Campus updates on the coronavirus (COVID-19) as of March 1, 2020 appear in this archive. The most recent appearing at the top of the page.
June 16, 2020 at 3:44 p.m.: Reminder Message About Entry-to-Campus Screening
This is a reminder that all staff and faculty coming to campus need to stop first each day at the screening station in the Shineman parking lot.
We ask that you fill out a quick three-question survey before setting out from home. That will save a few seconds at the screening station
You will find that survey here.
We suggest that you keep this email and link in a separate mail folder or mark the link as a “favorite” in your browser. That way we do not have to send out an email every day.
The screening station is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., M-F.
We will set up other stations and extend the hours once we get some more experience with the process and more people begin returning to campus. Thank you for your cooperation.
June 10, 2020 at 4:44 p.m.: PHASE II: HARTWICK RETURN TO WORK GUIDELINES AND DAILY SCREENING
On May 29, 2020, Governor Cuomo approved our region, Mohawk Valley, to begin Phase II of NY Moving Forward. Phase II allows for office staff to return to work as long as specific guidelines are met prior to returning. Hartwick College places the utmost importance on the safety and wellbeing of all Hartwick community members, so we will take an intentional approach to reopening.
Supervisors may request that some employees return to the office to assure that essential College work can be completed. Any employee may return with the approval of their supervisor; faculty should contact their department chair. Your supervisor will collaborate with you to ensure social distancing in your workspace.
The earliest that anyone may return to campus is Tuesday, June 16, 2020. If you have not started a discussion with your supervisor regarding returning to work safely, please do so now.
Please read the information below on when you may arrive on campus and the procedures that will be in place at the time of your arrival.
Daily Screening Survey
One of the guidelines in NY Moving Forward requires daily screening prior to coming to campus. All employees will be screened daily. Screening includes:
You will be met by a screener when you arrive. If you have completed the self-screening questionnaire, the Screener will access that questionnaire, take and record your temperature. If you have not completed the questionnaire, the screener will ask you the three screening questions. This procedure will be followed every day that you come to campus until further notice.
If an employee responds YES to any of the three questions on the screening survey, they will not be allowed on campus. If an employee’s temperature measures 100.4 degrees or higher, they will not be allowed on campus. The Screener will provide the return to work standards from the CDC and guidance from Reopening New York. Please contact your supervisor to discuss the next steps.
Arriving on Campus
Until further notice, employees must arrive on campus between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and must enter campus through the main (West Street) entrance only and go directly to the check-in site which will be located in the Shineman Parking Lot. Employees should have their face mask on when pulling up to the check-in site. A trained screener will confirm your questionnaire completion and take and record your scanned (touchless) temperature. Upon successful completion of the check-in, you may park on campus as usual.
During this period of transition, all campus buildings will be closed at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. All employees must leave their building by 5 p.m. All buildings will be closed on the weekends until further notice.
Social Distancing
All employees will be required to maintain 6-feet of social distancing between themselves and other individuals and wear an acceptable face covering at all times except when eating, drinking or when alone in a private space, such as your vehicle or private office. Please bring your face covering with you to campus. Thank you for your cooperation.
THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED ABOVE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN ON FILE WITH THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND MUST BE FOLLOWED. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS FOR ANY EMPLOYEE OR VISITOR.
If you have any questions about this information, please contact Human Resources at humres@hartwick.edu or call 607-431-4315.
May 27, 2020 at 09:40 a.m.: Notice to Act Now to Provide Relief for College Students and Institutions of Higher Education
Please join our e-advocacy campaign that will enable each member of the Hartwick College community–no matter where you live in the country–to easily contact your federal representatives and advocate for college students and higher education in the next stimulus bill.
This campaign will be most effective as the volume of participants grows. Let’s represent the Hartwick community well! So far, over 2,000 individuals have used the platform to send nearly 7,000 emails to Congress. Every email makes a difference!
It only takes 5 minutes.
Please use this link to submit your information.
Students, please note:
If you choose, you can send this message from your home address and your Hartwick College address, ensuring that all legislators who represent you get this important message.
