Barnard College is making every effort to be back on our beautiful campus this fall, as soon as it is safe to do so. As we look toward September and beyond, we understand that our return to in-person teaching and learning will require creativity, flexibility, and agility. With external circumstances and public health guidance changing daily, College leadership is advancing multiple, comprehensive contingency plans for coming back together as soon as possible. 

President Beilock and her senior leadership team continue to use these fundamental principles to guide their decisions: 

• Maintaining Barnard’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence;
• Assuring that Barnard will continue its unique, critical academic mission for the long term; and
• Supporting the physical and mental health as well as the financial well-being of our students, faculty, and staff, especially those who are the most vulnerable.

Supporting the existing planning structures at Barnard, including President Beilock’s Senior Staff and the Incident Response Team (both of which meet multiple times per week), several ad hoc groups have been convened to develop and update contingency plans for coming months. Subject-matter experts, within and outside Barnard, are consulted to ensure that these groups have accurate and comprehensive data to inform their work.

AY 2021 Administrative Planning Committee

• Linda Bell (chair), Provost and Dean of the Faculty
• Jennifer Fondiller ’88, Vice President for Enrollment
• Leslie Grinage, Dean of the College
• Saskia Hamilton, Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Curriculum and Professor of English
• Christina Kuan Tsu ’83, Interim Dean of Studies, Senior Associate Dean of Studies, Dean for the Sophomore Class, Transfer Advising Dean
• Reshmi Mukherjee, Vice Provost of Academic Research and Centers and Helen Goodhart Altschul Professor of Physics
• Jennifer Rosales, Executive Director of the Center for Engaged Pedagogy
• Jennifer Simmons, Registrar

AY 2021 Faculty Planning Committee

• Rachel Austin, Diana T. and P. Roy Vagelos Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Chemistry
• Linda Bell (chair), Provost and Dean of the Faculty
• Peter Connor, Professor of French and Chair of Barnard’s Comparative Literature and Translation Studies program
• Karen Fairbanks, Professor of Professional Practice in Architecture and Chair of the Department of Architecture
• Severin Fowles, Chair of American Studies, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Archaeology Track
• Saskia Hamilton, Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Curriculum and Professor of English
• Laura Kay, Professor of Physics & Astronomy and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Brian Larkin, Professor of Anthropology, Director of Graduate Studies, and Co-director of the Center for Comparative Media, Columbia University
• Rachel McDermott, Professor and Chair of the Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures Department 
• Monica Miller, Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies
• Reshmi Mukherjee, Vice Provost of Academic Research and Centers and Helen Goodhart Altschul Professor of Physics
• Laurie Postlewate, Senior Lecturer in French
• Jennifer Rosales, Executive Director, Center for Engaged Pedagogy
• Rajiv Sethi, Professor of Economics and Chair of the Department of Economics
• Lisa Tiersten, Professor of History

Lab Research Planning Group

• Rachel Austin, Diana T. and P. Roy Vagelos Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Chemistry Department
• Brian Mailloux, Professor in Environmental Science and Co-Chair of the Environmental Science Department
• Jennifer Mansfield, Professor of Biological Sciences and Chair of the Biology Department
• Reshmi Mukherjee, Vice Provost of Academic Research and Centers and Helen Goodhart Altschul Professor of Physics
• Russell Romeo, Professor of Psychology, and Neuroscience and Behavior
• Rae Silver, Helene L. and Mark N. Kaplan Professor of Natural & Physical Sciences
• Martin Stute, Alena Wels Hirschorn '58 and Martin Hirschorn Professor in Environmental and Applied Sciences and Co-Chair of the Environmental Science Department

Return to Campus Working Group

• Emy Cardoza, Associate Dean for Student Life
• Stacey Faraci, Associate General Counsel
• Jennifer Fondiller ’88, Vice President for Enrollment
• Wendy Garay, First-Year Class Dean, Dean for International Students, and Senior Associate Dean of Studies
• Alexcia Gayle, Employee & Labor Relations Director in Human Resources
• Ariana González Stokas, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Saskia Hamilton, Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Curriculum and Professor of English
• Melanie Hibbert, Interim Co-Dean, BLAIS (Barnard Library and Academic Information Services); Director of IMATS (Instructional Media & Technology Services) and Sloate Media Center
• Lizeth Jaramillo, Senior Associate Director for Residential Life
• Roger Mosier (co-chair), Vice President for Campus Services & Interim Vice President for Operations
• Reshmi Mukherjee, Vice Provost of Academic Research and Centers and Helen Goodhart Altschul Professor of Physics
• Mary Joan Murphy, PNP-BC, MSN, MPH, Executive Director of Student Health & Wellness Programs
• Virginia Ryan '83, Secretary to the Board of Trustees and Associate General Counsel
• Holly Tedder, Director of CARDS (Center for Accessibility Resources and Disability Services)
• Cynthia Yang ’02 (co-chair), Deputy Chief of Staff to the President

