Coronavirus Campus Policies for Students

Dear Students,

With spring break approaching, we want to update you on new university policies that apply to all faculty, staff and students. Before you leave campus for break, please carefully review these details.

The university strongly recommends that faculty, staff and students avoid non-essential personal international travel through the end of March.

• We want to also let you know that, effective immediately, we have suspended all international business travel for faculty and staff through the month of March.
• This travel suspension was recommended by Governor Charlie Baker on March 4.

Effective immediately, the university will strictly require all faculty, staff and students returning from a Level 2 or 3 travel advisory country to self-quarantine, off-campus, for 14 days following the trip, even if symptom-free. You are not to return to Bentley until this period is over.

• Level 2 and 3 countries currently include China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan. Please note that this list may change, and we recommend you review the CDC travel notices daily for updates.
• We request that you study or work from home during the 14 days as your health permits. The university has technology and online capabilities to ensure that classes and work can progress remotely.
• You must notify your faculty members of your inability to return to class.
• Self-quarantine means you must not be on campus, attend class, work or group gatherings, and do not invite people over.

Students who have traveled to or are returning from a CDC Level 2 or 3 country must contact Student Health Services at 781-891-2222 or ga_healthcenter@bentley.edu before returning to campus.

Please continue to check the following websites:

• Centers for Disease Control Travel Risk Assessments
• Centers for Disease Control Travel FAQs and Tips
• U.S. Department of State Traveler’s Checklist

In addition to these travel measures, we are increasing cleaning protocols on campus, using products that both sanitize and disinfect surfaces. Facilities Management has increased cleaning efforts in high-usage areas such as bathrooms, classrooms, the Dana Center and our dining facilities, and our on-campus food service provider, Sodexo, will continue to maintain the highest sanitation standards. As always, we encourage hand-washing as the best defense for self-protection and good health, whether you’re on campus or off.

The university is preparing for a broad range of scenarios in the weeks ahead, including the possibility of instructing faculty to move classes online so that students can complete courses remotely. While there is no evidence that this will be necessary as the risk in Massachusetts remains low, we are taking all precautions to remain prepared as the situation develops.

We encourage students to think about your own level of preparedness, including if campus were to close for a period of time. Being mindful of where you would go—for example, to your family home, the home of a nearby friend or relative or if you’d work with the university to find a place to stay—is helpful to consider in advance. We hope this will not be needed but want to encourage members of our community to think about such a scenario just in case.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available on the web page we’ve created at www.bentley.edu/coronavirus. The health and safety of our students and the entire Bentley community remains the university’s top priority.

The Bentley University Cabinet

Alison Davis-Blake
Donna Maria Blancero
Josh Brand
George Cangiano
Carolina Figueroa
Maureen Flores
Maureen Forrester
Christopher Joyce
Amanda King
Judy Malone
Andrew Shepardson
Bob Wittstein