Dear New York Tech students, faculty, and staff,

The health and well-being of the New York Tech community continues to be a paramount concern. To ensure that we can best resume near-normal campus operations in the months ahead, we strongly encourage all students, faculty, and staff to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations before the start of the fall 2021 semester. We are pleased by the number of community members who have already taken this crucial step, and we thank them for their commitment to helping us provide a safe and healthy environment.

However, because not everyone may be vaccinated when classes begin in the fall, the following New York State-recommended guidelines will take effect on September 1, 2021:

• All vaccinated students must provide their COVID-19 vaccination record to the Office of Counseling and Wellness (follow upload instructions).
• Per New York State guidelines, wearing masks is optional for vaccinated students, faculty, and staff. In addition, they will not need to follow social distance protocols.
• Also per New York State guidelines, unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff must wear masks in all indoor public spaces at all times.
• In keeping with the state’s public transportation guidelines, all riders (vaccinated and unvaccinated) are required to wear masks when traveling on any shuttle or bus, including New York Tech shuttles/buses.
• In addition, unvaccinated students who plan to live in a New York Tech residence hall must:
• Provide a negative COVID-19 test result to the Office of Counseling and Wellness within 72 hours before move-in (follow upload instructions)
• Perform daily health screens, which require a self-check of temperature
• Wear masks in public spaces and common areas within any residence hall
• Report any exposure to an infected person to the Office of Counseling and Wellness and self-quarantine for 10 days following exposure
• Note that Office of Residence Life staff will ensure adherence to these guidelines.
• Regardless of vaccination status, if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to isolate yourself and get tested as soon as possible.

These guidelines are rooted in our concern for the wellbeing of the entire New York Tech community. As with previous guidelines, they may change depending on the course that the pandemic takes during the fall and winter. In addition, please respect any colleagues who wish to continue wearing masks and follow other safety protocols.

With your help, we will reopen our campuses this fall in a manner that is as close as possible to normal while also maintaining safe and healthy environments.

Lastly, I urge anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to do so before classes begin in September.

Sincerely,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology