| We are excited to come together in person this fall. We have turned the corner; in many ways, Reed is stronger than before the pandemic. I look forward to the return of our vibrant campus life and the strength of Reed—intellectually curious students engaging with brilliant faculty while being supported by dedicated staff in a truly exceptional learning environment.—President Audrey Bilger |
June 15, 2021
Dear Reed students, faculty, staff, and parents,
Two months from now, the Reed community will come together in person for the 2021–22 academic year, with what we imagine will be a collective sigh of relief and a renewed appreciation for in-person engagement. As Audrey says, “We have turned the corner; in many ways, Reed is stronger than before the pandemic.” While we are incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish together last year, nothing excites us more than where we are headed.
It is clear that the Reed community understands the importance of vaccination. As you know, vaccination is the most effective way to protect our community from COVID-19. So far, our vaccination rate is exceptional.
Employee Vaccination Status
As of today, 93% of Reed employees have been verified by the college as fully vaccinated.
Student Vaccination Requirement
All students are required to be fully vaccinated (two weeks post final vaccine dose) for the 2021–22 academic year. It is too early to report the percentage of students vaccinated at this time; however, we expect high compliance.
Students: Upload your vaccination card to the Student Health Portal
Oregon Vaccination Status
As of June 14, 2021, 67.9% of the eligible population (18+ years) in Oregon has received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Multnomah County, the county where Reed resides, is at 70.2%. Track the vaccination progress in Oregon.
Vaccination progress will have a significant impact on Reed’s operations. Governor Brown has announced that most state-level COVID-19 health and safety restrictions will be lifted when 70% of all Oregonians 18 and older have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. We are optimistic that the state will reach 70% before students return in the fall, which means many of the remaining restrictions in our plan (e.g., face coverings, physical distancing, and event-capacity limits) will be eliminated.
We know many of you will have questions related to various elements of fall operations. While our plans continue to evolve due to changing state mandates, we continue to maintain Reed’s COVID-19 Prevention & Response Plan, which includes information on the following topics:
- Start of the Fall Term
- College Operations Safety Measures
- Reed COVID-19 Dashboard
- Vaccine FAQ
- Individual Responsibility
- Training, Testing, Health Monitoring, and Contact Tracing
- Academics and Classes
- Student Housing
- For Students and Their Family Members
- Visitors, Travel, In-Person Events, and Building Access
- Technology Support
- COVID-19 News & Announcements
Our next major update to the community will be July 29, 2021. In the meantime, please reach out to us or to individual campus offices listed on the COVID-19 website.
With deep appreciation for your care for the health and well-being of our community,
COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group
COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group
Co-Chairs
Kathy Oleson, Dean of the Faculty & Professor of Psychology
Hugh Porter, Vice President for College Relations & Planning
Members
Cindy Anderson, Interim Dean of Students
Lorraine Arvin, Vice President and Treasurer
Gary Granger, Director of Community Safety
Mandy Heaton, Executive Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Karnell McConnell-Black, Vice President for Student Life
Madison Riethman, COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Health Project Manager
Suzy Renn, Professor of Biology
Timmie Rochon, Medical Services Director
April Sams, Director of Risk Management & Environmental Health and Safety