February 28, 2020

To Marist Faculty & Staff:

We write with further updates to College policy and guidelines on the rapidly changing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. As you know from previous communications, senior leadership at Marist has been actively engaged in monitoring developments hourly with the goal to protect the health and safety of community members in all Marist locations and to keep everyone well-informed.  We have set up a dedicated webpage to make it easier for you to access official updates.

The College is following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in setting policy for the Marist community on this issue. We want to emphasize there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus at Marist at this time, but we continue to approach this evolving situation with an abundance of caution.

It is with this in mind that the College is strongly recommending and encouraging you to be prudent in your travel choices. This is a rapidly changing situation. This epidemic and how it is affecting travel across Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world is evolving.  It is important to note that Marist’s official travel policy has been updated using the CDC guidelines:

• As of February 27, Level 3 countries are China and South Korea; Level 2 designated countries are Iran, Italy, and Japan. For your information, CDC Level 1, 2 and 3 designations by country may be found here.
• Official Marist international travel to and through CDC designated Level 3 countries is prohibited for the immediate future as we continue to monitor the situation and the progress of the outbreak. All international travel for official College business to Level 2 or Level 1 CDC designated locations must receive Line Executive review and approval.
• Personal travel to or through Level 3 countries will be subject to the U.S.’s screening procedures, which may include a 14-day quarantine upon return to the U.S.  Any employee in this category may not return to a Marist location until after 14 days from arrival and must exhibit no signs of illness.  We recommend exercising extreme caution in traveling to countries with Level 2 warnings and urge members of the Marist College community to follow the latest CDC guidelines if planning a trip abroad.
• Given the fluid nature of this situation, the College recommends all members of the community reconsider international travel. Out of an abundance of caution, any employee exhibiting symptoms of illness within 14 days of returning to the U.S. following international travel, must obtain written medical clearance before returning to any Marist location. This must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources.
• To assist you with reliable accurate information on the matter, full CDC guidelines, including FAQs, on the Coronavirus can be found here. 

According to the CDC, the best preventative guidelines are: 

• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
• It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

Regardless of travel activity, faculty and staff who become ill, exhibiting symptoms of a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, should consult with their healthcare provider as soon as possible, seek medical attention as necessary, and notify their supervisor. Specific questions related to employment leave options should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at ext. 3349.  

As information about this situation continues to unfold, a wide range of thoughts, feelings, and reactions may be experienced. Self-care is important for all members of the Marist community. The College offers assistance through its Employee Assistance Program. Private, confidential support can be reached by calling 845-338-5600. 

The College will continue to monitor this situation closely. We ask that you visit our coronavirus webpage for updates. If you have questions about this communication, we have dedicated a special email account for this purpose.  Please direct any queries to response@marist.edu. 

We appreciate that this is a rapidly changing and unusually challenging situation, but have full confidence in our collective ability to manage these challenges together successfully for the benefit of Marist College, our students, and our community.

Geoffrey L. Brackett, Executive Vice President

Thomas Wermuth, Vice President of Academic Affairs