COVID-19: University Communications

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This phrase can be modified to say that a threat to public health anywhere is a threat to public health everywhere.

Diseases such as the MERS, SARS , Ebola, and now COVID-19 clearly demonstrate this principle. Roughly six weeks ago there were no reported cases in New York City or New York State. The statistics and numbers changed so quickly it was impossible to report them in real time. At present, as of April 13, we have recorded more than 116,000 deaths worldwide, with 23,078 deaths in the United States, 9,385 in New York State, 7,349 in New York City, 1,364 deaths on Long Island, 33 deaths in Arkansas, and 717 deaths in Canada, not to mention the nearly 1.9 million cases diagnosed worldwide. It is very likely that if you live in the New York area, you know of someone who may have been infected or perhaps someone who has died. And all of us have been impacted by this pandemic in innumerable, unforeseen, and mostly unfortunate ways.

As bad as this reality is, it is important to understand that our current situation could have been substantially worse if it were not for the drastic and important measures taken to increase physical distancing. As a community, we should all remain vigilant in preventing this disease from being transmitted. Our actions today determine the morbidity and mortality rates three to four weeks from now.

Everyone wonders when all this will end and when the world will return to a state of normalcy. A vaccine is the ultimate solution. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, optimistically this will be over a year and a half from now. However, things are more likely to improve in the near future with the widespread availability of COVID-19 testing. Thus, it is important that we all understand how these tests work and their importance in ending this pandemic.

There are essentially two broad categories of tests:

• Diagnostic testing is also referred to as genomic tests, because they look for the genes found in the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. If these genes are found in a specimen from a patient, that individual is considered positive, which means he or she has been infected and can potentially transmit the disease. This is why people found to be positive are generally isolated from others. Early in the pandemic, the availability of these tests was limited, and they targeted those who were hospitalized. Genomic tests are now more readily accessible at state-supported "drive- thru" locations, outpatient sites, and hospitals. Efforts are underway to make a rapid "point of care" test more readily available, allowing for instant results and eliminating the long 3- to 10-day waiting period for results.
• Serological or antibody testing looks for "antibodies" to the coronavirus. Antibodies are proteins made by an infected individual to help fight off the disease. This test is not primarily used for diagnosis like genomic tests, but allows health care providers to know 1) what stage a person is at in mounting a defensive response to the virus, and 2) who may be immune to the virus. These tests are crucial from a public health perspective because they allow us to know who remains susceptible to the virus and who may be immune. It has major implications for the workforce, because those who are found to be immune can return back to work with no restrictions. This, of course, assumes that antibodies are found to be protective. Unfortunately, these tests are still not readily available for common use.

When all of these tests are in abundance, health care providers will be able to rapidly diagnose, isolate, treat, contact trace, and determine who can return to the general population without concerns of being infected. When we get to this point, this will go a long way in our journey back to normalcy!

Our Resources for You:

In addition to your local resources, the physicians and staff at the Academic Health Centers are available to answer your questions. You can also schedule appointments to meet with our medical providers via "TeleHealth" (virtual medical appointments). Call us at 516.686.1300.

It is also understandable that members of our New York Tech community may have concerns about a new and unfamiliar illness. If you are feeling anxious or uneasy, please reach out to Counseling and Wellness Services at our campuses in Long Island (516.686.7683) or New York City (212.261.1773) to talk or make a virtual appointment.

Be safe, be well…and be distant, but stay connected to each other, to loved ones, and to information that will keep you healthy.

Sincerely,

Brian L. Harper M.D., M.P.H.
Chief Medical Officer, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dear New York Tech Students,

I am continually impressed by the resourcefulness, resiliency, and dedication of New York Tech students, more so than ever as we face the COVID-19 pandemic. On that note, I am delighted to share the latest digital editions of our student publications: The Slate (Long Island campus) and the Manhattan Globe (New York City campus). Please take a moment to review these outstanding publications that were produced by New York Tech students. Among the great stories you’ll read are updates on how the coronavirus is impacting academics and student life, and how to best cope in these challenging times.

I’d also like to share a personal message:

Thank you to all students for your outstanding work and dedication this semester!

Stay healthy and be well,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology

Dear New York Tech Students,

In recognition of the many challenges our students are facing this semester, we are allowing you to have your final grades for any Spring 2020 semester and Cycle D 2020 courses to be recorded as Pass (P) or Fail (F) in lieu of a letter grade.