Thank you for your assistance,
Lisa Iannello
Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations for Hartwick College
IannelloL@hartwick.edu
May 22, 2020 at 09:11 a.m.: Notice to Employees About Free Mental Health Resources
Good morning,
This week Governor Cuomo announced free mental health resources through the company, Headspace.
This information is also available on D2L in the folder for Office of Human Resources, COVID-19 Support Resources. If you need any assistance accessing the resources, please reach out to the Office of Human Resources at humres@hartwick.edu.
May 19, 2020 Notice: Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
Hartwick College will receive federal funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. These emergency financial aid grants will be distributed to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care. Based upon federal guidelines there are 973 students at Hartwick College who qualify to participate in this grant program under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and are therefore eligible to receive these grants. Eligible students were asked to submit information regarding their additional expenses incurred. The application process ended on May 14, 2020. A scoring rubric was used to determine the amount of each grant based on the student’s responses. When payments are issued to students, they will be instructed that they are for the additional costs they have incurred related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 8, 2020 at 10:14 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Take the survey here and tell us how we can help.
Until next week, thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
-Hartwick Cares
May 4, 2020 at 5:12 p.m.: Restricted campus access and reporting illness
Dear Colleagues,
Please remember that the Hartwick campus is closed. This is in accordance with the NY State Pause order, currently in effect until May 15. If you have a critical need to enter campus, your request must be pre-approved by your supervisor and vice president.
In addition, if you or a colleague becomes ill with COVID-19, it is very important that you inform your supervisor and vice president immediately.
Thank you for taking these and other measures to keep yourself and our community safe.
May 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.: Employee Support Resources
Good afternoon,
I hope that this message finds you well.
The Office of Human Resources has put together some additional resources to support you during this challenging time, including information on counseling, wellness practices, relaxing music, meditation, art, yoga and coloring pages. Included are a variety of things that you may wish to try when you have a few moments to spare or to help you unwind after a day’s work.
The resources are included at the end of this message, have been uploaded to D2L in the Office of Human Resources, COVID-19 Support Resources folder, and are attached as a separate document. If you are unable to access these resources or need support not listed, please reach out to any of us at humres@hartwick.edu as we are here to help.
We strongly encourage you to schedule self-care into each day and give some of these activities a try. If you have found other resources that have helped you, please share them with us via humres@hartwick.edu and we will add your suggestions to D2L to share with the Hartwick community.
Be well.
Suzanne
Employee Assistance Program
UMUM Employee Assistance Program or call 888-854-1446 24/7 confidential access
New York State Emotional Support Resources
NYS – Feeling Stressed About Coronavirus (COVID-19)? Managing Anxiety in an Anxiety-Provoking Situation
Wellness Workshop
Recorded Wellness Workshop by Heidi Tanner and Staff Council December 2018
Chair Yoga and Yoga
Musical Support
Guided Meditation/Mindfulness
Coloring Pages
Attached are two adult coloring pages meant to relieve stress and bring joy into your life.- on D2L
Virtual Tours of Museums
10 Museums You Can Explore Right Here, Right Now
May 1, 2020 at 9:40 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Take the survey here and tell us how we can help.
Until next week, thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
-Hartwick Cares
April 28, 2020 at 1:44 p.m.: Staff Needs Survey
Good afternoon,
As we continue to work remotely, it is important to Hartwick College that all community members are doing well and receiving all necessary support. So that we know how you are doing and to learn what additional support that you may need, please take a few minutes to complete this staff survey.
Thank you for all that you do for Hartwick College and be well.
-Hartwick Cares
April 24, 2020 at 10:35 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Take the survey here and tell us how we can help.
Until next week, thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
-Hartwick Cares
April 23, 2020 at 2:49 p.m.: COVID-19 Testing
Although Hartwick College employees continue to be healthy, we wanted to provide the following information because our first priority continues to be the health and welfare of our community members.
If you believe that you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please contact Bassett COVID-19 Hotline (24/7) at 607-547-5555.
The Bassett Network can determine testing eligibility, local site locations and available times.
