Coronavirus Information | March 6, 2020

We continue to closely follow the potential public threat posed by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Dear Members of the Manhattan College Community,

We write with substantially updated guidance on travel and college activities in the wake of the evolving status of COVID-19.

Manhattan College is canceling and prohibiting College-affiliated or sponsored international travel until further notice for all employees and students.

Employees and students currently traveling or studying abroad internationally, who ARE NOT in a country with a Level 3 CDC warning, can continue to do so, but must follow the protocols designated upon their return. If your respective program continues to be in operation, we encourage you to stay in-country and adhere to the recommendations provided to you as this situation evolves. If you choose to voluntarily leave a program in this situation, you should contact your advisor, dean or designated campus official immediately. They will work with our partners abroad to try to support the completion of your work to the extent possible. Awarding of academic credit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed. NOTE: The College does not have any official trips with students or employees traveling in Level 3 CDC designated countries at this time.

Manhattan College strongly discourages personal international travel.


If members of the community decide to travel, be aware that you may be subject to governmental travel restrictions with little or no notice, and airlines may limit or cancel flights without warning. You will be subject to any restrictions in place at the time of your return, not only at the time of departure. Return to the U.S. may be difficult, and after your arrival you may be required to self-quarantine. Keep yourself informed about developments in your destination. Monitor the travel guidance provided by the CDC.

Manhattan College has not placed any restrictions on domestic travel at this time.

The reporting of COVID-19 outbreaks in the United States is changing rapidly.  Members of the Manhattan College community should use caution and judgment in planning and embarking on domestic travel. At this time, College-related domestic travel has not been cancelled. All co-curricular activities and programs that involve domestic travel are proceeding as planned, but this is subject to change. Where such travel is voluntary, all members of the community should use their discretion as to whether to participate. The College may in the future impose restrictions on domestic travel for all or certain college related travel.

Any member of the Manhattan College community (student, faculty or staff) who has traveled internationally or to a part of the United States experiencing a reported significant outbreak within the last 30 days must:
  • complete this confidential health form prior to your return;
  • self-isolate off campus in accordance with guidance from NYCDOH. Most self-isolations will last a minimum of 14 days;
  • and contact your health provider for additional instructions.
Reimbursements

We have received questions about reimbursement for College-sponsored travel. As each situation is different, we ask that you alert your advisor or area vice president if you will be seeking reimbursement. We ask for your patience as these situations vary greatly and immediate answers may not be available.

Spring Break

All policies and recommendations above apply to Spring Break travel. For those international students who reside on campus, please contact Residence Life and/or Debra D’Amico for guidance on accommodations over Spring Break.

Academic Affairs

All classes continue to be held as regularly scheduled.

We have created this form for students to request accommodation to miss class meetings (which are likely to be replaced by online activities) due to possible exposure to or risk from COVID-19 coronavirus.  In general, our policy is that accommodations will be granted if:
  • The student has returned from a country or location identified by the CDC as having high risk of exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus;
  • A family member or other person with whom the student lives or regularly come in close contact has returned from a country or location identified by the CDC as having high risk of exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus; and/or
  • The student has a compromised immune system or respiratory condition or other documented medical condition that makes them more likely to be harmed by exposure to COVIC-19 coronavirus.
Students completing this form will be contacted by someone in their dean’s office to confirm accommodation and, upon receipt of confirmation, should reach out to their faculty members to work out details of the accommodation.

Health and Safety of our Manhattan College Community

While this situation is unfortunate, especially the cancellation of international travel, the health, wellness, and safety of our students and employees must be our first priority. We continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and are continuing to monitor official information including guidance published by the CDC, the NYS Department of Health, and the NYC Department of Health.

We are requesting that you follow the CDC policy, and kindly ask if you are displaying symptoms of sickness (such as the common cold, any flu symptoms, or general symptoms of illness) to please stay home and wait until you are symptom free before returning to the work or class.

The CDC highly recommends that you: wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze with a bent elbow or tissue; and use caution if you display any symptoms of the Coronavirus by seeking professional medical advice. Everyone in our community is advised to practice appropriate hygiene and other measures to prevent the spread of viral illness on campus.

We are thankful for the continued efforts and cooperation of the Manhattan College community in addressing this challenging public health crisis. College leaders and officials from every school and department are meeting frequently to review, update, and communicate contingency plans. We will continue to send regular announcements and to update the new Manhattan College coronavirus website. If you know of any members of our Manhattan College community who might not receive this message, please share it with them.

Please visit Manhattan College’s coronavirus website which will be updated with the latest guidance and resources. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at COVID-19info@manhattan.edu.

Sincerely,

Brennan O’Donnell, Ph.D., President
William Clyde, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Provost
Richard Satterlee, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life
By MC Staff