You can make this decision AFTER you see your final letter grade, but must make the decision within 14 days of the posting of your grade. A Pass grade (P) will have no impact on your semester GPA or cumulative GPA. A Fail grade (F), just like an F, will have a negative impact on your GPA.

Depending on your major (particularly in the School of Health Professions) and your status (i.e., on probation, veteran students, Dean's or President's list), there might be other consequences for selecting a Pass/Fail grade. You are strongly encouraged to speak to your advisor, as well as staff in financial aid or international education or your athletic advisor, if applicable, prior to making the Pass/Fail choice.

The details of this policy can be viewed here.

Please stay safe and let us know how we can help if you are having any problems. Our Student FAQs page provides updated information and resources, and you can also submit your questions on our Online Student Help Form.

Sincerely,

Junius Gonzales, M.D., M.B.A.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear New York Tech Students,

Welcome back! I hope you and your loved ones are well and that you’ve been able to get some rest over Spring Recess, despite the COVID-19 outbreak. Over the last week we have adapted to the spread of this virus and made necessary changes. These changes are made both to protect your health and to keep you on track toward your degree. As much as this pandemic is an upset to normal life right now, eventually we will get back to normal, a new normal.

We are looking at both the short term and the long term, and we want you to do the same. In the coming weeks and months, you will need to switch rapidly back and forth between short-term, here-and-now issues, and future thinking, as the need arises. Why is this important for us to ask you to do? It is because we want you to be successful in the pursuit of your goals and ambitions (long term, future-oriented) while staying healthy and on track in the midst of this crisis (short term, here-and-now).

We think constantly about the student experience; improving it substantially is so important to us that it is at the core of our new strategic planning and our daily decision making. We know that the ultimate student experience is that of successfully obtaining your degree and starting on your professional career. That success is the reward for all your hard work here at Tech, and we remain resolutely committed to you achieving that goal. COVID-19 changes how we provide your education, but it does not change why we provide it. Our mission is clear, and we will sustain it, as we sustain you and our commitment to you.

While you have been on break, our staff and faculty have been working feverishly to prepare for the resumption of classes on Monday, March 23. Teaching everything remotely is exciting and challenging, but we are committed to doing it. Further, so that you can plan and not lose time, we will use remote teaching modalities through the remainder of this spring semester.

What follows are updates specifying how we have adapted to this point. Because the situation continues to evolve quickly, by that I mean the expectations of us from regional, state and the federal government change rapidly, further adaptations will be needed, and we will update you frequently.

Here is where things stand at present:

Academic Updates

BEGINNING MONDAY MARCH 23, all classes will be held remotely for the duration of the semester. As previously communicated, your instructors will be contacting you directly regarding schedules, coursework, and other course-related information. Please refer to our Academic FAQs (log-in required) for additional information.

Counseling and Wellness

Remote counseling and mental health services are available. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out for it. The Office of Student Life will provide more information on how to access these resources remotely.

International Student Updates

We know that this is a time of extra anxiety and stress for those of you who have come to Tech from other countries, and we empathize with you. Know that we care very much about you and we will do everything in our power to keep you safe, healthy, and learning. Please make sure to use our wellness and counseling services to the fullest.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS can find more information in our International Student FAQs (log-in required). We hope that your situation will remain stable, but if it evolves we will continuously update these FAQs as is necessary. PLEASE check the FAQs and social media daily.

Residence Halls Updates

A related area of concern is the disposition of the residence halls and our plans for them. Like almost every other school in the nation, we are seeking to reduce significantly the number of students in the residence halls. This is being done to reduce the density of the population so that community viral transfer rates will decrease. Therefore, only international students who cannot return to their countries and those domestic students who have no other viable living option will be allowed to remain in residence.

To initiate this process, the dean of students contacted residential students on Wednesday, March 19, and strongly encouraged all those who could vacate to do so by 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2020. We also know that some students were not able to meet this first deadline. So, we are allowing a limited number of students to remain in residence until March 31, whereupon they too shall depart. After March 31, only those students who are not able to return to their home countries, or who have extenuating circumstances here in the U.S., will remain in residence. Student Life will provide information about prorated residency credits for students in their first, second, or third years and refunds for students who are finishing their studies this semester.

This information and updates will be posted in our Residential Students FAQs (log-in required).

