Cornell Leadership Sessions is an on-going video series in which members of the administration discuss the university’s efforts in the context of campus reactivation and the COVID-19 pandemic. visit covid.cornell.edu for the latest information and resources.
In the fourth installment in the series, President Martha E. Pollack and Vice President and HR Manager Mary Opperman discuss StayHomecoming. Resources for parents and adult caregivers; and the importance of limiting or avoiding travel to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Martha E. Pollack: Hello. I appreciate the opportunity to virtually reconnect with everyone. I had the chance to do this with so many alumni around the world last week when we had this year’s version of Homecoming. We called it StayHomecoming. And while I know we would all have preferred to be in Ithaca together, there have been a remarkable number of online events.
And I was so happy to announce that we are Naming of two of our new dormitories after two women who represent the best of Cornell and who unfortunately both died in the last year and a half: Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Toni Morrison. They were amazing alumnae.
Our campus, our faculty, and our staff, and especially our students – they all continue to behave safely and responsibly, and because of this, we continue to have a successful personal semester. But please, please keep it up. In the communities around Ithaca, the number of COVID-19 cases is indeed growing worryingly. So we really need everyone who continues to be cautious and safe.
And I’m delighted that Mary Opperman, our Vice President and Human Resources Manager, is coming to see me today. Mary has been an incredible advocate for all of our staff during these stressful and challenging times.
Mary Opperman: Thank you, Martha. I am very happy to be here with you today. And I want to say it is my privilege to support such a wonderful staff and faculty population.
What I wanted to talk about today are some of the resources we have available for our families. We know that this very difficult and challenging time created some special needs. Our list is just too long to go through today. So I encourage you to go to the HR website and have a look Wellbeing and Family service Areas. You will just see a multitude of things.
But I’ll highlight just a few of them. We have worked on the childcare scholarship programs for both staff and students, making them more flexible to respond to today’s needs. If you have any special needs, please contact our work-life advisor, Diane Bradac. She’s just a great help.
do not forget care.com. It’s a great program. We also have an additional directory of local tutors. I think you will find this helpful. And student agencies also have a tutoring program and they give 20% off.
Finally, we have extended terms for our faculty families and are working on new funding and evaluation guidelines. And that should come out shortly.
MEP: And Mary, you know, I know you did a really important survey that found that what people valued most was flexibility. I know I really appreciate that you and your team are a priority in putting these programs together.
MO: Absolutely. When our survey came back, one of the most important and consistent things we heard was that our supervisors and colleagues need to understand that we may need flexibility that we wouldn’t otherwise. And I’m so grateful to hear that this is happening in most areas of the university.
MEP: There is currently an off-campus [COVID-19 testing] Site in Collegetown, and it’s pretty much used, especially by students who live in that area. But later this month we will be opening another location in downtown Ithaca. And I hope that we can announce the details in the next few days.
This page is open to all faculties, staff, and students who are part of the surveillance test program. However, we believe it is particularly suitable for graduates and professional students who live downtown and do not travel to campus frequently.
First of all, let me remind everyone that traveling outside of Ithaca is highly recommended. As mentioned earlier, we continue to see COVID cases in neighboring counties. And of course there is an increase in COVID cases across the country.
And look, I know it’s hard We all want to see our families. But please, if you can, please avoid traveling this year. And if you need to travel out of the area, if you just have to, you need to familiarize yourself with the travel and quarantine restrictions, both in the places you travel to and here in New York state for when you come back. If you’ve visited any of the states on New York’s travel advisory list, you must be quarantined by the state for 14 days.
With that in mind, it is really important to limit the number of guests who come to the Ithaca region. Again, think of the quarantine required by New York State. If visitors from states come here on the travel advisory list, they must be quarantined for 14 days before having Thanksgiving dinner with you.
Mary, do you have anything else to add?
MO: Yes thank you. I just want to reaffirm Martha’s message about continued vigilance. There are two areas where we are at particular risk of infection. One, as Martha said, is travel – travel into our area and travel out of our area. And the other is social gatherings.
Pay attention to the size of the gathering. Be vigilant when using your masks. If you are inside please make sure you ventilate the room. If you can possibly stay outside, do so. Stay away, even from the people you really want to hug.
MEP: Our campus will remain open after Thanksgiving. Of course, many of our students will go home during the break and stay there and finish their classes online for the rest of the semester. But many students who live in the local community, as well as some who live on campus, have to stay in Ithaca.
Business will continue for everyone who works on and off campus. And importantly, the surveillance tests for faculty, staff, and students continue. As long as you are here in Ithaca, your current test plan will persist.
Finally, let me say once again how grateful we are to our students, our staff, and our faculty for the collaboration and sense of community that you have shown. For this reason we have mastered this challenge so far. Keep it up.
MO: And I would add, take care of yourself. This is a time neither of us went through. It’s been a while. Be nice to yourself. Take a rest. Do the things that you find rejuvenating and healthy. Be present in the things that balance you. And you know how much we value each and every one of you.
MEP: Glad we had the chance to share these updates with you and we’ll see you again soon.
