News

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. 

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — SUNY Morrisville has been recognized again for its excellence with numerous listings in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, a publication renowned for its higher education rankings.

Dear Campus Community, In an effort to limit campus density and promote health and safety, a two-week pause of all campus visitors was put into effect on Monday, Aug. 31, and was set to end this coming Monday, Sept. 14.

Dear Students, Classes have already been back in session for two full weeks and things are going great. As we enter Labor Day weekend, I want to remind you to maintain our safety protocols to keep you and your fellow students safe.

Dear Students, In addition to observing proper health and safety precautions in all areas of our daily lives, one of the most important ways we can stop the spread of COVID-19 is by addressing positive cases as quickly as possible. You can help in this effort by being aware of your own health and following these steps:

Dear students,

Following approval obtained by state and local authorities, the SUNY Morrisville Fitness Center will open beginning Monday, Aug. 31, with hours of operation currently scheduled for Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.   The center will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.   

Dear members of the campus community, This afternoon, we received results of the pooled testing we did earlier this week, accounting for about a third of our residential students and dozens of commuter/off-campus students. The results came back negative. This is great news! It is also a reminder how good hygiene practices help us keep COVID-19 from spreading.

As we approach the start of the fall semester, we will share a series of messages to ensure that you have answers to as many of your questions as possible. Please see below information regarding “being a good neighbor” and the ongoing partnerships between SUNY Morrisville and the local community to help combat COVID-19.