To The Manhattan College Community,
Thank you very much for the feedback that has been shared with the emergency management committee via our dedicated email: covid-19info@manhattan.edu. We have been continually monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from state and local health departments. We are also reviewing your comments in order to refine and enhance our planning and our communications, and want to ensure that you have timely and complete information, to the extent we can provide this, in what is an evolving situation.
Academics
First, we are most grateful that our dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators have been working hard to reduce the potential impact posed by COVID-19 while at the same time enabling the College’s educational mission to continue. We want to reiterate our core decision concerning classes: all classes have been moved to a fully online format until Sunday, March 29. Prior to that date, we will make a decision whether or not we will continue to hold all classes online after March 29.
Moving to the online format eliminates group gatherings in contained classroom spaces and reduces potential exposure to the disease as per CDC guidelines. Accordingly, the Center for Academic Success, the Office of Career Pathways, Student Life offices and other areas of the College have adapted their service models to support students remotely.
ITS will have additional support resources available over the next several weeks to help students and employees connect to Google Meet. Additionally, ITS recommends that all users familiarize themselves with video conference best practices to ensure a positive experience.
The O’Malley Library remains open for normal hours and has communicated additional information.
On-Campus Events
We have been carefully evaluating all events on campus, based on advice from the CDC regarding congregate settings and social distancing. In considering whether or not it is prudent to move forward with an event, we have considered the number of people involved and nature of the event.
To date, we have made the decision that on-campus events and large gatherings have been suspended through Sunday, March 29 as we continue to monitor and assess the situation. We have compiled a comprehensive listing of all the events that had been planned for the spring term and we will continue to shape a longer-term strategy as we move forward.
Athletics
With the exception of the ongoing MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, all Manhattan College non-conference athletic competitions and trips will be canceled until at least Monday, March 23.
Health and Safety
At this time, we have no identified cases of coronavirus among our campus community. Several individuals have self quarantined for monitoring per CDC guidelines and we expect that additional individuals will need to do so in the weeks ahead. For example, employees returning from international travel are required to remain home for 14 days to ensure they are symptom-free. We appreciate everyone's cooperation with these policies. As always, consult with Human Resources if you have any questions or concerns about work-related issues.
During spring break, further intensive cleaning protocol will be implemented on-campus. Sodexo will clean and sanitize all classrooms and common area work spaces. We will also be closing office buildings systematically next week to allow Sodexo staff to access offices and spaces for coordinated cleaning and sanitizing. This includes all dining facilities, which will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
Travel
As reported previously, College-sponsored student domestic AND international travel is suspended until further notice. For faculty, staff, and administrators, non-essential College-related travel is currently suspended. Check with your supervisor if you have questions about travel plans. Personal travel is discouraged and College guidelines have been developed for your reference.
Please continue to visit our website for any additional updates on this situation. You may also email us at covid-19info@manhattan.edu.
We will continue to monitor future developments in the days to come, and will make decisions in the best interests of our students, faculty, administrators and staff, in consultation with public health officials.
As always, let us continue to remember in prayer those impacted by the coronavirus, their families, and their healthcare providers.
Sincerely,
Brennan O’Donnell, Ph.D., President