As Hunter College journalism students urgently turn their attention to documenting the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Journalism Program has launched this “Contagion Coverage 2020” page to showcase their work.
If you’re a Hunter student, faculty or staff member who wishes to share your stories or work about the pandemic, please email us at hunterjournalism@gmail.com.
Please come back regularly for updates. Thank you and stay safe!
— Rich Mendez & Kalli Siringas, co-editors
LIVE BLOG: Students Report Live on Coronavirus
May 5, By Students of Urban Health & Environment Reporting Class
Students in the Journalism Program’s Urban Health and Environment Reporting class produced a liveblogging report on New York’s COVID-19 pandemic on May 5, in a joint project of the non-profit news organization City Limits. For the two-hour news event, the team of a dozen reporters provided up-to-the-minute snapshots of the outbreak and its impacts from all five boroughs. VIEW LIVE EVENT.
VIDEO: Hunter Students Stay Strong
May 3, 2020, By Colleen Digney, Hunter News Now
Gym closures don’t stop our Hunter Hawks. Hunter Recreation hosts live exercise classes nearly every day of the week for not only athletes but all students at Hunter. VIEW VIDEO.
Furry, Feathery Friends Boost Students’ Mental Health During Quarantine
April 30, 2020, By Maria Puerta Hincapie, The Athenian
Hunter students are turning to their furry companions for stress and anxiety relief. “When I was going to school full-time and working part-time, I would be gone for close to 15 hours a day,” said Lael Manalo, a medical laboratory sciences student. “I would feel so down and suffer from panic attacks, but [my dogs] would pull me out of my misery.” READ MORE.
VIDEO: Getting Camera Ready During Quarantine
April 30, 2020, By Janet Hernandez, Hunter News Now
Celebrity makeup artist and brow expert Ramy Gafni visited our Studio News Production class before the coronavirus shutdown. Hear his tips for looking your best on-screen for Zoom meetings. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Hunter News Now’s Third Newscast
April 29, 2020, By Hunter News Now
In this edition of Hunter News Now: Federal Government Financial Assistance, Advising for Students, Census Outreach Change, USG Elections, Mental Health Consequences During Self Isolation, Scholar-Athlete of the Week, Makeup Advice for On Screen Appearance. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: USG Presidential Candidates Campaign On Social Media
April 29, 2020, By Afia Eama, Hunter News Now
This year’s USG candidates are unable to campaign on campus and are grabbing student’s attention on social media. Afia Eama spoke with this year’s presidential candidates Hardik Bhaskar and Adamma Chiamaka Ogbennaya about the tools they are utilizing to spread their message online. Also hear from current USG President Kamalpreet Kaur about why voting for your student representatives matters. Voting begins May 4th and lasts until May 7th. VIEW VIDEO.
Hunter Gets Creative During Quarantine
April 29, 2020, By Maria Puerta Hincapie, The Athenian
From gardening to sketching to releasing an EP on Spotify, the Hunter community is getting creative during the quarantine. As stay-at-home orders keep people inside throughout the United States, they are turning to mindful practices, focus, and creative challenges that can help them generate new ideas and feel more motivated, according to Harvard Business Review. READ MORE.
Home During The Coronavirus Pandemic
April 28, 2020, By Corey Holliday, The Athenian
Hunter College moved to distance learning more than a month ago. Students are no longer commuting to class or participating in on-campus activities. Online classes open up a lot of free time for many students. The extra time can now be used for anything that Hunter students desire. This photo essay displays how Hunter Students utilize their extra time. READ MORE.
State Financial Plan Spells Potential Doom for Higher Ed
April 27, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, The Envoy
New York State plans to cut spending on localities by $8.2 billion in fiscal year 2021, according to the state’s financial plan released on Saturday. Featured on the list of localities is higher education, which includes CUNY, its state equivalent SUNY and financial aid programs like the Tuition Assistance Program. Other institutions to be hit with budget cuts include K-12 schools, public transit and Medicaid. READ MORE.
