NYU announced this week that it will not comply with guidelines set by the state of New York that urge academic institutions to suspend in-person classes if 100 people test positive for coronavirus. Although New York University crossed the threshold at its Washington Square campus, NYU has decided to continue with in-person classes, justifying the move with its low overall positive test rate of 0.5 percent.
According to a report by Gothamist, NYU plans to continue with in-person classes despite a small spike in positive coronavirus tests on campus. 101 members of the Washington Square campus community have tested positive for the virus in the past two weeks.
Breitbart News reported this week that Syracuse University paused in-person campus activities after a similar spike in positive cases that was traced to an off-campus social gathering. 45 members of the community tested positive for the virus shortly after the social gathering, although only some of the positives can be traced to the party.
In a letter to the community, NYU said that it will continue with in-person classes due to the school’s low overall positive test rate of 0.5 percent. The university claims that the decision was based on guidance from state officials.
Accordingly, we have been in touch with NYS authorities. Based on our overall conditions — primarily our low positivity rate, which is significantly lower than the area surrounding the school, and the robust program of testing — the State has advised that at this point we should continue to carry on as we have been, and do not at this point have to pivot to remote instruction. Schools, units, and individual faculty members should not independently make changes in instruction or other operations.
NYU has taken action to mitigate the spread of the virus on campus. In September, university officials shut down a freshman dorm building after four students tested positive for the virus.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more campus updates.