On this page, you will find answers to Frequently Asked Questions about MSM's Fall Reopening.
A survey has been sent to all new and continuing students. Your responses are due July 23. Musical Theatre students must commit to Track A or D. If you have already submitted the survey and need to change your track, please email studentengagement@msmnyc.edu.
No.
You should select the track based on your estimation of your safe arrival in New York City.
We do not advise leaving the New York City area based on quarantine requirements that may be in place at any given time. This includes the Thanksgiving Holiday.
MSM is still evaluating whether or not classes will be in session the day before and day after Thanksgiving. Aside from those days, there will be no break in the Fall 2020 semester.
MSM’s policies will continue to evolve based on local, state, and federal guidance.
Yes. Please select Track D.
All plans are subject to change as the pandemic evolves and as federal, state, and local guidelines are updated.
Because we have limited elevator space and need to ensure physical distancing, parents and other family members must remain outside of Andersen Hall. They can help unload into the provided moving carts that their student will bring upstairs. We will have students available to help with move-in.
Residence hall roommates will be treated as a family unit that does not require social distancing. Everyone will be otherwise required to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines.
Tracks A and B include the same number of weeks in the residence hall. Students who elect Track C will be released from any residence hall agreement commitments they have made and will be given information about how to apply for spring semester housing and the associated costs later in the fall semester. Housing is not guaranteed for students who elect Track C. Freshmen and Sophomores will be given first priority for any empty beds.
Your housing assignments are now available to be reviewed on your e-RezLife account. Go ahead and sign in, you will find your housing information on the sidebar of your home page. If you have a roommate, their information will be available for you to see.
If you are in a double room but do not have any roommate information, you do not have a roommate at this time. One may be assigned to you before move-in or at any point throughout the year.
Changes to your request can be made at any time, and we will accommodate them as best we can.
MSM is committed to creating a culture of buy-in to our COVID-19-era policies, including social distancing. MSM staff and the Andersen Hall RA team will remain vigilant in correcting violations of physical distancing guidelines when they are observed. Students who habitually violate these guidelines may be subject to removal from campus to complete their semester in an online-only format.
Andersen Hall Residents can report any violations of physical distancing guidelines to Residence Life Staff so that appropriate action can be taken. This could include reassigning roommates or removal of a resident from campus to complete their semester in an online-only format.
This year, please pack light. We recommend students only bring what will fit in 2 suitcases and a book bag. We encourage you to purchase room furnishings (lamps, linen, tapestries, etc) that you wouldn’t be heartbroken leaving if you needed to. We hope we will never have to evacuate the building, but we want you to be as prepared as possible. With the exception of students arriving by car on September 3-5, students are encouraged to bring the minimum necessary and to then have the rest of their belongings shipped to arrive AFTER they take possession of their room in Andersen Hall. New students will soon get an e-mail that will elaborate on what to bring and what not to bring to Andersen. Here’s a reminder of our Housing & Residence Life Policies if you need them.
You are welcome to start shipping items to Andersen Hall after August 29th. Please mail your packages to yourself:
First Name Last Name 136 Claremont Ave, Apt (Room #) New York, NY 10027
If you are an Andersen Hall Resident, please complete this survey with your move in plans and requirements by August 16th. In the survey, you will get a link to sign up for your move in date and time depending on where you are traveling from.
You may be asked to arrive as early as Monday, August 24th if you have a quarantine requirement. If you’re unsure of whether or not you will need to quarantine, click here to view New York’s current guidelines.
Students should plan to arrive before the start of their in-person classes, taking into account any quarantine requirements that may be in place at that time. International students may not arrive more than 30 days before the start date on their I 20.
All students (residential or commuter) will be required to test for COVID-19 before travel to MSM, ideally taken in the 10 days before travel. If students travel by airplane or other public mode of transportation they will be required to test again 7-9 days after their arrival at MSM.
Students in track A that have a requirement to quarantine should plan to arrive in New York City on August 24th (14 days prior to starting in-person instruction). 14-day quarantine requirements will be determined by state and federal health agencies in accordance with the state from which a student is traveling. New York’s current guidelines can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
All students in Track A who plan to live in Andersen Hall must complete this survey with your move in plans and requirements by August 16th. In the survey, you will get a link to sign up for your move in date and time depending on where you are traveling from.
These guidelines differ for students who are staying in Andersen and those that will live off campus.
