March 25, 2021 message from President Kolison
March 25, 2021
Dear Fredonia Community:
I hope this message finds you well. With six weeks of classes remaining in the semester, there is a lot of information to share with you.
Rising COVID-19 Cases
This pandemic has shown us time and again that one or two bad decisions can drastically change the situation. Unfortunately, that is the situation in which we find ourselves now. Our total positive COVID-19 cases this semester doubled from 26 last Thursday to 54 cases as of this morning. This is serious.
Students, please understand that there are really two metrics that determine if a SUNY campus must go on “pause” or full remote. The first is the rolling 14-day percentage of positive cases from on-campus testing. If you look at the SUNY COVID-19 dashboard, we are well below the threshold at this time. However, we have to reverse this current trend to keep the campus safe and to keep from getting to that number. The other metric is the capacity to isolate and quarantine students who are unable to go home for 10 or 14 days. The sudden increase in positive cases, combined with the dramatic increase in students who need to quarantine because of close contact with those positive cases, means we are approaching our capacity. If we have another weekend as we had last weekend where students are not making smart decisions, we will have some hard decisions to make. Hence, I am again asking every student to remain vigilant and not to take chances.
I want every student to be aware that some students have already faced sanctions for not following COVID-19 protocols. And more students will face sanctions as we continue our investigations. It is important for everyone to remember that the pandemic is not over. The virus is still active. It doesn’t matter how well we were doing earlier in the semester. Our results are only as good as our most recent actions. As I indicated above, we have only six more weeks of instruction to go. Please hang in there and do not risk suspension.
Really Good News
As you may know, the federal government has recently provided needed funding intended to bring financial relief to various sectors across this country including higher education institutions. The Federal Acts that are making this relief possible are the following: (1) the Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA); and (2) the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP Act). Yes, SUNY Fredonia and its students will benefit significantly from these two Acts. Our Division of Finance and Administration is working to obtain guidance on drawdowns and eligibility requirements. I will notify the campus as soon as there is a clear understanding of the amount of funding that SUNY Fredonia will receive, including the amount of these funds that will go to eligible students.
United As One
At the President’s networking meeting last week, I discussed with campus leaders the acts of violence that have been directed towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) throughout the country, including the recent shootings that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, that took the lives of eight persons including six women of Asian descent. Connected to that tragedy, SUNY, CUNY, and CICU (The Commission on Independent Colleges & Universities in New York) issued a statement that I concur with and want to share with the SUNY Fredonia community.
United as One, a Statement from SUNY Board of Trustees, SUNY Chancellor Malatras, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez, and CICU Interim President Bogner
“On behalf of our boards and the entire college community, we are appalled and horrified by the tragic Atlanta area shooting that claimed the lives of eight people, including six women of Asian descent. The disturbing news and images emanating out of Georgia are understandably stirring fear, shock, anguish, and trauma across the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, including for our students, faculty, and staff. Let us be clear: We condemn this act of racism and hatred, and the nationwide uptick in incidents of hate perpetrated against members of the AAPI community is extremely alarming. For those experiencing feelings of fear, uncertainty, and sadness in the wake of the shooting, we urge you to reach out for help on your campuses. We want you to know that we stand with you, and that an attack on any one group is an attack on us all.
As Ocean Vuong, a CUNY alum and author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous said, ‘All this time I told myself we were born from war—but I was wrong, Ma. We were born from beauty. Let no one mistake us for the fruit of violence—but for that violence, having passed through the fruit, failed to spoil it.’ We shape who we are, as individuals, as a people, as colleges and universities, and as a nation. We must not be shaped by the hatred of others.
We encourage anyone who requires support to contact their campus counseling services for resources and support.”
That is what I have for you this week. I will have another update next week or sooner if warranted. Have a wonderful weekend.
Very truly yours,
Dr. K.
Dr. Stephen H. Kolison, Jr.
President