COVID-19 Thanksgiving Holiday Testing Procedures

Due to the steady rise of positive COVID-19 cases, Governor Cuomo has urged Colleges and Universities to more aggressively test both residential and non-residential students prior to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to contain the spread of any positive cases as many students return home for the holiday weekend.

MANDATORY TESTING REQUIRED FOR RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS PRIOR TO THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY WEEKEND

At the request of the Governor, all residential and non-residential students who have been on campus are required to provide a COVID-19 test prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. This test is to avoid potential positive cases of COVID-19 being spread to family and friends over the Holiday Weekend. 

Therefore, starting today, all students who have been on campus or living in the residence hall must be tested and submit their results by no later than 11/24/2020 to covidreporthr@cooper.edu. COVID-19 tests taken earlier in the month will not be accepted for this testing cycle.

Any student who tests positive will be allowed to isolate at home and/or follow any guidance from New York Test and Trace.

Any student who wishes to return to campus after the Thanksgiving Holiday and has not provided the college with a COVID-19 test taken between 11/10/2020 and 11/24/2020 will not be permitted to return to campus for the rest of the Fall Semester.  (Students living in the Residence Hall should follow the procedures provided by Student Affairs.)

RETURNING TO CAMPUS AFTER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND

STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF WHO TRAVELED TO AN AREA OTHER THAN NEW JERSEY, CONNECTICUT OR PENNSYLVANIA OVER THE HOLIDAY:

Anyone who spends the holiday weekend in a place other New Jersey, Connecticut or Pennsylvania, will be required to quarantine for 14 days or follow the following guidelines:

  • must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York.
  • The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
  • On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests comes back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.

SUBMIT YOUR DECEMBER PCR COVID-19 TEST 11/30/2020 – 12/5/2020

Everyone who wishes to return to campus for the month of December must acquire their monthly test at an independent testing location and send the results to covidreporthr@cooper.edu.

RAPID TESTING ON CAMPUS

The College is in the process of acquiring rapid tests and a health partner to administer rapid tests on campus. A healthcare professional will be on site each day to administer rapid tests after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. We will be sending out more information regarding on-campus rapid testing next week.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.