Dear Students,
We’re excited to welcome you back for the Fall 2021 semester! As we return to campus, SUNY Morrisville continues to take 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.
Please find at the end of this email a link to our What Students Should Know guide for Fall 2021, which contains important information regarding your return to campus, testing requirements, quarantine and isolation procedures, and other health and safety policies and guidelines.
In addition to familiarizing yourself with that document, the next important step to plan for prior to returning to campus is to please review the requirements listed below for vaccinated and unvaccinated/partially vaccinated individuals, which also is included in the guide:
- Vaccinated individuals: Fully vaccinated students should submit proof of vaccination to the Student Health Center via email to stellda@morrisville.edu or fax to 315.684.6493. Fully vaccinated students may opt-out from mandatory weekly testing upon the submission of documentation showing completion of a full COVID-19 vaccination series.
- Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals: Students who are not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated are required to provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken 3-5 days prior to arrival to campus or proof of a positive COVID-19 test taken within the last three (3) months. Acceptable tests for COVID-19 include rapid or non-rapid molecular (PCR) or antigen tests. Antibody tests are not acceptable. Results should be uploaded to Blackboard prior to arrival.
- Residential students should bring a copy of the test results to move-in if unable to load to Blackboard. Residential students will receive a rapid antigen test upon arrival to campus. For residential students utilizing antigen testing for the pre-arrival test, please note that antigen tests must be completed on nonconsecutive days, meaning at least two (2) days apart, so please plan accordingly. Students who pass the health screening and have submitted all required documents will be allowed to proceed through the check-in process. Students with symptoms or those that failed to submit required documents will be directed to our campus quarantine location.
- Commuter students should upload a copy of the test results prior to the first class on campus.
- Norwich students also should upload a copy of the test results prior to the first class on campus.
- Mandatory weekly testing will continue to be required for any student who has a physical presence on campus and who has not been fully vaccinated or who has not provided proof of vaccination.
Per New York State guidance, the State University of New York (SUNY) will require that all in-person students are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully approves the vaccines. Currently, the vaccines are approved for emergency use authorization only. Once FDA approval is granted, all in-person students, including residential and commuter students, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement will become effective immediately, even if we are mid-semester. We are still consulting with SUNY regarding exemptions, but we anticipate that medical and religious exemptions will be very limited.
As a reminder, all plans outlined in the guide 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 will inform you of any changes made via email sent to your Morrisville email account as well as on the college website.
The academic calendar for the semester can be viewed on the Fall 2021 academic calendar webpage.
We look forward to a safe and healthy fall semester!