Cornell to reactivate Ithaca campus for fall

Cornell plans to welcome students back to its Ithaca campus for the fall semester, according to a press release June 30. The campus plans to blend in-person and online instruction, confident that decision best serves public health, President Martha E. Pollack announced the same day.

Students will be expected to observe strict behavioral requirements and participate in a testing program to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Pollack said that according to university experts, resuming residential learning in the fall would create a safer environment for staff, students and nearby residents than if classes were only held online.

“The key consideration in our decision to reopen is public health,” Pollack said. “Residential instruction, when coupled with a robust virus screening program of the form we intend to implement, is a better option for protecting the public health of our community than a purely online semester.”

Testing will begin before or upon students’ arrival in Ithaca, with frequent screening throughout the semester, according to the release. In addition, students will complete an online questionnaire about health symptoms and other risk factors, which faculty and staff who have been approved to work on campus are already using, as required by New York state.

Courses will offer a mix of in-person and virtual instruction. Masks will be required in classrooms modified for physical distancing, with assigned seats. On-campus housing will be limited to single- and double-occupancy rooms with assigned bathrooms.

Dining will be to-go or by online reservation at distanced tables, using disposable cutlery. Large social gatherings will be restricted, and the university will promote “innovative approaches to socializing while distancing,” according to the release.

Dr. Martin Stallone, president and CEO of Cayuga Health, said he and Cayuga Health staff had been collaborating with Cornell for several weeks to help decide on the best reactivation plan.

“The significance of today’s announcement and the reactivation of Cornell University shows us, once again, that we are continuing to be safe – right here in Tomkins County and throughout this region – as we continue to follow the CDC guidelines,” Stallone said in a release June 30.

In a release from county administration, Tompkins County officials announced their support for Cornell’s plan. Officials from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) are in ongoing communication with University officials and have been participating in planning efforts, according to the release.

“Cornell has shown a careful approach to putting protocols in place to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County public health director and EOC operations chief. “Their plans reflect their commitment to their campus community and Tompkins County residents. The plan is thorough, including a robust testing program, a coordinated approach to isolation, quarantine and contact tracing and significant modifications to campus life.”

The university is finalizing a reopening plan required to be submitted to New York state for the Ithaca campus and Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, which Pollack said will include more details and be shared with the community.

Fall classes will start Sept. 2, according to a modified academic calendar that will have most students return home before Thanksgiving break. They’ll finish the term with online instruction and exams in December, before a delayed start to the spring semester in February. Detailed plans for an extended, phased move-in period, including screening for COVID-19, will be released in the weeks ahead, Cornell said in its release.

For those unable to return to Ithaca, remote learning options will be available. For more information, visit covid.cornell.edu.