Before the semester officially ends, we want to say thank you. We know that you have spent countless hours adapting to new modes of teaching and working, and hours more supporting students and each other. We know this has left many of you feeling overworked, overextended, and stressed—a stress only compounded by worries about health, the economy, the education of our children, and so much more. We hope that you can use the break between semesters to rest and to replenish. There is much to do ahead, but caring for yourself and your loved ones is of paramount importance.
We also know the pandemic has caused much loss, whether of companionship, freedom to move around the country and world, or even a loved one. As you grieve, please remember that you can always find someone ready to listen and to help through our Employee Assistance Program.
As we prepare for the break, we have some updates for the Spring 2021 semester. Please note that these plans are subject to change if and when public health guidance changes. You should continue to check your Pace email and our Return to Campus website over the break so that we can notify you of any updates.
We will begin the spring semester as planned on Saturday, January 23. However, as approved this afternoon by the Joint Faculty Council, the first two weeks of instruction will be remote. In-person classes will begin on Monday, February 8. Some experiential programs may have limited access to campus. Faculty should check with their chair and dean. Students with internships, clinical placements or experiential courses are being asked to contact their faculty members to discuss plans. Residential students will begin moving in on January 19, so campus operations will resume then. Please be sure to review the academic calendar here, as it will look different than it has in the past.
Remember that the campuses will be closed and our operations will remain remote until Martin Luther King Jr. Day, re-opening on Tuesday, January 19. If you will require access to campus during the remote period, you must obtain a letter from Human Resources. If you have not already requested and received a letter, email employeerelations@pace.edu and indicate the reason you will need access and the date(s) on which you'll need it. Security will not permit you onto campus without this letter.
When we return for the spring semester, all members of the Pace Community (including those who have not left the New York area) will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result in order to access campus. You must take a PCR test within three days of your arrival on campus and submit your negative result to the University. We will provide instructions for uploading your test results in the beginning of January. Low-cost or free testing is increasingly available at pharmacies and walk-in clinics, and by public health departments in some locations. You can find a test location near you here. (That link is to a New York website, but it provides information for testing centers nationwide.)
Additionally, and in accordance with New York State guidelines, anyone entering the state from any non-contiguous state or region (that is, anyplace other than New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, or Vermont) will be required to quarantine upon arrival in New York. The quarantine requirements have changed since the fall, and in most cases permit exiting quarantine after obtaining a negative test on the fourth day after your arrival. Remember that a test before (and after) any travel will help protect the health of your families, friends, and community members.
Our successful fall semester was thanks to the hard work and commitment of everyone in our community. We’re counting on everyone to help us have a great spring semester, too. We know that vaccines are coming, and we also know that makes continued vigilance even more important. Keep monitoring your health by completing the self-assessment on the PaceSafe app every day. Keep washing your hands, staying distant from others, and wearing your face coverings.
Thank you for your commitment to our community. Have a great break. And stay safe. We’ll update you when we have more information, and we’ll see you back on campus in January.
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Marvin Krislov
President
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Vanya Quiñones, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
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Joan Walker, PhD
Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs and Research
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Matt Renna
Vice President, Human Resources
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See our Coronavirus website for additional communications from Pace University. For the Elisabeth Haub community, please refer here for the most up to date information.
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