COVID-19 Updates and Plans

March 29, 2021: Read the full update to students and parents.

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New York State’s website now lists in person college faculty and instructors, and those 30 years and older as eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Effective March 10, the priority group eligibility now includes “All Essential, In-person staff.” This includes all campus staff who are currently working in-person, regardless of job title or job function. Please note this expansion does not apply to anyone who is working 100% remotely.

The New York State vaccination website includes more information about current eligibility and how to sign up for an appointment. First, fill out the “am I eligible” survey. Once that is complete, you will see a list of vaccination sites near you.

Unfortunately, there are very few, if any, appointments available at this time. We recommend you keep checking regularly, and as soon as more appointments or expanded eligibility is announced that you do not hesitate in trying to book an appointment.

New York City has a separate system for distribution and eligibility. In addition to the official NYC vaccine page, one website that may be helpful is the NYC vaccine list, which is maintained by volunteers.

Please note that Purchase College has no jurisdiction over the distribution and availability of the vaccine.

​For employees who do confirm an appointment for a vaccine and meet the current eligibility requirements, Deborah Bradshaw in Human Resources will provide documentation for you to print out and bring to your appointment.

For students who do confirm an appointment for a vaccine and meet the current eligibility requirement, Barbara Washington in Student Affairs will provide documentation for you to print out and bring to your appointment.

An important note: all employees, even those who have been vaccinated already or are in the process, must continue to adhere to the public safety measures and all college policies in place, including mask usage, pool testing, daily screening, and social distancing.

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While the update to the SUNY Upstate Medical University COVID Test website in February was challenging we are pleased to announce that it has allowed us greater reporting capabilities, and the much-requested ability to provide individual clinical test results.

Starting Monday, March 29 individuals will receive an email alert that their results are ready for viewing. Emails will only be sent when results are finalized, so you can expect to receive an automated email when your results are presumed negative, reflex negative, or reflex positive.

What does Presumed Negative, Reflex Negative and Reflex Positive Mean?

• Presumed Negative: Your sample was pooled with others from campus and tested. No Covid-19 signal was detected in these samples.
• Reflex Negative: Your sample was run individually, likely after being a part of a pool that tested positive, and your individual sample was negative for the presence of the Covid-19 virus. You may immediately end your precautionary isolation. You will also be contacted by Human Resources or your supervisor to let you know you no longer need to isolate.
• Reflex Positive: Your sample was run individually and determined to be positive for the presence of the Covid-19 virus. Human Resources will be in touch to confirm the process, how long you need to quarantine, when you can return to work, etc.

If your sample is part of a positive pool, you will be notified directly by Human Resources or your Supervisor and you will be told to isolate. Simultaneously, the lab will begin running all the samples from the positive pool individually. Once the individual results are finalized you will receive an email alert that your results are available for viewing.

Results will not be detailed via email and can only be accessed by logging into the SUNY Upstate Medical University COVID Test website. Any samples listed as pending means the results have not yet been finalized. To view your results, log into the website, scroll down under your profile, and click the View Results button under the test date. A pop up will appear with your results, as well as a link to download a PDF of your results. This PDF is an individual clinical result and can be used to show proof of a negative COVID test.

IMPORTANT: Incorrectly submitted specimens or barcodes will significantly delay the processing of results. Check your profile before exiting the campus testing site and make sure your barcode and testing date are correctly listed under your profile. If there is an issue registering your barcode you need to speak to someone before leaving the testing site.

Future test change: Upstate Medical has informed us that we will need to switch from the current swab test to a sputum test. We do not have a date that this switch will occur but will keep you updated when we know more.

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Effective February 12, 2021:

Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
• Are within 3 months following receipt of the last dose in the series
• Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure

Persons who do not meet all 3 of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance after exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced new guidelines allowing out-of-state travelers to New York, including international travelers coming from any CDC Level 2 or Level 3 Health Notice country, to “test out” of the mandatory 10-day quarantine. Read the full announcement on the New York State website.

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View the centralized dashboard that will provide real time, up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases, testing, and quarantine and isolation space availability across SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities to more efficiently monitor, respond to, and contain the virus.

