HVCC Extends Holiday Break Amid COVID Spike
By Kevin Conley II, Staff Writer
Hudson Valley Community College has announced that they will be extending Winter Break this year. The announcement comes as COVID-19 cases continue to soar throughout New York state and the country. Hudson Valley Community College President Roger Ramsammy made the announcement in an email to all students and faculty.
“This year, as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, I have approved an extension of the college’s holiday break”, Ramsammy said. “In addition to the scheduled closure on Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1, the college will be closed during the intervening period – Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 28-30.”
Faculty and staff at the college hope this extension will allow the campus time to get cases under control. Dennis J. Kennedy, Executive Producer of Communications and Marketing of HVCC says he’s encouraging students to continue taking percussions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“While we encourage members of our community to follow all public health guidance and travel restrictions, extending the winter break will significantly reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19 among those working on campus and visiting the college during the holiday season and between scheduled holiday closures,” Kennedy said.
Most classes during the Fall 2020 semester have been held either online or remotely. Some classes have been held in-person, and on-campus visits are permitted, though they’ve largely been limited due to the pandemic.
To enter campus, students and faculty must take a health screening. As usual, all students and staff are also required to wear a mask at all times. Social distancing guidelines will also stay in place for the time being. Cleaning and disinfection products, such as hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial wipes are available to students and staff on campus.
The college is also restricting events on campus for health purposes. Despite the changes, Kennedy says classes should return to normal as soon as break ends. “The college’s Winter Session classes begin on Jan. 4 and all college service offices will be open on that date,” Kennedy said. Until then, all students and staff of Hudson Valley will remain on break during the Holiday season.