SUNY announces new uniform rules, stronger penalties for COVID-19 protocol violations

The policy was drafted in consultation with campuses across the system and provides uniform rules designed to protect all campus and community members while ensuring campuses remain open during the pandemic.

AN EARLY SPIKE INCASES ON COLLEGECAMPUSES HASLEVELED OFF INRECENT WEEKS.SCHOOLADMINISTRATORSWANT TO KEEP ITTHAT WAY.GILAT MELAMEDREPORTS ON THENEW PENALTIESSTUDENTS WILL FACEIF THEY STEP OUT OFLINE.WITH MONTH ONE INTHE BOOKS.BUFFALO STATESTUDENTS SAY MANYCLASSMATES AREFOLLOWING COVID-19PROTOCOLS."PEOPLE AREKEEPING IT PRETTYPROFESSIONAL ONCAMPUS."BUT FOR STUDENTSAND GROUPS THATDON'T.

SUNY HAS ANEW LIST OFPENALTIES THEYCOULD FACE.THE SUNYCHANCELLOR SENTTHIS LETTER TO ALLCOLLEGES IN ANEFFORT TO HAVE A"FAIR ANDCONSISTENTAPPROACH TOPOLICY VIOLATIONSBY STUDENTS.""I THINK IT'S JUST AREMINDER OF WHATWE NEED TO KEEPDOING."VIOLATIONS INCLUDEFAILURE TOQUARANTINE,ATTENDING ORHOSTING APROHIBITED ON OROFF CAMPUSGATHERING, AND NOTCOMPLYING WITHCONTACT TRACING.EACH VIOLATION HASA RANGE OFSANCTIONS.

FROMSUSPENSION, TOACCESSING CLASSVIA REMOTELEARNING ONLY.AND LEAVING THESCHOOLPERMANENTLY."IT'S KIND OFREASONABLEBECAUSE YOU'RERISKING SOMEBODYELSE'S LIFE, BUT ATTHE SAME TIMEWE'RE IN COLLEGESO THERE'S NOTMUCH ELSE WE CANDO."SUNY SAYS ALLSTUDENTS HAVE DUEPROCESS BEFOREANY SANCTIONS.AND PER SUNYPOLICY SUSPENDEDOR DISMISSEDSTUDENTS ARE NOTELIGIBLE FORREFUNDS.A STEP JUNIORSKAMANI MCKINNONSAYS GOES TOO FAR."AT LEAST IF I MAKE AMISTAKE I CAN COMEBACK AND JUST LIKENOT DO IT AGAIN BUTIF YOU JUST KICK MEOUT AND MAKE MEPAY NOW I JUST HAVEDEBT WITH NOCREDIT."SUNY ALSOSURPASSED 100,000CAMPUSADMINISTERED COVIDTESTS FOR THESEMESTER.THE WEEK'SPOSITIVITY RATE IS.4%.THESE ARE THEESTIMATED CASES TODATE AT LOCALSCHOOLS.BUFF STATE VP OFSTUDENT AFFAIRSSAYS THE NEWPROTOCOL IS SIMILARTO THE SCHOOLSCURRENT POLICY."I THINK THE PIECETHAT IS HELPFUL FORSTUDENTS IS TOALSO SEE CLEARLYBEYOND THE CAMPUSLEVEL HOW FOLKSARE PAYINGATTENTION TO THIS."==BUTT=="THESE WERE THERULES BEFORE, BUTNOW THEY'REDIRECTLY SAYING ITSO YOU CAN'TMISTAKE IT."THE VIOLATIONS GOINTO EFFECTOCTOBER 1ST.IN BUFFALO, GILATMELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.