Spring Semester 2021 FAQs:
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Simon Business School will continue to operate in the same hybrid format as Fall semester and the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority. Please read the information below for additional updates. Please note, there is specific information below for the new MS January Intake beginning their program Spring A 2021, but the information will also be helpful to those returning to Rochester / Simon for the Spring semester. If you have any questions please email Nate Kadar, Director of Student Life or via Slack direct message to Nathan Kadar.
Incoming MS students can review the MS Welcome Week information, Simon Enrollment Guide or the Incoming Student Communication Archive
Based on the information we have now, here are a details about how we expect the Spring semester to proceed. We encourage you to check back frequently for the most up-to-date information. Please continue sending us questions as they come up, and even if we don’t have an answer immediately, we will seek answers and get back to you promptly.
Please note that we are not following the University of Rochester academic calendar. Simon's Spring mini-semester academic calendar will start on January 11, with exams ending on May 6. There will be a Spring break starting March 5.
Simon will offer a hybrid program—a combination of both online ("asynchronous content") and in-person ("synchronous content") classes—this fall in an effort to accommodate each student’s unique situation. For the synchronous content, participation during class times is expected. Students may participate either by being in the physical classroom or attending via zoom.
Faculty are currently developing the asynchronous content of their courses. We have hired a Director of Instructional Design, Michele Messenger, for her expertise in this area. This content will be designed for you to learn at your own pace following your own schedule.
Students may participate either by being in the physical classroom or attending via zoom. International students also have special requirements to maintain F1 visa status based upon new ICE regulations. We recommend that you speak with your OSE Advisor or the ISO if you have questions about maintaining your F1 visa status.
We have changed the format of our classrooms to accommodate social distancing. Masks must be worn in the classroom and around the building to maintain the health and safety of everyone.
All classes will be recorded in case an underlying health issue, sickness, or a personal emergency arises. If you feel like you can’t or shouldn’t come to class for any reason, we encourage you to prioritize your health (and the health of others) and stay home.
You may have questions about COVID-19 testing and temperature checks. Many of these policies are being implemented at a University-wide level and we have not yet received full or final guidance. We will inform you once we have received this guidance. Please check back for more information.
As guidelines from the CDC and New York State evolve, so will our plans. We will always comply with the latest state and federal guidelines to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep our community safe. We appreciate your continued flexibility and patience as we navigate this unprecedented time together.
Among all the changes for the upcoming academic year, there are many aspects of the Simon experience that will remain the same. Our faculty and staff are committed to delivering a well-rounded, robust MBA experience—regardless of format.
You can expect access to all resources, including staff and faculty. You will receive the same high level of service from us that we always deliver under our Integrated Student Experience.
Please keep the Admissions Office updated on your arrival timing by completing the survey that was emailed to you or reaching out to your Admissions counselor. If you have a last-minute update to your travel itinerary, you may contact the Admissions Office. Alternatively, the Admissions team is accessible via the Slack and WeChat platforms for private direct messages.
MBA Team:
Julie Sadwick and Andrew Brayda
MS Team:
MS in Accountancy – Trista Kukucka
MS in Business Analytics – Jenn Crandall and Trista Kukucka
MS in Finance – Nicole Guzski and Matt McCormick
MS in Marketing Analytics – Jenn Crandall
Please discuss any academic concerns with your assigned academic advisor in the Office of Student Engagement.
MBA students last names A – L: Brad Rosenbaum
MBA students last names M – Z: Dan Compo
MSBA and MSMA students: Stella Lee
MSF and MSA students: Victoria Waldron
You can also contact the director of advising, Karen Mach.
All Benet Career Management Center activities will be offered virtually and in-person, and in compliance with guidance from the university, the CDC, state and federal regulations. If you have career related questions or concerns, the Benet CMC staff will be available to talk with you virtually while you are in quarantine. In addition, there are many virtual programs you can join to pass the time while in quarantine. Companies and corporate partners are ramping up their virtual recruitment plans, along with participation in virtual job fairs. We will continue to provide guidelines and share information as we get more details, and as always, we’ll work with you every step of the way to maximize your Simon experience. Stay connected with the Benet CMC team via SimonWorks.
