Newsletter FOSN July 21, 2020

Prepare Your Student

Safety and Opening Plans
RIT has unveiled two plans that outline the actions RIT and its individual community members must take for a safe, productive, and meaningful Fall 2020 semester. Please read and refer your student to the RIT Safety Plan. Faculty, staff, students, and visitors are expected to fully comply with the provisions of this Safety Plan and other policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to protect the health and safety of all individuals on the RIT campus.

For more detailed information, please review the full RIT Ready: Fall 2020 Reopening Plan.

In particular, please note the following:

• All students are responsible for getting a COVID-19 test prior to coming to campus and must provide evidence of a negative result. Students will not be permitted to circulate on campus until a test is taken and submitted to the Student Health Center. Please review the Testing, Quarantine, and Contact Tracing FAQs for details.
• Individuals coming into New York from many states are required to complete a 14-day quarantine before circulating among the community. We are awaiting further guidance from state officials on the quarantine implementation for RIT and we will communicate with all students as soon as more details are available. Individuals returning from areas with significant community spread of COVID-19 will be required to take an additional test upon their return to campus.
• Students must complete the RIT Daily Health Screening every day, seven days a week, whether or not they are coming to campus.
• Visitors will be allowed at RIT but not in RIT housing at this time. All visitors are expected to comply with applicable laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the requirements of this plan and the RIT Safety Plan. This includes utilization of the Daily Health Screen prior to coming on campus.

RIT Ready Pledge
We all—students, staff, faculty, and Tiger families—play a role in keeping our RIT community healthy and safe against the spread of COVID-19. The RIT Ready Pledge asks community members to pledge to:

• Protect myself and others by:
  • Wearing a mask
  • Washing my hands frequently
  • Watching my physical distance
• Prevent the spread by:
  • Practicing daily self-care
  • Keeping shared spaces clean
  • Contacting a health care provider if I have any COVID-19 symptoms
  • Staying home when I feel sick
• Prepare and plan ahead by:
  • Adhering to RIT guidelines
  • Following directional signage throughout campus
  • Keeping important supplies with me at all times – mask and hand sanitizer
  • Finding ways to be together socially, while physically distant

Please review the pledge with your student and stress the importance of doing their part to keep RIT safe! 

Packing Lists
As you prepare your student for life at RIT, please refer to the what to bring checklist as your student is packing. Be sure they pack required forms of identification—students are required to provide a photo ID to obtain a bank account, University ID Card, and Employment Eligibility Card.

Remember that your student won’t need as many things as you might think—it’s important to pack light and minimally!

Advice from a current RIT parent:
“Don't stress if everything isn't "perfect" in the packing phase. They need much less "stuff" than we think that they need.”

Student Orientation
Orientation for incoming residential students will begin at 8 p.m. on the day that they move in (no matter what day they move in). Incoming commuter students will begin Orientation on at 9 a.m. on August 16. Please account for this as you make your plans to say goodbye to your student on their move-in day. You can find core Orientation events on the Orientation website; the full schedule will be added soon. The schedule will continue to be finalized and students will be receiving information about how to find and use the schedule app.

Today's Parent Tips

Family Orientation—Campus Safety
Along with these newsletters and upcoming opportunities, we are happy to share our 2020 Family Orientation video series. Each week, we will share interviews with RIT staff that will introduce you to campus resources and life on campus. We hope that these videos not only help you understand the support systems available at RIT, but open conversations with your student about what to expect in the fall.

Join me this week as I chat with Lieutenant Jake Griffin about Safety on Campus.

Tiger Parent Talks
Tiger Parent Talks are a way for parents to connect with one another, share your experiences, and build community among RIT parents. In these upcoming talks, join other parents of incoming students to talk about your preparations for life at RIT, including how you have been spending your summer, how students are saying goodbye to high school friends, packing tips, and what you are excited about for the fall.

Please note that Tiger Parent Talks are not informational sessions, but rather community building for parents.

Click on the date to register for an event:

• Tuesday, July 28
• Thursday, July 30

Participants will receive the link to join the call and more information the morning of the event.

FERPA
Up until now, you have had access to your student’s grades, assignments, and educational records. Upon enrolling in college, however, students are in control of these records according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Educational records include academic records, testing data, disciplinary records, and financial information.

While RIT staff and faculty cannot have conversations with parents about educational information without a signed consent form, we are typically able to answer your questions with general information about RIT policies and procedures. Further, many RIT staff members will ask that conversations with parents also include students, opening the communication to all involved parties.

For more information, visit the Parent & Family Programs website.

Campus Safety
While RIT is seen as a very safe campus, students need to remain aware of safety concerns and available resources. Please talk to your student about how to stay safe on campus: not to walk alone at night; not to carry valuables; lock their residence hall door; keep an eye on belongings when out; and pay attention to their surroundings. Students can also download the Tiger Safe app, which allows students access to an emergency button, Public Safety phone numbers, escort services, lock services, and more.

Ask Your Student About...

Have you heard about the RIT Ready Pledge?
Remind your student about the pledge and discuss the importance of following the guidelines that will help keep our community safe.

How can you say goodbye to your high school friends while practicing physical distancing?
Please remember that we are asking all members of the RIT community to limit their interactions with others (as able) two weeks prior to coming to campus. We know students will have to say goodbye—have conversations now about doing this early or coming up with ideas for distanced goodbyes!