August 14, 2020

Dear students,

Soon you will be moving into your room, and I am very much looking forward to seeing you on campus. The opening days are always lively and full of excitement. Still, starting the year during a pandemic requires an extra layer of detailed planning, and everyone will need to work together during move-in. Please read this message carefully and share it with your parents, guardians, and anyone who will be accompanying you to New Haven. It contains important information and instructions.

I am asking you to take two steps immediately and no later than Sunday at 5:00 p.m., eastern time: reserve a time to move in, and schedule viral testing for the week you arrive. Time slots for moving in and viral tests are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Your viral test takes only a few minutes and is administered on site. You will need to complete it before you can receive a key to your room.

Schedule your move-in time

In order to maintain social distancing during move-in, each student may schedule one two-hour window in which to arrive, based on their entryway. As you select your slot, please give yourself extra time in calculating how long it will take you to travel to campus; it is very important that you be on time because other students will be moving in as soon as your move-in time ends.

Remember to pack light, keeping in mind that you will be arriving when temperatures are still warm and campus will close in November, before the New England winter cold sets in. A good rule of thumb is to pack as though you were going backpacking for two weeks, focusing on essentials that you can carry easily; the rest you can ship to yourself. You can find information about shipping here.

Help will be available when you arrive, since parents or guardians for most of you will not be able to enter the colleges or other campus residences, due to restrictions determined by the state of Connecticut. If anyone from a nonrestricted state will be accompanying you, they will need to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing, just as you will, and leave the premises when your move-in time ends.

To schedule your move-in time, using the link below, you will need to provide your name, the origin of your travel to campus, your residential college or other residential location on campus, and your entryway. You may only sign up for one move-in time. If you do not see one that works for you, please write to Conferences & Events

  • Reserve a move-in time.

If you will be arriving after 4:30 p.m., you will not be able to move into your room until the following day. Temporary on-campus housing is available, if you need it. To make those arrangements write to Yale Conferences & Events, who will also assign you a move-in window for the next morning. If you are able, schedule your late arrival for the evening before your assigned move-in date; if not, Conferences & Events will be able to shift your move-in date to the next day.

Schedule your initial viral tests

Once you have scheduled your move-in time, your next step is to schedule your arrival testing. If you have not already done so, you will first need to register for MyChart, the patient portal for Yale’s electronic health records, using the activation code you received from Yale Health earlier this month. I recommend that you also download the mobile app, available here. While you will not make your appointment directly through MyChart, you need this account to proceed to the next step.

Once you have a MyChart account, go to covidtesting.yale.edu to schedule a testing appointment at the start of your move-in time; taking your viral test is the first thing you must do when you move in. Rescheduling your test is possible, if necessary. You must first cancel your existing appointment through MyChart, then follow this same link to schedule a new test.

For more information about the testing process and requirements, including tips for a successful test, please visit the COVID-19 Screening Program for Undergraduates webpage. Once the semester begins, on August 31, all students will shift to an assigned twice-weekly testing schedule. You will receive your assignment and instructions for making those appointments next week.

Get ready to join us

Despite the challenges we will all be managing together, this is an exciting time because you and your classmates will be creating and reimagining new communities, supporting the public health, and making creative, inclusive connections. You will be supported along the way by the staff, the heads, and the deans. I am so pleased to join with them in welcoming you to campus and working with you in the semester ahead.

With best wishes,

Melanie Boyd
Dean of Student Affairs
Senior Associate Dean in Yale College
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