Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

August 25, 2021

Message from the President

Vaccination Update

Dear NCCC Student,

On Monday, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. As a result, all Niagara County Community College students will  be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend in-person classes or receive any in-person services on campus in the fall semester. This is a state-mandated directive for all students attending any classes on-campus to be vaccinated. There is an up to 35-day grace period to allow students to provide proof of vaccination. All students must begin the process within the next 7 – 10 days to meet a September 27, 2021 deadline.

If you plan to get vaccinated, please do so right away to meet the September 27th deadline. Students not vaccinated or in receipt of an exemption will not be allowed on campus and dropped from in-person courses.

NCCC will offer free COVID vaccine clinics today (August 25th), 26th, 27th, and 30th on the Sanborn campus. The Department of Health will be in the Learning Commons today (August 25th), and August 30th from 10 am -2 pm, offering free COVID-19 vaccinations. Pre-registration is encouraged; however, walk-in participants will be accepted. To pre-register for today’s vaccine clinic or the one on August 30th, use the following link:
https://www.niagaracounty.com/Portals/4/Docs/NCDOH%20Clinic%20Schedule-UPDATED%202021%2008%2023.pdf. COVID shots will also be offered in the Wellness Center, Room C-122, on August 26th and 27th from 1 pm – 3 pm. No appointment is needed. If you have questions, please contact the NCCC Wellness Center at 716-614-6275.

Currently, students are the only group subject to the mandate. However, I encourage all NCCC faculty and staff to get vaccinated, and I will be working with our collective bargaining units to come to an agreement to require all employees to be fully vaccinated.

Some students may qualify for a medical or religious exemption. If you think you may be eligible, please request the exemption immediately. Exemption forms can be found on the College’s Wellness Center website https://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/wellness/ Exemptions must be approved by the College by the September 27th deadline.

Because of the recent rise in COVID cases due to the delta variant, NCCC has reintroduced the masking policy – requiring all people on campus (students, faculty, staff, visitors) to wear a face mask at all times while indoors. The only exception is when actively eating or alone in a private office or residential space. If COVID risks diminish, we will reevaluate the policy.

Because of SUNY’s new COVID Vaccine Policy, the College is modifying its tuition refund schedule for fall 2021 by extending the 100% refund period of tuition & fees through Sunday, September 5th. This means a student may withdraw from courses through September 5th without owing tuition & fees. Students dropped from classes for failure to meet the September 27th vaccination deadline will not be eligible for a refund. There are no other modifications to the refund schedule.

If you are interested in changing your schedule as a result of this new mandate, please contact the Student Success Center. (First Floor Learning Commons, 716-614-6290 ssc@niagaracc.suny.edu)

I am pleased that we have taken yet another step closer to ensuring our campus provides a safe learning environment for all students. Please know that these policies are subject to change based on federal, state, and local guidance. The health and safety of our campus community continue to be my highest priority.

I look forward to seeing you at the start of the semester and will continue to share updates.

COVID-19 Complaint Form

In an effort to ensure full compliance on campus with COVID-19 requirements, the college has created a form to report those who are not adhering to the requirements.

http://niagaracc.suny.edu/covidcomplaint/

COVID-19 Case Dashboard

Updated: October 20, 2021

Niagara County Community College is committed to transparency and immediacy when it comes to the health and well-being of the College community. This Dashboard will be refreshed every 24 hours, and – with respect for confidentiality – will report aggregate data concerning students, faculty, and staff.

If the College becomes aware that an individual is known to have been on campus tests positive for COVID-19, we will notify the Niagara County Health Department to identify and contact potentially impacted individuals.

For more information, please refer to the NCCC COVID-19 Campus Safety Information below.

Confirmed Positive Cases

Tests Performed (Indoor COVID testing site/Point of Care)

Guidelines for Mandatory Weekly COVID-19 Testing for NCCC Employees and Students On-campus

As a reminder, all Students, Staff, and Faculty are required to obtain a COVID-19 test each week.  Failure to comply will result in denial of entering into the building until a negative test is provided. The following dates/times are when the testing center will be open for testing:

Sanborn Campus: located in the Learning Commons

Monday – Thursday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Friday: 8:00am – 3:00pm

NFCI Campus:

Wednesday & Thursday: 10:00am – 6:00pm

If you have not registered yet, please do so prior to your testing, by logging on to register.suny-covid.com or Scan this QR Code to get started:

Here is a brief video on showing how to swab your mouth so you get familiar with the process:

What to expect on the day of testing:

• Anyone being tested must bring their campus ID and a personal electronic device.
• Do not eat or drink anything, including chewing gum, mints, or lozenges within 30 minutes of reporting to the collection site.
• Do not use mouthwash or brush your teeth within 3 hours of testing time.
• Abstain from smoking, vaping, or using smokeless tobacco products for 30 minutes prior to the test.

COVID-19 Campus Safety Information

Re-Opening Plan

Guiding Principles and Governance:

In alignment and conjunction with guidance provided by New York State, SUNY and our local county sponsor, NCCC’s re-opening plan is designed to ensure compliance with these agencies of oversight. We are leveraging information provided by the CDC, and state and local health departments, to ensure best practice is implemented across our organization. Our plan is based upon current conditions provided at the time of this plan construct. This plan is subject to change due to new information, guidance and/or direction from the state.

View the Re-Opening Plan.