New Task Force, Website to Share COVID-19 Updates With Community

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Daily updates will offer faculty, students, and staff information about the coronavirus.

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A depiction of a coronavirus molecule
(Photo courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Dartmouth has formed a high-level task force to plan for and manage possible disruptions related to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, monitor federal and state recommendations, implement guidance, and communicate with everyone in our community.

“The task force will report to me and is meeting daily to synthesize the latest information, consult with experts, analyze risk, and prepare for various scenarios. Our highest priority is the health and well-being of our community members,” says Provost Joseph Helble.

Helble advises community members to check the COVID-19 website, launched today, for the latest guidance and information related to the virus. COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family, a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

The site includes information on travel advisories, student leisure travel over spring break, Dartmouth’s travel registry, and considerations regarding returning to campus after travel.

The task force co-chairs are physician Lisa Adams, director of global initiatives and an associate professor of medicine in the section of infectious disease and international health at the Geisel School of Medicine, and Josh Keniston, vice president for institutional projects.

The task force members (as of March 3), who represent divisions across Dartmouth:

•       Advancement: Cheryl Bascomb

•       Athletics: Kristene Kelly

•       Communications: Diana Lawrence

•       Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning: Josh Kim

•       Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: Antonia Altomare, Michael Calderwood

•       Dean of the Faculty: John Tansey

•       Dickey Center for International Understanding: Amy Newcomb

•       Executive Vice President: Frank Roberts, Dave Foster, Gail Goodness, Tom Schutzius

•       Geisel School of Medicine: John Dick, Alison Holmes

•       General Counsel: Tammy Hickox

•       Information, Technology and Consulting: Richel Cuyler

•       Library: Ken Peterson

•       President’s office: Mimi Simpson

•       Provost’s office: Aileen Lem

•       Student Affairs: Kate Burke

•       Student Health Services: Mark Reed, Ann Bracken

•       Thayer School of Engineering: Holly Wilkinson

•       Tuck School of Business: Peter Golder, Lisa Miller

The task force’s charge is to protect and support the health, safety, and welfare of our faculty, staff, and students as well as the assets of Dartmouth; maintain commitment to our mission to provide instruction, research, and service; and maintain business and administrative operations. In addition, the group is charged with recovering as quickly and efficiently as possible if any operations are interrupted or suspended; ensuring multimodal communications on campus, with parents, community, and stakeholders; establishing benchmarks or triggers to prompt prudent actions; and, to the extent feasible, extend the expertise of Dartmouth to benefit our community neighbors.

Office of Communications