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Lauren Kelly arrived at SUNY-ESF excited for the upcoming semester but fearful that her classmates could have brought the coronavirus to campus.

Kelly, a junior environmental studies major, is pleased with her college’s COVID-19 response strategy. But she’s concerned that SUNY-ESF did not require students to receive testing prior to their arrival on its campus and did not immediately require all students to receive testing upon arrival.

“That’s just something I assumed was going to be there as a precaution,” Kelly said. “Coming to campus without that testing requirement scared me, and I questioned why the school didn’t say something.” 

SUNY-ESF’s COVID-19 response plan, like that of Syracuse University, includes measures to reduce classroom density and trace the virus’ spread on campus. But the plan doesn’t include SU’s more rigorous testing protocol.  

Similar to SU, the college resumed in-person instruction with an accelerated schedule that ends in-person classes in November. All SUNY-ESF students must adhere to New York state health guidelines such as wearing a mask on campus and practicing social distancing.

The about 800 SUNY-ESF students who use SU facilities had to submit a negative COVID-19 test result before coming to SU’s campus. However, SUNY-ESF did not immediately require its students to submit a negative result to access its own facilities, said John Wasiel, the college’s environmental health and safety officer.

The college tested students living in Centennial Hall upon arrival and allowed students to quarantine in the residence hall while awaiting their results, Wasiel said. Residential students can’t have guests from outside the building this fall.

SUNY-ESF tested students living in Centennial Hall upon arrival and allowed students to quarantine in the residence hall while awaiting their results. Sarah Lee | Asst. Photo Editor

SUNY-ESF offered testing to all students living off campus a few days before classes started Aug. 24. The college sent an announcement Wednesday stating that all its students are required to receive testing, the results of which would be shared with SU. 

“It took a while for ESF to mandate off-campus testing,” Kelly said. “We ESF students, most of (us) showed up without being tested at all.”

The college is conducting pooled saliva testing similar to SU, Wasiel said.

If a residential student tests positive for COVID-19, they will either return home or relocate to isolation housing at Onondaga Community College. The isolation facilities at OCC can house 190 students, said Brenda Greenfield, Assistant Vice President for Development at SUNY-ESF. 

To trace the spread of the virus, SUNY-ESF established a contact tracing team. A faculty member will lead the team and will work with the Onondaga County Department of Health.

Karina Lang, a junior conservation biology major, wishes the college required a pre-semester testing requirement, but she admires how the school has handled the pandemic overall.

“I feel comfortable on campus. I don’t feel any particular danger like I do anywhere else,” Lang said. “I’m happy, but there were a few hiccups along the way.”

SUNY-ESF also moved some classes online and adopted a hybrid course model, with classes alternating between remote and in-person instruction. The college also reduced seating capacity in labs, student centers and libraries. 

Donnella Monk, a senior environmental studies major, said SUNY-ESF hasn’t accommodated students who are taking classes remotely.

She chose to take all her classes online due to pre-existing health conditions, but she had to drop a required course because the professor didn’t allow her to take the course fully online, according to her emails with SUNY-ESF faculty.

“As an environmental major, I feel like we should be considering all environments when we’re dealing with safer students,” she said. 

About 200 SUNY-ESF students chose to take courses fully online this semester, Wasiel said.

Published on August 30, 2020 at 11:31 pm

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21