-Hartwick Cares
April 17, 2020 at 9:24 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Take the survey here and tell us how we can help.
Until next week, thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
-Hartwick Cares
April 10, 2020 at 9:42 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help.
Thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
https://forms.gle/qEnobkfTNrkU8tga9
April 3, 2020 at 5 p.m.: New Pass/No Pass Option for Course Grades
In response to COVID-19, Hartwick College has modified our grading policy to allow students to submit requests for having Pass/No-Pass grades recorded for their spring 2020 classes, instead of the more familiar A through F letter grades.
The (attached) list of FAQs will help students understand what the policy does and how to request this option. Students may wish to contact their instructors and advisors to discuss their status in a course and grading options. Your 7-week grades are one indicator.
We will update the FAQs to answer more questions.
Students have until April 24, 2020 to request the Pass/No-Pass option as described in the policy. The application form is here. Questions about the application form should be directed to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@hartwick.edu or 607-431-4460.
April 3, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.: Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
As this challenging time continues, we are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared another brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
https://forms.gle/1HAoqUbKqiQCH5jR8
March 29, 2020 at 11:07 a.m.: President Drugovich Video Update
President Drugovich shares important announcements and a powerful insight from one of Hartwick‘s nurse leaders on the front lines at https://www.hartwick.edu/presidentoncovid19.
March 27, 2020 at 11:18 a.m.: How Can We Help? Student Needs Survey
Dear Hartwick students,
We know this is a challenging time in many ways. We are working to do everything we can to assist you in your ongoing virtual course work. We’ve prepared a brief survey for you to share your additional needs and we will get back to you for personal help. Thank you for staying #HartwickStrong!
Please find the survey here: https://forms.gle/hKWHPpZiyMSsM6Cc6
March 26, 2020 at 2 p.m.: FYI Notice Regarding Student Needs Survey
The College will send a student survey tomorrow, Friday, March 27 to help identify what needs our students may have after the first week of remote instruction. Response will be routed to appropriate offices to provide support. This is a FYI message only.
March 23, 2020: 7:50 a.m. Notice: IT Update RE: Remote Work Services & Resources
Contacts and Services
The IT staff will be working from home for the normal hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
The ways to reach us:
Our on-campus phone numbers will ring now at our homes (via some technical magic; that is not by “forwarding”).
The Copy/Mail Center in Clark will be open 9:00 to 5:00 for at least M and Tu this week. We might have more limited daily hours after that. We are now assessing the expected need for services. We are also training a new employee, Tim Corbett, this week. Facilities has graciously loaned us some time from Wayne Sperry, who is experienced with the mail and packages-handling procedures.
Special Resources
The IT webpages have been supplemented by new resource listing and instructions. So far, these are mostly directed to faculty, but they do include instructions for Zoom, which is being used extensively now in administrative offices. Some links:
https://bit.ly/2UeOEM9 “Teaching Effectively in Times of Disruption:
https://bit.ly/2y3SCP3 “Remote Learning Resources”
https://bit.ly/2wtSK9W “Getting Started with Zoom”
https://bit.ly/2WCPovN How to join or host a Zoom session
Work-From-Home
If you are having problems in trying to connect to Hartwick Gmail, D2L, or a shared drive such as Einstein, please check first whether you are able to reach any website–doesn’t matter which one. After that, do contact us for assistance.
The only College system login that requires a VPN connection is Colleague. If you do not already have VPN set up, please contact us.
And, because we have had so many questions: if you want to use Zoom please know that Basic Zoom, for which we have unlimited licenses, will allow you to connect with up to 100 people at a time. The only significant difference between Basic Zoom and the “Pro” version is that “Basic” is limited to 40 minutes per session. There is a count-down timer on the screen, so you will have notice before 40 minutes. You can connect again after a few minutes’ wait. We have assigned most of the Pro licenses (we have 40) to academic departments. We are keeping the others in reserve and will assign those as needed.
Voicemail Reminder: if the phone at your College desk rings and the caller leaves a voicemail message, you will get a notice in your email within a few minutes. From that email, you will be able to listen to the message.