COVID-19 Puts Hold on Students’ Futures as Summer Internships Get Canceled
April 24, 2020, By Maria Puerta Hincapie, The Athenian
COVID-19 related budget cuts have resulted in the shut down of nearly all businesses leaving 22 million people temporarily out of work and canceling about one million internship opportunities for students, according to a group estimate by Pay Our Interns. READ MORE.
Stuck at Home, Students Bake Away the Blues
April 24, 2020, By Anjor Khadilkar, The Envoy
As Hunter students enter another month of distance learning, many students say that it has been difficult to reconcile themselves with the routine and events that are missing from their lives. For most, only the essentials remain: classes (now entirely online), maintenance of basic hygiene (which seems questionable), and food. For some, this last daily essential has slowly become their saving grace. READ MORE.
Seven Predictions for a Post-COVID Society
April 22, 2020, By Sarah Bhawanidin, The Athenian
After a month of living in lockdown, the Hunter community can’t help but think ahead to what the new normal might look like. Here are their predictions: “Being more cautious with personal hygiene.” Jessica Lowell of the nursing program at Hunter takes the medical repercussions of this pandemic very seriously. She washes her hands frequently and sanitizes her groceries and cellphone. READ MORE.
USG Hosts Town Hall During Coronavirus Pandemic
April 22, 2020, By Melissa Lent, The Envoy
USG hosts a town hall meeting at least once a semester, and this one marked the first held during the coronavirus. Representatives shared information on delays with financial aid and bursar, online events, ideas for the postponed commencement and coronavirus-centered resources. They also answered student questions on new grading guidelines, professors who imposed strict exam policies and refunds for dorms, concerts and student activity fees. READ MORE.
Bingo! Hunter Students Use Social Media Game to Reconnect
April 22, 2020, By Natalie Rash, The Envoy
Isolated in our respective quarantine locations, Hunter students crave even the slightest bit of normalcy and a way to interact with their peers. Hunter College Bingo has become a fun way for students to reconnect and relate to each other to feel like campus life is still thriving. All over social media, students are posting Bingo cards with quippy Hunter College related content, marking off the squares that apply to them. READ MORE.
Is There Any Financial Aid To Help Local Newspapers During the Coronavirus?
April 21, 2020, By Professor Sissel McCarthy, News Literacy Matters
Your question alludes to a dire situation: local news is fast becoming the latest casualty of the covid-19 outbreak. As reporters scramble to cover the pandemic, ad revenue at the local level is in a freefall, down as much as 50 percent in March according to Newsonomics. READ MORE.
Hunter Students Thankful for Laptop Loans, but Weary of Terms
April 20, 2020, By Sarah Bhawanidin, The Athenian
Through the end of the semester, Hunter College is lending free laptops to those who need them. While students are grateful for the assistance, the red tape they need to go through tarnishes their appreciation. READ MORE.
Spring Internships Cut Short Amid Coronavirus Shutdown
April 20, 2020, By Janet Hernandez, The Athenian
Just two months into her finance internship at a startup company, Hunter College senior Madison Ryan says she learned more on the job than she ever had in school.“[In class] you’re learning the background of concepts which is really important. It was good to have that in the back of my mind but then actually using it was taking it one step farther,” she said. READ MORE.
VIDEO: HNN Newscast Two
April 20, 2020, By Hunter News Now
In this edition of Hunter News Now: Commencement Ceremony Update, CUNY Recalibration Period, Hearing from students who are essential workers, Brookdale Housing Closure, Coronavirus Testing, Transition to distance learning, Scholar-Athlete of the Week, Arts in Quarantine and more! VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Hunter College Library During Pandemic
April 20, 2020, By Ksenia Zevyakina, Hunter News Now
An inside look on how the Hunter College library is functioning during the quarantine period. VIEW VIDEO.
