Dear Members of the Bi-College Community:
We are writing today to thank you for your exceptional efforts this year -- and to share plans for next year.
It would not have been possible for Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges to offer in-person options this year without your diligence and commitment. We are grateful to be members of a community where each person protects the wellbeing of the whole.
As a result of your efforts, we have seen low COVID-19 transmission on our campuses this year. We also see reasons for optimism about longer-term progress in the vaccine rollout and reduced levels of infection, both locally and nationally. As we look ahead to the fall, we are planning for a fully in-person academic year in 2021-22. Next year, we expect that classes will be held in person, and students will again enjoy access to our wide range of facilities, experiences, and connections.
As leaders and as individuals, we are optimistic about the year ahead. We look forward to engaging in both the work and the fun of Bi-Co life: classrooms and teach-ins, athletic competitions, arts performances, shared meals, and the enjoyment of our campuses. There may be precautions that we must carry forward. We may continue wearing masks around others, retaining reduced occupancy levels in some shared spaces, or limiting large gatherings.
One adjustment that we will carry forward is our increased nimbleness and ability to respond rapidly to shifts in public health guidance. If unforeseen complications arise – an increase in vaccine-resistant variants, a lack of vaccines, or other problems that we have not yet imagined – this community will again adapt quickly, move forward, and learn. You have proven that.
In the coming weeks, we will share information from our individual campuses regarding summer research and work opportunities, fall faculty course planning, room draw, athletics, orientation, and other details needed to begin planning.
Thank you, again, for all that you did this year to help our colleges continue, change, and grow.
Sincerely,
Kim Cassidy, President, Bryn Mawr College
Wendy Raymond, President, Haverford College