(WSYR-TV) — In a statement by University President Pollack, Provost Kotlikoff, and Vice President for Student and Campus Life Lombardi, Cornell announced their plans to begin the spring semester.
Cornell will use pre-departure testing and enhanced arrival testing for students as the semester begins. This requires all students who have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days and have completed the self-reported positive form to take a PCR or rapid antigen test 24 hours before returning to Ithaca. These test results must be uploaded to their COVID-19 database, the Daily Check. If you test positive, refer to Cornell’s website for isolation guidelines.
In addition to using enhanced testing, Cornell will allow a staggered return to campus for students. Students will have the opportunity to move in from any point between January 18, when residence halls open, to February 7, when in-person classes begin.
Cornell also plans to move all classes to virtual instruction for the first two weeks. In-person instruction will resume on February 7. Some professional classes may allow in-person instruction beginning January 24, at the dean’s discretion.
Cornell also warns students that student activities will be substantially limited until in-person classes resume. They also ask students not to engage in informal social gatherings during the two-week period.