‘DWTS’ Professional Talks About His Quarantine Life
April 19, 2020, By Sima Sadykhov, Student Portfolio Site
Just a few weeks ago, professional ballroom dancer Pasha Pashkov, 34, who placed seventh on “Dancing With The Stars” with partner Kate Flannery, the actress who played Meredith on “The Office,” was busy touring the United States for “Dancing with the Stars: Live!” READ MORE.
Commuting Stole Time from Hunter Students, Quarantine Gave it Back
April 17, 2020, By Kristina Vukaj, The Athenian
Hunter College’s commuter students have more time than ever before, now that remote-learning has been put in place for the remainder of the spring semester. These students can literally roll out of bed and attend lectures, whereas before it would take hours for them to make it to class. READ MORE.
COVID-19 Makes Anxious Students More Anxious
April 17, 2020, By Seon Pollard, The Athenian
Before the coronavirus became a pandemic, Sarah Farr experienced mild anxiety. She would shake, sweat, and slightly panic about things like completing homework on time or being late to work. Now that the danger of COVID-19 has become more real, Farr’s symptoms have become more intense. Along with more frequent shaking and sweating, she now has stomach pain. READ MORE.
VIDEO: Hunter’s Essential Workers
April 17, 2020, By Afia Eama, Hunter News Now
While New York City is on pause, essential workers continue to travel to and work to provide services for the public. Hunter has thousands of students that are still reporting to work including Tamara Casco and Alvin Rosario. Casco works at a grocery store and Rosario works at a pharmacy, which are some of the busiest places during this pandemic. They discuss what it is like to be an essential employee and how they’re coping during the pandemic. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Hunter College Students Had Three Days To Move Out
April 17, 2020, By Emilia Nygren, Hunter News Now
In order to comply with the statewide shutdown in the wake of the coronavirus, Hunter College closed its Brookdale dorms on March 27. Hunter News Now reporter Emilia Nygren spoke to students who dorm at Brookdale to get the full story. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Students remain Creative during Quarantine
April 17, 2020, by Srija Rai, Hunter News Now
The Corona Virus lockdown have shut the schools and the studios not the spirits of these Hunter Art students. Despite the confusing and difficult times the students remains strong, resilient and sincere to their craft. Senior Journalism student Srija Rai catches up with three amazing Hunter students and interviews them in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown about their craft and how they are coping up with the current situation. VIEW VIDEO.
The Realities of Crohn’s Disease Today
April 17, 2020, By Greta Belegu, Student Portfolio Site
Sofia is a 22-year-old LGBTQ+ Instagram influencer and college student in the metro Detroit area who has gained over six thousand followers based on her makeup looks and live videos charting her journey as a chronically ill person. Her shaved head and bold glittery makeup are part of her signature look online as she educates the world on the realities of living with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. READ MORE.
Can MoMA Make Me Care About Getting Dressed Again?
April 16, 2020, By Kalli Siringas, The Athenian
As social distancing has most New Yorkers shut inside their homes, popular life hacks like dressing from the waist up or wearing “day sweats” vs. “night sweats,” can maintain a small sense of normalcy in quarantine. There are some things however, I’ve lost sight of: What was it like to wear shoes for a full day? My feet don’t remember. READ MORE.
VIDEO: Student Jobs in the Era of COVID-19
April 16, 2020, by Seon Pollard, Hunter News Now
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the American job market and college seniors are wondering how they will fare when they graduate and are looking for jobs. Career advisors give advice on what they can to make the most of the situation. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Transition to Online Learning
APRIL 15, 2020, By Daniil Miller, Hunter News Now
Over 250-thousand CUNY students have switched to online learning. Professors are adapting their classes towards a remote classroom format while students are adjusting to a whole new way of learning. VIEW VIDEO.
VIDEO: Coronavirus Testing Process
April 15, 2020, By Colleen Digney, Hunter News Now
Jones Beach State Park is the first drive-through coronavirus test site on Long Island and the second in New York State. Long Beach, NY resident Curran Digney shares his experience. He explains the process from start to finish – including how he discovered his results, which he never received a phone call about. VIEW VIDEO.
