I hope this message finds you well and enjoying your summer. To say that we are excited to bring everyone back to campus this year is a significant understatement. These past 16+ months have been hard on all of us in so many ways—some common and some deeply personal—and we cannot wait to be physically together as a community to lift each other up and celebrate all that we are! 

As you begin to actively plan for your arrival on campus, we’d like to provide you with some resources that focus on the transition from high school to college through the lens of your well-being. Topics to consider are the changes in your relationships with your family and friends from high school, building new relationships, forging new friendships, managing your personal physical and mental health needs as you transition into collegiate learning, understanding independence, developing and maintaining healthy habits, and managing college-level academic pressures. 

The Cooper Union has partnered with the Jed Foundation (JED) and is a proud member of the JED Campus Program. As part of our work with JED, we ask that all of our incoming students review the materials provided as part of JED’s Set To Go program. This program provides a series of topics for students and their families to discuss and review as they plan for the transition from high school to college. 

Over the coming weeks, we hope you’ll take time to review these materials and begin to work through these important topics as you start your transition to The Cooper Union.

There have been some questions that have come up with some frequency, so we wanted to take a moment to address some of these matters here for everyone: 

COVID Vaccine Requirements – The Cooper Union will require all students, faculty, and staff, except for those with a medical or religious exemption, to be vaccinated with an FDA-authorized or World Health Organization (WHO)-listed vaccine. See the vaccine requirement announcement for more details. 

Student Health Insurance – Information about Cooper Union’s student health insurance plan will come out later this summer. All students must have health insurance that is valid and usable in New York City and compliant within the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. If you have your own coverage and wish to waive the Cooper Union coverage, you will be provided instructions on how to do so in August. 

Student Health Forms – The due date for submitting student health and immunization records has passed. Any outstanding forms should be emailed to Eric Conley at eric.conley@cooper.edu as soon as possible. 

Student ID Cards – Information about student ID cards was emailed a couple weeks ago. Any questions about student ID cards should be addressed to Thomas Tresselt at thomas.tresselt@cooper.edu. 

Fall 2021 Course Selection and Schedule – New students will have their fall 2021 academic schedule generated automatically. Schedules will be available later this summer. Academic questions should be addressed as follows: 

• School of Architecture – Academic Administrator, Monica Shapiro, monica.shapiro@cooper.edu 
• School of Art – Assistant Dean Frances Green, frances.green@cooper.edu  
• School of Engineering – Associate Dean Ruben Savizky, ruben.savizky@cooper.edu

Welcome Week – Our on-campus Welcome Week for new students will begin on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. Additional details along with a schedule of events will be sent out the week of July 26. 

Student Housing – Students living in our Student Residence Hall should already be in communication with our Residence Life team. The Residence Hall move in is scheduled for Tuesday, August 24, 2021, beginning at 9 am EST. Please refer to the information provided to you by the Office of Residence Life. Any questions should be addressed to reslife@cooper.edu.