Long Island colleges alter spring break plans in order to avoid COVID-19 issues

Farmingdale State College is taking a different approach. It will go ahead with spring break March 15-20, but when students return to campus, they will have to provide a COVID-19 test or the school will test them.

News 12 Staff

Nov 3, 2020, 3:26 AM

Updated 1,406 days ago

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COVID-19 fears have caused some area colleges to nix spring break, while others have opted to take different approaches.
Adelphi University, Hofstra University, St. Joseph's College, Molloy College and Stony Brook University are among those that have called off its spring break in an effort to avoid a repeat of last March, when students flocked to beaches and resorts as COVID-19 cases soared.
But colleges such as Adelphi and Hofstra have instead opted to give students and staff five days off sprinkled through the semester.
Farmingdale State College is taking a different approach. It will go ahead with spring break March 15-20, but when students return to campus, they will have to provide a COVID-19 test or the school will test them.
"Our health and wellness center will test them. We have tested 1,200 students since July and through that testing have come up with only one positive COVID result," says Patrick Calabria, of Farmingdale State College.
Farmingdale students who News 12 spoke to were happy with the plan, saying they deserve a break.
Suffolk Community College is also keeping its spring break, and New York Institute of Technology is taking its break at the end of March.
Nassau Community College is finalizing plans but hasn't made an announcement yet.