To communicate with Hartwick colleagues, please use email. If you have someone’s cell phone number and have a prior indication that they are OK with you calling or texting, that is good also.
Tasks and Time Reporting Matrix (Note: the referenced matrix sheet is not included in this notice. Check your individual email to download.)
You will find attached to this email a slightly revised version of the matrix the President sent last week. Here are some instructions on how to use it:
If you are not familiar with Google Sheets (their version of Excel), don’t worry. Just type your info into the blue-outlined cells. Google saves your work every few seconds. So, you can just leave it or close the window when you are finished.
As with everything else, if you run into a problem, please contact IT.
March 20, 2020: 4:04 p.m. Notice: All Employees Except Essential Will Work Remotely
Hartwick College’s first priority is the health and welfare of our students, employees, and other members of our community. Hartwick College employees should now be transitioning to work remotely.
Based upon today’s Executive Order by Governor Cuomo indicating the need for a 100% workforce reduction for non-essential businesses, all employees should work remotely after 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Only essential employees who have VP approval will be allowed on campus until further notice. Your VP will email you if your request is approved.
This message supersedes any prior approval received by your supervisor. If you are not certain if you are an essential employee, please speak to your VP right away.
Thank you for your continued support to keep our work environment safe during this difficult time.
March 20, 2020: 9:30 a.m.: Free E-Textbook Rentals through the End of Spring Term
In response to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of academic publishers and campus retailers have started a program called VitalSource Helps, which will provide free e-textbook rentals through the end of Spring Term.
To take advantage of this opportunity, please go to this link: https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com
Once there, you will need to create a VitalSource account using your Hartwick email address. When the account is set up and you log in, you will be able to search to see if your assigned textbooks are available to you as e-books through this program. Please note: free rentals are limited to a total of 7 e-books.
If you have any questions regarding this program, or any other questions regarding access to materials, please contact David Heyduk, Library Manager, at heydukd0@hartwick.edu or 607-431-4459.
March 19, 2020: 2:46 p.m. Transitioning Employees to Work Remotely
Dear Faculty and Staff,
The College is in the process of transitioning employees to work remotely. The Strategic Response Team has now decided that any employee who thinks that it is necessary to work on campus must get approval from their supervisor to do so.
If you think it is essential to work on campus, please complete this form and obtain the approval from your supervisor no later than Friday, March 20. If you do not obtain approval to work on campus, effective March 23, your work will be done remotely.
Thank you for taking these necessary precautions to minimize risk for yourself and for others.
The Strategic Response Team
March 19, 2020: 2:22 p.m.: Residence Halls No Longer Accessible
Due to the escalation and the constantly changing dynamics of COVID-19, we are writing to advise you that effective immediately our residence halls including (townhouses, apartments, and Pine Lake) are no longer accessible.
This announcement supersedes the message of March 17, 2020 where you were advised that you had until March 28, 2020 to collect your belongings. Your personal belongings that are currently in your residential space will be safe and secure as room and all exterior doors are locked. Your swipe cards will be deactivated and the locks on the front doors of the town houses will be changed. All campus cameras will also be monitoring campus spaces.
If you are currently on campus, you will need to meet with a member of the residence life staff by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2020, in order to maintain access. We are requesting that you come to the 4th floor of Dewar prior to 5:00 p.m. today.
We wish you and your family good health in the days to come and please know that we are all here to support you remotely.
If you have questions, or concerns regarding this update please contact Dr. Cary Dresher, Assistant Vice President for Student Experience at dresherc@hartwick.edu, or 607-431-4532.
The Residential Life Staff
March 19, 2020: 11:20 a.m.Telephone Forwarding Policy
The College’s phone system is designed to meet the needs of routine operations when we are all on campus. For that reason, it has a limit on how many off-campus connections it can handle at any moment. Each forwarded phone uses one of those connections.
Therefore, we need to reduce the number of forwarded phones.
