COVID-19, a novel coronavirus not previously found in humans, is a viral strain that can lead to fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and shortness of breath.

Brooklyn College and the City University of New York both continue to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.

June 4, 2020

COVID-19 Update: Update on Planning for Reentry

Dear Brooklyn College colleagues,

Today is Thursday, June 4, 2020, and I want to update the campus community on our plans for re-opening. As you know, summer semester classes are being taught in a distance format and all but essential staff are continuing to work remotely as well.

New York City will begin Phase 1 of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “New York Forward” reopening plan on Monday, June 8. However, colleges are not part of that phase. Education is in the final Phase 4, and the governor has not announced when that phase may commence. Until Phase 4, access to the Brooklyn College campus will remain very limited. Nevertheless, we are busy planning for the future.

At the University, I chair the Open Campus subcommittee of the CUNY COVID-19 Reentry Task Force. We are working on guidance for all CUNY colleges as they develop reopening plans, including recommendations on enhanced cleaning, physical distancing, restructuring interior and exterior spaces, universal signage, and safety oversight.

At Brooklyn College, we are developing campus policies for reentry, once it is authorized. We have also developed a process for units of the College that wish to return to campus, including laboratory-based researchers, to prepare now by creating their own safety plans. That process requires formal review of safety plans by campus leadership to ensure a comprehensive and deliberative approach to reentry. Approved safety plans will be prioritized and sequenced and, as the campus reopens, assessed and revised before campus access expands. Provost Anne Lopes and Director of Environmental Health and Safety Carrie Sadovnik will communicate more about the process to faculty shortly.

In terms of whether the fall semester will be entirely online, we do not have a definitive answer at this time. As we receive additional information from CUNY and other authorities on the matter, we will update you.

Thank you, and take care.

Michelle J. Anderson

President, Brooklyn College