Colleges preparing to avoid repeat of August 2020 outbreak

By Kevin Limiti • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA — In light of the disastrous SUNY Oneonta outbreak of COVID at the start of the fall 2020 semester, both local colleges are increasing measures to avoid a repeat this month.

SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College told AllOtsego this week that various restrictions to ensure the safety of both the students and the community will be in place as students move in and go through the fall 2021 semester.

Richard Lee, provost and vice-president for Academic Affairs at SUNY Oneonta, as well as the co-chair of the COVID response team, said the school is constantly learning and adapting to the situation with COVID.

“We have to be more adaptable,” Lee said, in order to “make sure that we can commit to students.”
Some of the restrictions include masking being required in all buildings, including classrooms and labs, as well as all students being required to be pre-screened before arriving on campus. Students have to be approved with a green check mark before they can enter campus.

“Although we can’t predict the future, we’ve learned from the past,” Lee said. “I don’t think anyone wants to be masked but I think it’s a small price for us being together. Of course, nobody is thrilled about it.”

According to Lee, 81% of residential or students going to in-person classes are partially or fully vaccinated, 84% of those staying in dorms are fully or partially vaccinated and 77% of off-campus students are fully or partially vaccinated.

The students that are not vaccinated must have a COVID test every week.

Karen McGrath, senior vice-president of Hartwick College, similarly said the college was implementing measures to curb COVID, including requiring students to produce negative COVID tests.

“That’s our first line of defense,” McGrath said.

McGrath said students and professors will be required to have the vaccine, whether they are residential or commuter. However, she said there would be some exceptions for religious or medical reasons.

Masks indoors will also be enforced “because of our current conditions in Otsego County,” McGrath said.
“There’s always going to be some person who doesn’t listen to science, but we follow the science,” McGrath said. “We want to return to normalcy as soon as possible.”

McGrath said that Hartwick College was providing ways for students to get to vaccine clinics, including providing transportation for them . “I really think our students appreciate that,” McGrath said.
Although some students were disappointed they would still have to wear masks even though they were vaccinated, she said the students as a group have shown they prefer in-person learning with precautions to the pandemic alternatives.

Hartwick College will have athletics, clubs and in-person classes, “that’s what our students are craving.”

“We’re doing everything we can to keep our campus community safe as well as the greater Oneonta community,” McGrath said.