Hartwick College announces fall-semester plan

ONEONTA, N.Y. — Hartwick College says its students will return to campus between Aug. 22 and Aug. 30 with classes beginning Aug. 31.

The school says it has specific protocols that all students and employees are required to follow pertaining to their return to the campus in Oneonta.

All Hartwick students are required to provide evidence that they have tested negative for COVID-19 “within a maximum of 14 days prior to arrival.”

In addition, students arriving from a “hot spot” state, as determined by New York State, will be required to quarantine for 14 days, per current guidelines — even if the student has tested negative for COVID-19.

Between Aug. 22 and Aug. 31, all students (both residents and commuters) and all employees will undergo COVID-19 testing upon their initial arrival on campus. After Aug. 31, all students and employees will be tested every other week until the end of in-person classes on Nov. 20.

Coursework will be delivered both in-person and virtually for students in the fall semester. Changes to the academic calendar for the fall semester eliminated breaks until in-person instruction ends on Nov. 20. All students will leave campus by Nov. 21 and then complete the semester’s instruction and exams remotely. Final exams conclude on Dec. 10.

Hartwick is also instituting safety and cleaning measures throughout campus. These include increased sanitizing of academic and administrative buildings and residence halls; additional hand-sanitizer dispensers at building entrances, dining and café locations, fitness entrances, and event spaces; and markings and signage in campus buildings to indicate six-foot distancing.

Before classes begin Aug. 31, every member of the Hartwick community “must commit” to a social compact including measures such as wearing a facemask in all public spaces on campus, maintaining six-foot physical distancing at all times, employing frequent handwashing, and participating in daily screenings including temperature checks.