July 31: Housing, Parking, Move-In & Town Hall

Housing and Move-In

Housing Assignments

Students who completed the “Intent to Enroll” form and marked their interest to live on campus have been assigned housing. Upper class housing placements and roommate assignments were prioritized based on a student’s original request made in the spring semester. First year student housing placements and roommate assignments were prioritized based on the housing questionnaire.

Housing assignments and roommate information for all residential students are now posted in MyMack. In addition, each student has been assigned to a residential cohort based on room proximity within the residence halls. To view your assignment, roommate and residential cohort information:

1. Log onto MyMack, click on student info at the top of the screen.
2. Click “Residence Life” on the left side of the screen.
3. Once there, click on Housing and Roommate Information at the top of the screen, and this will bring you to the page with your housing information.

If you have any questions about your housing assignment, please email Residence Life.

Move-In Details

The move-in process will be phased over the course of a week, beginning on August 17, 2020 and ending August 21, 2020. Please note, your scheduled move-in time and date will not be provided until you have done the following:

1. Reviewed and signed the Office of Residential Life 2020-2021 Residency Agreement which can be found in MyMack.
2. Filled out a departure form in MyMack which is a necessary component of the College’s COVID-19 isolation and quarantine policy.
3. For new students, you must have completed your immunization documentation in the Medicat Patient Portal.

Once each of these items are completed, and received by the Office of Residential Life, students will then be able to view their assigned move-in date and time in MyMack. Only in severe extenuating circumstances can these move-in times be altered as they are directly connected to your initial baseline testing time.

The following are important details about the move-in process:

• This year, students will be assigned a specific day and time for move-in between August 17 and August 21 in order to promote physical distancing and to lower the density of people during the move-in process. The College expects approximately 400 students will arrive on campus each day at their assigned times.
• Students will have two hours to complete the move-in process and are permitted two visitors to help with move in. The College will have a limited number of bins available for students to move in their belongings.
• Move-in dates and times will be posted to each student’s MyMack account once the student submits their housing agreement, fills out a departure plan and completes all necessary immunization forms. Please see above for further details.
• All students are encouraged to pack lightly this fall and focus on bringing only essential and important items to campus. Bringing fewer possessions will also make for a smoother and faster move-in. All students are also encouraged to have a bag of essential items organized in the event that students need to be relocated or if students need to leave campus on short notice.
• Finally, all students should work with their families to have a plan for vacating campus quickly should the need arise. These plans should be reflected in your departure form to be completed on MyMack.

New Massachusetts Travel Order

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s new travel order will go into effect on August 1, 2020 and requires that all visitors traveling to Massachusetts from the states outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT), New York and New Jersey must self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.

The travel order also states that a traveler who is required to quarantine may be released from the obligation to continue quarantining upon obtaining proof of a negative test from an FDA EUA-approved molecular test, which was administered after the person’s arrival in Massachusetts.

Students From Outside the Region

Due to this new order, at this time, all students have the following options to streamline the move-in process:

1. It is encouraged that all students outside the region take and produce a negative COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving to campus. Students with a negative result will be permitted to move into their fall housing assignment during the scheduled move-in week of August 17 - August 21. Students will still be tested upon their arrival. If family members are accompanying the student on to campus they must also produce a negative COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving to campus if they stayed overnight in Massachusetts, otherwise they meet the State exemption for transitory travel. Parents, guardians and family who stay overnight in Massachusetts and plan to accompany their student to campus who could not obtain a test administered up to 72-hours before arriving may obtain a test at your own expense after arrival in Massachusetts but must quarantine until a negative test result is received.
   • When arriving from outside of the state (except for MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT, NY and NJ), students and family members must complete a Massachusetts travel form upon arrival which can be found online at www.mass.gov/matraveler. We ask that you share a copy of this form with us upon arrival.
2. For students who are traveling from outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH,RI, VT), New York or New Jersey: If testing is not available in your area, or a student is unable to complete a test before traveling to campus for move-in during the week of August 17 - August 21, students may return to campus on August 13 and the College will assist you in testing. Please note that upon arrival, students will be quarantined in a quarantine space separate from their fall room assignment. While in quarantine, students will be tested and may not leave the quarantine space until a negative test result is received. Depending upon when you arrive on August 13, you may not receive your test on the same day and it will take another day to receive the result of that test. As such, students from outside the region who need a test provided by the College should expect to quarantine for a minimum of three days. Once a negative test has been received, students will be moved into their fall housing assignment. If family members are accompanying the student on to campus they must also produce a negative COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving to campus if they stayed overnight in Massachusetts, otherwise they meet the State exemption for transitory travel. Parents, guardians and family who stay overnight in Massachusetts and plan to accompany their student to campus who could not obtain a test administered up to 72-hours before arriving may obtain a test at your own expense after arrival in Massachusetts but must quarantine until a negative result is received.
3. We are aware that some students have already made travel arrangements to return to the campus on the date of August 9 based on previous information. Those students are asked to look at changing their travel plans. If that is not possible, please contact Residence Life. A limited number of quarantine spaces will be made available for students in this situation. Students will be quarantined in rooms that are separate from their fall room assignment. While in quarantine, students will be tested and may not leave the quarantine space until a negative test result is received. Test availability is limited and it may be more than a day before one can be administered. Once a negative test has been completed, students will be moved into their Fall housing assignment. If family members are accompanying the student on to campus they must also produce a negative COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving to campus if they stayed overnight in Massachusetts, otherwise they meet the State exemption for transitory travel. Parents, guardians and family who stay overnight in Massachusetts and plan to accompany their student to campus who could not obtain a test administered up to 72-hours before arriving may obtain a test at your own expense after arrival in Massachusetts but must quarantine until a negative result is received.

Please note, if a parent/guardian/family member is entering Massachusetts only to drop off the student and then immediately leaves the campus and the state, they meet the exemption for transitory travel and the travel order regarding testing or quarantining would not apply. However, if they are staying overnight in Massachusetts they are subject to the requirements of the Massachusetts Travel Order. Please be aware the list of exempted states may be altered by the state at any time.

As a reminder, students who travel to Massachusetts from outside the region and have a place off campus to quarantine for 14 days are permitted to do so before coming to campus. In that case, students will move in as part of the scheduled move-in week of August 17 - August 21 and must complete a Massachusetts travel form upon arrival which can be found online at www.mass.gov/matraveler. We ask that you share a copy of this form with us upon your arrival.

If a student’s travel is delayed due to a positive COVID-19 test, please contact the Task Force who will work with you and the Office of Residential Life to find a new date for your move in.

Students From Within the Region

Although it is not required for students traveling to campus from inside the region to take a COVID-19 test before coming to campus, the College strongly encourages that all students begin to quarantine 14 days before arriving to campus or to take a COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving to campus. All students with a negative result will be permitted to move into their fall housing assignment during the scheduled move-in week of August 17- August 21. Students will still be tested upon their arrival.

However, if a student arrives to campus and takes a baseline test that produces a positive result, they will be immediately isolated and sent home if they live within 200 miles of the campus. Therefore, it is very important for students to do everything they can to ensure a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival to avoid having to leave the campus for the duration of quarantine.

COVID-19 Testing and Scheduling

Weekly COVID-19 testing is one of the most important steps Merrimack is taking to protect the health and safety of its students, faculty and staff as we reopen our campus this fall. Merrimack College is participating in the fall college testing program entitled, “The Safe for School Program” by the Broad Institute to provide testing and protocols to allow the College to administer testing efficiently and safely. The College has also partnered with the clinical support company OnSite Medical Services, who will provide clinical personnel and processing support to the on-campus testing center.

Testing Schedule

• The testing schedule for all students will include baseline testing of all residential students upon their return to campus in August during move-in, and will include ongoing weekly testing for the remainder of the semester.
• The testing schedule will be supplemented by daily self-screening by all students, faculty and staff. The goal is to remind students each day to stop and think about their health, and to contact the Hamel Health Center if they have symptoms.
• All residential students will be scheduled for a baseline test by the College which will occur on the day of their move-in, the week prior to the start of classes. Following the baseline test, students will receive a scheduled time slot for weekly testing that will begin the week of August 24 and will continue until the week of November 16.

