NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Iona College President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., today announced a tentative return to campus for the fall semester with in-person classes scheduled to begin three weeks early on August 10.
All plans for reopening have been developed with the health and safety of the Iona community as the highest priority, consulting with public health experts and colleague institutions as well as attending to CDC and New York State guidelines every step of the way. The plans outlined below are contingent upon New York State approval of in-person classes. Highlights include:
• Iona College will begin the fall semester on Aug. 10, 2020, and end the semester on Nov. 23, 2020.
• All courses will be offered in a hybrid format so that students can take any course, or portions thereof, online or in person (with the exception of courses designated as distance learning).
• Students, faculty and staff will be required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to starting classes. Antibody tests will also be available. Iona is proud to partner with Montefiore Hospital in New Rochelle to administer tests for members of the Iona community.
• Iona will work with all members of the campus community to monitor symptoms related to COVID-19. Daily temperature checks will be available before entering classes or the workplace.
• Masks will be required in all classes and wherever adequate social distancing is not possible.
• Iona will increase spacing in all classrooms and dining halls by 50 percent.
• Iona will reduce occupancy in residence halls to a maximum of two students per room and require social distancing in common spaces.
• Remote work will continue for staff who can perform their roles from home to increase social distancing in offices.
• Students and employees will be called upon to self-isolate and get tested upon manifesting symptoms.
• Additional details describing protocols for responding to positive COVID-19 cases on campus, procedures for food preparation and distribution, event sizes, campus visitors, athletic competition and spectators, contact tracing, human resource policies, and more will be included in a forthcoming comprehensive plan.
Full Letter from Iona College President Seamus Carey