With the COVID-19 outbreak having peaked in New York state and declined for the time being, Iona College in New Rochelle has announced that it will resume on-campus classes for the fall semester on Aug. 10 pending approval of New York state.
Iona said that formulating the plans for reopening involved consulting with public health experts and colleague institutions and conforming to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as New York state guidelines.
The fall semester begins on Aug. 10 and runs through Nov. 23. All courses will be offered in a hybrid format so that students can take any course or portions of a course online or in person. Some courses will be designated for distance learning only and will not be offered in an on-campus version.
The college has a comprehensive plan with numerous elements designed to ensure it doesn’t become a hotspot for the virus. Among them:
- Students, faculty and staff will be required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to starting classes. Montefiore Hospital in New Rochelle would be administering the tests.
- The college will look for symptoms of the disease among those on campus. Daily temperature checks will be available before entering classes or the workplace.
- Masks will be required in all classes and wherever adequate social distancing is not possible.
- Students and employees showing symptoms will be told to self-isolate and get tested.
- Spacing in all classrooms and dining halls will be increased by 50%. Occupancy in residence halls will be reduced to a maximum of two students per room. Social distancing will be required in common spaces.
- Sanitizer will be available and accessible across campus and rooms will be sanitized regularly throughout the day.
- Entries, exits and stairways in buildings on campus will be organized to maximize spacing and minimize face-to-face exposure.
- Remote work will continue for some staff members to increase social distancing in offices.
Iona President Seamus Carey in a letter to the Iona community, said, “Returning to campus will require significant changes in how we operate, but I am confident the qualities that make Iona a special learning community will be magnified under our new circumstances. We are not simply reacting to the crisis; we are envisioning a new future. Our plans not only incorporate best practices for health and safety, they accelerate our initiatives for innovative pedagogy, student support and community engagement, each of which deepens the Iona mission.”
