Interim President White shares Spring 2021 schedule change

Interim President Marcia J. White sent the following update to students today, October 23, regarding the Spring 2021 schedule.

Dear Students,

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives.  It has changed the life of this College.  It has pushed us to our limits. But thanks to the resilience of our faculty, our students, and the incredible work of the Pandemic Recovery Task Force, and all of you, we have pushed through.

As of today, we have had only 3 positive student cases. We have shown our love for each other and worn our masks, we have held meetings and classes remotely, and in-person classes and concerts have been held in tents. As you know, we worked with Albany County, the University at Albany, and the NYS Department of Health college and university partners on testing last week, and had a test site for students living in the Pine Hills to be tested for COVID-19. There were no positive test results from 218 tests conducted. NONE. With our rapid testing machine and our partnership with the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, we are doing surveillance testing of our students in addition to symptomatic testing. Please contact Health Services immediately if you are experiencing any symptoms.

If you are on campus, you have seen the A-frame signs, proclaiming our Saint Rose pledge, Show Love, Mask Up. These test results are evidence that if we keep our masks on and maintain our guidelines of physical distancing and limiting the size of gatherings, our community will stay safe and healthy. As the numbers of positive Coronavirus cases rise across the country and even in New York state, we have decided to delay the start of the Spring 2021 semester by one week, and cancel spring break, March 1 to 5. Classes will begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the day after Martin Luther King Day.

More information about the move-in process for students who live on campus, any testing requirements, and offices closing for the holiday break will be sent in the coming weeks. New York State’s situation continues to be fluid, and the way the state is addressing out-of-state travel is evolving, so we will provide the most up-to-date information on how we’ll resume in January as soon as we are able.

Like our founders, we have endured, and it’s because of the strong foundation we all stand on – the values of our founders – the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. The Sisters who created this institution were rock solid themselves. They stepped out on faith. They acted always with the best interest of the College in mind and heart. We are now halfway through the fall semester, and you have learned new ways to do what you love most – learning and staying connected. You have held tight to our sense of community, a hallmark of Saint Rose.

Please keep staying connected with each other and with me. I look forward to seeing you on campus —“masked up.”

Sincerely,

Marcia