https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/ en Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:14:50 -0400 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/information-regarding-covid Dear CCNY Community, This is just a reminder that while COVID is no longer considered a pandemic, it is still very much active and can still have serious ramifications for your health and well-being. If you test positive for COVID, please stay home. If you feel well enough to work remotely during your illness, check with your supervisor about working from home. If you are a student, please let your professors know and see if they will work with you to provide you with any missed assignments and/or lecture materials. For those of you who have been exposed to COVID through close contact, I recommend that you follow CDC guidelines for exposure. These guidelines can be found here - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/if-you-were-exposed.html. Thank you, Ken Ihrer, CCNY COVID Coordinator Ken Ihrer Vice President of Information Technology Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:14:50 -0400 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/26595 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/cleared4-end-may-24th Dear Campus Community, Starting on May 24th, 2023, we will no longer use the Cleared4 pass to gain entrance to our buildings. On that date and going forward, you will only need your College ID to enter. Please note that your Cleared4 will no longer work starting on the 24th. There is no reason to contact us as this is what you should expect.  If you have the link saved to your phone, it will be safe to remove it on the morning of May 24th. Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Ken Ihrer Vice President of Information Technology Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031   ** You will find a corresponding/additional memo from CUNY regarding "Turning the Corner of COVID-19" (April 17, 2023), HERE. Wed, 10 May 2023 14:41:48 -0400 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/26196 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/turning-corner-covid-19 Dear CUNY community, I hope you had a restful spring recess. I'm happy to welcome you back with news of a major milestone in CUNY's three-year battle against COVID-19. In the wake of significant improvements in New York City and State and across the nation, we are ending the emergency vaccination mandate for students, faculty and staff. The change will be effective on the last day of the Spring semester and will allow students to enroll in classes, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, starting with Summer sessions. Our decision to lift the vaccine mandate is consistent with the federal government's plan to end the national Public Health Emergency next month. It comes after close consultation with State and City health officials, and amid increased rates of vaccination and sustained low COVID-19 levels on CUNY campuses and throughout the city. Our testing program reports a positivity rate of 0.8% for the week ending April 9, mirroring the city and state's declining rates of infection.  To be sure, it's important to recognize that the pandemic is not over; we continue to encourage and urge all students, faculty and staff to stay up to date with vaccinations. We will also continue to consult with public health experts, closely monitor data and adhere to pertinent federal, state and city guidance should policies need to be modified moving forward. The mandate will end on May 23 for the 22 CUNY colleges whose spring semesters end that day, and for all Central Office employees. For Kingsborough, LaGuardia and Guttman community colleges, whose semesters operate on a different calendar, the mandate will end on June 16, the last day of their current term. By the end of June, we will also be ending our COVID-19 testing program, closing our campus and Central Office test sites and eliminating the use of the Cleared4 health verification platform, allowing colleges to go back to their standard processes for granting campus access.  Gratitude  I want to thank all members of the CUNY community for their cooperation and compliance with the vaccination mandate since it went into effect in Fall 2021. We can all take pride that we are able to reach this milestone in great part because of our high levels of vaccination.   I also thank the many members of our community who have made important contributions to our University's response to the pandemic throughout these challenging years. I want to especially recognize the leadership of our School of Public Health and Health Policy; the Campus Coronavirus Liaisons and Campus Location Vaccine Authority (LVAs) who ensured that state and local health guidance as well as CUNY policy were followed throughout the university; the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, which oversaw operations for our testing sites, and our essential staff – public safety officers, custodians, facilities staff and others – who worked in person through it all to manage access to our facilities and keep us safe.  From the initial onset of COVID-19, in March 2020, our University community has risen to overcome unprecedented challenges to every aspect of life during the pandemic in work, school and our homes. When the vaccines became available in December 2020, it was a two-time CUNY alumnus who made history as the first in the country to get the shot. In March 2021, we launched the #VaxUpCUNY campaign and worked with our government partners to host vaccination sites that put over half a million shots in New Yorkers' arms. Faculty, meanwhile, conducted COVID-focused research and developed COVID-related courses. Nursing and med students joined the frontlines, and students rallied to help despite personal losses. Our community suffered devastating losses of life during the pandemic and we were the first university to launch an In Memoriam webpage to honor them.  