Dear GSAS students,
I hope you all have managed to experience some degree of relaxation during this extraordinary summer, and I am excited for you to renew or continue your studies and research this fall. As you prepare for the coming academic year, please take note of important information regarding the following topics:
Quarantine
All students who will be arriving in New York from international points of departure or from states designated by New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as “restricted”—or who have spent time in such places during the 14 days prior to their departure—must quarantine in New York for two weeks before entering any NYU academic or administrative building. While students departing from states outside of the tri-state area that are not on the "restricted" list are not required to quarantine, it is strongly recommended that they do so.
Ideally, if you fall into this category, you would have arrived in New York on August 18 or 19, so that your quarantine period would conclude before the start of fall semester classes. Because many students are unable to arrange such an early arrival, however, the Graduate School is urging faculty members to be as accommodating as possible to GSAS students who will be in quarantine and thus unable to attend in-person classes for the first two weeks of the semester. Please consult with your instructors and, if necessary, with your Director of Graduate Studies for guidance in this regard.
Coronavirus Testing
Students who are coming from beyond the tri-state area or who have spent time outside the tri-state area within the 14 days prior to their departure must be tested for the coronavirus within 24 hours of their arrival in New York City, and then again 7 to 10 days later (during their mandatory quarantine period). Information on testing requirements and protocols can be found here.
Access to NYU Campus Grounds and Buildings
Any member of the NYU community wishing to enter an NYU building will be required to complete a COVID-19 Screening Questionnaire on each day of intended entry; once they have gained access, all community members must wear acceptable face coverings and maintain appropriate physical distancing. Additionally, access to NYU premises by visitors from beyond the University community will be limited until further notice. Details on these policies can be found here.
In-Person GSAS Student Service Hours
Having operated fully offsite for the past 5-1/2 months, GSAS is well equipped to handle any student concern remotely, and students will have their needs addressed most expeditiously if they contact us through the phone numbers and email addresses listed here.
With the start of the fall semester, a fraction of GSAS staff members will once again be working onsite in the Graduate School offices, and beginning September 2, we will be available to field inquiries from student visitors via intercom at 6 Washington Square North, on a limited schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10am to 2pm.
GSAS personnel on intercom duty will be able to direct students to the staff member best positioned to help them (who may well be working remotely), or to admit students to the offices at 6 Washington Square North for in-person assistance, provided they have been cleared for entry through the COVID-19 Daily Screener and show proof of this to GSAS staff via the building's exterior video monitor.
As always, you are more than welcome to email me with any questions or concerns you may have. Please enjoy the remainder of the summer, and stay safe as we head into the academic year!
All best,
Phil Harper