November 6, 2020

Dear students in Benjamin Franklin, Berkeley, Branford, Ezra Stiles, Jonathan Edwards, Morse, Pauli Murray, Pierson, Silliman, Timothy Dwight, and Trumbull Colleges,

As you have just read in the message from Dr. Stephanie Spangler, Yale’s public health team has been closely monitoring an emerging cluster of cases involving students in three residential colleges: Davenport, Grace Hopper, and Saybrook. That cluster now includes 20 cases that appear to be linked. Of particular concern are students who may not previously have been identified as close contacts, and who have therefore not been in quarantine. To limit the possibility of further spread, it is necessary to take additional precautions while we await the next cycles of viral testing results.

Students in Davenport, Grace Hopper, and Saybrook will be quarantining in their suites from now until Thursday morning; the students who have tested positive are in separate isolation housing.

Because you are not in one of these colleges, you remain free to move around campus, but leaving campus is discouraged. Dining in restaurants is also discouraged, although ordering take-out for delivery is permitted. Varsity athletics have reverted to phase zero, and intramurals have been paused. You are advised to avoid having visitors in your suite or off-campus housing; if you do, remember all people present must remain masked and socially distant.

If you are considering going home early, before campus residences close, follow the standard departure procedure: take a test within 72 hours of your departure, and do not leave until you receive a negative result. Students living on campus will also need to prepare their rooms for departure, following the instructions on the Yale College FAQs, which will be updated regularly.

I regret that the campus is reverting to this more restrictive phase after so many weeks of low viral test results. Even so, my hope is that this rapid response will limit the risk of viral spread. Now more than ever it is vital that you adhere to your testing schedules and, just as important, that you cooperate with contact tracers if one of them calls you. The data that emerge from testing and contact tracing provide the most accurate picture of any viral transmission in our community and the path to preventing an outbreak.

I am grateful to you for cooperating with these efforts and following these temporary restrictions. Thank you for your cooperation, patience, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Marvin M. Chun
Dean of Yale College
Richard M. Colgate Professor of Psychology; Neuroscience; Cognitive Science