In recent weeks, local higher education institutions announced plans to welcome students for in-person instruction for the fall semester. Each reopening or reactivation plan has been developed with consistent and ongoing communications that began early in the pandemic among Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3).
Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) will continue to work closely with all three institutions and will urge returning students and all Tompkins County residents to stay vigilant to stop the spread of COVID-19. TCHD will continue contact tracing operations, issuing isolation and quarantine orders, and sharing public health messaging consistent with up-to-date federal and state guidance.
“We understand the concerns of many Tompkins County residents and the uncertainties associated with planning for the upcoming semester as we see cases rise locally and across the U.S.” stated Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County Public Health Director. “Careful and thoughtful consideration is being taken by the County and all three institutions to ensure that our community will work together to reduce the spread of the disease. Collective decision-making by all three institutions has been crucial to planning for reopening. As part of the Emergency Operations Center, we have held weekly calls with the higher education institutions to ensure coordination throughout the COVID crisis.”
Each institution’s plan adheres to New York State and TCHD guidance. The plans are responsive to the specific operational and educational needs of each campus. Each institution will continue to adjust their plans as new guidance becomes available from New York State. Furthermore, Cornell, Ithaca College, and TC3 are aligned with TCHD and have incorporated the following in their COVID-19 response plans:
Pruebas continuas y exámenes de salud
- Implementar protocolos de vigilancia y pruebas diagnósticas para identificar y aislar casos positivos, incluidas asociaciones con el Sistema de Salud Cayuga y desarrollar la capacidad interna cuando sea posible.
- Instituir sistemas continuos para la evaluación de la salud de los estudiantes y empleados para detectar síntomas de COVID de forma regular.
Rastreo y monitoreo de contactos
- Asociar con TCHD para apoyar todos los esfuerzos de rastreo de contactos y las órdenes de aislamiento y cuarentena obligatoria.
- Proporcionar adaptaciones de aislamiento adecuadas para los estudiantes, si es necesario.
Establecer expectativas para el comportamiento comunitario y la responsabilidad social
- Alentar a los estudiantes y a todos los residentes del condado de Tompkins a seguir las últimas pautas de los CDC, el Departamento de Salud del Estado de Nueva York y TCHD sobre el uso de mascarillas, el distanciamiento físico, la densidad y la higiene.
- Usar los acuerdos comunitarios para enfatizar una responsabilidad compartida de proteger la salud y la seguridad de todos los afiliados a la comunidad.
- Implementar una educación y comunicación sostenidas con los estudiantes, profesores y personal para crear nuevas normas sociales dentro y fuera del campus.
- Crear medidas de rendición de cuentas para disuadir el incumplimiento de las normas sociales esperadas.
Participación en la comunidad del condado de Tompkins
- Reconociendo que la educación superior es un empleador crítico y un motor económico en el condado de Tompkins y la región del nivel sur y trabajando para mantener ese papel en la comunidad.
- Fomentar oportunidades seguras y consistentes para que los estudiantes, profesores y personal participen en la comunidad local.
Operaciones dentro y fuera del campus
- Modificar las actividades académicas y de vida universitaria tradicionales para cumplir con las pautas de salud y seguridad, considerando las necesidades de salud mental y bienestar.
- Aumentar la colaboración con viviendas fuera del campus y propietarios privados
- Recopilación proactiva de direcciones locales de estudiantes para ayudar en el rastreo de contactos necesario.
- Reducir la densidad en los espacios del campus y restringir el acceso del público en general a los espacios del campus.
- Planear posibles alteraciones futuras de las operaciones presenciales en función de una evaluación continua de la pandemia y las métricas estatales y regionales.
“Our higher education institutions have been important partners throughout the COVID emergency and have carefully followed guidance putting public health at the forefront since the beginning,” stated Jason Molino, Tompkins County Administrator. “We look forward to a safe return of students and will work diligently with the schools so that both campus affiliates and the wider community have the information they need to stay healthy and stop the spread.”
“Cornell, IC, and TC3 are vital to our local community and economy. While each campus is unique and has different considerations, the campus communities interact with each other and in the community, so it is necessary that measures are put in place to keep our community healthy and safe,” stated Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chairwoman of the Tompkins County Legislature.
For more information about higher education planning:
https://www.ithaca.edu/return-to-campus
https://www.tompkinscortland.edu/coronavirus
For ongoing information and updates about COVID-19, see the Health Department website: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Dominick Recckio
Communications Director
Tompkins County Administration
125 E. Court St
Ithaca, NY 14850
Cell: 315-730-1189
drecckio@tompkins-co.org
www.TompkinsCountyNY.gov