The following unranked principles guide the Return to Campus Working Group as they plan scenarios and develop recommendations. Decisions related to returning to campus will be based on the ability of any given scenario to be the following:

• Safe. The return to campus should ensure that all members of the community are as safe as possible, with provisions for proper testing and health evaluation procedures, as well as contingency plans such as quarantine and isolation spaces.
• Equitable. To the extent possible through reasonable accommodations, the return to campus should be available to community members of all abilities.
• Meaningful. The return to campus should be meaningful to our students in terms of the campus experience and academic program, including a sense of community and opportunity from being on campus.
• Flexible. The return to campus should be able to scale as necessary and to be quickly responsive to external factors that may be beyond Barnard’s control.
• Robust. The return to campus should seek to reasonably return as many students as possible to campus, within the constraints posed by other principles.
• Feasible. All aspects of the return to campus must be able to be properly administered, must be aligned with Columbia’s parallel efforts where appropriate, and must conform to regulatory requirements.

Barnard has representation on several planning groups for the wider Columbia University community. Additionally, President Beilock is a primary member on the Restart Plan for Higher Education Task Force for the Commission of Independent Colleges & Universities (CICU), which will make recommendations to New York state for higher education; she also serves on the New York City Sector Advisory Council for Education and Vocational Training.

We plan to share more specific information about the year to come by early-July. Many factors, including guidance from New York state, will impact how our plans can take their final shape.

The repopulation of campus will happen in phases, following anticipated guidelines about what kinds of activities can happen on campus. In each phase, best practices informed by subject-matter experts will be implemented to support the health and safety of our community members. Keeping physical distance is a cornerstone in all plans, and many tactics are in development to do so. 

Possible phases of repopulating Barnard’s campus are summarized below:

• Research in labs is likely to be one of the first elements to have a physical presence on campus. 
• We look to bring students back for the start of the Fall semester as we adjust residential aspects of campus to allow for physical distancing and other considerations. 
• Although virtual events will continue, in-person events and other large gatherings will happen in a later phase.
• The repopulation of campus to pre-pandemic capacity will likely coincide with wide availability of a vaccine or some other major public health development.

Members of the community are welcome to share their thoughts about the coming academic year by completing this survey. Feedback collected by this survey will be shared with the appropriate groups and offices involved with our planning efforts.

TIMING & PLANNING

• Can people come back to campus once the New York State PAUSE Executive Order expires?

  • In addition to the New York State PAUSE Executive Order, other regulations and orders also govern how Barnard will be able to resume on-campus operations and activities. This website will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

• How will Barnard reopen its campus for classes and activities?

  • There are several factors that affect the resumption of classes and activities on Barnard’s campus. New York State will follow a multiphase plan in which regions will gradually open once certain health-related criteria are met. New York City is also tracking a set of public health milestones, which indicate when city-regulated restrictions might be lifted.
  • In addition to guidelines that have been published, we anticipate that certain gating criteria involving diagnostic tests and contact tracing will need to be met in order for Barnard to reopen.
  • The return of classes and activities will be phased, with research in labs as one of the first elements to have a physical presence on campus. In a subsequent phase, we look forward to welcoming students back to the residence halls, with in-person events and gatherings coming back in a later phase.
  • We are doing everything we can so that Barnard can be ready to have students, faculty, and staff return to campus as soon as possible.

• Is there a deadline for making decisions about the Fall semester?

  • We plan to announce more specific information about the Fall semester by early July. As more is learned about COVID-19 each day, the situation continues to change rapidly. We want to make sure that decisions are made with as much information as we can gather about how we can welcome our students, faculty, and staff back to campus as safely as possible.

• How might there be changes to deadlines or cancellation dates that are currently listed on Barnard’s website while plans for 2020-21 are being formed?

  • We understand that it can be hard to make decisions when we haven’t yet announced final plans for the Fall semester and beyond. Deadlines and cancellation dates that relate to services (such as housing) will be reviewed as part of the planning process, and they may be adjusted at the College’s discretion to reflect decisions about Barnard operations. Until those possible adjustments are announced, published deadlines and cancellation dates remain in effect. Questions or feedback about deadlines and dates that are currently in effect can be shared via this survey.

• How does your decision about the Fall semester relate to what Columbia and other New York City schools decide?

