Ithaca College students from states on NY gov's travel advisory list can't return to campus

Ithaca College announced recently that not all students will be allowed to return to on-campus learning this fall, but not just because the college says they can’t.

Any students who have been living in states on the New York Travel Advisory list over the summer are not allowed to live in residence halls, engage in campus activities, or attend in-person classes until their state is taken off the list. These restrictions also apply to students from these states who are living off-campus in the fall.

The university stated, “students who have not remained in New York during the summer and whose permanent address is in a state on New York’s mandatory quarantine list will need to take their classes remotely until the state of their permanent address is removed from the New York mandatory quarantine list.”

[RELATED: Cornell announces return to campus, citing ‘public health’ benefits of in-person classes]

Students from outside of these states will be permitted to resume in-person classes after completing coronavirus testing and quarantining in their homes for two weeks before returning to campus. Ithaca had tried to implement plans that would have permitted these students onto the campus, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order had “presented a significant challenge for our Return to Campus Task Force.”

“Unfortunately, the college simply does not have the resources or infrastructure to manage quarantining either on-campus or off-campus for the large number of students affected by this order,” the university wrote.

[RELATED: First US colleges begin to re-open as states ease restrictions]

Michael Deviney, President of College Republicans at Ithaca College, told Campus Reform, “This pandemic is entirely new and unknown to everyone as our elected officials and school representatives are bracing for a strong increase in cases once the second wave starts, so it is unsure whether or not Ithaca College approaching with more caution is the best thing for the wellbeing of the student body. There has been a rollercoaster of emotions from the student body to how much they support Ithaca College’s decision.”

“It almost seems like IC comes closer and closer crossing the line to fully go online for the Fall semester just so they can charge students full tuition. I am curious what the school’s retention rate will be in result to [sic] Ithaca College’s President, Shirley Collado’s actions during this pandemic.”

Ithaca College did not respond to Campus Reform’s request for comment in time for publication.

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