Message to the Campus Community: Fall Reopening

June 26, 2020 BK LI

Just over a month ago, St. Joseph’s College formed its Fall SJC Task Force charged with developing plans for reopening our campuses. As I stated then, the safety of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority. 

Today, I am thrilled to announce that, although we are still working out the full details of our plan, SJC will be reopening this fall. I would like to reassure you that, regardless of the modality, we will continue to provide the same top-notch learning experience to our students that we always have, which has made St. Joseph’s a desirable place to learn throughout the region.

First and foremost, our campuses will be safe and secure. To protect you, and to help ensure that we do not have any serious interruptions or complications during the fall semester due to the COVID-19 virus, we will be taking a multifaceted approach to holding our classes, which will include the following options: remote, hybrid, on-ground and online. Although the exact proportion of remote and on-ground courses is still being determined, we will provide a wonderful mix of opportunities — both through academic course offerings and student life experiences — which will more than meet the high academic standards and traditions of SJC.

Please know that, along with continuing to refine our approach to remote education, we have been hard at work preparing to hold on-ground classes this fall. Maintaining social distancing, observing strict hygiene protocols and following the New York State Department of Health guidelines will be integral to safely reopening for the semester. 

In the coming weeks, we will provide much more information on the particulars of our reopening, as well as our full plans for the entire academic year. Please also keep an eye out for another message from me next week that will provide additional details, including more information about specific areas of operation for reopening and guidelines on our website. 

To our new students, welcome … we can’t wait to meet you! To our returning students, congratulations are in order for your continued hard work and perseverance! To our faculty, please accept our sincere gratitude for your sacrifice and service to your students! To our staff, my personal thanks for enduring the hardships of the past months so heroically! And, to the broader SJC community, including our alumni and friends of the College, we extend our deep appreciation for your gifts and prayers during these incredibly challenging times. All of you have made a huge difference in helping us get to where we are today, and indeed, have made history as you rose to meet one of the most remarkable challenges the College has ever faced.