The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/ryan-lombardi/)
Cornell announces new consequences for missing required surveillance tests, including a hold on class enrollment and losing access to campus facilities.
Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi announced that Cornell has returned to COVID-19 alert level green in a Monday morning email.
The University reiterated its travel and visitor policy for students planning to return to Ithaca after Thanksgiving.
On Thursday — the second day of classes — Cornell entered a yellow alert level, indicating a low to moderate risk level. There are now 47 total active cases on campus and 61 active cases in Tompkins County.
On Friday, Tompkins County Health Department identified the first cluster of COVID-19 cases at Cornell, following several small social gatherings where people did not social distance or wear masks. The county now has 18 active cases.
The Sun spoke with President Martha Pollack, Provost Michael Kotlikoff, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi, Vice President of Facilities and Campus Services Rick Burgess, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Presidential Advisor for Diversity and Equity Avery August and Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina about Cornell’s reopening plan and anti-racism initiatives.
Let me start by saying that I have great respect for anybody who has to take responsibility for the lives of others during this pandemic.
The latest two administration emails responded to criticisms of Cornell’s reactivation plan and revealed the behavioral compact.
With classes starting in a little over a month, administrators explained in a Friday town hall why Cornell suddenly backtracked its promise to provide quarantine accommodations for all students living on campus.
“I do think that Cornell made a really good decision based on the information we had and have available to us,” said Ryan Lombardi, who is the Vice President for Student and Campus Life. “Having said that, I will say we’re paying close attention to what’s happening around the country and, and that it gives us concern.”