Dear Lehman Colleagues,
I hope you have been enjoying summer. I am settling into New York with my family slowly but surely. I’ve been enjoying New York City, the Bronx and Lehman’s strong position in the borough and within CUNY.
Though many of us who are fully vaccinated are experiencing the benefits of relaxed COVID-19 restrictions and greater mobility, you have also probably seen news of the Delta variant on the rise. As concerning as this news is, I wanted to assure you that we continue to monitor the Delta variant of COVID-19 and to prioritize the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff. As we continue to plan for a more in-person fall, we are consistently adhering, as always, to CUNY, New York State Department of Health, and Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 guidelines.
While I’m on the topic of COVID-19, I know students, in particular, have been wondering about CUNY’s vaccine mandate for the Fall semester, particularly given that the Bronx has lower vaccination rates than other boroughs. The CUNY Board of Trustees approved the University’s vaccine mandate guidelines on Monday July 6, and they are available here.
There is a lot to read through; however, the most important thing for you to know is that students scheduled to attend any class on campus this Fall will be required to submit proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, pending full FDA approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Students participating in other on-campus activities will be required to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test. For those students who have already gotten fully vaccinated, you can submit proof of your vaccination now by snapping a pic or scanning it and emailing it to med.requirements@lehman.cuny.edu. Students may also upload it to the Student Health Portal via Lehman360 (EMPL ID required).
You’ll be entered into a giveaway for a $100 cash gift card if you submit by Aug. 25. The best place to find the most current information on the vaccine mandate is lehman.edu/vaccine. We’ve published a list of FAQs there and will be updating them as we receive more information.
By Thursday, August 5, the date of my first live briefing, we will have much more information—about the mandate, our reopening plans and what our fall semester will look like. I’m looking forward to that, but I’m especially excited to meet and welcome those of you who will be returning to campus in person this semester. We’re going to have some special events planned for our “homecoming” and I can’t wait to see you there.
This is a good opportunity to remind you that vaccination is free at Lehman College and you don’t need an appointment to get the vaccine. Our vaccination site will be available to you until July 25, so please take advantage of that while you can.
As the summer barrels forward, we continue to plan for in-person events on campus. Convocation, my first with Lehman, is scheduled for Thursday, September 23. An official ribbon-cutting at the new remodeled Amphitheater will feature and honor Bobby Sanabria on Friday, October 15. You will see more about both of these events soon. They both signal milestones on our journey to return to something closer to what we used to experience as normalcy. Please save the date for these important events.
Thank you for your warm welcome and thoughtful e-mails. Continue to enjoy July!
Sincerely,
Fernando Delgado
