COVID-19 Response COVID-19 Response

Student & Campus Life announces resources

March 11, 2020

Dear Cornellians:

Like you, I am still processing the unprecedented events that are unfolding at institutions of higher education across the U.S. and here at our beloved Cornell. It is not what any of us could have predicted or hoped for, but it is our reality right now and we will make the best of it.

I understand and appreciate the emotions you are likely feeling about all of this – anxiety, sadness, frustration, and many more. I share many of them. While we have a bit of time to prepare for this transition, we are using it wisely to find answers and solutions to many of your questions that remain. Below are a few of the immediate steps we are taking:

  • I have asked all staff in the Division of Student & Campus Life to be available to you during this transition – to answer questions, provide support, or just to listen, laugh, and cry together. We span the campus broadly – from campus activities, to 626, to staff in residence halls, dining halls, Greek organizations, to our outstanding therapists and clinical staff at Cornell Health, and many more – we are here for you now and always. Please seek us out during these coming weeks. We will make ourselves visible and present, as well – starting tonight at the West Campus House dinners.
  • I realize that many of you have specific questions that are unique to your situation. I have listed a number of resources below and encourage you to use them in the coming weeks as you make plans and determine the best steps for your situation.
  • All on-campus residents received an email today asking about your housing and dining needs. We ask that you please complete the survey by Friday, March 13, however, it will remain accessible until Sunday, March 15 at noon. We realize that for some students, financial hardship may be a barrier to going to another place of residence for the remainder of the semester. The Access Fund may be a resource for undergraduate students who need financial support for travel. Please email the accessfund@cornell.edu for more information.
  • Our SCL team is continuously providing updates to the FAQ on Cornell’s coronavirus updates website. I encourage you to check this page frequently, as we are updating as quickly as possible with new information.

Finally, and most importantly, this is the time more than ever to take care of each other. We are, and always will be, linked by being together at Cornell in this moment. We need to withhold judgement and seek to understand and support each other. Please recognize that each of us has our own story and is impacted differently by the changing events around us. Honor all of these perspectives, because after all they are what make Cornell so beautiful.

Sincerely,

Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student & Campus Life

P.S. My promise to you is that we will communicate with you often as we have updates and new information to share. In the meantime, I encourage you to reach out to these campus resources as needed: