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Work continues Thursday morning on a planned COVID-19 test center in the parking deck near the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance at Williams College.

Williams Tightens Safety Rules for Returning Students

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College on Thursday issued updated, more stringent regulations for students returning this month.

And the dean of the college noted that violations of the school's COVID-19 safety protocols could lead to "probation, suspension or expulsion."

In a letter to students posted on the college's website, Dean Marlene Sandstrom cites "shifting national conditions" and updated guidance from the commonwealth for changes to the rules that will govern students returning to the college.
 
One day after Smith College in Northampton announced that it will be going fully remote for the fall semester, Williams told students that they will be quarantined in their dorm rooms until they have received two negative COVID-19 tests.
 
When Williams first announced its return to school plan, it included a requirement that students quarantine until after their initial test came up negative. Students were told to anticipate being kept in their dorm rooms for a couple of days.
 
"Initial quarantine is expected to last a minimum of five to seven days," the Thursday letter reads. "During this time, students will only be allowed to leave their rooms to use the bathroom and to go to the testing site for their second test."
 
Students will be required to remain on campus "at least through September." "Off-campus destinations — even within Berkshire County — will be prohibited during this time."
 
The college will begin the year in a "campus quarantine" until at least the end of September, Sandstrom wrote. She specifically mentioned the Stop & Shop, just over the town line in North Adams, and Walmart as off-limits destinations.
 
Students will not be allowed to use their personal vehicles, though they can "exercise or hike" in the surrounding areas.
 
If health conditions permit, Williams College students will be able to visit off-campus sites in Berkshire County only, except in the case of medical or family emergencies, and students now will initially be tested once per week.
 
"Any student who misses more than one test will not be able to remain on campus," the letter reads. "Their enrollment status will immediately be changed from in-person to remote, and they will no longer have access to any campus buildings or resources."
 
In another change, the college is now asking students to self-quarantine for 14 days before their arrival on campus, and the school "strongly recommends" that family members do not accompany students to campus.
 
Sandstrom notes that "an increasing number of faculty members (more than half so far)" are planning to teach their courses remotely, and that number could go up. She notes that even students living on campus will be attending "all or a significant number" of classes virtually.
 
Sandstrom repeated a message delivered by President Maud Mandel when she announced the original return to school plan earlier this summer: In-person instruction only will work if everyone follows the rules.
 
"Our ability to welcome students back to campus is possible only if all community members act in a manner consistent with our protective measures," Sandstrom wrote. "We are holding all students accountable to our public health guidelines — this includes students living in our residence halls, as well as students who are enrolled in person and living nearby in off-campus housing."

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Mount Greylock School Committee Votes Slight Increase to Proposed Assessments

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to slightly increase the assessment to the district's member towns from the figures in the draft budget presented by the administration.
 
The School Committee opted to lower the use of Mount Greylock's reserve account by $70,000 and, instead, increase by that amount the share of the fiscal year 2025 operating budget shared proportionally by Lanesborough and Williamstown taxpayers.
 
The budget prepared by the administration and presented to the School Committee at its annual public hearing on Thursday included $665,000 from the district's Excess and Deficiency account, the equivalent of a municipal free cash balance, an accrual of lower-than-anticipated expenses and higher-than-anticipated revenue in any given year.
 
That represented a 90 percent jump from the $350,000 allocated from E&D for fiscal year 2024, which ends on June 30. And, coupled with more robust use of the district's tuition revenue account (7 percent more in FY25) and School Choice revenue (3 percent more), the draw down on E&D is seen as a stopgap measure to mitigate a spike in FY25 expenses and an unsustainable budgeting strategy long term, administrators say.
 
The budget passed by the School Committee on Thursday continues to rely more heavily on reserves than in years past, but to a lesser extent than originally proposed.
 
Specifically, the budget the panel approved includes a total assessment to Williamstown of $13,775,336 (including capital and operating costs) and a total assessment to Lanesborough of $6,425,373.
 
As a percentage increase from the FY24 assessments, that translates to a 3.90 percent increase to Williamstown and a 3.38 percent increase to Lanesborough.
 
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