March 18, 2020 10:30 a.m. Remote Work Activities Management
March 17, 2020 7:20 p.m. Important Update to Hartwick Students: Spring Semester 2020
Dear Hartwick Student,
There have been many important developments over the last week. We have seen state governments, and specifically New York State, take extraordinary steps to help decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus. For example, just yesterday the NYS Governor announced that no more than 50 people may now gather in recreational and social gatherings, all restaurants must move to a take-out only format (including College food services), and all movie theaters and gyms are closed. Broadway theaters and school districts are closed, and most civic events have been cancelled.
The Governor is taking these steps to limit the risk of person-to-person transfer of the COVID-19 virus. This is an important step to reduce the likelihood of a dramatic spike in the number of acute cases that might, in turn, place exceptional pressure on the health care system.
No one knows how long these social distancing steps will be necessary. However, given the amount and nature of governmental decision making over the last week, and the importance of protecting the members of our Hartwick community, we have decided that Hartwick will complete the remainder of the spring 2020 semester through remote instruction only.
We make this announcement now so that you can make your plans to return to your home after spring break. Even though there is no current ban on domestic travel, we cannot be sure that this will not be put into place by governmental authorities in the future, so we think that the timing of this decision is important.
Even though course instruction will be conducted remotely for the remainder of the spring semester, we will wait until later this spring to make a final decision on Commencement. If we are allowed to do so, we would like to have the Commencement Celebration as scheduled on May 16. Developments over the next few weeks will provide us guidance on whether this will be possible. We will communicate with you no later than April 10 with a final decision on whether we will hold the ceremony on Elmore Field as planned.
Student Next Steps
• You have likely already been contacted by your faculty members about your connectivity capabilities. Please ensure that you have informed your faculty of your ability to use the internet while residing at home.
• Please plan to return to campus to collect your personal belongings. You may return to campus to retrieve your belongings between March 18 and March 28. If you are not able to retrieve your belongings during this time you should contact Residential Life by emailing reslife@hartwick.edu to make alternative arrangements. To ease your transition, secure, on-campus storage will be available for most some of your larger belongings if you choose to leave them at Hartwick over the summer. They can be stored safely in Binder until you return in the fall. Please fill out this form to let us know when you will return for your belongings and whether you will want to leave your belongings here for the summer after you have packed them.
• You may have been given permission by VP McGrath to return after Spring Break. Given the events of the last week we will be able to offer on-campus housing only to those who have the most pressing need to reside here. If you believe that you must return to/or remain on campus, please reaffirm this need to VP McGrath by completing this form.
The Hartwick community has always done its best to support the needs of our larger community. At this time when the public health of the country requires that we change our plans in very significant ways, we thank you for caring for and supporting one another.
With best wishes,
The Hartwick College Strategic Response Team
March 16, 2020: 11:59 a.m. Navigate Virtual Tutoring Services Provided by CSS
Good afternoon,
Tutoring services provided by the Center for Student Success (CSS) will continue through virtual means as long as at a distance classes are being implemented. All tutoring is moving to appointment-based, virtual sessions. There will be no drop in, in-person tutoring services until further notice.
Students can make appointments for tutoring through Navigate as they have been doing this semester. (Read the instructions to do so here.)
A confirmation email will be sent from CSS confirming the appointment and the Zoom conference call information to the student and peer tutor after the appointment is scheduled. Zoom conference calls are also able to support video chat and phone calls.
Questions should be directed to Paige Stone, Director of Academic Support.
Paige Stone, Director of Academic Support
stonep@hartwick.edu
607-431-4892
For answers to frequently asked questions about Hartwick’s response to COVID-19, please visit www.hartwick.edu/covid19faq.
March 13, 2020: 4:00 p.m. Message from President Drugovich
Dear member of our Hartwick community,
I have had many conversations with students over these past few days about the College’s decision to protect our community by converting to remote instruction as of March 23. These conversations have been moving, and heart-tugging. Students are grateful for the plan, and understand why it is best, but they are also concerned for one another and our employees, saddened about the need to be away, and anxious about the personal impact of COVID-19.
It is true that we often most appreciate what we have when we are separated from it. Even though classes will continue, students are already missing the spring events they were anticipating celebrating together.
