Concern over the corona virus and the Covid 19 disease it can cause are starting to result in more and more closings and cancellations here in Central New York. The Light Work photography program is cancelling all artist receptions and gallery talks for the rest of the month. Greening USA cancelled a panel on climate change that was to take place Friday at Art Rage.
The Syracuse City School District postponed its Educational Foundation Annual Recognition Fundraising Breakfast for several months; it was supposed to take place March 28th.
These come after Syracuse University announced it will cancel any activities that bring together more than 50 people starting Friday and lasting at least until the end of March. Meanwhile Cayuga County is the latest to announce a Covid 19 test. County Health officials say One person is being tested after traveling ot a country where there’s ongoing transmission of the virus.
STATEWIDE REACTIONS CONTINUE & INCLUDE SUNY, CUNY GOING ONLINE ONLY
The vast state and city university systems in New York are switching to long distance learning March 19th and most students will be going home due to worries about the corona virus , says Governor Andrew Cuomo. The governor also says the state is contracting with 28 private labs to speed up what’s been a slow process of testing potential virus victims.
Cuomo says SUNY and CUNY will be holding almost all classes on line on starting next week, and continuing until the end of the semester, and most students will be leaving the dorms. The governor says it’s all about reducing the number of large groups of people gathering together.
“CUNY and SUNY starting March 19th will move to a distance learning model,” Cuomo said.
The governor says if a student has nowhere else to stay, they will be allowed to remain, and those who have lab work that cannot be done on the Internet can stay.
Cuomo administration officials say they are still working out all of the logistics, but it’s also likely that there will be no public graduations this year.
SUNY’s student association, in a statement, applauded the move, saying it’s the right thing to do to protect students, faculty and staff.
Cuomo says the state is also contracting with over two dozen private labs around New York State to greatly increase the amount of testing that can be conducted. He says the federal Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration have not moved quickly enough.
“New York State is going to take matters into its own hand,” said Cuomo. “We’re going to start contracting with private labs in this state to increase our testing capacity.”
The governor and his aides could not immediately provide numbers of how many New Yorkers have been tested, and how many more will now be able to take the tests. But they predict that the number of those who are infected will grow, as more people are tested. Some of the labs still need permission from the federal government for their testing protocols, which Cuomo says is “complicating” the situation.
The governor has been talking to New York’s business leaders to get them to voluntarily implement staggered work shifts and allowing employees to telecommute, in an effort to reduce the density of people in the workplace.
The governor says he’s also talking to organizers of St Patrick’s Day parades around the state, including ones in New York City and in many major upstate cities, about possibly cancelling the parades. While Cuomo say he’s not ready to ban large public gatherings, he is heeding the advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of President Trump’s task force on coronavirus. Fauci recommends that people avoid being in large crowds.
“You don’t want to shut down society, right, because that’s massively disruptive,” Cuomo said. “But your main concern here is the public health crisis.”
The governor say he’s trying to strike a balance between the two.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY CLEARS UP CONFUSION ON COVID 19 POLICIES
SU issued instructions about moving all classes to online or to other distance learning starting after Friday and continuing at least until March 30th. Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie received a number of questions about the policy and offered responses:
What should students do if they can’t or were not planning to travel or return home for spring break?
Any student who needs to remain on campus can stay in their residence hall as planned. Dining centers, libraries, and health and wellness centers will remain open. Any changes to operating hours or reduced services will be communicated.
If students who live in University housing leave for spring break, can they come back whenever they want?
No. The University has made the decision to shift to distance-based instruction through at least March 30. Students who vacate on-campus housing for spring break destinations away from Syracuse will not be able to return to on-campus housing, academic buildings, libraries, health and wellness facilities or other campus spaces until at least March 30. This is to prevent potential transmission of the coronavirus by individuals who may have been exposed while traveling or at home.
If international students go home for spring break, what happens if their home countries prohibit return travel?
International students can request accommodations to continue their academic work for the semester online until they are able to return to the United States. Questions about coursework should be directed to the student’s faculty members or their school or college academic advising office. International students who have questions about their visa status or international travel may contact the Center for International Services at 315.443.2457.
What if a student wants to finish the semester online and move out this weekend?
We understand each student and their family must make the best decision for their personal and family circumstances. We are currently working to formulate a process for students who choose not to come back to campus to request an accommodation to complete spring semester academic work remotely. We will have more to share related to this potential accommodation in the days to come.
Can parents and families enter residence halls this weekend to move out their children or pack up things for them to take home?
Yes.
Does the suspension of in-person classes also apply to centers in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.?
Like main campus, the Syracuse University centers in New York and Washington will suspend in-person instruction at the end of the day on Friday, March 13. After spring break, classes will resume online until at least March 30. The decision to re-open centers, as with the main campus, will be made based on local conditions, the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and with the safety of our faculty, staff and students in mind. On March 23, the Syracuse University Center in Los Angeles will move to online instruction through the end of the semester.
Is March 30 a firm date for returning to campus? When will you know if you’re suspending classes for the remainder of the semester?
We plan to use the next two weeks to continue monitoring and assessing the latest data and information about the spread of the virus in conjunction with New York State and Onondaga County health authorities. We will continue to communicate with our campus regularly whenever new decisions are made. At this time, based on current information, we plan to maintain online coursework until at least March 30.
Will staff be allowed to work remotely while in-person instruction is suspended?
The Office of Human Resources is currently working to finalize guidance for appropriate work-from-home and other policy accommodations for staff. We will provide this information before the start of spring break.
In addition to these questions, I want to provide some critically important contact information:
- For questions about disability-related accommodations, visit disabilityservices.syr.edu or contact the Office of Disability Services at disabilityservices@syr.edu or 315.443.4498.
- For students who require academic accommodations, please contact academic advising in your school or college.
- For students who need technical or technological support to continue their academic coursework remotely, contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677.
- Faculty who have questions about transitioning in-person instruction to online teaching, contact your school/college IT department to coordinate support and training with Information Technology Services and other units.
- For students who plan to stay on campus during spring break, we ask that you please notify the Office of Student Living.
- International students with questions or concerns should contact the Center for International Services at 315.443.2427.
- Students, faculty and staff with questions specific to your school, college or academic department, contact your dean’s office directly.
- A separate communication from the Graduate School will be sent later today to graduate students about dissertation defenses, teaching assignments, academic continuity and other pertinent topics. Graduate School-specific questions should be directed to Associate Dean Gabby Chapman (ghchapma@syr.edu).
As a reminder, we will continue to update Syracuse.edu/coronavirus regularly. I urge you to visit that site regularly, where you will find links to resources, updates from the University and answers to frequently asked questions.
