We hope you have enjoyed a restful winter break! We have delayed our start of classes until Feb. 8.This delay in the start to the semester will allow cases from the holidays to clear, more people to be vaccinated, and more of the semester’s work to be conducted in (hopefully) warmer weather that allows for more ventilation and outdoor activity.
SUNY Morrisville plans to return for in-person learning and living again in Spring 2021, with classes taught through a mix of in-person or face-to-face (F2F) and remote (online) learning, based on parameters set by the State University of New York (SUNY) Administration. Thank you for the vital role you played in our successful return to campus for the Fall 2020 semester, which helped keep our infection rate down and has allowed us to continue with in-person learning this spring.
Spring Move-In
Students living on campus will be assigned a move-in day, similar to the Fall, between Friday and Sunday, Feb. 5-7. Housing move-in assignments will be sent to students’ Morrisville email addresses by the end of the day on Tuesday, Jan. 19. All students will be required to provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within seven [7] days prior to their arrival on campus, with mandatory pooled saliva testing being conducted for all students upon arrival, as well. Students must meet both requirements: a negative prearrival test as close as possible to arrival day, and participation in on-arrival pooled saliva testing.
Once the semester begins, all faculty, staff and students are expected to participate in weekly pooled saliva testing. This applies to residential and commuter students. Those who are learning or working remotely exclusively are welcome, but not required, to participate.
To provide a place for information as well as to submit important documentation, all students are automatically enrolled in a Blackboard course. In this course, students will be able to upload proof of their negative test, complete an attestation that they have completed a seven-day precautionary quarantine before returning to campus, and otherwise learn about and meet all COVID-19 campus safety measures.
Given the increase in cases of COVID-19 locally, statewide and nationwide, students must restrict their movement in the week preceding their return. Pooled saliva testing will continue routinely throughout the semester.
Classes and Academic Calendar
Spring semester classes will begin Monday, Feb. 8. Each student’s schedule will indicate the method of delivery (online, in-person or hybrid) for each course.
At the direction of SUNY Administration, spring break and other holiday break periods are canceled for all SUNY campuses this semester, given the risks associated with COVID-19 spread and travel. Classes will conclude on Friday, May 14, and finals are scheduled May 17-21.
The full academic calendar for the Spring 2021 semester can be found on college’s COVID-19 Response Plans and Updates webpage.
We know there are many questions remaining, especially as applied to individual situations. We will continue to share updates with you by email and on our website. SUNY Morrisville conducts several virtual meetings weekly involving campus personnel to develop, refine and adapt these plans, and also works closely with local public health officials and the state, including the SUNY system. We are taking as many sensible steps as we can to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, staff, visitors and our surrounding communities while also providing the critical applied learning and teaching that is SUNY Morrisville’s mission.
As a reminder, all plans are subject to change due to new information, guidance and/or direction received from SUNY Administration, the State of New York and the Office of the Governor. We have received tentative approval for our plan. When final approval is formalized, or if changes are made, we will post them on the college website and send to Morrisville email accounts.
We look forward to a safe and healthy Spring semester!