News

Dear Mustangs, We know that this has been a rough and challenging semester. We know that gathering and socializing is a valued part of the college experience. We know that Halloween is a treasured day of having fun with your friends. And we know that COVID-19 can spread through high-risk activities, such as parties, large gatherings, and when people do not physically distance or wear protective face coverings.

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — A photograph by Timothy Gerken, professor of humanities at SUNY Morrisville, is on display in collaboration with Denniston Hill, as part of For Freedoms’ nationwide campaign “2020 Awakening.” The artist-led collective campaign, which launched on Indigenous People’s Day (Columbus Day) Oct. 12, features billboards that appear in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Many touch on pressing issues of the current political campaign process.

If you go to a party, you will no longer go to SUNY Morrisville. This is as direct as I can be. I am aware of some parties, including one as recently as this past weekend, that were incredibly reckless and dangerous in a number of ways. We are identifying those who hosted and attended and taking sanctions against them. We will continue to do so until they stop or everyone is sent home.

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — A new minor in agricultural human resources management is preparing SUNY Morrisville graduates to meet the growing demands of the modern farm business. “The diverse nature of the agricultural industry, increased agricultural labor laws and rapid consolidation of the agricultural industry are all factors influencing and creating the demand for this academic minor,” said Sheila Marshman, associate professor of agricultural business at SUNY Morrisville.

All testing samples collected last week (Oct. 12-16) for both wastewater and pooled saliva testing for COVID-19 have been received. A clarification about restricted movement is published online, and the Office of the Provost will soon send an update to faculty as well.

Whenever a residence hall has shown the presence of the virus, we have followed up with a precautionary quarantine or “restricted movement” to limit residential students from potentially spreading the virus until we have had an opportunity to conduct pooled saliva testing and have those results returned.

Dear members of the campus community, Last night, the campus received an update about results from this week’s COVID-19 testing efforts. It is a reminder how quickly a situation can change, and the responsibility each of us has to create and maintain a safer campus environment.

We have some initial results from this week’s wastewater and pooled saliva testing for COVID-19. Thursday afternoon, we received wastewater testing results from samples taken Tuesday, Oct. 13. Quantifiable levels were detected in Commons 1, Commons 2 and West Hall residence halls (the central plant samples showed the same).

We have received the most recent results of wastewater testing in Oneida Hall, samples taken Thursday, Oct. 8, in which COVID-19 has been detected at a significant level.  All residents of Oneida Hall must precautionarily quarantine in their rooms, effective immediately.

As SUNY Morrisville experiences its first increase in positive cases of COVID-19, it is helpful to review how testing, quarantine, isolation and contact tracing are connected, and how local health authorities are involved for everyone’s health and safety. 

With our first known positive cases on campus, as well as pending reflex testing on positive pooled saliva tests and detected virus levels in the wastewater, it is necessary to take the following steps:

Initial pooled saliva testing results from samples taken Monday and Tuesday, Oct.5 and 6, have been received today. Two of the pools – one of students, one of employees – came back positive. Both pools have been submitted for follow-up testing of the individual samples within the pools (reflex testing). As a reminder, each pool can contain up to 12 individual samples.

SUNY Morrisville has its first known positive cases of COVID-19 among residential students. News of each student’s diagnosis was received today. Contact tracing is underway, led by the Madison County Department of Health.  

Dear Campus Community, Three weeks ago, we announced an extended pause on campus visitors, effective until Monday, Oct. 5. Following our latest review, in addition to the daily monitoring of COVID-19 cases (no positive cases reported for residential students, faculty and staff as of today), we have revised the policy to now allow some visitation in residence halls.

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — SUNY Morrisville, in collaboration with International Pathway Programs (IPP), has signed a transfer agreement with Beijing Foreign Studies University's School of English and International Studies (SEIS), one of China’s most prestigious universities. SUNY Morrisville is the first college in the United States to partner with SEIS. Students who successfully complete their degree program receive a diploma from The State University of New York.

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — Kerin Warner left Rutgers University with a degree in history, but circumstances and a lifetime of horses led him in a different direction.

Results from Monday’s pooled saliva testing of West Hall residents have come back negative. The precautionary quarantine has been lifted. A few residents chose to go home before the tests and have been informed that they will need to provide a negative test result before returning to campus, or precautionarily move into South Hall (our designated quarantine and isolation facility) until they are tested and results come back negative.

We have received the most recent results of wastewater testing in West Hall, samples taken Tuesday, Sept. 22, in which COVID-19 has been detected as “present, not quantifiable.”  Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all residents of West Hall to precautionarily quarantine in their rooms, beginning at midnight.

SUNY Morrisville has its first known positive case of COVID-19. There is no increased risk or exposure to the campus at this time. The student lives off-campus. They notified the Student Health Center today that they had received an off-campus test and results came back positive. Madison County Department of Health also received notification and conducted contact tracing.

Dear faculty and staff members, Since announcing the college’s employee testing plan on Tuesday, some frequently asked questions have arisen. While we recognize more might come up, here are some answers to what we have been asked so far:

Results from Tuesday’s pooled saliva testing of Cayuga Hall residents have come back negative. The precautionary quarantine has been lifted.

We have developed a plan for pooled saliva testing of employees, beginning next week. Each employee should participate twice as designated. Weeks for testing assignments are alphabetical by last name as follows:

We have received Cayuga Hall wastewater testing results from Thursday, Sept. 17. The level remains the same as those from earlier in the week – detected, but not quantifiable. Wastewater can detect infection up to seven days before symptoms appear. Pooled saliva testing can be delayed 4-5 days after it shows up in wastewater. Therefore, we need to repeat pooled saliva testing on all Cayuga Hall residents.

Dear Campus Community, Students in Cayuga Hall remain in precautionary quarantine until all results from both pooled saliva tests and wastewater testing are received. We expect completed results by the end of today. Students who live in Cayuga Hall must remain in their residence, and not go to classes, labs, work or other locations.

Our wastewater testing samples of Cayuga Hall from Tuesday, Sept. 15, detected a low level presence of COVID-19.  Pooled saliva testing conducted that same day for residents of Cayuga Hall came back negative.