By Nicholas Calvino and Michael Cotton, Currier Times Staff//

The energy is back on the campus of Curry College, but Covid remains a hot topic. Mandatory vaccinations were necessary to come back this fall, for all students, faculty and staff. The results of that mandate are showing up in the high percentage of fully vaccinated people on campus, outside of religious or medical reasons.

Vaccination for traditional students who have officially checked in for the fall semester is 92% and faculty and staff 96%, according to the Curry “dashboard” that provides regular updates regarding Covid on campus. The rates are even higher, 96% for students, and 99% for faculty, when factoring in “fully cleared” status, which means they’ve either gotten the vaccine or have been exempted. Exempted persons must test weekly for Covid.

Number of students vaccinated: 1,439 (92%)

Number of faculty and staff vaccinated: 432 (96%)

Number of students with exemptions: 76 (5%)

Number of faculty and staff with exemptions: 14 (3%)

Jennifer Hart, a first year professor who moved here from Louisiana, told the Currier Times she is impressed with Curry College’s Covid policies .

“It’s better then what I experienced teaching out there,” Hart, an Assistant Professor in General Education said. “I’m comfortable but I wouldn’t be opposed to surveillance testing.”

For the most part, Curry College students are happy with the protocols on campus, as well.

“All of the colleges in the area are taking the same precautions,” said junior Noah Barthelemy. “It’s just part of the process. People don’t quite understand that we can’t have it both ways.”

New visitor rules were put in place recently. Visitors will be allowed in outdoor spaces only, including athletic events. The college is still working on indoor rules, for theatre or dance programs, that might allow up to 50 people in an audience, fully masked.

The Co-Verified app will still be necessary for students, faculty and staff to gain entry onto campus, as long as the app stays “green.”