Ramapo College Restart Will Go As The State Does

MAHWAH, NJ — Ramapo College has taken a page out of the State of New Jersey's book and announced a staged reopening plan.

On Wednesday, Ramapo College President Peter Mercer published a letter to students and staff at the college, which explained that the college is currently scheduled to open with their Stage 2 plan, given that the state remains in Stage 2 of reopening.

"We have outlined our return to campus with a phased approach, which is aligned with the three-stage approach communicated by the State of New Jersey," said Mercer.

In Stage 2, in-person learning is limited only to labs, technical, clinical or hands-on instruction. All other instruction will be done remotely, for now.

More in-person learning will be allowed if and when the state moves into Stage 3, but will still implement an occupancy limit in classrooms. Stage 3, the plan says, is different from returning to normal.

If the state were to move backward to Stage 1, there would be no classes held on campus.

The plan is comprehensive, detailing the stage-by-stage breakdowns of everything from cleaning and personal protective equipment to on-campus living and athletics.

Student success, Mercer said, is still at the forefront of the collective mind.

"Students, let me be unquestionably clear on this front, your academic success remains paramount to all of us. You have come to Ramapo College to learn, to better yourself, and to succeed," said Mercer. "We remain committed to your success and to ensuring a healthy and safe environment from which you can continue to grow as scholars."

Many precautions will be taken for those learning in-person, including enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the campus.

Most visibly will be face coverings, which must be worn indoors and in any outdoor spaces where social distancing isn't possible.

Social distancing is also required on campus, and Mercer said there will be consequences for non-compliance, though did not expand on the nature of the punishment.

"The effective implementation of these mitigation strategies and countless others relies on every member of the College to participate in and adhere strictly and consistently to health and safety standards," he said. "This is so important to our organizational and individual health."

Attendance will be taken for all in-person classes so the college can implement contact tracing, which will feature collaboration with the N.W. Bergen Regional Health Commission.

In both Stage 2 and 3, faculty, staff and students will be asked to self-screen for the coronavirus, and record those results in a weekly survey.

Testing isn't mandated on-campus, and only those showing symptoms or who have been exposed to the virus are required to be tested.

Those showing symptoms of the coronavirus will be directed to self-quarantine.

Despite the accommodations in place, the college leaves room for faculty and staff who are immunocompromised, high risk or who "prefer" to learn remotely to do so.

In Stage 2, on-campus housing will be limited to approximately 40 to 60 percent of the overall occupancy rate of 2,621 residents.

Housing priority will be given to students who are "housing insecure, international students, EOF Scholars, students without transportation who are enrolled in classes held on campus" and others, including athletes, said Mercer.

Student services will continue to be provided, regardless of stage. These include advisement, wellness, account management, student programming and counseling.

Though these services are still available, Mercer said students should "expect to transition to an appointment culture" when seeking them, rather than the usual campus drop-in practices.

A task force and numerous subcommittees were put together to craft the plan, which also took into account survey responses from faculty and students. In total, 48 members of the college are credited with its creation.

According to Mercer, the college hasn't made any decisions about the winter term or spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year.

"We will make those determinations later this year in consultation with the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and in accord with federal and state guidance," he said.

View the full 33-page report here: https://www.ramapo.edu/health/files/2020/07/Ramapo-College-Restart-Plan.pdf