Plague and Plague Again, Theater Has Prevailed
April 15, 2020, By John Laudani, Student Portfolio Site
Julia Catalano is a 20-year-old junior at Syracuse University and is currently cooped up in the house she rented for the Spring 2020 semester. She is a theater studies major and is passionate about theater and how it brings people together. Through many pandemics and plagues alike, theater has always survived. READ MORE.
VIDEO: This is our story
April 13, 2020, By Yeesoon Jeon, Documentary Video Production 1
Three women share their personal stories as part of a project to offer Asian Americans and Asians around the world a platform to share the constant racism they face specifically due to the coronavirus. VIEW VIDEO.
The Returning Envoy Boosts Readership With COVID-19 Coverage
April 13, 2020, by Rich Mendez, Hunter Journalism
The Envoy, an independent student-run news site, is back with a vengeance this academic year after a long hiatus, and has seen online readership skyrocket into the thousands amid its extensive coronavirus coverage. READ MORE.
Pandemic Reporting Requires Remote Interview Smarts
April 13, 2020, by Kalli Siringas, Hunter Journalism
With face-to-face reporting still unsafe during the COVID-19 outbreak, remote video interviewing has become a “key tool in our arsenal,” counseled journalist Eli Kintisch during an April 6 Zoom training webinar. Kintisch, a youth media producer with PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs, which sponsored the session, explained that even during a pandemic, excellent interviews can come from the safety of your own home without the need for expensive equipment. READ MORE.
Hunter Students Help Younger Siblings Transition to Remote Learning
April 10, 2020, By Sarah Bhawanidin, The Athenian
Some Hunter students are taking on a bigger workload than their peers by helping their younger siblings transition to remote learning. Elizabeth Perez, an English major at Hunter College, sacrificed some of her education for her youngest sister. “I usually end up sitting right next to her. When she’s in her class, I’m in my lecture, and sometimes I miss out on vital information because I have to help her with hers.” READ MORE.
Interning Under A Pandemic, Hunter Students Make Adjustments
April 6, 2020, By Rich Mendez, Hunter Journalism
In an informal survey of Hunter students interning in newsrooms this semester, three of the four who replied said they were able to transition their internship to a home setting after the coronavirus outbreak. Learn more about their experiences under COVID-19. READ MORE.
Quarantine Journal: Living With Distance
April 6, 2020, by David Alm & students, The Bridge
In these brief vignettes, 15 journalism students at Hunter College offer a glimpse at what human interaction has become in the age of COVID-19. They reveal loneliness, fear, and confusion, but also the humanity that ultimately still unites and defines us. READ MORE.
F-1 Students Face Additional Challenges Due to COVID-19
April 6, 2020, By Mindup Lama, The Athenian
On top of transitioning to online learning and uncertainty about internships, international students with F-1 visas face challenges with visa status, travel option, health insurance and financial situation, as CUNY transitioned to distance learning about three weeks ago. Shortly after Governor Andrew Cuomo cancelled all in-person classes, International Student Affairs offices throughout CUNY sent emails to students ensuring their F-1 status. An email wrote, “Due to current events with the coronavirus, the U.S. government is well-aware of the situation and the rules that apply to F-1/J-1 students–your status will not be in jeopardy.” READ MORE.
Arts Students Confront Distance Learning Challenges
April 3, 2020, by Melissa Lent, The Envoy
When Sam Kim logged onto his first online performance class, he experienced immediate issues playing his bass guitar. Kim is one of many performing and visual arts students at Hunter who are facing unique challenges after CUNY implemented distance learning for the rest of the semester. READ MORE.
CUNY Students Scramble After COVID-19 Dorm Evictions, Demand Spring Tuition Refunds
April 2, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, City Limits
Across the city, businesses, institutions and individuals have had to make sacrifices to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Laid off from their jobs and removed from their dormitories, students at the City University of New York feel like they’ve done more than their fair share, and they’re calling for state and CUNY leadership to rectify it. READ MORE.
