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Guidance for Proposing Off-Campus Group Activities - Updated March 19

By COVID-19 Task Force

March 19, 2021

April 3 [originally April 10] is the first approved date for off-campus group events, which must be approved by the COVID-19 Task Force, and supervised and accompanied by a Hamilton employee. All off-campus field trips must be associated with a current academic class or research project. The proposed trip must be submitted for approval to the Dean of Faculty Office using the Field Trip Approval Form at least three weeks in advance. After the proposed funding is approved through the DOF, an associate dean of faculty will send the request to Roger Wakeman for approval by the Task Force. The following requirements for academic field trips must be met:

• No overnight travel is permitted (radius limited to under 280 miles)
• Participants in activities must:

• Follow social distancing (6 feet of distance) and mask wearing protocols at all times
• Avoid contact with others outside the Hamilton College community

• Activities will require rapid antigen testing before travel or engagement with students from other schools
• A positive rapid test result by any member of an intended travel group will require cancellation of the planned activity

Other restrictions include:

• Funding transportation costs must be reviewed and pre-approved by your appropriate Associate Dean of Faculty through the Field Trip Form
• Travel must be in Hamilton-owned vehicles or contracted carriers (no private vehicles allowed)
• Vehicle occupancies must adhere to physical distancing requirements and face covering protocols
• Food must be provided for travel by Hamilton College and may not be consumed inside vehicles or indoors
• Field trip travel should not include any stops (e.g. no bathroom breaks at locations where contact with outside individuals could occur) other than to conduct the academic related activity (e.g. gather samples, visit the place of interest, etc…)