  • Our planning is informed in many ways by decisions made at Columbia and other New York City schools. Barnard has representation on several planning groups for the wider Columbia University community. Additionally, President Beilock is a primary member on the Restart Plan for Higher Education Task Force for the Commission of Independent Colleges & Universities (CICU), which will make recommendations to New York State for higher education. She also will serve on the New York City Sector Advisory Council for Education and Vocational Training.
  • As an affiliate of Columbia University, we are particularly thoughtful about where alignment with Columbia makes the most strategic and operational sense, as well as where it is prudent for us to have different plans as an independent institution.

• What are Barnard’s plans about athletics?

  • Barnard students play on Division I teams through the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium. Columbia Athletics is monitoring updates about the coronavirus and refining plans accordingly. Barnard will continue to support our student-athletes as they make their eventual return to campus.

• If my financial situation has changed due to COVID-19, can I submit a financial aid application at this time?

  • The deadline for the financial aid application for 2020-2021 has passed. Unfortunately the Financial Aid Office cannot accept applications for institutional need-based financial aid past the deadline. Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents can still apply for federal aid and federal student and parent loans by completing the FAFSA.  

• Given the potential financial challenges Barnard faces, will Financial Aid awards be changed for enrolled students?

  • Despite the global pandemic, Barnard remains committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for enrolled students who apply for financial aid. Recognizing that many students may not be able to work over the summer to earn funds to contribute to their cost of attendance, Barnard has decided to replace the expected summer earnings student contribution for all incoming and continuing students who will receive need-based Barnard Grant Aid with a one-time Summer Work Exemption Grant. 

    Please remember that financial need is reassessed every year and students are required to submit the financial aid application and supporting documents annually by the published deadlines.
     

ACADEMICS

• What changes have been made to the 2020-21 Academic Calendar?

  • Along with Columbia University, we will follow our current Fall and Spring Semester calendar for the 2020-21 academic year, with classes commencing Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Deadlines and other dates of note currently listed on the Academic Calendar are subject to change.
  • In keeping with President Bollinger’s announcement on May 14, we are adding a third Summer semester as part of the 2020-21 academic year. This additional semester will enhance flexibility,add to the enrollment opportunities available to our students, and maximize the opportunity for on-campus classes. More specific information about the year to come will be shared by early July.
  • More information about the 2020-21 Academic Calendar will be posted on this website, as well as on the webpage for the Office of the Registrar.

• What is the status of Study Abroad for the Fall 2020 semester?

  • As of May 12, 2020, Study Abroad for the Fall 2020 semester has been canceled for both fall-only and full-year programs. The Barnard Global office can be reached at studyabroad@barnard.edu for further information. The College will be monitoring guidance around international travel closely and will update the community with information about the Spring 2021 semester when it is available.

HEALTH & SAFETY

• What is Barnard’s approach to community members’ health and safety during the pandemic?

  • One of the guiding principles considered in all decisions is supporting the physical and mental health of our students, faculty, and staff, especially those who are the most vulnerable. Following directives and guidance established by New York State and New York City, we will establish a robust set of policies and procedures that mitigate risk of infection as much as possible.
  • Community members must also take individual responsibility for following good public health practices, including observing social distancing, wearing face coverings, and staying home when they don’t feel well. This is important not only for the safety of each individual but to protect the community as a whole, especially our more vulnerable members. We will clearly communicate expectations and requirements to students, faculty, and staff about these practices.

• What role does testing (both diagnostic and antibody tests) have in the planning for the Fall semester?

  • We anticipate that diagnostic testing will be very important in the repopulating of campus. COVID-19 testing will continue to be available to students through Primary Health Care Services, and planning is underway for on-campus testing for faculty and staff. Testing coupled with contact tracing and quarantine/isolation procedures will help ensure the health and safety of our community.
  • We will continue to monitor developments about antibody testing and will adjust plans accordingly.

• What about faculty and staff who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19?

  • Accommodations are available for faculty and staff members who are in high-risk categories for COVID-19. If you would like to avail yourself of these accommodations or if you have any questions, please speak to your manager (staff) or your HR representative (faculty).

• What if students are unable to return to campus because of individual circumstances (e.g., issues with visa processing or concerns about an underlying health condition)?

  • We understand that students may be unable to return to campus for a variety of reasons, and all of our planning includes provisions so that any class may be taken virtually. We are currently equipping our classrooms and ensuring that our faculty have the technology they need to teach remotely if needed.

FEEDBACK

• How can I make a suggestion for Barnard to consider in its planning for the 2020-21 academic year?

  • We welcome input from Barnard community members and invite those who would like to share their thoughts to complete this survey.