Staying connected is important during this period of quarantine/isolation! You can participate virtually in campus activities and entertainment through connecting with Simon Business School. Please continue to check your email, Blackboard account, SimonWorks, Slack, and the Google calendar to stay up to date on all that is happening at Simon.
All Office of Student Engagement activities including club activities and experiential learning opportunities to be offered in both virtual and in-person formats—the latter in accordance with state and federal guidelines and where appropriate social distancing and safety protocols can be followed. If you do get ill while you are in quarantine, need essential supplies, or need help with anything, please contact Karen Mach or Nate Kadar.
View student engagement FAQs »
The Simon Technology Services (STS) Help Desk is currently available to assist you by appointment on Monday through Friday from 9:00 am-4:00 pm EST. To set up an appointment, please email support@simon.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-4407. We anticipate that once school is in session, the STS Help Desk, located in Gleason Hall room 335, will be open for walk-in assistance (no appointment necessary) from 7:30 am-10:30 pm on Monday through Friday, 9:00 am-5pm on Saturday, and 11 am-3pm on Sunday.
UCC offers help for managing anxiety, stress, and depression. Any student experiencing a mental health concern can call (585) 275-3113 to be connected to mental health support. Visit their website for additional info and tips.
CARE Network provides a connection to resources for all students. Not sure where to go first? Make a self-referral to CARE through the CARE referral form.
Faith communities and chaplains are available for virtual spiritual and emotional support through the Interfaith Chapel. Leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions are ready to help. Contact The Rev. Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough at dyarbrough@admin.rochester.edu for more information or to schedule a time to speak with a chaplain.
The Basic Needs Hub provides urgent, essential student necessities, such as food, clothing, housing, and access to academic tools for students who need financial assistance.
For any student who is food insecure, the Food Pantry is open to all Rochester graduate students.
Yes, this is an option. However, you should reach out to the OSE to discuss your location and situation. With evolving policies around F-1 visas, international students should check this section regularly and reach out to OSE or the ISO with any questions.
We are not following the university’s undergraduate academic calendar. We made only modest, necessary updates to the academic calendar in an effort to minimize disruption and stay in line with the expectations you had for your MBA study during the admissions process. Please refer to the Fall A and Fall B published Simon academic calendar for planning purposes. We will also provide you with information about a health code of conduct, protocols to be observed and any training sessions you must attend as part of your student experience at Simon. The university, and Simon Business School, have suspended school-sponsored travel until the end of the year. If you choose to travel, it is critical you follow CDC and New York prevention guidelines, but we strongly suggest that if students are based in Rochester, they not travel (domestic or international) for the combined Fall A and B mini semesters.
Regardless of your location, we will be providing the same high-quality academic, co-curricular and career access for Full-time MBA students. As such, tuition will be the same regardless of learning format or location.
Classroom capacity will be reduced due to CDC and New York State guidelines. We will move some of our classes to larger classrooms so that we can further spread out students. We will also remove some chairs from each classroom to maintain social distancing. At all times, masks must be worn in the classroom and around the building to maintain the health and safety of everyone. Hand sanitizer stations will be available in every building. In addition to enhanced cleaning protocols, sanitation wipes will be available at the entrance to all classrooms so that you can wipe down your area upon arrival.
Students can choose to participate in person or via Zoom. International students should continue consulting with the OSE and ISO to ensure compliance with the terms of their student visas.
Students will not be turned away if they chose to come to for in-person learning. The Simon operations team is preparing classes to accommodate students and proper social distancing. Students, however, MUST attend the sessions they are scheduled for.
Students should follow the usual protocol of emailing professors to let them know they’re sick. If students are showing COVID-19 symptoms, follow university guidance.
Exams and any co-curricular activities will be available in both a virtual environment as well as in person.
Implementing the pass/fail option for classes during a semester is reviewed by faculty and only offered under special circumstances. It also requires a faculty vote; faculty are reviewing the proposal to extend Pass/Fail into the Fall A term as a result of COVID-19 and a decision will announced in the coming weeks.