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In an effort to limit campus density and promote health and safety, a number of updates to our campus visitor policy have been implemented. This policy was created to ensure that visitors adhere to campus mitigation measures in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This procedure will remain in effect until further notice.

Summary

• Purchase College facilities and buildings are open only for official college business and are not open to the general public.
• Students who are studying remotely will be granted access to campus from 8:00am - 8:00pm daily.
• Visitors will be permitted access to academic buildings provided they have been invited by a host and preregistered.

Definitions

Visitors are defined as any individual who require essential access to campus facilities and is not an employee (faculty or staff), a currently enrolled student, or a campus resident. Employees of certain vendors, contractors, volunteers, tenants, and other groups are considered visitors.

Campus Host is a college office/department, employee, or registered student organization requiring or inviting a visitor to come on campus.

Remote Student Registration Process and Responsibilities

On the date of the planned visit, remote students must complete the college’s COVID-19 Health Screening Tool located on the student portal or by visiting the link. The health screening mirrors our daily face to face student and employee screening. The tool will instruct students who report experiencing symptoms to contact Student Health Services before coming to campus.

Remote Students must park in the W1 Parking Lot and proceed to the CMFT Lobby for check-in. A campus greeter (work-study) will be available at the lobby from 7:00am - 5:00pm M-F to complete the check in process. After hours, students should have their confirmation email readily available for inspection by campus staff.

Remote Students who visit campus will be required to follow health and safety protocols adopted by the college and as required by federal, state, or local regulations. This includes self-monitoring of COVID-19 symptoms before coming on campus and completing the college’s health screening survey; complying with the college’s face-covering policy and social distancing requirements; and regular handwashing and sanitizing while on campus.

Note: Students who plan to visit campus regularly must participate in campus pooled testing. If you intend to visit campus at least once per week, please notify Health Services at hse@purchase.edu to be scheduled for pooled testing.

Visitor Registration Process and Responsibilities

Visitors must be pre-registered by a Campus Host. The Campus Host will be responsible for forwarding an email to visitor.registration@purchase.edu, the host will receive a response with instructions to complete the registration process which includes a link to the college’s COVID-19 Health Screening Tool to be provided to each visitor. Visitors must complete the campus Health Screening Tool the morning of their appointment. The health screening mirrors our daily student and employee screening. The Tool will instruct visitors who report experiencing symptoms to please contact the host to reschedule their appointment. V

isitors must park in the W1 Parking Lot and proceed to the CMFT Lobby for check-in. A campus greeter (work-study) will be available at the lobby from 7:00am - 5:00pm M-F to complete the check in process.

Visitors permitted on campus will be required to follow health and safety protocols adopted by the college and as required by federal, state, or local regulations. This includes self-monitoring of COVID-19 symptoms before coming on campus and completing the college’s health screening survey; complying with the college’s face-covering policy and social distancing requirements; and regular handwashing and sanitizing while on campus. Visitors will receive campus policies electronically following the completion of the health screening survey.

Related Visitor Procedures

Institutions and offices on campus such as the Facilities Management, Neuberger Museum, Chartwells, The Performing Arts Center, and Athletics may in some cases operate with slight variations to this procedure due to specific guidance from associations, insurance companies and contractual obligations.

Persons who utilize outdoor areas of the campus to jog and bicycle are not considered visitors and are restricted to the roadways and trails on campus only. Residential and Academic areas are strictly of limits and posted no trespassing signs must be adhered to.

Guest are not allowed in student residential spaces.

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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics, Purchase College has adopted a Social Distancing and Face Covering policy. This policy highlights the protections that are required and implemented to ensure the health and safety of our campus community including students, faculty, staff, visitors, and contractors.

Persons Required to Follow the Policy

All people entering campus for any reason must follow the Policy for Social Distancing and Face Covering.This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, students, volunteers, vendors, contractors, permitees, employees of related entities including but not limited to Purchase College Association, Research Foundation and all other visitors to the campus.