International students who are able to travel to the United States should take a COVID-19 test approximately 10 days before traveling if possible. It is important to take action in advance to locate a testing center and inform yourself of lab turnaround times in your area so you can test as close to departure as possible. You should plan to arrive at MSM on August 29th or August 30th (no students will be allowed to arrive to Andersen Hall before August 29th). International travelers are not required to quarantine, but we are encouraging arriving international students to limit their interactions in Andersen Hall until they can get tested on or about Saturday, September 5th to fit with the guidelines of testing 7-9 days after arrival.
Domestic students will fall into 3 categories, depending on where they are arriving from and the means by which they will travel to MSM. For the most up to date information on quarantine requirements in New York State, visit: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
We are actively working on a solution for this!
No, but tuition has been frozen at last year’s rate instead of increasing for this year. While many people assume that it is cheaper for a school to deliver courses online, it will actually cost MSM more to educate our students this coming year for the same tuition as last year. MSM has made significant investments in providing digital resources and enhanced internet to address the hybrid and online teaching that will occur this year.
August 10, 2020
February 1, 2021
Most academic courses will take place online. Some in-person academic courses may be made available as space and safety permit.
Yes, practice rooms will be available for both resident and commuter students. There will be specific guidelines and rules in place for both scheduling and utilizing practice rooms. Reservations are required for all practice room and classroom use for personal practice or group rehearsals. Due to social distancing and air exchange turnover, there will be “downtime” between use of practice rooms.
Some common areas will be made available with social distancing guidelines in place. Wearing a mask is mandatory anywhere on campus outside of your dorm room.
We are considering all options based on current research and guidelines.
Generally UG students are not able to defer for just one semester due to course sequencing. Please be in touch with your Admissions Counselor if you wish to defer.
It is our intent to offer jazz combos in rooms that allow for appropriate social distancing between players. With current guidance, we will not be able to gather in ensembles larger than 10 people, so big bands will not be possible in a traditional format. We are considering the use of outdoor spaces for something like a New Orleans style brass band, for instance, as well as technology-based projects that can be completed remotely individually or in smaller groups.
Yes; guidelines will be put in place based on the most current research related to each type of instrument.
It is unlikely that we will be able to hold a full 25-person dance class in person, but we are considering hybrid options where students would rotate being in the class in person while others join via Zoom.
For coaches that are able and willing to be present on campus, it is our hope that all ensembles will be able to meet in rooms with their coach.
Current guidance does not allow for ensembles of larger than 10 people to meet together indoors, so traditional large ensembles will not be possible until guidelines change. We will be working with each department to identify ways to supplement small group activities with additional opportunities for students to gain skills and experience related to large ensemble work. These may include small group readings, excerpt classes, mock auditions, outdoor large ensemble activities, among others.
We would be happy to entertain these proposals on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to the Dean of Performance and Production Operations (Henry Valoris, hvaloris@msmnyc.edu) to discuss your specific situation. It is expected that any group meeting in another city will follow all local safety laws and guidelines for meeting in their location.
We are considering several options, including gathering performing students in person with others joining via Zoom, or online studio classes with recorded performances sent in advance. There are obviously positives and negatives to any option, and we hope to be able to offer each studio the ability to choose format(s) that meet their needs.
Some students will be evaluated during the first week of academic classes to determine appropriate placement. More information regarding qualifying/placement exams, some of which may be given remotely in August, will be sent out in the next weeks.
New student orientation will take place primarily online. Emails describing orientation will be coming soon!
Students with specific tracks and grids will be pre-registered for required courses. Students will have Zoom appointments to work with the Office of Registrar to complete their schedules. The registrar will notify students when their schedules are available to be viewed.
Yes
Yes, but those opportunities may be reduced. We are still evaluating how much work might be available due to enhanced safety concerns and social distancing guidelines.
No, we will be relying on the City and private facilities such as City MD. The MSM Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) covers COVID-19 testing.
Testing is currently available in our immediate neighborhood through several sources (public and private). Testing is a shifting landscape; we will have specific recommendations closer to August 24th.
The MSM Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) will cover COVID-19 on the same basis it covers any illness. If you are a domestic student who plan to waive the MSM health insurance, please check with your carrier for information about COVID-19 coverage.
No. Temperature taking will be self-administered and reported through the Envoy App.
Yes. Please see arrival guidelines above.
130 Claremont Avenue New York, New York 10027 212-749-2802
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