An update from the Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students on the novel Coronavirus.
Dear Adelphi Community,
We wanted to reach out to you today and share the most recent update on how we are responding to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). As always, the health and well-being of the Adelphi community is our top priority.
We are aware of a petition started by our students requesting cancellation of classes and campus closure. We have confirmed that, as of today, no one in our community has tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, no one at Adelphi has presented with symptoms linked to contact with COVID-19. Many of you have likely heard that our nearby peers have canceled or suspended classes to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in their respective communities. These decisions have been made after learning of individuals with COVID-19 symptoms on their campuses and suspected contact with positive COVID-19 cases. Other institutions without suspected cases, like Adelphi, continue to plan and run drills to ensure preparedness for learning and working remotely. Public health officials have advised there is no cause for canceling classes or closing our campus. However, Adelphi will be proactively testing our contingency plans for doing so.
Adelphi leadership is meeting daily and has put plans in place to be well-prepared should we need to quickly take steps based on the guidance of public health authorities and out of an abundance of caution.
This week, leading up to Spring Break, we will move quickly to prepare our entire community for online/virtual learning and working based on contingency plans that our leadership, faculty, and staff have put in place. Our goal is to minimize disruptions to working and learning during the heightening public health issue.
Throughout this week (Monday, March 9 – Saturday, March 14), we:
- Will pilot online/virtual teaching. Faculty and academic leadership will be in touch with all students to provide directions for online learning in all relevant classes.
- Will pilot remote working operations. Departments will work closely with their leadership to support telecommuting arrangements.
- Will remain in constant touch with local and state health officials and continue to take all precautions they recommend to prioritize the safety of our students, faculty and staff.
As we prepare to pilot our online working and learning environment, we ask all our students to please complete an online readiness checklist to help us ensure that your quality academic experience continues without disruption during this evolving public health situation.
As a reminder, it is very important to continue to observe basic hygiene precautions, especially frequent handwashing.
We encourage you to reach out for more guidance as needed:
Employees
Talk with your Human Resources partner and your supervisor to plan for flexibility.
Students
- Contact your doctor or the Health Services Center to learn how you can protect your health.
- Visit the Student Counseling Center if you have concerns or anxiety.
- Talk with your faculty/academic advisers if you have questions on coursework.
- Contact the Office of Academic Services and Retention to discuss medical accommodations if you have a physician-verified condition placing you at higher risk.
- Take the online readiness checklist survey.
Parents and Families
Continue to check our coronavirus information page often for FAQs, news and resources.
We will continue to share important news with you through email. Visit our online information page at adelphi.edu/coronavirus for regular updates.
Sincerely,
R. Sentwali Bakari, PhD
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Gene Palma
Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Vice President