Policy Statement and Specifics

In the event of an outbreak of a highly infectious and/or deadly disease, including a pandemic, Purchase College may implement measures aimed at limiting the transmission of highly infectious disease through social distancing. Decisions regarding social distancing and other mitigation measures for an outbreak of influenza or other highly contagious diseases will be guided by such factors as the epidemiology of the disease, its response (if any) to anti-viral or other medications, the availability of effective medications and vaccines, specific at-risk groups, proximity of confirmed infection to a particular locale, and other factors.

The College President, in consultation with the Campus Emergency Response Team along with other related campus offices will determine the appropriate level of social distancing measures or other corrective measures to employ. Federal, state, and local governing authorities may provide guidance in making the determination, and those authorities are likely to follow guidelines and recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and Department of Health (DOH). In addition to social distancing, additional measures such as donning of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be implemented.

COVID-19 Pandemic Specific Policy

 

A. As recommended by the CDC and the New York State Guidelines, all people entering campus for any reason are required to:

• Adhere to social distancing restrictions
• Have a face covering available at all times and be considerate of the health concerns of community members.
• Wear face coverings when in direct contact with members of the public. Cover the nose and mouth with a face covering when inside campus buildings with the exception of when in your assigned residence or alone in your office.
• While dining in public, persons are required to maintain a distance of six feet.
• Face coverings are always required when outdoors within the plaza and all residential areas.
• In other outdoor areas beyond the plaza and residential areas, masks are also required if you are unable to maintain a social distance of more than six feet.

B. Both cloth and disposable face coverings are acceptable however, face coverings with exhalation valves are not permitted.

Cloth face coverings should:

• fit snugly but comfortably against the face covering both nose and mouth
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
• stored properly when not in use to prevent damage or contamination

C. Those who are unable to wear face coverings due to a medical or other health condition should consult with the appropriate campus offices (Human Resources for state employees, the Office of Disability Resources for students and designated campus contacts for contractors, volunteers, permitees, and campus visitors) to discuss reasonable accommodations.Campus contacts for permitees and visitors shall consult with the Continuation of Programs and Services Public Health Committee for guidance.

D. Failure to Comply & Campus Enforcement

• Interactions with those failing to comply should be viewed as a public health educational opportunity, we are asking all members of our community to do their part.Persons not wearing a face covering or maintaining social distancing should be asked to comply.

Failure to comply may result in the following actions:

• For students, it may result in a report being filed with the Office of Community Standards.Upon review, the student may receive notice of disciplinary action, which could result in their removal from campus (suspension or expulsion).Additionally, residential students may be removed from on-campus housing through the Office of Community Engagement Residence License Agreement.
• For employees, it may result in referral to Human Resources for review and resolution in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement, including disciplinary action or up to and including termination. Employees are required to adhere to the above policy requirements in all instances except where doing so would inhibit or otherwise impair the employee’s health. Employees who are unable to wear face coverings due to a medical or other health condition should must consult with the Access and Reasonable Accommodation Officer (Ricardo Espinales, Associate Director of Human Resources, (914) 251-6086 to discuss reasonable accommodations.
• For visitors, permitees, revocable permit holders and contractors, it may result in removal of authorization to be on campus property and/or termination of the applicable lease/permit/contract.
• In the event of an emergency situation UPD can be contacted via telephone at (914) 251-6911.

E. Reporting and Enforcement

• Criteria for violations of this procedure are subject to a continued New York State Disaster Declaration and Executive Orders of the Governor of the State of New York. Violations may be reported as indicated above.
• On campus general complaints can be emailed to: stayhealthy@purchase.edu, employee related: HRM.Director@purchase.edu, student related: SAF.conduct@purchase.edu
• New York State maintains a hotline for non-essential gathering complaints: (833) 789-0470.
• In the event of an emergency or crime in progress, call University Police: (914) 251-6911

F. Definitions

Social Distancing: “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people by staying at least 6 feet from other people, not gathering in groups, staying out of crowded places and avoiding mass gatherings of any size.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses, respirators, or face coverings.It is important to note that PPE does not eliminate exposure to the virus, it can help prevent exposures by acting as a barrier between the wearer and the hazard, in this case the virus.

