March 12, 2021
Hello Students!!
It is time for another weekly update and like last week, I am pleased to announce that we only had one positive student pool from testing earlier this week. Unfortunately, that one positive case has resulted in over a dozen additional students needing to be placed into quarantine, but the results continue to be encouraging.
We must collectively keep this up and remain vigilant in adhering to the public health guidelines and the BEAR COVID-19 Pledge – especially during the days surrounding St. Patrick’s Day and as we begin to experience warmer weather. The warmer weather has resulted in an increase in incident reports and student conduct charges for student gatherings both on and off campus. Please remember that you are still expected to:
- Limit exposure off-campus by avoiding locations with multiple people, including other students’ or community members’ homes for parties and social gatherings. Students who reside off-campus should not host parties or social gatherings and should follow all state and county guidelines related to gatherings.
- Adhere to restrictions on social gatherings and maintain social (physical) distancing in the presence of others in all campus spaces and in the community.
- Comply with all regulations, including the event and gathering restrictions implemented by SUNY Potsdam and local/state/federal authorities, including St. Lawrence County Public Health, whether in effect now or imposed at a later date.
As a result of the continued good news, I am pleased to announce the following changes:
- Lehman Dining hall will re-open starting with brunch on Saturday 3/13.
- Residence Halls will re-open lounges (for residential students only) within posted COVID occupancy guidelines. More information will be forthcoming from Residence Life.
We know many of you may be tempted to see your families during Passover and Easter which are coming up in the next few weeks. Please remember that students are not allowed to travel outside of the North Country Region without getting prior permission. In addition, we also discourage families from traveling up to Potsdam as well. Guests are currently not permitted on campus and having guests come to the area could cause an increase in COVID cases resulting in campus restrictions having to be reimplemented, even if you and family members have been vaccinated. Please resist this temptation to do this for your safety and the well-being of the community.
Yours Sincerely,
Eric D. Duchscherer
Interim Dean of Students