AUDIO: The Next Gen Podcast
April 2020, By Melissa Lent, The Next Gen Podcast
Generation Z, defined by the Pew Research Center as those born after 1996, reported the highest levels of stress and anxiety than any other generation, according to a 2018 study by the American Psychological Association. In light of this anxiety epidemic, The Next Gen Podcast will provide an in-depth analysis into the most pressing issues for the youngest generation. LISTEN.
Navigating A Pandemic While “At Risk” of Infection
April, 2020, By Tamsin Vidal, Student Portfolio Site
Zoe Pleasure, 26, is a Brooklyn resident who works at the Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health nonprofit, where she does public health and sociological research. Pleasure has been living with Crohn’s Disease since October of 2019. For months doctors believed Pleasure suffered from Ulcerative Colitis, which can have similar clinical presentations as Crohn’s. Currently, Pleasure takes immunosuppressant medication to help control her illness. She talked about living with Crohn’s during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how she deals with being at increased risk for complications related to the novel coronavirus. READ MORE.
Fear of coronavirus sends consumers into panic buying and as a result hurting low-income communities
April 2020, By Carol Almonte, Student Portfolio Site
Supermarkets have run out of many products, including toilet paper, which has been the most demanding product on the market. Small local businesses such as restaurants, barbershops, hair and nail salons, and nannies cannot be done remotely, and most low-income jobs do not offer paid sick days. READ MORE.
A Social Media Pandemic
March 31, 2020, by Sissel McCarthy, News Literacy Matters
Misinformation about COVID-19 is still spreading almost as fast as the coronavirus itself. People are understandably anxious for news about how to stay safe amid the pandemic, but many are turning to a double-headed hydra of misinformation: social media and their immediate personal networks. READ MORE.
CUNY Board of Trustees Approves Dormitory Refunds, Student Activity Fee Waiver And CR/NC Policy
March 30, 2020, by Afia Eama, The Envoy
The CUNY Board of Trustees approved on Monday motions to refund dormitory fees, waive 25% of student activity fees and implement a flexible grading policy. Refunds will be issued to students who recently vacated their dormitories at CUNY. READ MORE.
Language Flagship Study Abroad Program Cancellations Disrupt Timelines & Upend Plans
March 29, 2020, by Rachel Zhang, The Envoy
Since she was a high school senior four years ago, Sophia Newman had been building towards her year abroad as a college senior. In a matter of weeks, what should have been the culmination of her college career became a rush to escape back home. READ MORE.
CUNY Institutes Recalibration Period and New Grading Policy
March 24, 2020, by Melissa Lent, The Envoy
CUNY will undergo a recalibration period beginning March 27 through April 1, during which no classes will occur, and a special policy will take effect that allows students to decide whether they want a letter grade or a credit/no credit option, according to a Tuesday announcement by Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.
CUNY enacted this break so professors could improve distance learning methods and so colleges could continue to provide students in need with equipment they need for online education, according to the Chancellor. Due to the new recess, the spring break period has been reduced by six days to April 8 through April 10. Chancellor Rodríguez said all of these changes reflect equity and access issues across different campuses. READ MORE.
Students Told to Move Out of Brookdale and 79th Street Dorms
March 24, 2020, by Afia Eama, The Envoy
Update 3/25: Housing-insecure students will be sent to live at Queens College according to The City. Students residing at Hunter’s Brookdale and 79th St. dorms were told Tuesday to move out by Friday, March 26. Combined, these dorms house several hundred Hunter students.
This announcement comes two weeks after Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to cancel in-person classes at the state and city universities but keep dorms open to accommodate residents due to the COVID-19 outbreak. READ MORE.
Students Told to Leave College of Staten Island Dormitory, Vice President Cites Need for Temporary Hospitals
March 24, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, The Envoy
Student-residents at the College of Staten Island’s Dolphin Cove dormitory were told Monday evening to leave their dorm rooms by 6 p.m. Tuesday night, though the move-out deadline was later changed to Thursday. The dormitory may be used by the State of New York as a temporary makeshift hospital for coronavirus patients.
During Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Friday coronavirus press briefing, the governor said that buildings at various local colleges were being considered for use as temporary hospitals, including buildings at Hunter College, Queens College, the College of Staten Island and City College. The Javits Center, which was also on the governor’s original list, is already in the process of being converted into a 1,000-bed temporary hospital. READ MORE.
Opinion: CUNY Needs A Universal Pass/Fail System to Protect Vulnerable Students
March 23, 2020, by Andrew Shkreli, The Envoy
Anyone proximal to New York understands how severely COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, has devastated its people. As of Sunday, March 22, nearly 11,000 New Yorkers tested positive for the illness, a dramatically greater amount than that reported a few days ago.
Given that a substantial amount of people has not been tested, the gravity of the pandemic in New York City is not yet fully understood. It’s likely extremely underreported due to extortionate testing and hospitalization costs, leaving New Yorkers torn between survival and financial ruin. READ MORE.
A Running List of Resources for Students During Coronavirus Outbreak
March 20, 2020, by the editors of The Envoy
The editors at The Envoy know that during these tough times, students are facing increased financial insecurity and food insecurity, as well as obstacles to distance learning. We hope this list of resources can be helpful to students.
Hunter College has an Emergency Fund that can mitigate financial hardship resulting from the coronavirus. Learn more and apply here. You can also submit a request through this CUNY Mutual Aid spreadsheet. READ MORE.
Coronavirus Causes Shift in Student Publications
March 20, 2020, by Melissa Lent, Dateline: CUNY
CUNY–Just as Afia Eama finished the final edit on her article about a student-led petition to close down Hunter College as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, the undergraduate student president ran into the room. She announced that New York’s public colleges would move to distance learning for the rest of the semester amid the pandemic.
“I literally jumped out of my seat and I was like, ‘Damn it! My article is ruined!’” said Eama, news editor for the college’s student publication, The Envoy. “And then literally in like an hour I just took what I could salvage from the article I had written already and then just added the new news.” READ MORE.
What’s for Lunch During a Quarantine?
March 20, 2020, by David Alm & students, The Bridge
As the 275,000 students who attend CUNY’s 26 campuses across New York City do their part to stem the spread of the coronavirus by isolating themselves in their homes, they still have much to do. School’s still in session; it’s just moved online. And critical to any student’s success is something that has nothing to do with academics: Sustenance.
Below, 15 journalism students at Hunter College share how they’re feeding themselves during this extraordinary time. By turns hilarious and poignant, these micro-reviews offer a glimpse into the lives of others, at once apart and united by a shared experience none of us could have fathomed before now. READ MORE.
Professional Staff Congress Calls on CUNY to Close Libraries
March 18, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, The Envoy
CUNY’s faculty union, the Professional Staff Congress, is calling on campus libraries to close in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a press release sent on Wednesday.
“Our members should not have to put their lives and the health of the city in danger by being ordered to come to work in a city that is rapidly shutting down,” said Barbara Bowen, President of the PSC, which represents librarians as well as professors and other full- and part-time staff members. READ MORE.
Following Broadways Lead, Hunter Closes Brecht Production
March 16, 2020, by Kalli Siringas, The Athenian
The show must go on: Unless there’s a pandemic.
As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Broadway lights have gone dark. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo mandated the closures of all gatherings of 500 people and above in response to the exponential spread of COVID-19. The announcement sent a ripple effect through artist communities in the city, shuttering off-broadway playhouses, and even the Frederick Loewe Theatre on Hunter’s Campus. READ MORE.
For Struggling Hunter Students, Coronavirus Means Added Financial Pressure
March 16, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, The Envoy
Chloe Carter-Daves isn’t particularly worried about contracting the coronavirus. But she has other things on her mind.
