ALISA OPPENHEIMER
News Editor
As we reach the end of another week in Fredonia, in-person classes are still in session.
With of course, restrictions, guidelines, precautions and new rules that go along with being a SUNY school in the middle of a pandemic.
But compared to various other SUNY schools, it can be said that Fredonia isn’t doing too bad right now.
There are more than a handful of SUNY’s that were required to pause all in-person classes this semester due to their rapid rate in increasing positive COVID cases.
Cortland, Oswego, Oneonta and Binghamton are some of these schools.
This isn’t to say Fredonia has had a grip on the virus this entire semester, and it’s completely evident we’ve had big bumps in the road.
But more recently, our COVID status has remained pretty stagnant.
With the increase in administered pool tests, this past week revealed a total of zero positive cases out of 375 students tested.
The week prior to that also revealed a total of zero positive cases out of 357 students, both encouraging outcomes.
Whether these results have something to do with Fredonia’s necessary increase in vigilance and communication, or their increase in the number of students selected for pool testing is unknown.
With that said, Fredonia continues to make changes to their pool testing system.
Just this week, a message was sent to the campus-community from Fredonia’s surveillance testing administrator regarding the recent updates to expanded pool testing starting on Monday, Oct. 19.
In the email, emergency planning coordinator Charles Holder wrote:
“We will no longer conduct once-a-week random testing. Instead, a weekly testing schedule has been developed to ensure all members of the campus community are included.”
On the schedule webpage, tabs are broken up by four different schedules in categories depending on your individual circumstance. These include a day-to-day schedule for a complete overview of that coming week, a schedule by residence hall for students living on campus, a schedule by last name for off-campus students and an employee schedule.
While students in the past have had to wait upon that dreaded email that they’ve been randomly chosen, now they are encouraged to seek out their own anticipated time and date via the weekly testing schedule provided online.
“[Students] will receive an email prior to [their] scheduled date with more detailed information,” said Holder.
The campus-wide email also provided the number and link to a local pool testing hotline, for anyone in search of more information on the topic and process.
The number is (716) 680-6073, or students can send an email to pooltesting@fredonia.edu.
President Kolison also addressed this recent change to pool testing scheduling in his weekly Thursday update on Oct. 15.
“As you may know, we all (students, faculty, and staff who come to campus) need to participate,” said Kolison.
As of this last 14-day period of Oct. 10 to Oct. 23, Fredonia’s COVID Dashboard indicates that we currently have an estimation of 4 positive cases.
In order to maintain the progress we’ve made through the current pandemic, our entire campus-community must stay cautious and accountable.
It is vital for all members of the community to check their next scheduled time and date for pool testing.
For more information regarding COVID-19 on our campus, students can utilize the following resources: