Important reminders if COVID-19 keeps you out of class

09/15/2021 

Dear students, 

My office has received several questions from students asking what to do about their classwork if they are absent because of COVID-19. The simple answer is, treat it like you would any other absence due to an illness or an accident, as outlined in SUNY Cortland’s College Catalog.

If you are absent for a few days because you have COVID-19 symptoms and are self-isolating while awaiting testing or results, you should: 

• Notify each of your instructors individually. During this time, work with your instructors to make up anything you missed. It is your responsibility, not your instructor’s. 
• Remember, you cannot simply not go to class because you feel sick and then return when you feel better. If you have any symptoms, even minor ones, you must immediately arrange for testing.
  

If you have a positive COVID-19 test and must enter isolation, or are not fully vaccinated and are identified as having been in close contact with someone who tested positive and must enter quarantine, you should:

• Contact your instructors directly and work with them to make up work you will miss while out of class. They are not expected to provide online or synchronous instruction for students in isolation or quarantine, but they may be able to provide handouts, slides, or other material you can use to make up missed work.
• Check your syllabus to see what work you are missing. 
• Reach out to classmates about getting notes from classes you’ve missed. 
• Schedule a phone or virtual appointment during your instructor’s office hours to go over missed material or work.  
• Schedule a virtual appointment at the Learning Center or the Writing Center to help you stay on track with your assignments. 

It is my sincere hope that you stay healthy through the semester and never need to refer to these guidelines. Please know that your faculty and staff are here to support you.  

All the best,  

Erik J. Bitterbaum
President