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From August 29 through September 7, all on-campus undergraduate student residents must self-quarantine for "Q-Week" while taking their classes online. Learn more by visting the undergraduate Campus Guide. Please note: residents' bedroom doors must remain closed during this period regardless if a face covering is worn.
All events and parties within residence halls and FSILGs are prohibited until further notice. Additionally, MIT students are not permitted to organize or to attend events or parties off campus until further notice. Our biggest concern is students holding events and parties like the ones we read about in the news that have shut down other colleges and universities and undermined the wellbeing of thousands of community members. Boston mayor Marty Walsh said it succinctly: “Do not have parties.”
The goal of these policies is to limit the spread of Covid-19. MIT has taken a conservative approach to the on-campus fall ramp-up by limiting access to campus, requiring daily attestations and regular testing for those who have access, and restricting interactions and the size of gatherings. While inconvenient, these policies are informed by science and public health guidance. For more information about risk factors that impact the spread of the virus, see these brief articles from MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS).
These policies will be revisited on an ongoing basis and will be adjusted as needed to reflect current public health guidance and conditions.
Guidance:
Students should apply good judgment and common sense when considering their social interactions. Factors that influence how Covid spreads include the number of contacts one has with others; the duration of time spent in the presence of others; the behavior of others (e.g., wearing face-coverings, physical distancing, personal hygiene), the size of a gathering; the location (e.g., indoors vs. outdoors); the ventilation and capacity of a space; and space cleaning. Whether one lives on- or off-campus, there are ways students may connect socially in a safe manner (see examples below). However, events and parties are prohibited by this policy.
Examples of acceptable social connections that are not events or parties:
A small circle of close friends, who socialize only with each other and who limit their interactions outside of the group, is generally safer than interacting with a broader group of people. The idea behind forming a small group of no more than six people is that people can relax adhering to physical distancing or wearing a face-covering when in the presence of those in the group. All members of the group agree to abide by an honor system whereby they will take several precautions, including limiting their interactions with others. See MIT’s IDSS analysis of pods for more information.
Students who live on- or off-campus may take a walk or engage in fitness activities outside in pairs or with small groups of friends. Other examples of ways students can interact safely is by having a picnic or enjoying a coffee in an outdoor space with a few friends. At present (at least until 9/22), Cambridge allows people to be outdoors without a face covering, provided people are physically distant.
Students may attend religious or family gatherings that are in compliance with state and local guidelines.
Students are able to meet in groups of 10 outdoors on campus [see the section “Outdoor Common Space” below].
Students inside the residence halls can use pre-approved space as determined by Housing & Residential Services and the House Team [see the section “Indoor Common Space” below].
Summary Chart:
|
Student status |
Outdoor @MIT |
Inside Residence Halls |
Off campus |
|
Residential undergraduates |
|
|
Not permitted to host or attend events or parties off campus |
|
Residential graduate students |
|
|
Not permitted to host or attend events or parties off campus |
|
Off-Campus graduate students with Covid Pass-approved access to campus |
Outdoor MIT space <10 per circle No more than 50 total in any outdoor space. |
No access to residence halls |
Not permitted to host or attend events or parties off campus See guidance above for safe social connections |
|
Off-Campus local students without Covid Pass-approved access to campus |
No access to campus |
No access to campus |
Not permitted to host or attend events or parties off campus See guidance above for safe social connections |
In general, it is recommended that outdoor spaces be places where students can connect safely. Residential students may access their residence hall courtyards, roof decks, and other outdoor spaces when house-specific plans are in place that meet Institute guidance. Guidance for developing house-specific protocols for use of residential outdoor spaces will be shared with heads of house.
Undergraduate houses may open outdoor spaces on or after September 8, 2020, when quarantine week has ended. Graduate houses may open when ready.
Posted occupancy limits must be observed for the entire space, and residents may only socialize in groups of 10 or fewer within the space. Face coverings may be removed when outdoors, however all residents are required to follow physical distancing requirements.
There are also designated outdoor spaces on West Campus for gatherings of 10 or fewer resident students and house team members. House Teams and residents may reserve the West Campus spaces through the CAC. At this time, non-residential students with access to campus are not permitted to use designated outdoor spaces for resident student use.
Physical distancing and face covering guidelines must be met and posted occupancy limits must be observed.
Use of indoor common space is not permitted during this time, including lounges, kitchens, gyms, music rooms, and dining halls. Protocols on the use of residence hall common spaces are under development, but the facilities will remain closed until the protocols are approved (see below).
In working with Housing & Residential Services and their house team, residents are permitted to reserve spaces in their hall that have been designated for use. Each house is required to review the occupancy limits, ventilation, and other factors for their indoor spaces before determining which house spaces may be open for student use, and in what capacity and at what occupancy level. For more information on how students may use indoor spaces within the house, students should consult their house team. Occupancy of designated spaces may not exceed the size of gatherings permitted indoors by the Institute.
Kitchens in Graduate Houses:
Floor kitchens in graduate residence halls are closed, unless permitted under the following circumstances: floor kitchens may only be used by those students who do not have their own in-unit kitchens (i.e. residents of single rooms in 70 Amherst and 3-bedroom suites in Ashdown). Posted capacity limits must be observed. Kitchen utensils must be cleaned thoroughly after use, and all surfaces must be wiped down. House Operations Managers will ensure that proper cleaning supplies are available.
Open common spaces: Individuals may occupy open indoor common spaces temporarily (e.g. while waiting for an elevator), but may not be used for any gatherings. Residents are required to wear face coverings and practice physical distancing.