These indelible images and memories remain fresh enough for us to take stock of the great distance we've covered, working together to keep CUNY moving forward. We are hopeful that the positive trends will continue and that we are moving steadily toward a time when COVID-19 is no longer a serious health concern for anyone. We continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our community.   Thank you again for doing your part to help CUNY persevere through the pandemic. Please stay healthy and have a successful last month of the academic year. Sincerely, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D. Chancellor Mon, 17 Apr 2023 18:20:00 -0400 Félix V. Matos Rodríguez https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/26101 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/ccny-covid-testing-center-schedule-during-spring-break Dear CCNY Community, I wanted to let you know about the updated schedule during Spring Break, as it relates to the safeCircle Covid-19 Testing Center at City College. The Testing Center will be closed from Friday, April 15 - 18 and will open back up on Tuesday, April 19 for the duration of Spring Break. If you are working during Spring Break and require testing to be on campus, please make sure you take into account the shortened testing schedule.  Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Vice President of Operations Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 10:38:37 -0400 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24641 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/new-mask-policy-ccny Dear CCNY Community, As many of you are aware, CUNY has lifted the temporary mask mandate for all campuses. What does this mean for us? It means that you can now go throughout campus, both indoors and outdoors, without wearing a mask if you so choose. Those who are unvaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask. I realize that for some of you, this is a concern and one that you are not comfortable with. For those of you who are concerned, the best way to make sure you have enhanced protection under these circumstances—apart from making sure your vaccination is up to date-- is to be committed to mask wearing, mindful of keeping social distance from others, and careful in congregate settings. For those looking for added protection, I highly recommend that you wear a KN95 or KF94 mask. We have KN95 masks available upon request at each of the guard stations. By wearing a well-fitting KN95/KF94 mask you can protect yourself from breathing in potential droplets of the virus in case you are in close proximity of an infectious person. Please note that like the mask mandate itself, the removal of the mask mandate is a CUNY-wide policy, and individual colleges and areas within colleges cannot set their own mask guidelines. We do ask, however, that all members of our community be as sensitive as possible to one another’s concerns and personal preferences. I understand that some may be uncomfortable with this but our guidance comes from the CDC, local and State government.  As always, if you are feeling sick, stay home and test. Our best defense is to make sure we do not come to campus if there is the possibility that we are infectious.  Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Vice President of Operations Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:18:02 -0500 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24480 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/urgent-cleared4-pass-system-not-working Dear CCNY Community, The Cleared4 Health Check system is not operational this morning for most individuals.  Public Safety has been notified and will allow entry to your class or work area.  Please only enter the campus if you are vaccinated or have a valid negative COVID test.  As soon as the system is restored I will be updating you. Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Vice President of Operations Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:28:12 -0500 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24383 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/new-classroom-procedures Dear Faculty, There have been some changes to CUNY’s quarantine and isolation policies that I would like to share as it pertains to classroom exposures. If a faculty member tests positive: if possible (meaning you are physically well enough) move your class temporarily to the online modality. Notify ccny-covid@ccny.cuny.edu of your status and include your full name and EMPLID. Notify your chair and your class of the temporary modality change and send an email to provost@ccny.cuny.edu . If you cannot teach, notify your chair immediately Follow isolation directions from Human Resources If a student tests positive: Notify ccny-covid@ccny.cuny.edu of the student’s status, the specifics regarding your class (including section and schedule), the EMPLID of the student. As long as the instructor is fully vaccinated, the class can continue in person. If the instructor is not vaccinated, the class should be moved to the online modality for 10 days. Students who are not vaccinated due to an exemption will be notified by the student nurse to quarantine. All other students will be informed that they have potentially been exposed but as long as they are fully vaccinated, the can continue to come to class, fully masked, unless experiencing COVID symptoms. All faculty and students should stay home if they are feeling sick.  Please do not risk your class to infection. Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Vice President of Operations Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Wed, 26 Jan 2022 09:58:22 -0500 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24259 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/ccny-covid-information-location Dear Campus Community, FRIENDLY REMINDER: With the ever-changing COVID climate and CUNY/CCNY guidance updates, please be reminded that all "return to campus" and COVID-related information can be found on the CCNY Return To Campus subsite. It is highly recommended that you bookmark this page, and/or subscribe to RSS feeds of content sections to ensure quick and easy access to relevant content.  