Campus Access, Hours of Operations, and Food Services

The new campus access policy, shared on Thursday, March 19, and effective Monday, March 23, 2020 states that, as is consistent with state mandates, NO STUDENTS SHOULD COME TO THE CAMPUSES. This applies to those of you who are student workers. Just to be very clear, no students should plan to come to the New York campuses. We need you to stay home, to stay safe, and to stay healthy.

There is one exception and that is for students who need food. For example, there are students at the Old Westbury Campus who live off campus, but have a meal plan. For these students, boxed food will be available for grab-and-go at the Student Activities Building (SAC) on the Long Island campus. Grab-and-go food will also be provided at the Metro Café at the New York City campus.

Campus Events

All upcoming New York Tech-sponsored events have been postponed, canceled, or are being held remotely. We’ve posted information as it becomes available for each event on our online events calendar.

Our traditional commencement that is to take place on Sunday May 17, 2020, is most likely going to be postponed. In the likely event that should happen, please know we are studying ways to hold an alternative kind of virtual graduation ceremony or to hold the ceremony at a later date. We will update you on this in the near future.

A small version of a significant, virtual ceremony took place on March 20: Our fourth-year medical students celebrated during NYITCOM’s first-ever virtual residency match day via a livestream. We wish them much luck in their future endeavors.

For More Information

There is no doubt that more will be happening, and the situation will change in the upcoming weeks as authorities respond to the epidemic with new guidance, regulations, and plans. So, we need you to stay in contact with us in order to be sure you have the latest information.

We will use the following to get you that information:

• Continuous updates will be provided daily on nyit.edu/alerts.
• General health updates and other communications are available at nyit.edu/covid.
• Helpful student resources, FAQs, and other information specific to students are available in the yellow Coronavirus Information tile on the NYIT app and web portal at my.nyit.edu (log-in required).

Thank you again. Our new interconnectivity offers great promise. Together, we will learn to cope with this new reality, continue to reach out to help and support each other, and ultimately, prevail. And, remember your goal is to get to your degree and to start your career. We are committed to getting you to that success, even in the midst of all this difficulty. So, stay healthy, optimistic, and most of all stay focused on your goals!

Sincerely,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology

Dear New York Tech Community:

To ensure the continued operations and the safety of our community, we are instituting the following campus access policy, effective March 23, 2020 and until further notice:

New York Campus Operations: All employees are strongly encouraged to work remotely. Students, including student workers, should NOT come to campus. While New York campuses are closed for classes, limited access between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m, Monday thru Friday, will be permitted only for necessary work.

Faculty: Faculty who can work remotely should NOT come to campus. Faculty members who cannot teach from home may have access to their office to facilitate the teaching of their class; when done, they should leave campus. If faculty members have ongoing experiments that require their attention, they may go to their labs and then should leave when done.

Staff: Employees who can work remotely should NOT come to campus. Those who must be on campus to do their work should check with their managers before they go to campus.

Students: Once again, students, including student workers, should NOT come to campus.

Any faculty or staff member whose work requires them to come to campus must check in with security. At the Long Island campus, you will need to enter via the Main Campus Road and proceed to the parking lot on the right. On the New York City campus, you will be met at the building entrance to check in. Please have your NYIT ID ready to display at both campuses.

Thank you for your continuing cooperation and support.

Sincerely,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology

Thank you for your continued patience as we respond to the ever-changing needs of our campus in order to ensure the safety and health of our entire New York Tech community. We have developed a method to assess access to the Long Island campus buildings to keep our campus community as healthy as possible. This method will be implemented for March 16, 17, and 18. The campus is closed for Spring Recess on March 19 and 20. As stated previously, all employees are encouraged to telecommute and work remotely, as is practical. We will update you as any new information becomes available.

Below is the approach for campus access on March 16-18:

• West Road campus access will be closed.
• Main Campus Road will be the only campus entry point. Main Campus Road will have a security checkpoint with two security guards. All staff, faculty, and students will be asked to provide the information on the check-in sheet below. All campus visitors, including clinic clients and vendors making deliveries, will also be asked to check in and provide the requested information.

Please note, after providing the check-in information:

• Staff and faculty will have access to their spaces.
• Students will only have access to Riland and Serota.
• Clinic clients will have access to Riland.
• Vendors will have access to the buildings necessary to make their required deliveries.

Below is the check-in sheet information that will be requested at the security checkpoint in Long Island at Main Campus Road:

For Access:

• Date and time of sign-in
• Name
• Phone number
• Email
• Department, as applicable
• Buildings and rooms to be used on visit

Upon Leaving:

• Date and time of sign-out

Thank you again for your patience as we implement this necessary protocol.

