SUNY Morrisville and its Norwich Campus will be reopening for the fall semester with a variety of safety measures in place starting on August 24. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH - SUNY Morrisville has announced its plan to reopen its Norwich campus this fall, after receiving approval from SUNY and meeting New York State Department of Health’s Reopening New York Higher Education Guidelines.

According to Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing Franci Valenzano, plans to reopen are subject to change due to new information, guidance and direction received from the State of New York and the Governor’s Office.

“The academic calendar offers a compressed schedule for Fall 2020, with classes resuming on August 24 and all in-person instruction completed by Friday, November 20,” said Valenzano. “Any additional instruction or final work required after November Break from November 25 to the 27, will be completed through distance means, preventing the need for any return to campus to complete the semester.”

“While campus life will look a little different when classes begin on August 24, the college is taking all proper precautions and following health requirements to keep students, faculty, staff, visitors and the community safe, including lowering classroom density, wearing masks and social distancing at least six feet apart.”

She said plans for campus safety include physical distancing, PPE, hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting, building protocols and screening.

Valenzano added that classes will be a hybrid of remote and face-to-face learning, a mix that varies based on the activities in the class and allows for social distancing in the classroom.

“The college is also staggering residential move-in days over the week prior to classes beginning,” Valenzano said. “Move-in dates will be Monday through Friday, August 17 to the 21st, with a maximum of 200 students per day.”

“Students will be required to submit a symptom questionnaire for review by Health Services 14 days prior to their move-in date.”

Upon arrival to campus, all students will have symptom screening and temperatures taken by Health Services staff.

The campus’s additional measures require all students, employees and guests coming to campus or any of its facilities or events to successfully complete a self-monitoring COVID-19 exposure risk screening checklist for each day they are present, in addition to using a proper face covering or mask (PPE), as a prerequisite for engaging in institutional activities.

Those who are interested in learning more about SUNY Morrisville’s reopening plan may visit morrisville.edu/return for additional information.