A senior at Hunter, where she majors in Political Science and Jewish Studies, Carter-Daves worked at a Manhattan restaurant — until she got laid off on Sunday night. “I knew it was coming,” she said, “so it wasn’t a surprise but it does suck.” READ MORE.
Is the News Media Overreacting to the Coronavirus?
March 16, 2020, by Sissel McCarthy, News Literacy Matters
It may feel like a constant cascade of news, but the coverage is proportional to what could be the biggest global health crisis in more than a hundred years. And when you consider how much more globally connected we are now than during the flu pandemic of 1918, and how much the world economy relies on precisely that connection, it’s arguable that this crisis could prove to be even worse. READ MORE.
CUNYAC Cancels Remainder of Sports Season
March 13, 2020, by Afia Eama, The Envoy
Winter and spring sports are canceled for the remainder of the semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The decision was made by CUNY Athletic Conference after the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled all winter and spring championships.
Cancellations include practices and contests for outdoor track and field, men’s tennis, women’s softball and men’s volleyball. READ MORE.
NYC Public Libraries Suspend All March Events Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
March 12, 2020, by Lauren Hakimi, The Envoy
The New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library each announced Thursday morning that in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, they will suspend all public programs from Friday, March 13 to the end of March.
This cancellation includes all classes, programs and workshops at all New York City public library locations. The libraries will remain open during this time with regular hours of operation. READ MORE.
Classes Canceled: Governor Cuomo Responds to COVID-19
March 11, 2020, by Mindup Lama, The Athenian
All public colleges in New York State will transfer to online-learning only spaces, as of March 19, according to today’s announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Hunter College classes will be canceled from March 12 to March 18.
The decision falls in line with area colleges that are canceling in-person classes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of today, there are 216 confirmed cases in NYS with 53 alone in the city. READ MORE.
SUNY and CUNY To Suspend In-Person Classes
March 11, 2020, by Afia Eama, The Envoy
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that all SUNY and CUNY schools will transition to online classes starting March 19 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Physical classes are canceled March 12 through 18, after which classes will take place online for the remainder of the spring semester.
“CUNY will help reduce the density in New York City. SUNY will help reduce the density in downstate New York,” Cuomo said. Dorms, libraries and essential on-campus services will stay open to accommodate students. READ MORE.
CUNY, Students and Study Abroad Programs Respond to Coronavirus Threat
March 4, 2020, by Afia Eama, The Envoy
New York City confirmed six cases of Covid-19, also known as coronavirus, leaving Hunter’s community anxious. Meanwhile, study abroad programs have been suspended, students have returned from China and one email even raised the possibility of classes taking place online.
Fake news, memes and tension around the disease flood the Hunter College Students Facebook group as updates roll out. Students speculated what preventative actions the college might take, including dealing with sick students on campus and taking sanitation measures. READ MORE.
Why is there so much conflicting information about the coronavirus, and what should we believe?
February 28, 2020, by Sissel McCarthy, News Literacy Matters
While public health officials warn of a pandemic, the internet’s frenzied coverage of the coronavirus has already triggered an “infodemic.” The word infodemic is a relatively new term blending information with epidemic.
It describes the overwhelming amount of information about the coronavirus now populating the internet and social media platforms. Some of it is accurate, but even more is misleading or outright wrong. The situation is so dire that the World Health Organization says that false information is spreading faster than the virus. READ MORE.
NYC Patients Test Negative for Coronavirus, but New Yorkers Continue to Fret
February 13, 2020, by Mindup Lama, The Envoy
The six New York City residents and one non-resident who were under observation for possible coronavirus have tested negative for the disease, according to a tweet posted Wednesday by the city’s Department of Health.
The virus was first reported in December and connected to a food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the breakout, which has been on lockdown since late January. The death toll has risen to 1,310. However, only three people have died outside China, and none in the U.S. READ MORE.