Dear Students,
SUNY Broome has always been committed to helping you prepare for your future, and in these uncertain times, we understand how important it is to plan ahead. In doing so, we want to give you an update about our current plans for the upcoming Fall semester here at SUNY Broome. As we continue to work on the details in the coming weeks, below are just a few examples of how we are getting ready for you in the upcoming academic year.
While we desire to have all of our students back on campus within safety protocols, we don’t yet know if that can occur for the fall semester. Our faculty and support services have been diligently evaluating options for flexible course delivery to students. We are assessing our current methods, reviewing classroom course capacity within social distancing guidelines, and establishing comprehensive cleaning and sanitizing protocols (that address the wide-ranging demands of a campus environment).
Currently, SUNY Broome has a number of options for delivery of courses in the fall semester. Depending on the type of class, some learning models could include:
- An online Blackboard format
- Face-to-face instruction, with the use of social distancing guidelines. This could include a process of alternating days to include on-campus learning.
- A combination of face-to-face and remote learning
- Online streaming format, with faculty members teaching in the classroom and the lesson being broadcasted to off-site students.
SUNY Broome has always been a flexible institution, with the ability to provide remote learning and support to all of our students. We are a leader within the SUNY system for distance learning and, by the fall, we will have had time to do right for all our offerings, which was not the case in March amidst such a scramble to get everyone off campus. It will be different for fall with time to plan, and an opportunity to convert courses properly where necessary. Hopefully most will be balanced with face-to-face classes using social distancing, if it is allowed at the time (which we expect it will be… though nothing is certain in this environment).
We recognize that things can change quickly, as they did this spring, and public health requirements may result in additional regional or national changes to human interaction for the fall. However, we have learned a great deal over the past two and a half months. As we plan for the future, we also remain prepared to alter our plans quickly. Should anything require us to change course, such as moving back to a fully remote modality, we will be ready to serve students. This includes providing tips and strategies to help students prepare to learn online.
The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and SUNY Broome community is our top priority. Our team is working closely with SUNY and the Broome County Health Department to ensure that any decisions about the fall semester are maximized to help keep everyone safe. We also await safety guidelines from the NY Department of Education that were recently referred to by our Governor.
As a reminder, in response to COVID-19 this semester we:
- Installed hand-sanitizer dispensers at the entrance of every building and outside every bathroom campus-wide..
- Provided students, faculty, and staff with laptops, cell phones, hot spots, and wifi access when they were in need.
- Migrated the majority of in-person classes to an online, distance learning format to ensure that students could complete courses and necessary degree requirements.
- Donated PPE and specialized services to the community.
- Provided students, where appropriate, with an alternative pass/fail grading option in light of moving our Spring 2020 semester to an online format.
- Moved back the Spring 2020 course withdrawal date to May 1.
- Created a comprehensive Coronavirus Response Webpage to house important campus operation updates, student and employee resources, information about upcoming events, links to helpful health information, and frequently asked questions.
Students who are returning or enrolling this fall can rest assured that SUNY Broome understands that this is a time of stressful uncertainty for everyone. Consequently, planning for your future is more important than ever. We are proud to be the community’s college, and with that role comes the responsibility to support you in your pursuit of education and a better life ahead; from learning new skills for retraining at work or preparing for future transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree, or maybe beyond to graduate school. We are here to keep you on track, build you up, and take you where YOU want to go!
We’ll continue to communicate the most up-to-date information through email and we’ll be updating the College’s Coronavirus Response website often. Check the site regularly for new student and employee resources, updates on campus operations and events, links to helpful health information, and frequently asked questions.
We look forward to seeing all of our new and returning Hornets in the fall! Remember to stay Hornet strong!
My best,
Dr. Kevin E. Drumm
President
SUNY Broome
