A summary of some new news related to CUNY's and CSI's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To add/suggest news, please email John Verzani
link The president notified the community about Cuomo's intent to repurpose the dorms and the gym
The removal of residents will encumber expenses, as will other aspects of each colleges response to the coronavirus pandemic. CUNY has asked campuses to use a special code in CUNYFirst so that City/State/FEMA reimbursals can be requested. The state budget picture is uncertain. In the NY Post it is mentioned that "Cuomo’s office forecasts the coronavirus may cost the Empire State as much as $15 billion in revenues during its next budget, dramatically exacerbating the state’s precarious finances." Earlier forecasts were in the 4-8B reduction (of ~88B). How that filters down to CUNY is uncertain, but some clarity should be found around April 1st, as the budget deadline is expected to be met.
link The chair of the USS (student senate) sent a letter to CUNY Faculty.
link The head of the PSC sent a letter about the recalibration
link The college advertised its free online tutoring.
link The board of trustees calendar was updated to reflect these additions:
The following items (Cal. Nos. 7-11) have been added to the Calendar:
NO. 7. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL COVID-19 FLEXIBLE GRADING POLICY FOR THE SPRING 2020 SEMESTER:
NO. 8. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL COVID-19 FLEXIBLE GRADING POLICY FOR CUNY SCHOOL OF LAW FOR THE SPRING AND SUMMER 2020 SEMESTERS:
NO. 9. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – PROVIDE EMERGENCY ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY DORMITORIES AND RESIDENCE HOUSING:
NO. 10. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – AUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL COVID-19 DORMITORY FEE CREDIT AND REFUNDS FOR IMPACTED STUDENTS:
NO. 11. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK – AUTHORIZATION OF A SPECIAL COVID-19 STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE WAIVER FOR SPRING 2020:
Governor CUOMO announces several thing. link A selection of those possibly impacting CUNY is made below:
Governor Announces Selection of Additional Sites for Temporary Hospitals, on Top of Four Other Sites Under Construction; Asks President Trump to Approve Sites Immediately so Construction Can Begin
Extends School Closures Statewide for Additional Two Weeks Until April 15th
Governor Cuomo: "FEMA and the Army Corps and the National Guard have been working to put up these emergency hospitals. So far we have planned for four: the one we're in today at the Javits Center, one in Westchester County Center, one at Stony Brook, and one at Old Westbury. That would be 4,000 additional units. Again, with all of these beds we still have a shortfall, so we're going to go to Plan B. What's Plan B? We're going to seek to build another four temporary emergency hospitals ... We have settled on a few sites working with the Army Corps of Engineers, and I'm going to ask the President today if he will authorize another four temporary hospitals for us."
Cuomo: "I want to have one in every borough. I want to have one for the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn. One for Nassau, one for Suffolk, one for Westchester, so everybody knows downstate, which is where the essence of the density is right now, that everyone equally is being helped and is being protected."
Cuomo on National Guard: "At the end of the day, nobody can ask anything more from you. That is your duty, to do what you can when you can. You will have shown skill and courage and talent. You'll be there with your mind, you'll be there with your heart and you'll serve with honor. That will give you pride and you should be proud. I know that I am proud of you. And every time the National Guard has been called out, they have made every New Yorker proud."
Governor Cuomo also announced the state and Army Corp of Engineers have toured and identified four new sites for temporary hospitals for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers - the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the Aqueduct Racetrack facility in Queens, CUNY Staten Island and the New York Expo Center in the Bronx - adding an additional 4,000 beds to the state's capacity. The Governor is asking President Trump to approve these sites immediately so construction can begin.
These new temporary hospital sites — together with the site at the JavitsCenter and the temporary hospitals that are being built at locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center — are part of the Governor's plan to create thousands of new beds to bolster existing hospital capacity, with the goal of being open to patients in early- to mid-April. The state is also preparing college dormitories and hotels across the downstate region, and identifying nursing homes and other facilities to serve as a place for emergency beds.
The Governor also announced that all schools in New York State must remain closed for an additional two weeks until April 15th to ensure consistency and uniformity across the state in instructional time for this extraordinary school year. Schools will be required to continue child care, meal and distance learning programs, and the state will extend the 180-day waiver to April 15th.
Finally, the Governor confirmed 7,377 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 44,635 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 44,635 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows: