Fall '21 - Spring '22 Housing and COVID-19

Face masks/coverings will be required in all areas of the residence halls (common areas) that are outside of the personal living space. This includes, but is not limited to (hallways, elevators, lounges, laundry rooms, lobbies, trash rooms.)

Phases of Residence Hall Guest Policy- Fall 2021

Phase 1: Through 9/14/2021- Restricted Guest Visitation

As we transition from the summer ‘21 session into the first week of the Fall ‘21 semester, out of an abundance of caution, there will be no guest visitation, even within the building, to room spaces other than a student's personal living space.

Phase 2: Within Residence Hall Visitation Resumes

Beginning 9/15/2021 SVA residential students, who live in the same building, may visit another residential student’s room, within the same building. The visiting resident must wear a facemask, when outside of their personal space and while visiting spaces. 

Phase 3: SVA Current Community Members (Residential & Non-Residential) Guest Sign In Resumes

Beginning 9/22/2021 all current SVA community members may be signed in as guests within the SVA residence halls (all guest sign-in protocols must be followed). The visiting SVA guest must wear a facemask at all times as a visitor to the space.

Phase 4: Non-SVA Affiliated Guests to Residence Halls: Restricted/Pending Review

The Office of Residence Life, in conjunction with the college’s Emergency Management and COVID-19 planning task force will re-evaluate the policy for external (non-SVA community members) guests within the Residence Halls during the first week of November. Determinations regarding the policy will be guided by public health guidance and COVID-19 transmission rates and safety of the residential community, overall. External guests are permitted to sign in currently for the purposes of assisting with check-in and checkout processes.  

All of the policies noted above are subject to change, based on health guidance, transmission rates, and health forecasting. We hope to move as closely as we can to Pre-Covid Residence Hall policies as soon as we can do so safely for the residential and SVA community.

Beginning 9/15/2021, residents of the 24ST Residence may resume use of the gym facility within the building. Face masks/coverings will be required while present in the gym as well as all common areas of the building.

The college will continue to monitor and follow guidance from the CDC and New York State regarding practices and requirements for quarantine advisories for travel into NYC.

Definitions from the CDC

Isolation- separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

Quarantine- separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. CDC recommendations for restricted action for quarantine is to: (1) Stay home until 10 days after your last exposure. (2) Check your temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of COVID-19 (3) If possible, stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

• Residents who are required to self-quarantine may do so: off-campus or on-campus.

• Residents who are required to self-isolate may do so: off-campus at their permanent home or in a location outlined and allocated through the NYC Department of Health or on-campus pending space availability and safety considerations.

• For self-isolating on campus, Residence Life will coordinate access to meals, medicine and additional support as needed. For convenience and possible necessity, it is highly encouraged to set up accounts for food delivery, transportation, and laundry. Some apps that provide such services in NYC include: Seamless, Grubhub and Uber. Students are encouraged to bring an adequate supply of their prescribed medications and other medical supplies.

• Roommates/suitemates of a resident who is confirmed to have COVID-19, who are NOT vaccinated, will be considered exposed and will be required to quarantine, the length of the quarantine will be determined by a medical professional.

• Roommates/suitemates of a resident who is confirmed to have COVID-19, who ARE vaccinated, will NOT be required to quarantine but will be advised by the college's Office of Student Health & Counseling Services, to monitor for symptoms.

• Spaces within each Residence Hall have been allocated and set aside for cases of residential student self-isolation.

We will continue to implement and modify cleaning protocols to address COVID-19 in the interest of minimizing the spread of disease. The College will educate and inform residential students on the appropriate cleaning protocols within their assigned spaces to reduce the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 within campus housing

SVA Facilities will consistently disinfect “high touch surfaces and areas” within Residence Hall common areas including, but not limited to the below list:

● Door handles, push bars and knobs

● Light switches

● Handrails

● Elevator buttons

● Common restroom stalls, sinks, faucets and dispensers

● Vending machines 

● Common kitchens: refrigerators, stoves/ovens, appliance handles, cabinets and file drawer handles

● Security desks

Students will be expected to:

• Wipe down surfaces within their private bathrooms and kitchen/kitchenettes after each use as well as surfaces and appliances in common area kitchens and lounges 
• Follow public guidance regarding proper and frequent hand washing upon returning to their rooms/suites.