COVID-19 Information Hub

Dear students,

I hope each of you is enjoying your time off and looking forward to beginning your next semester at King’s. Despite the inconvenience of COVID-19 and winter storms which affected our Christmas plans, Nancy and I have found great joy this season by focusing on the mercies and goodness of God. I pray the same was and is true for you.

As we approach the start of the spring semester, there are important updates you need regarding our COVID-19 campus policies.

Due to the increased transmission of COVID-19 in New York City as well as widespread research indicating the decreased severity of the dominant COVID-19 variant, especially among vaccinated individuals, our COVID-19 taskforce has made a number of updates to our Spring 2022 Reopening Plan in line with recent CDC changes. In order to provide the greatest possible success to the start of our semester, College operations will continue remotely through Monday, January 17, with campus reopening for normal operating hours on Tuesday, January 18. Classes will resume in-person as planned on Wednesday, January 19.

If you experience symptoms of or test positive for COVID-19 prior to returning to NYC, please adjust your schedule to return once you have completed your quarantine or isolation. The COVID-19 taskforce will resume tracking cases within our community beginning from the start of spring semester activities on Tuesday, January 18.

Spring 2022 Reopening Plan Updates:

• Criteria for Adjustments: Within the King’s Community, if our campus infection rate rises above 5% within a 10-day period, we will evaluate the current reopening plan and consider making adjustments. We will continue to follow City, State, and Federal regulations as necessary, instead of imposing our previous percent positivity metric.
• COVID-19 Commitment: By Wednesday, January 12, new students must sign the COVID-19 Commitment and returning students must email reopening@tkc.edu if their vaccination status has changed since they originally signed the commitment.
• Masks and Social Distancing:
  • In accordance with New York State requirements, masks are required indoors at all times by all individuals until January 29.
  • When actively presenting during an in-person event or class that is being video recorded or streamed, masks are not required for presenters, so long as social distancing is observed.
  • When actively presenting during an in-person event or class that is not being video recorded or streamed, presenters may wear face-shields in place of a mask.

• COVID-19 Monitoring Rubric: Please read below for a brief summary of quarantine and isolation updates, and read full details on the COVID-19 Information Hub. N95 masks will be provided to all students, staff, and faculty for mandatory use during exposed quarantines or following isolation.
  • COVID-19 Positive Isolation: Individuals who are COVID-19 positive must isolate for five days since the onset of symptoms (or positive test, if asymptomatic), and exit isolation on day six, so long as they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours. Classes must take place remotely during isolation. Once released from isolation, individuals are required to wear an N95 face mask (provided by King’s) and observe social distancing protocols at all times while on campus through day 10.
  • Symptomatic Quarantine: ALL individuals who display COVID-19 symptoms are required to quarantine and must receive a negative rapid or PCR COVID-19 test before exiting quarantine and returning to campus. Classes must take place remotely during symptomatic quarantine.
  • Exposed Unprotected Quarantine: Individuals who are 1) exposed to COVID-19, AND 2) asymptomatic, AND 3) have not had an eligible vaccine booster dose OR have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last three months are required to quarantine for five days since exposure in their on- or off-campus apartment, except when attending class in-person while at all times wearing an N95 face mask (provided by King’s) and observing social distancing. Individuals are required to receive a negative PCR or rapid COVID-19 test on day five before exiting quarantine on day six.
  • Exposed Protected Monitoring: Individuals who are 1) exposed to COVID-19, AND 2) asymptomatic, AND 3) have had an eligible vaccine booster dose OR have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last three months do not need to quarantine, but are strongly encouraged to test on day five and wear an N95 mask while on campus.

• Required COVID-19 Procedures and Notifications: 
  • Regardless of vaccination or prior infection, staff, faculty, and students who develop symptoms of, suspect exposure to, or test positive for COVID-19 must contact The King’s College Emergency Phone at 646-242-4411.
  • Going forward, the COVID-19 taskforce will only send direct exposure notifications when quarantine or isolation is required; they will not send potential exposure notifications to classes or events.