I feel the same way. And I know that the employees at Hartwick join me in wishing that there was some magic way to bring all of our plans for our vibrant community back into focus. But for now, we must all wait and hope that we can see one another very soon.
I want to thank all of our faculty for your remarkable commitment to the continued delivery of this amazing Hartwick education. Brava and bravo for all that you have done, and will do, to support our students as they continue their semester’s work from afar.
Our professional employees and our Aramark partners have displayed a truly impressive dedication to service and caring. I am proud to work with each of you.
Hartwick students are the best. Your thoughtfulness and compassion are inspiring. I look forward to the day that we can reopen our physical campus and resume the learning and living experience that we have all come to understand is our Hartwick.
Enjoy your break. Wash your hands. And, if you have one (so many Hawks do!) give your dog or cat an extra hug. They will love it, and so will you.
See you soon.
Best,
President Drugovich
March 12, 2020: COVID-19 Update 7:58 p.m. Hartwick Posts FAQ for COVID-19
The Hartwick College COVID-19 web page has a new Frequently Asked Questions page for students and families, faculty and staff, prospective students and families, and vendors and partners. This site will be updated as often as possible.
You are welcome to bring them with you when you depart campus, regardless of the due date. The library will extend all due dates for books until after the end of the term.
If in-person classes do not resume, you may return your books when you return to campus in the fall. If you are graduating or will not be returning to Hartwick in the fall, we ask that you ship the books back to the Library at your earliest convenience, and you will be reimbursed for the cost.
If you would like to check out a book from our collection while you are off-campus, you may contact us directly, and we will check the materials out in your name and ship them to your location free of charge.
Current Interlibrary loan books checked out
If the due date is near and you don’t need to renew, please return the books to the Interlibrary Loan office before you leave campus. Otherwise, you are welcome to take the books with you off-campus.
Please ship the books back to the Interlibrary Loan office in advance of the due date. As with our library books, you will be reimbursed for shipping costs or provided a prepaid return envelope.
You are welcome to continue making Interlibrary Loan requests for books. After their arrival on campus, we will ship them to you free of charge.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Best,
David Heyduk, M.L.I.S.
Manager of the Library
Stevens-German Library
Hartwick College
607-431-4459
March 11, 2020: 8:00 p.m. Important Message from President Margaret L. Drugovich on Hartwick College’s Response to COVID-19
Hartwick College is fully committed to high-quality instruction. We are equally committed to supporting our students and employees. Even though there are no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Hartwick at this time, all indications are that the illness will continue its spread across the country.
As such, please note that, in order to support our community, this is the plan for the remainder of the semester:
I. Classes for the remainder of this week (March 11-13) will continue as planned. All events will be conducted except as noted in our communication of March 9.
II. Hartwick faculty will continue spring 2020 instruction through remote instruction only beginning March 23. Faculty will make the determination on the remote instruction approach for each class. Faculty will communicate with students in each class before March 23 with details about how courses will be conducted. Until further notice, there will be no in-person instruction.
III. Students should remove all instruction related materials and any belongings that you might need for the foreseeable future by 5PM on Sunday March 22. After March 22 you will not be permitted to return to campus until such time that the College resumes normal in-person instruction, or another arrangement is made.
IV. Effective March 20 at 5PM, all campus-based activities, including athletic competitions and training, are suspended until further notice.
V. Students who have an extraordinary circumstance and need to remain on, or have access to, campus beyond March 22 should complete this form by 5PM on Wednesday March 18. Students with questions about this process may contact VP Karen McGrath at Mcgrathk@hartwick.edu.
VI. The College will reevaluate the circumstances of the spread of the COVID-19 on a daily basis and will communicate with all members of our community no later than March 31 about whether resumption of in-person instruction will be possible.
I thank the Strategic Response Team for their assistance in creating this plan. Further communication to faculty and professional staff will be forthcoming.
Even though Hartwick faculty, staff and students prize the rich, residential experience of our campus, our first priority must be the welfare of individual community members. With your support and cooperation, all members of our community will get through the COVID-19 experience and return to resume our normal Hartwick experience. We look forward to that time.
