SUNY Oswego Adapts Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Alexander Gault-Plate

OSWEGO – As social distancing protocols have strengthened in New York state, college campuses have been emptied of most of their students and tried to adapt services to serve them remotely.

Oswego State is doing the same, with faculty and staff working from home in an attempt to provide as much support as possible.

While most students were asked to leave their residence halls and not return to campus by March 13, a number chose to remain on campus.

According to Wayne Westervelt, the chief communications officer for Oswego State, there were 450 students still on campus after spring break ended, and 415 as of April 13. 

“Students were allowed to stay on campus during this public health crisis if they had a significant personal need,” Westervelt said. “Food insecurity, housing insecurity or lack of resources to complete classes through distance learning.”

In order to continue serving these students, one dining hall on campus remains in operation for take-out services, for two meals a day. Students remaining on campus also have access to counseling and health services, although service hours are reduced and social distancing measures are in effect. 

According to Westervelt, the college will be issuing at least partial refunds for room and board for students who left campus. All students will receive refunds for fees charged for athletics, recreational activities and the Student Association.

The college established an emergency fund for students as well, to support students with money for traveling expenses to return home, laptops to continue learning from home, food and healthcare.

“As of April 7, more than 170 alumni, faculty, staff, emeriti and friends have raised more than $43,000,” Westervelt said. 

Students who left campus are completing schoolwork remotely, through services like Blackboard, which allow professors to upload assignments, digital presentations and even proctor exams online for students to access. 

“Some of the challenges include moving a bulk of classes to a remote environment when they were not planned that way,” Westervelt said. “This required a lot of great work by our faculty and staff in both the development and support of these efforts.”

While no direct employees of the college have been laid off, Auxiliary Services, a contracted nonprofit that oversees the dining halls, cafes and other aspects of the campus has laid off 135 professional and civil service staff members as of April 10. Approximately 700 student employees have also been laid off. 

Staff of the college have offered assistance to the local coronavirus response, especially professors from the technology and biology departments.

According to Westervelt, technology professor Dan Tryon provided a patient body shield, 30 ventilator adapters, and along with biology professor David Bunn, produced and provided over 1,000 face shields to Oswego Health. The professors used 3D printers and sterilizing equipment available on campus to produce the shields.

Employees of the facilities services and maintenance department, along with Kitty Macey and Judy McCabe of the theatre department have sewn over 250 cloth face masks for donation to the Oswego County Emergency Management Office and SUNY Upstate Hospital. 

Angie Brown, director of health services for Oswego State, donated 60 N-95 face masks from the health centers stocks, as well as 20 viral swabs. Josh McKeown from the international education office donated 120 N-95 face masks. 

Print this entry