• New Student Move-In and Orientation: In light of these changes, we strongly encourage new students to postpone moving in until Sunday, January 16. If you are unable to change plans or flights, you may still move in on Thursday, January 13. Residence Life will email on-campus new students with details and move-in day sign-ups. New Student Orientation will now take place on Tuesday, January 18, once campus resumes in-person operations. Review the revised schedule here.

I look forward to seeing you on campus in a few short weeks. I’m encouraged by your faithful pursuit of the mission of The King’s College. If you have any questions, please direct them to reopening@tkc.edu so our COVID-19 taskforce can address them.

Yours in Service,

Tim Gibson

President

Dear students,

Congratulations on nearing the end of the fall 2021 semester. As you conclude final projects and papers, I want to share a note of encouragement and commendation. But first, I want to discuss the COVID-19 reality in NYC this week.

NYC’s percent positivity has reached 5.19%, a significant increase since the start of the week. We’ve seen an increase on our campus as well, and while most COVID-19 cases within our community have been mild, I encourage you to consider getting tested prior to spending time with loved ones, particularly older adults or immunocompromised people, and be prepared to isolate if you test positive.

While taking these precautions to care for the wellbeing of those around you, I hope you also look back on what we’ve accomplished together this year:

• Student athletes were able to resume competitions, with members of our community cheering them on. Women’s Volleyball became repeat HVIAC conference champions, and a number of athletes in each sport received conference and national recognitions.
• In a collaborative effort spearheaded by Student Body President Brent Buterbaugh, we saw the return of Fall Retreat. It was a joy to gather with so many of you and spend time remembering God’s promises and His high calling for us.
• We were able to open our campus to visitors during Parents Weekend, Homecoming, and two Inviso Visit Weekends. Thank you all for your engagement and hospitality to our broader community.
• Three new student organizations were formalized – The Bridge, The Mend, and the Entrepreneurship Club – and existing organizations brought energy and ingenuity to campus life. I look forward to witnessing each campus organization and House as they provide opportunities for growth and support next semester.
• Faculty organized a number of thought-provoking events, from panels on critical race theory and the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, to an interview with Peter Canellos on Justice John Marshall Harlan, to a joint presentation from Dr. James Byrd and Dr. Dru Johnson on the Bible’s involvement in the rhetoric of the Civil War.
• Thirty-nine seniors are preparing to graduate this December. My hearty congratulations to each of you for a job well done, and I pray for peace and God’s provision in your future steps.

During and between each of these milestones, you spent solitary hours reading, thinking, and writing. You pursued dialogue and conversation, opening yourself to learn from others. Time and again, you chose to seek out truth, walk with integrity, and persevere in the daily tasks of academic life. These moments may not be noticed by others, but be assured that our Father in Heaven sees them.

It’s been an honor to serve with you this fall. I hope the remainder of the Advent season is both restful and joyful. Merry Christmas, and happy new year!

Yours in Service,

Tim Gibson

President

P.S. The College and campus are closed from Sunday, December 19, through Tuesday, January 4. College operations resume remotely Wednesday, January 5, through Friday, January 7, and the campus reopens (business hours) on Monday, January 10.

Dear students,

Last Friday, New York Governor Hochul announced a temporary statewide indoor mask mandate, which applies to The King’s College from December 13 through January 15. Effective immediately, this temporary policy requires all guests, students, staff, and faculty to wear a mask indoors at King’s, except when eating, drinking, or alone in an enclosed room. This new mandate does not allow for masks to be removed when individuals are socially distant.

At this time, our Spring Reopening Plan, which goes into effect on January 18, remains unchanged. Those taking courses on-campus this coming spring should take a moment to review a couple key reminders from the plan:

• COVID-19 Commitment: If your vaccination status has changed since you originally signed the commitment, please email reopening@tkc.edu so we can update your record.
• Fully Remote Requests:

• • Students with exceptional health situations or exceptional professional circumstances related to COVID-19 may apply for fully remote accommodations. Students should be prepared to present documentation from a qualified medical professional when they apply for remote access to accommodate a special COVID-19-related health situation. Eligibility for exceptional professional circumstances applies only to seniors who, for COVID-19-related reasons, have taken a job or internship outside the New York City metro area.
  • Students wishing to request this accommodation must complete the Request for Remote Access form after registering for spring classes, by this Friday, December 17, 2021.