Margaret L. Drugovich
President
March 9, 2020: COVID-19 Update 6:57 p.m. Notice: Alternative Work Arrangements
Hartwick College’s first priority is the health and welfare of our students, faculty, staff and other members of our community. At this time, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Hartwick College.
Even still, because circumstances are changing rapidly, Hartwick College is anticipating the need for alternative, remote work arrangements.
For faculty and staff who have a concern about an underlying health condition that might make you more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, Hartwick College may give you the option to conduct your work from home.
Employees who are permitted to work from home may be given alternative work assignments.
Thank you for supporting one another and our students.
March 9, 2020: COVID-19 Update 3:58 p.m. Notice: Travel, Events and Post-Break Instruction
Hartwick College’s first priority is the health and welfare of our students, employees, and other members of our community. At this time, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Hartwick College.
Circumstances pertaining to COVID-19 are changing very quickly. Until further notice, Hartwick College is suspending the following travel:
We are urging anyone who is planning to travel internationally for personal reasons to refrain from doing so. Please consult the Centers for Disease Control CDC travel advice prior to returning to campus.
On-campus events that are scheduled for this week will be held as planned. Hartwick College will not participate in any non-conference athletic competitions this week or next week.
We are not encouraging students to stay on campus during spring break if they have made plans to leave campus.
Please continue to monitor communications from this email address. It is your responsibility to monitor these communications about how Hartwick will continue to respond to COVID-19.
As circumstances require, we may choose to move to online instruction through various modalities after Spring Break. We will conduct training sessions for faculty in the event that we must move to online instruction. Faculty will be contacted by the Provost’s office about the time, date and location of these training sessions.
Self-care is very important to protect yourself and others from all viruses.
March 9, 2020: COVID-19 Update 7:54 a.m.
Hartwick College’s first priority is the health and welfare of our students, employees, and other members of our community. Please read the attached update about the Coronavirus COVID 19. The College will continue to monitor information and share that information with you as it becomes available.
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What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.
The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020. The current count of cases is available on the CDC’s webpage: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html
At this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low for most of the U.S.
How does COVID-19 spread?
The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may also be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. For more information visit www.cdc.gov/COVID19
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
How can you help protect yourself?
There is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment for COVID-19. Take preventative measures, such as:
If you are sick, to keep from spreading illness to others, you should:
What is Hartwick College doing in response to Covid19?
Hartwick College’s first priority is the health and welfare of our students, employees, and other members of our community. The College will continue to monitor information from authoritative channels such as the CDC and share that information with you as it becomes available.
Hartwick College will stream all official communications about the virus and Hartwick’s response to the virus from HartwickCovid19Comm.edu
Additionally, the College will send various communications to students, employees and other community members which may be relative to travel restrictions, event cancellations or interruptions, College closure, policy decisions, or other matters of importance through email, texting through Navigate, RAVE (when warranted) and other methods of communication.
March 6, 2020: Navigate Spring Break Survey Email & Text 11:00 a.m.
Email
Good morning Students,
Please take a moment to complete this quick survey about your Spring Break plans. We care about your health and are collecting this information so we can support you wherever you may be if any changes occur in the coronavirus COVID-19.
Have a fun and safe Spring Break!
Survey Link
Text
Please take this quick survey about Spring Break. We’re asking to help keep you safe.
Survey Link
March 6, 2020: 8:51 a.m.
Coronavirus COVID-19 Safety Update
Good morning,
Your safety is our priority. Campus updates on the coronavirus (COVID-19) will be provided weekly and as needed if the situation changes.
Risk
There have been no suspected or confirmed coronavirus infections (COVID-19) at Hartwick College. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, “most people in the United States will have little immediate risk of exposure to this virus.”(www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/) This is a rapidly evolving situation, and the College will provide updates as new, reliable information is available.
Prevention
There is no vaccine to prevent this virus, and the CDC advises that the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
Please take everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
Detailed information will be updated on our website at www.hartwick.edu/coronavirus
March 5, 2020: 4:43 p.m.
NYSED Guidance for Colleges & Universities Related to Coronavirus COVID-19
Good afternoon Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Hartwick College is sharing this Coronavirus COVID-19 news from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) with all employees. We will employ this guidance as needed. Future updates about COVID-19 will be sent to you from this email account.
Thank you for taking the time to read the NYSED guidance document.
March 4, 2020: 9:00 a.m.
The Coronavirus: Hartwick’s Response
Dear member of our Hartwick community,
Yesterday I convened leaders from across the College to discuss our strategic response to the developments prompted by the spread of the novel coronavirus. This group is developing an information management, decision-making and communication protocol that will help us to act swiftly as new information becomes available.
Our first priority is the health and welfare of the members of our community, both on campus and throughout the region. As such, we will monitor authoritative channels and share helpful information with you until this is no longer becomes available. Please note that from this point forward we will stream all official communications about the virus and Hartwick’s response to the virus from HartwickCovid19Comm. I urge you to monitor these official communications when they arrive, and respond if/when a response is required.
I appreciate all that you will do to assure your own health and help to protect the health of others in the months ahead. Many health care providers agree that good hand washing technique is a very effective defense against the spread of any virus. We all learned to do this when we were children, but it is time for a refresher! I have embedded a link to a helpful video that I shared at yesterday’s Community Conversation.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
With best wishes for your continued good health,
President Drugovich
March 1, 2020: 3:30 p.m.
What you need to know about the 2019 Coronavirus (n-CoV)
Dear Hartwick Community,
In an effort to support the well-being of the Hartwick community, we have continued to monitor recommendations related to the 2019 novel Coronavirus (n-CoV). This situation is dynamic and rapidly changing.
While this is a serious public health threat, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) characterizes the immediate health risk from the new coronavirus as low for anyone who is unlikely to be exposed to this virus.
Here is what you need to know.
What is novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)?
2019-nCoV is a newly identified coronavirus that is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Since then, the virus has been identified in multiple other countries, including cases in the U.S.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human coronaviruses are common throughout the world and usually cause mild to moderate illness in people. This new virus is a public health concern because:
What is the risk?
The CDC considers this new virus a public health concern based on current information. However, the immediate health risk to the general US public is considered low at this time. The CDC and the World Health Organization are closely monitoring the situation and providing ongoing guidance.
Symptoms and transmission:
Symptoms may be flu-like, ranging from mild to serious, and include:
Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear exactly how it is transmitted and how easily the virus spreads between people.
If you travel to/through Wuhan or other parts of China:
The CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to Wuhan, China. Chinese officials have closed transport within and out of Wuhan, including buses, subways, trains, and the airport. If you must travel:
Treatment:
People infected with 2019-nCoV should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for 2019-nCoV infection. (source: CDC)
Prevention:
There is no vaccine to prevent this virus, and the CDC advises that the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
Currently, 2019-nCoV has not been found to be spreading in the U.S., so there are no additional precautions recommended for the general public to take.
Here are everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
Recommendations for people with respiratory symptoms:
If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing and in the last 14 days you:
You should:
What is the campus health service doing about 2019-nCoV?
There have been no suspected or confirmed coronavirus infections at Hartwick. If a coronavirus infection were to be suspected at Hartwick, the college would take direction from outside government agencies.
First, the New York State Department of Health, would direct the testing and diagnosing process. Next, the Otsego County Department of Health would instruct the college on a management plan for any person under investigation (PUI) — anyone suspected of being infected. This would likely begin with either an on-campus quarantine or moving the PUI off campus for quarantine. The quarantine period for COVID-19 is 14 days.
The county health department would direct the college’s actions in dealing with any confirmed case of COVID-19. This would involve moving the patient to a medical facility for treatment. Hartwick campus officials have met to do preliminary planning in the event of a confirmed case of the corona virus on campus and Health Center staff are monitoring the situation closely and staying informed of the latest CDC recommendations regarding the virus.
More information can be found here: https://www.hartwick.edu/coronavirus
Sincerely,
The Perrella Health Center and The Office of Wellness & Health Promotion
