Coronavirus Information

Update: May 1, 2020, 9:25 a.m.

Dear Buffalo State Students and Family Members,

As we approach the end of this unprecedented spring semester at Buffalo State College, my mind has already turned toward summer and preparations for the fall 2020 semester.

There is no question that this summer will be markedly different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, the summer months of June and July on the Buffalo State campus are bustling with happy faces, intensive classes, visits by prospective students, orientation sessions for new and transfer students, athletic camps, and countless special events for our wonderful community.

Last month, we announced that our 2020 summer classes will remain fully online as we continue to observe important social distancing and density-reduction protocols to keep our community safe—while making every effort to keep students on a successful path to degree completion. These necessary safety precautions have unquestionably disrupted other summer events and milestones as well, including our first-year and transfer orientations, which will also be held virtually this summer.

As we look to the fall semester, I want you to know that our faculty and staff members are tirelessly preparing for a number of strategic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we don’t yet know what the fall will look like, we do know that safety will be our No. 1 priority. We know it is yours as well. And because we can’t yet know what the public health guidelines for fall 2020 will be, we are planning for all possible outcomes, all of which preserve the flexible, supportive, and affordable learning environment for which Buffalo State is known. I wanted to share with you a few of the scenarios under consideration:

• Like you, we are hoping it will be safe to resume classes, activities, and residence hall operations on campus this fall, even if some social distancing mandates may still be in effect. If that is the case, whether it be in the residence halls, the dining facilities, the athletic fields, or the classrooms, we will have a wide variety of safety measures and enhanced cleaning procedures in place to keep our students, faculty, and staff protected.
   
• We are also preparing for a scenario in which our public health officials recommend a more restrictive level of physical distancing in the fall. In this case, limited campus operations might resume, with small classes, labs, and studio sessions meeting on campus and large lecture-style classes continuing to meet remotely. In this scenario, our resident students would live primarily in suite- or apartment-style halls, to limit the sharing of commons spaces and bathrooms. 
   
• And although we hope it does not come to this, we will also be fully prepared to deliver an outstanding and engaging education remotely if public health officials should deem it necessary.

Regardless of what happens, I am steadfastly committed to keeping our students on an uninterrupted path toward academic success and timely graduation. As Western New York’s most-affordable four-year college, with robust financial aid offerings and the state’s Excelsior Scholarship, Buffalo State stands ready to support your future during these trying times.

I know it is difficult to not know when you might be able to return to the campus you love and miss. We too are eager to settle into a new routine where we can safely resume regular face-to-face connections with our amazing students, faculty, and staff members. I look forward to having you return to campus as soon as possible and to recapturing the vibrancy that characterizes the very best of Buffalo State.

I will be in touch with you again in June with an update about the fall semester. Until then, please stay in touch with us through our website, social media, e-mail, or even an old-fashioned phone call. Please know that we are here to help in any way or to answer any questions you may have.

I wish you all the strength and resilience that epitomize what it means to be a Buffalo State Bengal. Roar on and be well!

Sincerely,

Katherine Conway-Turner
President
Buffalo State College
 

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