Off-Campus Summer Programs, Sykes Appointments Canceled as Students Prepare for Asynchronous Learning

This timeline covers major announcements made regarding Andover’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center will not be offering any telehealth services to students off campus, according to an email sent on March 23 from Dr. Amy Patel, Medical Director, Suzanne Heon Kemp, Director of Psychological Services, and Linda Carter Griffith, Associate Head of School for Equity, Inclusion, and Wellness.

Although it is limited by telehealth infrastructure and licensing capabilities, the Sykes team included a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) within the email. Additionally, it provided the contact information of multiple organizations for students’ immediate health needs.

Andover also suspended all domestic and international off-campus programs for this summer. Some of these programs include Learning in the World trips, Performing in the World trips, and the Lorant Fellowship. This decision comes as the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 Global Health Travel Advisory, urging Americans to avoid international travel.

Additionally, the Dean of Studies Office has decided to restrict add/drop requests to Seniors with outstanding graduation requirements, Seniors enrolled in four courses instead of five, and Juniors seeking to add a sixth course without changing their schedules. Add/drop requests may be sent to Ken Shows, Assistant Dean of Studies for Scheduling, by noon on March 27.

As students prepare to start online classes on March 30, an email to international students and their families explained that classes will not be held in a live setting to ensure that all students have equal access to course material regardless of their time zone. There will be opportunities for students to have live discussions with instructors and members of their team during designated office hours.

On March 23, Governor Charlie Baker issued a statewide stay-at-home advisory, ordering all non-essential businesses to close from March 24 to April 7. While residents will still be able to leave their homes for necessary trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, Baker called on everyone to avoid direct contact with others and prohibited gatherings exceeding ten people, down from the original 25-person limit set on March 15.