By Matt Hirsch and Gabriela Flores
After over a year of mostly remote learning, classes in the spring 2022 semester at Brooklyn College will be 70 percent in-person, according to an email from BC President Michelle Anderson. Only 30 percent will either be online or hybrid.
In the email, Anderson mentions that 70 unvaccinated students have been officially withdrawn from in-person classes. However, if they choose to get vaccinated in the future, the WA grade can be reversed.
The final deadline for those without a medical or religious exemption to upload their vaccine verification to CUNYFirst is Jan. 18, ten days before the spring semester’s start. Unvaccinated students without exemptions are not allowed on campus, per CUNY’s vaccine mandate. Though COVID tests were readily available for all unvaccinated students at the fall’s start, the university is now only granting those with approved religious or medical reasons access to on-campus testing facilities.
Faculty that remain unvaccinated are subject to weekly COVID tests, with strict contact-tracing protocols in place to quickly inform someone if they’ve been exposed to COVID.
The vaccination, masking, and contact tracing mandates have been largely effective. There have only been 17 cases of COVID of over 5,000 tested, according to CUNY’s website.
As the fall 2021 semester comes to an end, Anderson noted how the heavy workload can impact students’ health.
“As you all know, November is when the academic work of the fall semester peaks. It can be stressful and take a toll on our health. If you feel ill or come down with symptoms of anything—from the common cold to COVID— please do not come to campus,” read the email. “As we fly through the work in front of us, please don’t forget to take care of yourself and your loved ones.”