Memos from my office, as well as those coming from the Office of the President, and CUNY directly, will also be found on the Return to Campus subsite. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the subsite and its contents. This will be helpful as we prepare to return to campus as safely as possible.  Ken Ihrer VP of Operations and CIO COVID Coordinator The City College of New York 212-650-7400 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:18:45 -0500 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24203 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/testing-vax-return-work-updates Dear CUNY Community, I hope you were able to enjoy the holiday season with family and friends and, as we look to begin the new year, are cautiously optimistic as I am that 2022 will be a year of positive change. One of the key areas of focus will be recapturing some of the elements that have made CUNY a beacon of student success and social mobility such as campus support services, higher levels of in-person instruction, and student activities. State and city leaders have recognized the importance of restoring in-person activities and instruction as we move ahead in 2022. Last Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a series of measures impacting CUNY and SUNY for the Spring semester, including: Students enrolled in in-person or hybrid classes for Spring 2022 will be required to get the booster shot as soon as they are eligible for it. We will soon share details of the process for students to provide proof of booster vaccination, along with the deadlines for doing so. In the meantime, I encourage not only students but all members of our community to get the booster shot, which has been shown to provide further protection against COVID-19 and its variants. All faculty will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, ensuring that everyone in a classroom is vaccinated, except the few with approved exemptions or exceptions. We are grateful that most of our faculty are already vaccinated and ask that faculty upload proof of vaccination in CUNYfirst. If you are among the few who are not vaccinated, please take immediate steps to do so. In the weeks ahead, we will outline details of the faculty mandate policy, which requires approval by the CUNY Board of Trustees. Pre-testing before the Spring semester begins for some student groups taking in-person or hybrid classes. We will provide more guidance about this as we get closer to the start of the semester but, as in the past, students returning to dorms will be required to be tested before moving in. Vaccines will continue to be required for all students taking in-person and hybrid courses. Any enrolled student who has not uploaded proof of vaccination documents to CUNYfirst by Jan. 18 will be de-registered from in-person and hybrid classes for non-compliance with the vaccination mandate. If they subsequently upload proof, they may register for courses up to the end of the add/drop period on Feb. 3. New CDC Guidelines CUNY will begin following CDC's recently issued guidance that adjusted the recommended quarantine and isolation times for people in close contact with someone who is positive or those who test positive: CUNY employees and students who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should base their approach to quarantine – if it is needed when to end it, and when to test – depending on whether they are boosted, fully vaccinated, and when, or unvaccinated. Please follow CDC's guidance on quarantine spelled here. Employees and students who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for at least 5 days. When to end isolation, test, and return to in-person work or class varies depending on whether or not a person develops symptoms or is severely ill. Please follow CDC's guidance on isolation spelled here. For a detailed description of CDC's guidelines on quarantine and isolation visit here. Employees who are able to work remotely during quarantine and isolation should do so. In-Person Work In accordance with existing CUNY campus plans, CUNY offices will continue to operate at the 50% in-person capacity guidelines that have been in place since August now through February 25. Starting on Monday, February 28, staff members will work 70% of the time in person. Please start to make any needed preparations to be ready for this transition. During the current Omicron surge, supervisors are encouraged to work with Human Resources to address individual situations where short-term fully remote work arrangements may be particularly aligned with our commitment to mitigate the potential spread of infection. We urge employees who are not feeling well to stay home. A reminder that any staff member returning to work this spring for the first time in-person will need to be fully vaccinated, and their proof-of-vaccination documents uploaded and approved in CUNYfirst, or they will need to participate in CUNY's Cleared4 testing program. Please don't wait to upload your proof of vaccination or get set up for testing. Testing CUNY will continue to monitor campus and university-wide positivity rates through our testing programs. Since August 25, CUNY has administered 97,640 tests to unvaccinated individuals. You can check the latest numbers in our COVID-19 Safety Tracker available here. The random testing of vaccinated students, faculty, and staff that began in late November will be expanded for the Spring to include more people and increase the frequency of testing. Please be on the lookout in case you are randomly selected to be tested as you are required to comply. A reminder that we are offering free PCR testing at CUNY testing sites. Any CUNY student or employee who needs to be tested for any reason may walk into a site, show their CUNY ID, register in the system, and get tested. Results will be available as usual within 24 to 48 hours. For a list of CUNY sites and hours of operation, visit here. For our general FAQ on the testing program, visit here. The policies outlined above are intended to safeguard the health of every member of our University community while safely enabling us to maximize in-person instruction, an objective that we understand to be vital to our students' academic success. We realize that public health conditions can evolve rapidly and, as we have seen repeatedly over the past two years, federal, state and city officials could modify these policies and procedures as appropriate. We will provide more information soon; in the meantime, please get vaccinated and boosted, remain diligent about masking and distancing, and stay safe. Sincerely, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D. Chancellor Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:38:09 -0500 Chancellor Matos Rodríguez https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24172 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/building-access Dear Campus Community, The rise in COVID cases on campus has had an impact on our Public Safety and Facilities staff and we are currently operating under significant shortages.  Because of this situation, access to buildings where the number of occupants are low, will be by a phone request to public safety.  We have identified the following buildings where access will be by request only:  Compton Goethals, Spitzer and Aaron Davis Hall.  If you need access to one of these buildings, please call public safety after your arrival at 212-650-7777.  After your call, a public safety officer will arrive and check your Cleared4 pass and let you into the building. Thank you for your cooperation during this difficult time. We will continue to assess the situation and will make changes to the number of buildings, either up or down, based on current staffing levels. Sincerely, Ken Ihrer Vice President of Operations Chief Information Officer The City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:13:04 -0500 Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24164 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/classroom-update Please review the recent update related to classroom and study space access and status across campus.  As a reminder, CCNY has launched student and faculty COVID Classroom Exposure Procedures. Learn more.  Tue, 28 Dec 2021 12:41:53 -0500 CCNY https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24113 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/reminder-mask-wearing-vaccinate-or-test-mandates-all-cuny-employees CUNY has an obligation to protect the health of employees in the workplace. In light of the rapidly changing landscape and rising infection rates among vaccinated and unvaccinated people due to COVID-19, CUNY will continue to follow the guidelines issued by the CDC and OSHA in an effort to stop the spread of the virus to others. To that end, as previously indicated in the Chancellor’s communication dated August 16, 2021, effective August 16, 2021, everyone at CUNY, regardless of their vaccination status, is required to do the following: Wear a face mask inside all office buildings. This includes while working in a non-enclosed space such as a cubicle or other open seating, regardless of physical distance from others Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others The only exceptions to wearing a mask inside are: If a fully vaccinated person is alone in an enclosed space such as an office or conference room In a classroom if a faculty member is able to keep social distance from everyone else in the class, he or she may choose to not wear a mask Briefly eating or drinking provided social distancing is maintained If an employee is unable to wear a mask due to an underlying health condition that is protected by the ADA, the employee may request a reasonable accommodation. The employee should contact humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu to discuss the request and any modifications or alternatives, in accordance with the Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments policy/procedure. Employees who fail to comply with established policies and procedures will be referred to the relevant College Office – e.g., Public Safety or Human Resources (HR) – for appropriate action such as being sent home without pay, formal disciplinary action up and may lead to job termination. Employees are encouraged to review CCNY’s reopening plan at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/reopening-plans for information on the College’s mask guidelines and the other measures that have been put in place to help ensure health and safety on the campus.  Other important reminder Vaccinate or Test- Anyone entering a CUNY facility for any reason will need to be fully vaccinated (defined as 14 days beyond the last vaccination shot) or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at a CUNY testing site within the past seven days. For additional information, please review HR’s memo dated September 27, 2021. Feel free to contact HR with your questions at humanresources@ccny.cuny.edu . Thank you. Fri, 29 Oct 2021 10:07:37 -0400 Office of Human Resources https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24140 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus/blog/study-space-campus We write to update you on space available on campus for connecting to an online class. We are still working to provide additional spaces and will update this list as needed. The spaces are as follows, with room capacities in parentheses: Library (by reservation only) The Tech Center, including STC1 (50), STC2 (35), STC3 (35) The following rooms in NAC  4/148 (20) 4/157 (20) 4/161 (30) 5/123 (20) 5/150 (30) 6/110 (20) 6/329 (20) Student Cafeteria And the following in Shepard Hall: Rm 51 (75) Rm 73 (30) Rm 75 (30) Please be considerate of your fellow students while using these spaces. Speak quietly, and bring a headset to use for your online class. Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:20:00 -0400 Tony Liss and Ken Ihrer https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/node/24122