[Important Information for Students] Spring 2021 Academic Schedule Changes

[Office of the Provost/VPAA]

Dear students,

I’m writing with some important information about our Spring 2021 semester
schedule.  College leadership has been carefully discussing how best to
structure the academic calendar.  Throughout our conversations, we have
focused on doing everything possible to continue to support the health and
safety of our campus while also ensuring that we meet our educational
obligations to each of you.

While we understand the value of a spring break in an ordinary academic
semester, we regret to inform you that we will not be scheduling a spring
break for our spring 2021 semester.  Ultimately, there is too much health
risk in having students leave and then return to campus from so many
different locations.  We have also considered recommendations from Dr.
Kathleen Camelo, Director of our Student Health and Counseling Center, as
to how the spring semester  will potentially interface with the winter flu
season along with the quarantining and isolation complexities for our
returning students that must be managed by campus staff.

The following details of the Spring 2021 academic calendar have now been
finalized:


   -

   Classes will begin, as originally scheduled, on Monday, January 25, 2021.



   -

   The first *two* weeks of the semester will be delivered remotely --
   fully online --- to ALL students.  This means that even if you are enrolled
   in a fully face-to-face class, the first two weeks will be fully online.
   Starting classes in this way will permit for a phased return of all
   students with a better managed transition to the total number of students
   who will be residing in campus housing.



   -

   International students and other students requiring a period of
   quarantine will return to campus and complete their two weeks of
   quarantining during these first two remote weeks of instruction.



   -

   Students with internet access issues and/or housing/food scarcity
   challenges will be permitted to communicate these details to Campus Housing
   & Community Living and request support during the first two weeks of the
   semester.



   -

   The majority of returning residential students will be given scheduled
   times for their return to campus, beginning on Friday, February 5th and
   continuing through that weekend. Because spring break will be eliminated,
   final exam week will begin on May 1st and end of May 7th.  Please note: if
   the college needs to change the return-to-campus plans in response to
   requirements for increased COVID testing of all students, upon your return
   to campus, these dates may change.



   -

   Commencement is tentatively scheduled for May 8, 2021.  The decision to
   celebrate an in-person commencement ceremony will be contingent on ensuring
   the health and safety of the campus and surrounding community.  The number
   of active COVID-19 cases, at that time, and guidance from the Clinton
   County Department of Health, SUNY system and New York State will be
   considered.


More information will follow from Student Success and Community Living
sharing dates and times of move-in, testing requirements, and other
important return-to-campus details.

Stepping back from thoughts of the spring semester, I do want to share a
few words relative to how very important it is that our community continue
to support all of our campus safety practices in response to the pandemic:
social distancing, wearing face masks, and meeting our own responsibilities
for cleaning our study/classroom/lab spaces for the benefit of all.  It may
be tempting as the days and weeks go by to relax around these crucial
health practices, but I hope that there is deep understanding that we
really cannot relax in this manner.

I truly wish that we did not need to eliminate spring break and know that
this decision will be disappointing to many of you.  At the same time, I
also know that our first priority and responsibility as a campus community
must be maintaining a healthy and safe living and learning environment.
Happily, it is crystal clear how equally invested our student body is in
this priority because your commitment is realized in the healthy campus
community we are enjoying today!  Keep up the good work and remain
vigilant.  Follow the Cardinal Pledge, adhere to our social distancing and
face covering policy and know that your decisions, today, influence the
health of our entire community. Thank you and best wishes with your studies!

Sincerely,

Anne Herzog, Ph.D.

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Cardinal Pledge

I will wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash my hands, avoid large
social gatherings/parties, stay home when sick and inform the Health Center.
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