Marist College Experiencing Second Covid Spike

POUGHKEEPSIE – Last Thursday, Marist officials announced that the college was on a “campus pause” until Monday, November 9. Officials say the pause is “to ensure the safety of the Marist community and arrest any spread of the coronavirus.” As of Wednesday, the college had more than 30 individuals on and off-campus that tested positive.

The college was forced to “pause” in October after students attended an off-campus party, subsequently testing positive.

All institutional learning is being conducted virtually until the pause is lifted. Students living in campus dormitories are not permitted to leave their respective units. The dining halls have been closed and food is being delivered to the students in their rooms.

The McCann Recreation Center has been closed for recreation and converted into a testing facility.

An email to students and staff described the “pause” as follows:

* All classes will be held remotely

* All on- and off-campus activities, including gatherings of any kind, are suspended

* For public health reasons, students are encouraged to limit their interactions to their “pod” (e.g. roommates or immediate housemates)

* Outdoor individual or small group “pod” activities, with appropriate public health measures in place, are permitted (e.g. taking a walk around campus, eating outside, socializing with roommates, etc.)

* Students must stay within their own room/apartment in their residence facility. Students are prohibited from visiting any other room, traditional residence hall, apartment, or townhouse.

* In-person dining is paused and meal plans are grab-and-go only.

* All athletic team training sessions are canceled.

* James J. McCann Recreation Center will remain closed to recreational activity

* Students must remain on campus and avoid traveling unless such travel is directed by Marist health professionals or staff

* Only officially approved visitors are allowed on campus

Deborah DiCaprio, Marist vice president for Student Affairs said, “During the modified pause, surveillance testing will continue. If you are called, it is critical that you report for testing. Our testing protocol is what has and will continue to keep our campus safe.”

Officials also reminded the campus community that disciplinary actions will be taken if rules are not followed. “We want to remind you that the College has a zero-tolerance policy for those who do not comply with our guidelines.”

Information on cases related to Marist College is available on the Marist dashboard which is updated daily, generally by 5 p.m.

The college is asking for assistance in making sure the policies are adhered to. “If you see any Marist community member violating our COVID-19 related Code of Conduct, call (845) 575-MASK,” according to the email.

Dutchess County has experienced an uptick in confirmed cases in the past few weeks. Dutchess County has a dedicated COVID-19 dashboard to provide data to the public.