Students Returning

To In-Person Classes

At Hartwick College

ONEONTA – Hartwick College announced a few minutes ago that it is returning to face-to-face classes, as well as remote instruction, this Wednesday, after “a voluntary and precautionary two-week, remote-only period.”

“Face-to-face, personal instruction is a pillar of Hartwick’s educational mission, as it has been for 223 years,” said Hartwick President Margaret L. Drugovich. “Our students have made it clear that they want to return to the classroom, and the vast majority have demonstrated they can and will honor the rules we’ve put in place to control the spread of COVID-19.”

Successfully doing so requires “every member of our community taking responsibility for themselves and others by following our comprehensive guidelines,” she said, adding “We have articulated a bright line for what behavior is acceptable for our community and what is not, and we will continue to hold everyone accountable. We believe there is a direct relationship between the exemplary behavior of nearly all members of our community and our infection rate of less than one percent.”

The decision to go to remote-only instruction was made on learning of the outbreak at SUNY Oneonta. At this time, there are seven active cases of COVID-19 among Hartwick students and zero active cases among Hartwick faculty and staff.

All active cases are in isolation with oversight provided by the Department of Health. The number of active cases represents an infection rate of under one percent of the campus community.

Most Hartwick students remained on campus during the two-week period of remote-only instruction. Students who chose to study off campus for these two weeks will be invited to return on an appointment-only basis from Wednesday through the following Wednesday.

Returning students are required to complete a pre-arrival form, provide proof of a negative COVID test result from a test taken within 72 hours prior to their arrival, and be tested again upon arrival. Those students who chose to spend the remote-only period in a New York-designated “hot spot” state will not be allowed to return to campus this semester.

All students studying on-campus, and all faculty and staff working on campus, are required to complete SARS COV2 PCR testing every other week through November 20. This testing is conducted on campus.

“Hartwick made the decision to return to in-person instruction after careful consideration of the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and the greater Oneonta community,” Drugovich said. “We look forward to taking this next step forward together in a way that maintains and respects College and community health. Our success depends on the good choices that each of us make.”