Dear Students,
I hope this message finds you well and you are enjoying a bit of sunshine and a little bit of much-earned downtime in the midst of the semester.
One year ago today, the Governor announced that all SUNY campuses must pivot to remote learning through the end of the semester, due to the then-new coronavirus threat. We have been through so much since then as a campus community, and through it all, your tenacity and selflessness have inspired us again and again.
Now, we enter a new and hopeful phase in the fight against COVID-19—as evidenced by the New York State vaccination clinic hosted in our Maxcy Hall Fieldhouse, which is administering 2,000 shots per day to eligible New Yorkers. As the eligibility criteria have expanded to include all in-person university faculty and staff—and as more students are starting to have access to the vaccine due to health conditions, age or occupation—we can now begin to plan for a return to mostly in-person instruction for the Fall 2021 semester.
We know that so many of you are anxious to return to our classrooms, laboratories and studios for lively and interactive classes alongside your peers, and face-to-face with your professors. Our faculty are planning for a fall semester focused on in-person instruction and educational experiences as much as possible—while still ensuring we follow all current public health guidelines as required.
As advising for Fall 2021 opens on Monday ahead of course registration, you will notice that most classes are designated as in-person. We are also excited to welcome all of you back to enjoy campus life. Residence Life will open our housing registration for the fall on April 5. More information about signing up for housing will be sent to students next week.
As always, we will continue to follow all federal and state guidance as we work together to turn the tide on the pandemic and help each of you find your paths forward to a brighter future.
Sincerely,
Kristin G. Esterberg, Ph.D.
President