?

The start of October ushers in more than pumpkin spice lattes and spooky costumes; it marks seven weeks since Colby and many other institutions across the country cautiously welcomed students back on campus. Despite initial fears about students being sent home early, consistent testing, new protocols, and the cooperation of the Colby community have helped prevent an out- break of the virus.

Peer schools such as Bates College and Bowdoin College also developed their own robust, unique reopening plans. Like Colby, the two colleges closed their campus- es to the public and instituted a rigorous testing and contact tracing program. Although both models shared similar success in establishing a safe and healthy learning environment, their methods differ slightly from Colby’s.

Bates followed a similar re-opening plan, albeit with stricter consequences for certain action.

Prior to their arrival on campus, Bates students were required to present a negative COVID-19 result. Students were then tested on campus before beginning a short quarantine period and again three days later.

After this initial testing, students have been tested twice weekly throughout the semester. Faculty are tested less frequently and only when their circumstances or off-campus interactions require it. Students who miss more than two scheduled tests risk facing disciplinary action and being sent home.

“Robust testing and con- tact tracing are critical to achieve this goal of maintain- ing the health and safety of the Bates community during the pandemic,” the Bates Communications Office said.

All tests are processed by the Clinical Research Sequencing Platform at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the same facility that processes Colby’s tests.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 are required to remain in isolation for 14 days or until cleared. Any individuals who came in con- tact with the infected student are also required to quarantine for a two-week period.

In an effort to reduce large gatherings, Bates has also decided to adjust its academic calendar to offer its fall and winter semesters in a “two plus two” format. In other words, students will take two classes for the first half of the semester and a different two the second half, totaling in four classes by the end of each semester.

On Aug. 28, Bates reported having conducted 577 employee tests and 1,168 student tests since Aug. 26. At that time, only one student had tested positive for the virus and was moved into isolation housing. The Maine CDC was made aware of the case.

Bates is currently allowing limited student gathering. While practicing social distancing and wearing masks, students are able to meet outside, in academic buildings, or gather in dorms with other students who live in the same building. However, students are not allowed to enter other dorms.

Students will leave for the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 26, and, if the College deems it safe to do so, return to cam- pus on Friday, Jan. 8.

Bowdoin also made the decision to bring students back in the fall, but not all students were welcomed on campus. Only first years, transfer students, and students with unique home or academic circumstances were allowed to return.

All other sophomores, juniors, and seniors have remained off campus for the fall semester and take their courses online. With priority given to seniors, Bowdoin plans to have seniors, juniors, and sophomores return to campus for the spring semester, while first years and transfer students will study remotely in the spring.

Each student staying on campus has a single All classes, including those for students on campus, will be taught online with the exception of first-year writing seminars which will be taught in person or incorporate in- person elements.

Similar to the codes used at Colby, Bowdoin operates on status levels, which regulate interactions and gatherings. As of Oct. 6, the current status is yellow, meaning less than three new cases are re- ported weekly.

There are currently no active cases, with 8,831 students tests and 8,066 faculty

tests recorded since the start of the school year. There have been a total of three positive student cases and one positive faculty case; all individuals have recovered.

Unlike Bates’s change to its academic schedule, Bowdoin will continue with its normal fifteen-week semester, with all students leaving campus ahead of Thanksgiving and finishing the term online.

Although the respective gyms and other athletic facilities are open for use at all three colleges, none will be participating in the NESCAC athletic conference this fall.

The COVID-19 outbreak has significantly altered nearly every aspect of college life, but the preparation

and planning behind each re- opening, although different, have allowed each institution to offer in-person instruction and to bring at least some of its students back to campus.

Other, larger universities’ struggles to contain the spread of the virus shows just how important it is to follow these new guidelines and continue to social distance. Although most institutions have been forced to cancel in-person classes and move to online instruction, the Maine Big Three hope the continued implementation of their testing programs and distancing protocols will allow their students to finish their fall semester on campus.

~Maura Thompson `24