(Photo from Tompkins Cortland Community College).
This is a press release from Tompkins Cortland Community College.
Tompkins Cortland Community College will begin Fall 2020 semester classes on Monday, August 31. The College will offer both in-person and online classes, as well as some courses that will combine both in-person and online meetings. The commitment to offer a robust schedule of classes to give students maximum flexibility comes as the College has worked with Cayuga Health System on a plan to provide surveillance testing of students and staff. In preparing for the reopening, the College has also worked closely with the Tompkins County Health Department, the SUNY Administration, and other higher education institutions in the region.
“While the College and our surrounding community continue to face challenges from COVID-19, it is critical that we work together to identify ways for our campus to return to the vibrant hub it was before the pandemic,” said President Orinthia Montague. “Our community college will be a key to local economic recovery and is poised to continue to provide educational opportunities to those who may have been displaced or whose academic path has been disrupted.”
The Main Campus in Dryden and the Extension Centers in Ithaca and Cortland will be open for face-to-face programming and support services. For students looking for fully remote options, the College will continue to run an enhanced schedule of online courses, providing more than 20 years of experience in online teaching to help students be successful while remote learning.
The College intends to provide student services both in person and remotely. For students living on campus, adjustments have been made to reduce the number of people in each apartment. Athletics staff and coaches have been working on plans for the fall sports seasons, with preparations underway for safe competitions. Our food pantry, mental health, tutoring, student programming and other key supports will be modified to be compliant with social distancing requirements and will include virtual options when possible.
Should new guidelines from the Governor or federal regulations be released prior to the August start date then adjustments will be made accordingly.
The College will be releasing additional information on the specifics of the on-campus testing protocols once the logistics are finalized with the Cayuga Health System.
For information on registering for classes, contact the College via email [email protected] or call 607.844.6580. Interested students can also make appointments with enrollment staff at tompkinscortland.edu/admissions through our virtual zoom rooms.
SUMMARY OF TOMPKINS CORTLAND’S PLAN
- Classes begin on August 31, using the previously approved Fall 2020 Academic Calendar with no adjustments (available at tompkinscortland.edu/academics/academic-calendar-2020-21 )
- Instruction will be offered in-person, online, and in a hybrid format that uses both in-person and online teaching.
- The College will continue to offer extensive online options, including complete degrees.
- Support for students with technology barriers to online/remote instruction will be provided.
- Student support services will be provided face-to-face when possible within the COVID-19 limitations. Services will also continue to be provided remotely.
- Masks will be provided for students and will be required in all buildings and classrooms, except for personal living quarters.
- To reduce the density of people on campus, staff that can continue working remotely will do so through the fall.
- Likewise, to reduce the density of students living on campus, the number of students in each housing suite in the residence halls will be lowered from a capacity of four to two in each unit.
- The College’s athletics staff is preparing for competition this fall. Coaches and staff are working to provide the intercollegiate sports experience in a safe environment.
- The TC3 childcare center will be opening on July 6 at reduced capacity. Will be following all guidelines from Reopening New York and the Department of Health.
- The College has entered into a partnership with Cayuga Health System to test all students living on campus and to provide daily symptoms check and ongoing surveillance testing.
- The College will maintain this page for all updates related to our reopening.