Merrimack will be using the CoVerified Application to support the College’s mitigation and surveillance testing plan. This web-based and smart phone application will be specific to the Merrimack community and will allow users to: gain campus entrance clearance through daily self-screening, report symptoms, receive test results and access other COVID-19 education and mitigation strategies. Instructions on how to download the CoVerified application will be sent to all students in the coming days.

It is important to understand testing expectations. Students will be assigned a regular testing time that is the same each week. If students miss appointments or do not comply, it is important to know that they will be subject to disciplinary action and limited campus access. The College will provide updates on testing periodically.

Meal Plans

The College is working to enhance student meal plans and provide more value for swipes at new locations across campus, as well as a new program for students living in housing with kitchens to have groceries delivered to campus. Details are being finalized and information on new venues and menus will be shared in the coming days.

Parking for Residential Students

In an effort to ensure adequate parking for commuter students, and to avoid the prevalence of leaving campus and risking transmission of the virus, the College is limiting the number of overnight spaces available for residential students. There will be no off campus parking accommodations, and the numbers of overnight spaces will be reduced by more than half. Students who need to have a car for the following reasons can petition for a parking space: (1) Health matters (2) Family support (3) Approved off-campus work. Students who wish to have a car for general purposes will not be granted a parking space.

Returning to Campus 

Before you arrive for your first testing time, you need to do the following: 

1. Review and sign the Graduate Commuter Agreement which can be found in MyMack.

2. For new students, you must complete your immunization documentation in the Medicat Patient Portal.

To access the graduate Agreement on MyMack you should:

1. Log onto MyMack

2. Click on “Campus Life” at the top of the screen.

3. Click “Commuter Life” on the left side of the screen. 

4. Once there, you will see the link to the Graduate Commuter Agreement.

Graduate Student Experience

In addition to attending classes on campus, graduate students are encouraged to attend social events and club and organization meetings. Meetings will be held both in person and virtually. 

The Graduate Lounge on the third floor of Cushing Hall will remain open and available to graduate students. This space offers the opportunity for private study and lounging between classes, and has been equipped with plexiglass as well as reconfigured in order to support social distancing best practices. Students can charge their devices, print documents and have access to professional staff. The Graduate Student Senate will continue to host meetings and events both in person and virtually. If you have any questions about Graduate Student Life please contact Preston Croteau at croteaup@merrimack.edu.  

Writing and accessibility services will continue to be available. While offices in McQuade Library and the Academic Success Center will remain open, the majority of support services will take place virtually. Graduate students are encouraged to study in the library between classes. We have arranged seating to promote social distancing. More information on thriving in both in-person and remote courses can be found on the Academic Success Center’s webpage. Students are encouraged to reach out to the staff at ASC@merrimack.edu with any questions or concerns. 

Counseling and Wellness support services are available to all students, and they are located on the third floor of the Sakowich Campus Center. Both in person and tele-therapy appointments will be offered. Private rooms will also be available in this space for students to connect with their personal therapists virtually. To schedule an appointment with one of our clinicians or to reserve a room for tele-therapy with your outside therapist, please call (978) 857-5441. 

Parking for Graduate Students

There is adequate parking available on campus for commuter students. All graduate commuter students are required to have a 2020-2021 commuter Student Parking Pass. You can request your 2020-2021 graduate Parking Pass here.

Arriving on to Campus 

Please prepare for several changes and allow extra time when coming on to campus. Some of the changes outlined below are a reminder based on the email sent to all students on July 10, but there is also new information that is important for all graduate students to know. Specific details to be aware of include:

Daily Symptom Checks

Each day, before reporting to campus, all members of the community must complete a daily self-screening and fill out a COVID-19 Daily Checklist to confirm that you do not exhibit any symptoms potentially related to COVID-19. The checklist can be found in the Fall 2020 Return to Campus Handbook.

Entering Campus

Campus entrances are gated and guarded 24 hours a day, and entry is limited to enrolled students, faculty and staff, parents, vendors, Islander hockey participants and visitors to the admissions center. Steps to entering campus include:

• Stop at the Rock Ridge Road entrance checkpoint to fill out the symptom checklist and sign the assumption of risk form (a second entrance will be added in the fall).

• Wear a face covering. 

• Follow social distancing policies of six feet or more. 

• Review the COVID-19 Return to Campus Policies and Procedures, and the COVID-19 Return to Campus Checklist and sign a waiver of liability and assumption of risk each time they arrive onto the campus.

Policy on Face Coverings 

As a reminder, and until further notice, anyone (age two and up) on the Merrimack College campus or in public areas of College housing, whether indoors or outdoors, who is unable to maintain a distance of approximately six feet from every other person is required to cover their mouth and nose by wearing a face covering. Merrimack College reserves the right to decline entry to any individual who refuses to wear a face covering for non-medical reasons. 

Social Distancing

In addition to wearing a face covering while on campus, it is important that everyone follows social distancing best practices. The goal of social distancing is to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and not to completely eliminate all interactions. 

Before Coming to Campus

The College strongly encourages all students, including graduate students, to begin quarantine 14 days before arriving on campus for the first time, or to have a COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving on campus. Students will still be tested upon their arrival.

Please note that if a graduate student arrives to campus and takes a baseline test that produces a positive result, they will be immediately asked to leave campus and should stay in isolation at home for at least 10 days, and cannot return until they have no fever without the use of medication for at least three days and other COVID-19 related systems have improved.  

New Massachusetts Travel Order

For those graduate commuters who are renting locally and will be traveling from a distance to your new residence please be aware that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s new travel order will go into effect on August 1, 2020. This order requires that all visitors traveling to Massachusetts from the states outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT), New York and New Jersey must self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.

For graduate students who are traveling from outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH,RI, VT), New York or New Jersey and are renting locally: If testing is not available in your area, or a graduate student is unable to complete a test before traveling you may utilize local medical offices to obtain a test, however you must remain quarantined at home both before and after you have taken the test. Only after a negative test has been confirmed do you no longer have to quarantine. The College advises graduate students who are originating from outside the region to solidify their testing plan as soon as possible. If you have exhausted all options please contact the Task Force.

Additionally, as mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, when arriving from outside of the state (except for MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT, NY and NJ), students must complete a Massachusetts travel form upon arrival which can be found online at www.mass.gov/matraveler. 

If your arrival to campus is delayed due to a positive COVID-19 test, please contact the Task Force who will work with you and your faculty to determine when you will be on campus to begin classes.

COVID-19 Testing and Scheduling

Weekly COVID-19 testing is one of the most important steps Merrimack is taking to protect the health and safety of its students, faculty and staff as we reopen our campus this fall. Merrimack College is participating in the fall college testing program entitled, “The Safe for School Program” by the Broad Institute to provide testing and protocols to allow the College to administer testing efficiently and safely. The College has also partnered with the clinical support company OnSite Medical Services, who will provide clinical personnel and processing support to the on-campus testing center. 

Graduate Student Testing Schedule

• Graduate students will receive a scheduled time slot for a recurring weekly COVID-19 surveillance test that will begin the week of August 24 and continue until the week of November 16. 

• Graduate students will receive an email during the week of August 17 with their testing schedule. Your schedule time slot will be aligned with your class schedule.

• The testing schedule is expected to be supplemented by daily self-screening by all students, faculty and staff. The goal is to remind students each day to stop and think about their health, and to contact the Hamel Health Center at (978) 837-5441 if they have symptoms.

Merrimack will be using the CoVerified Application to support the College’s mitigation and surveillance testing plan. This web-based and smart phone application will be specific to the Merrimack community and will allow users to: gain campus entrance clearance through daily self-screening, report symptoms, receive test results and access other COVID-19 education and mitigation strategies. Instructions on how to download the CoVerified application will be sent to all students in the coming days.

It is important to understand testing expectations. Graduate students will be assigned a regular testing time that is the same each week. If a graduate student misses an appointment, or otherwise does not comply with institutional COVID-19 policies, the student will be subject to disciplinary action and not allowed on campus. The College will provide updates on testing periodically. 

Meal Plans

The College is working to enhance student meal plans and provide more value for swipes at new locations across campus. Details are being finalized and information on new venues and menus will be shared in the coming days if graduate students are interested in purchasing meal plans. 

Returning to Campus 

Before you arrive for your first testing time, you need to do the following: 

1. Review and sign the Commuter Agreement which can be found in MyMack.

2. For new students, you must complete your immunization documentation in the Medicat Patient Portal.

To access the Commuter Agreement on MyMack you should:

1. Log onto MyMack

2. Click on “Campus Life” at the top of the screen.

3. Click “Commuter Life” on the left side of the screen. 

4. Once there, you will see the link to the Commuter Agreement.

Commuter Student Experience

In addition to attending classes on campus, commuter students are encouraged to attend social events and club and organization meetings. It is important to participate in co-curricular activities that are sponsored by the College to establish connections in the campus community. Meetings will be held both in person and virtually. 

The Commuter Lounge on the second floor of the Sakowich Campus Center will remain open and available to commuter students. This space offers the opportunity for private study and lounging between classes, and has been equipped with plexiglass as well as reconfigured in order to support social distancing best practices. Students can charge their devices, print documents and have access to professional staff. The Commuter Student Association will continue to host programs both in person and virtually. If you have any questions about Commuter Student Life please contact Liz Kew at kewl@merrimack.edu. 

All academic support services remain available. Writing, math, and subject tutoring, advising and success coaching, along with accessibility services will continue. While offices in McQuade Library and the Academic Success Center will remain open, the majority of support services will take place virtually. Commuter students are encouraged to study in the library between classes. We have arranged seating to promote social distancing. Additionally, some students may have remote classes that meet just before or after their on ground classes and we have created space in McQuade where you can virtually participate in these remote courses. More information on thriving in both in-person and remote courses can be found on the Academic Success Center’s webpage. Students are encouraged to reach out to the staff at ASC@merrimack.edu with any questions or concerns. 

Counseling and Wellness support services are available to all students, and they are located on the third floor of the Sakowich Campus Center. Both in person and tele-therapy appointments will be offered. Private rooms will also be available in this space for students to connect with their personal therapists virtually. To schedule an appointment with one of our clinicians or to reserve a room for tele-therapy with your outside therapist, please call (978) 857-5441. 

Parking for Commuter Students

There is adequate parking available on campus for commuter students. All commuter students are required to have a 2020-2021 Commuter Student Parking Pass. You can request your 2020-2021 Commuter Parking Pass here.

Arriving on to Campus 

Please prepare for several changes and allow extra time when coming on to campus. Some of the changes outlined below are a reminder based on the email sent to all students on July 10, but there is also new information that is important for all commuter students to know. Specific details to be aware of include:

Daily Symptom Checks

Each day, before reporting to campus, all members of the community must complete a daily self-screening and fill out a COVID-19 Daily Checklist to confirm that you do not exhibit any symptoms potentially related to COVID-19. The checklist can be found in the Fall 2020 Return to Campus Handbook.

Entering Campus

Campus entrances are gated and guarded 24 hours a day, and entry is limited to enrolled students, faculty and staff, parents, vendors, Islander hockey participants and visitors to the admissions center. Steps to entering campus include:

• Stop at the Rock Ridge Road entrance checkpoint to fill out the symptom checklist and sign the assumption of risk form (a second entrance will be added in the fall).

• Wear a face covering. 

• Follow social distancing policies of six feet or more. 

• Review the COVID-19 Return to Campus Policies and Procedures, and the COVID-19 Return to Campus Checklist and sign a waiver of liability and assumption of risk each time they arrive onto the campus.

Policy on Face Coverings 

As a reminder, and until further notice, anyone (age two and up) on the Merrimack College campus or in public areas of College housing, whether indoors or outdoors, who is unable to maintain a distance of approximately six feet from every other person is required to cover their mouth and nose by wearing a face covering. Merrimack College reserves the right to decline entry to any individual who refuses to wear a face covering for non-medical reasons. 

Social Distancing

In addition to wearing a face covering while on campus, it is important that everyone follows social distancing best practices. The goal of social distancing is to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and not to completely eliminate all interactions. 

Before Coming to Campus

The College strongly encourages that all students, including commuters, begin to quarantine 14 days before arriving on campus for the first time, or to have a COVID-19 test administered up to 72-hours prior to arriving on campus. Students will still be tested upon their arrival.

Please note that if a commuter student arrives to campus and takes a baseline test that produces a positive result, they will be immediately asked to leave campus and should stay in isolation at home for at least 10 days, and cannot return until they have no fever without the use of medication for at least three days and other COVID-19 related systems have improved. 

New Massachusetts Travel Order

For those commuters who are renting locally and will be traveling from a distance to your new residence please be aware that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s new travel order will go into effect on August 1, 2020. This order requires that all visitors traveling to Massachusetts from the states outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT), New York and New Jersey must self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.

For students who are traveling from outside of New England (MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT), New York or New Jersey and are renting locally: If testing is not available in your area, or a student is unable to complete a test before traveling you may utilize local medical offices to obtain a test, however, you must remain quarantined at home both before and after you have taken the test. Only after a negative test has been confirmed do you no longer have to quarantine. The College advises commuter students who are originating from outside the region to solidify their testing plan as soon as possible. If you have exhausted all options please contact the Task Force.

Additionally, as mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, when arriving from outside of the state (except for MA, ME, CT, NH, RI, VT, NY and NJ), students and family members must complete a Massachusetts travel form upon arrival which can be found online at www.mass.gov/matraveler. 

If your arrival to campus is delayed due to a positive COVID-19 test, please contact the Task Force who will work with you and your faculty to determine when you will be on campus to begin classes.

COVID-19 Testing and Scheduling

Weekly COVID-19 testing is one of the most important steps Merrimack is taking to protect the health and safety of its students, faculty and staff as we reopen our campus this fall. Merrimack College is participating in the fall college testing program entitled, “The Safe for School Program” by the Broad Institute to provide testing and protocols to allow the College to administer testing efficiently and safely. The College has also partnered with the clinical support company OnSite Medical Services, who will provide clinical personnel and processing support to the on-campus testing center. 

Commuter Testing Schedule

• Commuter students will receive a scheduled time slot for a recurring weekly COVID-19 surveillance test that will begin the week of August 24 and continue until the week of November 16.

• Upper-class commuter students will receive an email during the week of August 17 with their testing schedule. Your schedule time slot will be aligned with your class schedule.

• First year commuter students that are electing to join us on campus for Orientation will receive a separate communication from the Orientation Office during the week of August 10 regarding testing ahead of this event. Your schedule time slot will be aligned with your class schedule.

• The testing schedule is expected to be supplemented by daily self-screening by all students, faculty and staff. The goal is to remind students each day to stop and think about their health, and to contact the Hamel Health Center at (978) 837-5441 if they have symptoms.

Merrimack will be using the CoVerified Application to support the College’s mitigation and surveillance testing plan. This web-based and smart phone application will be specific to the Merrimack community and will allow users to: gain campus entrance clearance through daily self-screening, report symptoms, receive test results and access other COVID-19 education and mitigation strategies. Instructions on how to download the CoVerified application will be sent to all students in the coming days.

It is important to understand testing expectations. Students will be assigned a regular testing time that is the same each week. If a commuter student misses an appointment, or otherwise does not comply with institutional COVID-19 policies, the student will be subject to disciplinary action and not allowed on campus. The College will provide updates on testing periodically. 

Meal Plans

The College is working to enhance student meal plans and provide more value for swipes at new locations across campus. Details are being finalized and information on new venues and menus will be shared in the coming days.