September 10, 2021
Dear students,
We hope that you are having a successful fall semester so far, and enjoying your classes and activities.
SUNY Potsdam has been carefully reviewing our current case details, and tracking the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and in our community. Based on this, we wanted to share two updates on our public health protocols.
Upcoming student testing
The following extended testing measure only applies to students who have been reporting for testing on the main Potsdam campus this semester. Students at our Watertown Extension Site at Jefferson Community College should look for an email from Alan Hersker with more information.
- Unvaccinated students must continue to test weekly. This includes students who are partially vaccinated and those with approved exemptions.
- For fully vaccinated students ONLY, we have extended testing requirements as follows:
- Vaccinated students will be divided into two testing groups, and tested over the next two Mondays (on September 13 and 20).
- If you are selected to test on September 13, you will receive an email in the next few days to sign up for your appointment time.
- If you do not receive an email, you will be tested on September 20, and will receive an email next week with further information.
- Vaccinated students are welcome to test as often as they would like. Any vaccinated student who wishes to do so may complete a surveillance test every week, whether they are required to do so or not.
Face covering requirement
SUNY Potsdam will continue to require face coverings indoors for all individuals on campus, regardless of vaccination, until further notice. This is in keeping with guidance from the CDC and based on updated New York State policy requiring masking indoors at state facilities.
Masks may only be removed in specific circumstances, such as in your personal residence hall room or your personal office/workstation while socially distanced, or when eating or drinking while seated at a dining facility.
Vaccination update
We continue to receive vaccination records and assist students with compliance with the SUNY vaccination requirement. As of this week, 86.5% of our students are fully vaccinated, and an additional 6.4% are partially immunized. We will continue to send information to the 4.8% of students for whom we have no immunization records on file, as the final deadline for this SUNY/CUNY requirement approaches.
If you have not yet submitted/verified your vaccination records and have not submitted a medical/religious exemption request, you must submit your records as soon as possible to avoid being disenrolled. You can do so via the Student Health Services secure file upload here.
For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/prepared.
Sincerely,
Eric Duchscherer
Dean of Students