The State University of New York is working on a plan to quarantine hundreds of returning study-abroad students on several campuses, and it might include the College at Brockport.
The two-week quarantines would affect people returning from certain countries that were hit hard by novel coronavirus outbreaks.
A statement Friday from college spokesperson John Follaco said Brockport is one of the locations being considered because it has “the facilities, services, technology, clinical and general staffing capabilities to accommodate NYS Department of Health quarantine guidelines. However, we won’t know if our campus will be utilized until we get a final determination from SUNY depending on the number of students that select the dormitory option.”
Follaco also said that Brockport can accommodate 95 students in Gordon Hall, and students have the option to go into quarantine at home or in the dorms.
Buffalo State College and SUNY Stony Brook are also under consideration.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said he was told about the possibility Wednesday by SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson’s office. But Bello said he had already heard about it in the news.
“I expressed some disappointment that I first heard about this through media reports. I think we’re still waiting for some additional information from them about what to expect,” said Bello. “The SUNY system is prepared, according to them, to take care of the students' day-to-day needs inside that building and make sure the building is secure."
He said the chancellor’s representatives told him that they’re preparing to take care of the students' day-to-day needs.
"The Monroe County Department of Health is working to understand more details about what that is because we would ultimately be responsible for the day-to-day health of those students.”
Johnson visited the Brockport campus Thursday. She said the university system is arranging charter flights for hundreds of students in China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, and Italy.
“We’re making all the logistical arrangements that we can as soon as possible,” Johnson said.
Bello said SUNY has told him that any students brought back would have been tested for the virus and symptom-free.
He also said he’s been assured by SUNY leadership that they will be more transparent about their process going forward.
