COVID-19 Official Communication for the Nyack College Community

08/27/2021 – Important Guidelines For Residential Students Fall 2021

August 30, 2021

Dear Residential Student,

Welcome to your 2021-2022 academic year at Nyack College!

As with all new beginnings, we are grateful for a fresh start with great expectations of what God has in store for us. He will do what only He can do. Likewise, we must use wisdom and do what we can do.

As the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic is now trending in a concerning direction in some parts of the country, and the rise of new variants emerge, it is clear that we will continue to be impacted by COVID-19 into the fall. Therefore, for us to safely return to our campus and minimize COVID-related disruptions that threaten the educational progress of our students, we need to take all the necessary steps we can to reduce risk levels in our community. We also must comply with mandates from the government that change regularly, like the ones New York City just instituted on August 17, 2021.

The spirit of community has always been a vital part of student life here at Nyack.  While making connections with your classmates and other students who live in the residence hall is encouraged in and outside the classroom, this must be done in a safe manner. It is important that everyone continues to be considerate of one another even as we look to move past the pandemic.

There are important guidelines that everyone must comply with to remain safe.  Please take a moment to read through the guidelines we have established that are shared in this communication. We would ask that you remain mindful that these guidelines are subject to change as the CDC, State of New Jersey, State of New York and the City of New York make necessary adjustments.

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES FOR ALL STUDENTS

It is mandatory for all residential students to wear a mask when in public or common areas on campus.  You must keep your mask on in the classroom, chapel, library, and at events that are held on campus.  You must all keep your mask on when entering into the residence hall, the eatery, fitness center, and study rooms.

All students who plan to attend class in person or who spend the day at 2 Washington Street are required to fill out the Health Monitoring Form prior to coming to campus. You are  also required to use the temperature check kiosk before entering the building.  Scanning your student ID allows you to pass through the turnstile.

FOR VACCINATED STUDENTS

Residential vaccinated students are required to follow the procedures mentioned here. The following are additional guidelines.

  • It is mandatory that your mask be worn while on campus and in the residence hall.

  • Vaccinated students will be granted clearance to eat meals in The Eatery.

  • Vaccinated students will not be required to test on a weekly basis.

  • Vaccinated residential students will need to send a copy of their vaccination card to residencelife@nyack.edu.

FOR UNVACCINATED STUDENTS

Residential students who are not vaccinated will be required to follow the procedures mentioned here. The following are additional guidelines.

  • It is mandatory that your mask be worn while on campus and in the residence hall.

  • Residential students who are not vaccinated may not eat meals in The Eatery, but may pick up a “to go” meal that can be eaten in your assigned unit.

  • Students who are not vaccinated are required to test on a weekly basis at a local testing facility and submit your results to residencelife@nyack.edu.

  • Students who do not comply with weekly testing will lose housing privileges and will be asked to move out of the residence hall for the semester.

STUDENT ATHLETES

Student athletes are required to comply with the guidelines issued by the athletic department and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Unvaccinated student athletes must submit a negative PCR test to the athletic office weekly.  These tests need to be scheduled by the student athlete and should be done on Tuesdays.  Failure to submit a negative PCR to the athletic office on a weekly basis will result in non-participation in practice and/or games until a negative test result is turned in for that week.

VACCINATIONS

Vaccinations will be available to you by a scheduled appointment on Friday, September 10, 2021, between 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at “The Bay,” 150 Bay Street, Jersey City in the 5th floor conference room. Vaccinations will be administered by Alliance Community Healthcare.  You will need to bring your Nyack ID or a Government-issued ID.  If you would like to schedule an appointment please access the calendar HERE.

ENTRY/EXIT OF BUILDING

You will need to have your temperature checked at the kiosk prior to scanning your ID to enter the building.

  • Once you have taken your temperature, scan your ID card on the wall unit to the right of the temperature kiosk.  You will be granted access to open the door.

  • Scan your ID at the desk where the lobby staff is seated.

  • When you exit the building, please use the main entrance.

  • Do not use your ID to scan in other residents.  Each resident is responsible to scan in for themselves.

THE EATERY

  • The Eatery is located on the 4th floor.

  • The Eatery operating hours are:

    • Breakfast (closed weekend) 7:00 am – 9:00 am

    • Lunch 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

    • Dinner 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm

  • Please clean up after yourself once you have finished your meal.  The trash must be thrown away in the trash can and not left on the tables.

OTHER RESIDENCE HALL PROCEDURES

  • We strongly discourage overnight stays outside of the residence hall. If you must leave overnight, it is your responsibility to send an email to residencelife@nyack.edu stating the day you are leaving, where you are going and when you are returning to campus. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a fine.

  • Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am.

  • The study rooms are open until 11:00 pm. The maximum number of students in the study room is six. Please remember to wear a mask when you are using this space.

  • You are responsible for discarding your personal trash. A trash room is located across from the laundry room on each floor. There are blue bins in the room for disposing of your trash. If you have cardboard boxes to dispose of, you will need to break down the boxes and leave them on the floor on the left side of the trash room.

  • There is a laundry room on each floor and it is open 24/7. Please be mindful to clean up after you have completed use of the laundry room. All of your items must be taken to your units. Any clothing found in the laundry room will be discarded. Please take advantage of the app you can download on your smartphone to assist you with how to use the appliances. It is also important to remove lint from the dryers after each use as indicated on the machines.

  • There will be room inspections twice a month as a way of maintaining cleanliness in these beautiful new living accommodations. You are responsible for cleaning your bathroom and kitchenette spaces, as well as maintaining cleanliness in your unit. The residence life staff will post inspection dates. The rooms will be inspected for cleanliness and any fire violations.

  • Fitness Center hours are posted on the door. Please remember to adhere to the policies when using the facility.

Thank you for taking the time to carefully read through this email.  We are looking forward to everyone’s arrival to The Bay and are committed to doing so with your welfare and safety in mind.  We will continue to pray for you as you enjoy the remainder of your summer.

If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to studentdevelopment@nyack.edu.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Sincerely,
Dean Velez

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