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

New York Institute of Technology administration continues to monitor, meet, and plan for the COVID-19 situation on a daily basis. To date, we have not been informed of any COVID-19 cases on campus, and no faculty member, staff, or student has tested positive for the virus. We would expect to be contacted by local public health authorities should this occur.

We anticipate that the number of cases to increase as the nation's capacity to provide the test increases. Currently, this test cannot be given as a routine screening test. An individual must meet the criteria of being at high risk for contracting the disease (e.g. in contact with an actual case and having a fever/cough/shortness of breath) before the test will be approved. Simply having flu-like symptoms alone will not qualify for obtaining the COVID-19 test. This a rapidly evolving situation that changes on a daily basis, so please continue to follow the websites below to remain informed:

• The World Health Organization
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• The New York State Department of Health
• The New York City Department of Health

For those who are traveling:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

We must all remain vigilant to assure that any possible transmission is limited. Therefore, as the CDC recommends, "Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick."

Given that it is likely that we will eventually have more transmission within the U.S., we should all develop better personal hygiene habits. Everyone should continue to follow general precautions to avoid becoming infected or spreading the virus by:

• Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoiding travelling and contact with others if you are sick.

The CDC also recommends avoiding close contact with people who are sick and putting distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick (older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions). Where possible, follow the practice of social distancing (remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance of approximately six feet or two meters from others). Additional CDC guidelines for high-risk individuals can be found here.

Additional Resources

In addition to your local resources, the Academic Health Center is available to answer questions and assist those who are not feeling well. We can be reached at 516.686.1300.

It is also understandable that members of our New York Tech community may have concerns about a new and unfamiliar illness. If you are feeling anxious or uneasy, please reach out to Counseling and Wellness Services at our campuses in Long Island (516.686.7683) or New York City (212.261.1773) to talk or make an appointment, or stop by during the drop-in hours indicated on the Counseling and Wellness Services web page.

Sincerely

Brian L. Harper M.D., M.P.H.
Chief Medical Officer, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine

To members of the New York Tech Community:

I am writing to notify you that in an abundance of caution, New York Institute of Technology will close our Long Island and New York City campuses all day on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 to conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfecting of all our spaces.

Thank you for your understanding and attention as we seek to ensure the safety and well-being of our entire community. We will continue to provide frequent updates as we have more information and recommendations, all of which can be found at nyit.edu/covid.

Regards,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology

With the health and safety of everyone at New York Institute of Technology as our first priority, we are proactively moving to suspend all in-person classes for our New York City and Long Island campuses, effective Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Going forward, all classes on these two campuses will be taught online, via videoconferencing, or with some combination of digital techniques until further notice. Additional details include:

• If you are in an online class, that class will continue with no changes except: if there are on-campus meetings that are a part of the online course, they will not be held. Your instructor will inform you about changes in the schedule or syllabus.
• If you are in a blended/hybrid or face-to-face class or a class in a DL classroom (any class where you are physically in the same room with other students), those classes will be suspended, effective Tuesday, March 10, 2020.
• We will provide instructors with details about remote teaching in short notice.
• Beginning with the start of the day on Monday, March 23, 2020, we expect suspended in-person classes will resume as online classes or videoconference classes. Instructors will be in contact with students between March 10 and 22 with details about how the class will be held. We ask everyone to please monitor their New York Tech email during this time for important information.
• We will provide more details about any missed classes and makeup times.
• All student activities will be suspended on Tuesday, March 10 and remain suspended until further notice.
• Updates on the athletic program will be forthcoming.

These measures are in force until further notice. It is our goal to restore normal campus operations as soon as possible; however, the health and safety of our community is paramount. We will be working with local health authorities to determine when we can return to face-to-face teaching. We will also keep the lines of communication open to let you know about commencement and other upcoming campus activities.

New York Tech is doing its part in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We recognize the declaration of a state of emergency by Governor Cuomo and the interim guidance for higher education from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are asking everyone at New York Tech to do their part in helping to keep our community safe.

New York Tech realizes that this disruption in the semester is stressful on everyone. We thank you, in advance, for demonstrating that resiliency and can-do-it attitude of the makers, doers, and innovators at New York Institute of Technology.

Regards,

Junius Gonzales, M.D., M.B.A.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs