July 16, 2020 — As you know from previous communications, reopening committees appointed by President Murray have been diligently working to develop a comprehensive plan to usher in a safe Fall 2020 semester. The Marist Fall 2020 Reopening Strategy outlines the major policies of the reopening plan. These policies are based on New York State (NYS) regulations, recommendations from the CDC and local officials, the guidance of Marist’s own health experts and physicians, and meaningful input from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the Marist Board of Trustees.

Our collective aim has been a comprehensive plan that not only prioritizes the safety of our students, faculty and staff, but also preserves key elements of what makes the Marist experience special. While daily life will undoubtedly be different this year, we are confident that this will be a challenging but successful semester.

The following principles have guided our efforts:

• We will fulfill our mission and meet the Marist College standard of excellence.
• The health and safety of the Marist College community is paramount.
• We will respond with innovation and flexibility in the face of complexity.

The Marist Fall 2020 Reopening Strategy outlines critical elements of Marist’s comprehensive reopening plan, but note that many details of our campus operations will follow in specific subsequent communications or policy documents. Furthermore, as you know, circumstances and government policies continue to evolve, so we ask that you follow our communications detailed on our dedicated website and remain flexible to changes as needed.

Some key components of the Marist Fall 2020 Reopening Strategy include:

• Mandatory COVID-19 testing for all students, testing of symptomatic individuals, and daily health monitoring for all members of the Marist community. More information is available at marist.edu/reopen.
• Requiring all students, faculty, and staff to wear face masks/coverings when on campus and in classrooms.
• Adherence to CDC guidelines for hand washing, general hygiene, and social distancing.
• A functionally “closed” campus: restricted to those outside of the Marist community, and policies that restrict travel and engagement outside of it for students, faculty and staff. Parents of students will be welcomed to visit, but will not be permitted to enter residential or academic buildings.
• A binding social contract for all members of the Marist community to adhere to safety guidelines, with disciplinary action for not adhering to these policies.
• Extended residential move-in to allow students and their families bring their belongings into residence halls in a safe manner that allows for social distancing. Returning students will get specific information about their arrival dates, but the planned dates are as follows:
  • Drop off for belongings (before move in) on August 10th to 14th
  • Scheduled move in on August 17th-23rd o For returning students from New York State’s list of restricted states, please plan to arrive between August 1st - 3rd. Specific details about Marist’s housing and arrangements for the mandatory self-quarantine will follow on marist.edu/reopen in the next few days. We appreciate the challenge of this requirement, but are committed to ensuring a high-quality experience for all involved. Thank you for your understanding.
• Modified all campus spaces, including instructional spaces, to allow for social distancing.
• Reduced density in all campus buildings.
• Increased cleaning and improving building HVAC systems.

We encourage everyone to read the reopening plan and refer to the marist.edu/reopen for additional guidance in the coming weeks. After many weeks of preparation and planning to ensure the health and safety of our community, we’re looking forward to welcoming the Red Fox family back to campus this fall! If you have any questions concerning the reopening, please feel free to contact us at fallreopening@marist.edu. Please also feel free to call our dedicated reopening hotline at (845) 575-4100.

We look forward to a safe and productive semester.

Sincerely,
Geoff Brackett, Executive Vice President
Thom Wermuth, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Deb DiCaprio, Vice President of Student Affairs