Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
I hope you have had a good start to the spring term, and I look forward to seeing those of you returning to in-person classes beginning on Monday. Our faculty and staff have been working hard to ensure that our campuses are ready for your arrival. Classrooms, common spaces and libraries are open in compliance with state and local safety guidelines. Please visit the dedicated OnCampus Plus website to read answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Although the continued rollout of vaccines is promising, we are still months away from widespread vaccination and from greeting one another again with unmasked smiles and hugs. It is imperative that we double-down on our precautions and remain vigilant in our day-to-day activities. Each and every one of us plays a role in ensuring that Mercy College can continue safe in-person instruction and student services. The MavCare Pledge lays out simple ways we can all participate in the continued health and safety of our community, such as consistently wearing a mask, keeping physical distance, and not participating in large gatherings. The scientific research tells us that your adherence to these strategies – both on and off campus – contributed to the low rates of infection within our community this fall.
For the spring, we increased the percentages of students, faculty and staff selected to participate in our mandatory random COVID-19 testing program. I appreciate your continued participation in this essential program.=
Finally, please know how grateful I am for the enormous contributions made by our faculty and staff throughout this unprecedented pandemic. By continuing to provide extraordinary service to our students, our colleagues, and our future students, Mercy remains a home – on our campuses and online – for so many. It is that way because of each of you.
I wish you all a successful and safe spring term.
Sincerely,
Tim Hall
President