Visual Arts - Please Read: Studio Reopening, COVID protocols for accessing campus, and Reorientation

Dear Second Year Grads,

I am following up with more information about returning and/ or moving into your new studio. Students may begin to move in or use your studio on Wednesday, August 26.

If you are moving studios, you need to schedule your move with Rider Urena, so that we can create a staggered move schedule. He will also make an arrangement with you for key pick up. All moves should be complete by September 8.

I have attached the studio lease to this email. The new COVID rules are listed on the lease. Please sign the lease and email it to Claire by Wednesday.

Before you get your key and are able to gain building access, you must complete the six steps pasted below and attached, this includes getting a COVID test on campus. The COVID-19 Resource Guide for the Columbia Community will continue to provide the most up-to-date information as campus density grows systematically and carefully.

Similar to NY, Visual Arts has created a phased reopening with a minimum of 2 weeks between each phase to help everyone adjust to the new rules and to help ensure a community of care and safety amongst students, staff, and faculty.

Reorientation to the Shops will begin during the week of September 21, pending all goes well with the studio reopening. These reorientations will be held in small groups (per space capacities) by staff members in each area to go over new COVID protocols. Students will regain access to Shops after going through these reorientations.

To help facilitate maintaining the low density requirements for each space, the department is creating a check-out system for all shops and spaces. This new system will be critical to how we safely manage the spaces. We will discuss the check-out system, the Shop reopenings and student service positions at the Second Year Reorientation.

The Second Year Re-Orientation Meeting will be on Thursday, August 27 from 4-5 pm.

Best,

Carrie
 

The following is pasted from the email sent by the Interim Provost, Ira Katnelson on August 18:

1. Enhanced Health and Safety Policy: This policy has been established as a first-line of protection. It requires community members to wear face coverings, maintain physical distancing, and follow other public health policies. Distribution of face coverings (two per affiliate) is being accomplished through the University’s testing centers and the schools.

2. The Columbia Health Compact: The Compact, which incorporates many of the elements of the Enhanced Health and Safety Policy, must be signed via an electronic link as part of the required return to campus protocols. It is a reciprocal pledge of mutual responsibility and observance. The University commits to work assiduously to keep the campus safe through enhanced facility cleaning and sanitizing procedures and other protocols. In turn, each affiliate undertakes to follow relevant rules in the interest both of individual and collective health. The link to the Columbia Health Compact can be found on your daily symptom check app (see below) or here.

3. Safety training: The training program must be completed before a return to campus. It can be found here.

4. Self-quarantine: Any person arriving from New York-designated states or territories or from the CDC-designated international destinations must self-quarantine as required by New York State. See How to Quarantine: A Guide for CUIMC Students and list of designated states or territories.

5. Testing for SARS-COV-2: Since June 22, all returning faculty, staff, and students, now numbering more than 2,700, have been given a free “gateway” PCR test for SARS-COV-2. As of Monday, August 17, this testing has been significantly expanded at two Columbia locations—Lerner Hall on the Morningside campus and the Black Building on the CUIMC campus. Repeat testing for students and an ongoing sampling approach for faculty and staff is part of the testing program. Testing and tracing details can be found here.

6. Daily symptom check: ReopenCU, a symptom self-checking app, has been in operation successfully for two months. This attestation is required by the State of New York. Beginning this week, accessibility to all buildings with security guards or where access is dependent on the Lenel badge, will be tied not only to the completion of the symptom self-check but also to the completion of training and signing of the Columbia Health Compact.