Elmira College

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Unprecedented Fall Brings Cautious Optimism

Elmira, NY (09/02/2020) — Elmira College students, new and returning, moved on to campus over the past week amidst a flurry of virtual and physically distanced activities. The Class of 2024 enjoyed traditional activities like the President's Welcome, Candlelight, and the Banner Ceremony as part of their Fall Orientation, while returning students moved into their residence halls and reconnected with friends, many of whom they had not seen since leaving campus in early March, due to the coronavirus.

In total, the College welcomed more than 750 students to campus in preparation for the first day of in-person classes on August 31.

"We were pleased to see the majority of our upperclassmen returning to campus this fall to join our 200 incoming students," said Dr. Elizabeth Lambert, vice president of enrollment management and student life. "The coronavirus has had an impact on so many families, and while we did see some students change their Fall 2020 plans, the majority of our students chose to return to campus."

The College utilized the summer months to plan and prepare to reopen for in-person classes. Reopening Guidelines, detailing the College's safety protocols related to the coronavirus, were posted to the College's website in early August and continue to be updated as New York State and local health guidelines change.

"While we are located in a geographic area that has avoided significant infection, the health and safety of our entire campus community is a top priority," said Dr. Charles Lindsay, president of Elmira College. "Planning has resulted in an informed, well thought-out plan that adopts the latest guidelines from health care officials while offering maximum flexibility should our understanding of the COVID-19 virus shift. As New York State and local health guidelines change, we will work with our community partners to adapt and meet those guidelines."

While, like many small, traditional colleges, operations at Elmira College have been significantly impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic, Lindsay is optimistic for the future.

"Elmira College is facing the same challenges that many of our peer institutions are facing," said Lindsay. "Already tight budgets were strained even more as we adjusted for the coronavirus and invested in technology to ensure we could serve our entire student body and maintain safe learning and working environments for everyone. However, as we welcomed our students to campus this past week, there was a palpable sense of optimism and excitement. Our small class sizes and close-knit community allow us more flexibility in providing physically distanced learning environments than some larger institutions can. And our close-knit community provides a chance for personalized attention for students and a true sense of looking out for each other to help ensure the health and safety of the entire campus community."

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Elmira College students, new and returning, moved on to campus over the past week amidst a flurry of virtual and physically distanced activities.

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