COVID RETREATS

Graduate Students Adults,

Don’t Need To Be Babied

Sorin Convinces SUNY To Keep CGP Open

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – There’s a difference between grads and undergrads, said Gretchen Sorin, Cooperstown Graduate Program director.

“The graduate students are adults,” she said. “They know how to behave. The undergrads are less grown-up.”

Following SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras’ announcement Thursday, Sept. 3, that the SUNY Oneonta campus would close for the remainder of the semester, students reached out to Sorin, panicked that they also would be sent home.

This was not the case, however, and classes were allowed to continue.

“We’ve been very careful,” she said. “We’ve really emphasized following the guidelines that SUNY Oneonta gave us.”

Sorin didn’t blame SUNY Oneonta President Barbara Jean Morris for the outbreak that caused 651 students to test positive for COVID-19.

“No one could have expected what happened to happen,” she said. “I was involved with the dean, and I know a lot of planning went into it. I’m sad this happened, but she wasn’t at fault.”

Though CGP classes are being held virtually for the fall semester, students have access to the CGP building, where they can use the printer, scanners, computers and study spaces – but only if they’ve tested negative.

“All of our 47 students have tested negative,” she said.

Students will also be subject to pool testing throughout the semester, and many quarantined even before coming to the county, as well as for 14 days once they arrived.

“So many were afraid that their state would be put on the ‘hot spot’ list, so they went ahead and quarantined at home anyways,” she said. “We sent weekly emails advising students which states were on the list.”