Public Place (for purposes of this policy): shall mean buildings, grounds, and while in the process of transporting someone from one place to another or being transported such as a campus shuttle.Drivers are responsible for disinfecting the vehicle after each use.

G. Responsibilities

All campus community members (students, faculty, staff, visitors, etc.): have a personal responsibility to adhere to this procedure to ensure the safety of all community members. Being personally responsible means you take ownership of what you do and how it may impact others.

H. Related Procedures

Public Space Implementation

Facilities, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Environmental Health and Safety, and Events Management are responsible for the implementation of this procedure.

The following areas and spaces will adopt the following practices while social distancing:

• General Building Occupancy: Occupancy will be adjusted to limit the number of people allowed on an academic building floor at one time and so no more than an appropriate number of classes are scheduled on the same floor at one time
• Classrooms, Lecture Halls, Science Labs, and Other Meeting Spaces: The maximum occupancy will be adjusted to accommodate social distancing. Occupancy changes will be coordinated with the Registrar to appropriately adjust maximum course attendance.
• Class start times will be slightly staggered to reduce hallway occupancy.
• Dining Areas: Maximum occupancy will be adjusted accordingly and carry out services will be provided only until restrictions have been modified.
• Residence Halls: Common areas and lounges in the residence halls are currently closed. Additional housing conditions have been imposed as part of the housing agreement, including but not limited to restrictions regarding visitors/guests to campus residences. Resident students should carefully read their Residence License Agreement and any addendums. Violations to COVID restrictions such as the visitor policy, may result in separation from the college for up to an academic or calendar year.
• Residential Buildings will be closed to visitors.
• Elevators: Use of elevators will be at a limited capacity, and persons should wear a face covering at all times.
• Stairwells: Campus building stairwells in some cases may have one-way traffic. Community members must comply with posted signage.
• Entrances/Exits: Campus building entry and egress routes may be separated in some cases.Community members must comply with posted signage.
• Reception Areas: Where physical barriers are not already in place, such as glass partitions, visual aids may be present to mark a 6 foot distance.
• General Spaces: Maximum occupancy will be adjusted accordingly, and furniture will be limited to single seating only.
• Restrooms: Occupancy may be modified to promote social distancing.Use of restrooms with multiple stalls should be limited based on room size to ensure at least six (6) feet of distance between individuals.Community members should wash hands for at least twenty (20) seconds after using restrooms facilities to reduce the potential transmission of the virus.Face mask will also be worn in restrooms.Hand sanitizer will be placed outside of the restrooms.
• Recreational and Athletic Venues: Spaces will be evaluated to determine how students can safely exercise while maintaining social distancing. Athletic competitions (both recreational and NCAA Division III) will be determined in concert with NCAA, SUNYAC, and health officials.

Department and Unit Implementation

Supervisors are responsible for implementation of the following modifications to protect the health of their employees.

• Offices (double occupancy or more): Space should be accessed to ensure that at least six feet of distance exists between the occupants while seated at their workstations. In instances where the space cannot be reconfigured to accommodate social distancing Facilities Management may be consulted.
• Any modifications or physical barrier needs will be reviewed and approved provided by Facilities. A barrier cannot impend airflow, heating, cooling, fire safety systems or accessibility.
• In instances where physical distancing is not possible, further corrective action such as schedule changes, remote work, telecommuting, should be considered.
• Restrooms (single occupancy): No modifications are required for the single occupancy restrooms. However, the waiting area outside of a single occupancy restroom will be evaluated to determine if signage is required to promote social distancing.
• Meeting Spaces: Conduct meetings remotely using existing campus technologies such as Collaborate, Zoom, in-house conference lines (can accommodate six participants), Intercall, the telephone, etc.
• Break Rooms and Common Areas: Social distancing and cleaning is the responsibility of those utilizing the space.

Personal Protective Equipment

Face Coverings will be made available to faculty, staff and students on scheduled days at the mailroom. Face covering needs when the mailroom is unavailable can be accommodated by emailing: stayhealthy@purchase.edu.

This procedure will remain in effect until further notice. For questions regarding this policy, please email stayhealthy@purchase.edu. For questions regarding state regulations, please visit New York Forward.

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