Thank you for the ways you have protected yourself, your community, and our campus this semester. Thanks to our 80%+ vaccination rate, 24/7 contract tracing and quarantine procedures, socially distant classrooms, and responsible and respectful self-governance (among other efforts), we experienced a near-normal semester while mitigating the spread of COVID-19. I am deeply grateful for the example each of you has set and look forward to all that’s to come in the spring.

My prayers are with each of you as you complete your finals this week and enter a restful and joyful Christmas break.

Yours In Service,

Tim Gibson

President

Dear students,

We are over half-way through the semester, and I remain grateful to the Lord for His protection over our community, which has allowed us to experience a more normal fall together. From New Student Orientation and Fall Retreat, to Fall Picnic and Parents’ Weekend, to this weekend’s Homecoming, it is a joy to see our campus come alive again. While we still have the colder months ahead when sickness is more common, we look toward the spring semester with optimism.

I am pleased to share with you today our Preliminary Spring 2022 Reopening Plan. While it looks nearly identical to this semester’s plan, please read below for a few key details. In line with the ethos of The King’s College, our plans are designed to foster individual decision-making and responsibility along with a climate of mutual respect. Our aim remains to provide students with an outstanding education delivered by our world-class faculty. As always, this plan remains subject to change as our COVID-19 taskforce evaluates our campus needs and the requirements of city, state, and federal COVID-19 policies.

Fully Remote Eligibility

• Students with exceptional health situations or exceptional professional circumstances related to COVID-19 may apply for fully remote accommodations. Students should be prepared to present documentation from a qualified medical professional when they apply for remote access to accommodate a special COVID-19-related health situation. Eligibility for exceptional professional circumstances applies only to seniors who, for COVID-19-related reasons, have taken a job or internship outside the New York City metro area. If approved, remote access will be applied to all of a students’ Spring 2022 courses.
• If a course is available online (an asynchronous course designated with an “O” in the course section), a student who requests to be remote in that course will be placed in the online section.
• Students wishing to request this accommodation must complete the Request for Remote Access form after registering for spring classes, by Friday, December 17, 2021. Students must register for spring semester classes prior to completing the Request for Remote Access form, which will be available from November 15 to December 17, 2021. Requests will be processed on a rolling basis.

Athletics

• The United States College Athletic Association (USCAA) as well as King’s local conference, the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) resumed play (men’s/women’s soccer, women’s volleyball) during the Fall sports season. The men’s and women’s basketball seasons started in November with the expectation of continuing their seasons in January and February after the semester break. 
• Student athletes may contact their coaches or Athletic Director Bryan Finley at bfinley@tkc.edu with questions in the meantime.

COVID-19 Commitment

• Those attending in-person classes for the first time in the spring will be required to sign the King’s COVID-19 Commitment by Tuesday, January 18, 2022. (Results of the survey are confidential as required by HIPAA policy.) Signed commitments from the fall 2021 semester will automatically transfer to the spring 2022 semester.
• If your vaccination status has changed since you originally signed the commitment, please email reopening@tkc.edu, so we can update your record. 

A Note About Thanksgiving

As a reminder, there is no change to academic modalities following the Thanksgiving break through the end of the fall semester. Classes will recess on Wednesday, November 24 through Friday, November 26 and resume in-person on Monday, November 29. The College campus will be closed Wednesday, November 24 at 5:30 PM through Monday, November 29 at 8:00 AM.

I hope each of you is able to focus on the things you are thankful for this Thanksgiving. Personally, I am thankful to our student body, staff, and faculty, as we endeavor to fulfill the mission of the College and participate in God’s restoration of the world, together. 

As usual, if you have unanswered questions, please email reopening@tkc.edu so our COVID-19 taskforce can address them. 

Yours in Service,

Tim Gibson

President