All exams will be online but the format of the exam is up to the individual professor.
Clubs have submitted business plans that include in-person events where safety can be maintained and virtual events with outside alumni or speakers where larger groups are involved or where an in-person experience cannot be safely accommodated.
The Experiential Learning team is identifying external case competitions at other schools and internal (Simon-only) case competitions for the fall term that will more than likely be virtual. They will also be providing training on team formation, teamwork and problem solving to support the participants in these competitions virtually and in-person where possible. The student-led Vision Consulting Club is sourcing projects for MS and MBA students, either virtually or in-person where possible. The Simon School Venture Fund is sourcing companies for Fall reviews.
Academic advisors are available to meet via zoom and appointments can be scheduled through SimonWorks or via email. Advisors will also offer weekly open hours in larger classrooms where social distancing can be practiced for in-person appointments.
The Benet Career Management Center team continues to be available to students. SimonWorks will continue to house information about upcoming professional development activities including Career Action Teams schedules. All Benet Career Management Center activities will be offered virtually and in-person, and in compliance with guidance from the university, the CDC, state and federal regulations.
Career Advisors will maintain a schedule for 1:1 meetings, and students will register through the SimonWorks system. The 1:1 meetings will be hosted through Zoom, or in-person in a space where social distancing guidelines can be followed.
Quarantine means staying in your house for the duration of a 14-day incubation period and monitoring yourself for any potential signs of infection. Quarantining means that you can’t go out—not to work, school, or public places. While it is vital to keep in touch with friends, significant others, and family via phone or text, it is not possible to spend any time with them during the 14 days.
All graduate students arriving from hot spot states or from an international location should plan to quarantine for 14 days in their graduate housing space or their off-campus residence. Quarantine must be completed prior to coming on campus for any reasons.
Please see the New York State COVID-19 Travel Advisory web site for updates and information. Students traveling from out of state to Rochester will be required to quarantine for 14 days. Students arriving from international locations also are required to quarantine for 14 days, per CDC guidance.
For any travel to New York State, US Territory, or CDC level 2 or level 3 country, the most up to date New York State quarantine information is below:
All students, staff and faculty are required to complete mandatory COVID-19 safety training. You should have received notification of the training through Blackboard. We will be following up to ensure completion prior to arrival. Also, the University has deployed a daily symptom checks using the “Dr. Chat Bot” tool for all University students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Chat Bot is an online tool that was implemented by the University’s Medical Center to screen Medical Center faculty, staff, and trainees for COVID-19 symptoms before reporting to work. The back-end feeds to University Health Services (UHS), and UHS staff follows-up with anyone who reports symptoms each morning to assess whether testing is needed. The Dr. Chat Bot daily screening process takes less than two minutes and can be completed on a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access. It is required of everyone coming on to campus.
Masks will be available to all students and employees. You can pick up a mask from two locations: either at the Office of Student Engagement (2nd floor of Schlegel Hall near the spiral staircase) or at the IT Help Desk (3rd Floor of Gleason Hall). Hand sanitizer will be available in building entryways and common areas. Disinfecting wipes will be available outside of all classrooms so that you can wipe down your area upon arrival.
All individuals on campus (students, faculty, staff, visitors, and guests) should always remain physically separated from others by at least 6 feet, acknowledging that hallways as well as exits to rooms and buildings will not accommodate a 6-foot separation. When with other people, masks should be worn in addition to distancing measures. Masking exceptions include:
Classrooms will be carefully marked and excess chairs removed to accommodate physical distancing. In addition, disinfecting wipes will be available at the entrances to all classrooms so that students can clean their personal space upon arrival. Classrooms with two doors will utilize one for entrance and the other for exit, which will be clearly marked. Classrooms having one door will utilize a process similar to airlines: back to front for entrance; front to back for exiting. No eating or drinking will be allowed in the classroom. Masks must be worn at all times.
We are preparing all Simon buildings to allow for as many places for study or relaxing as possible, while adhering to the following guidelines: smaller areas used for breaks, common areas or study areas will be limited to one person in the space or no less than 40 square feet per person. While we enjoy good weather, we hope that students will also utilize the patio outside The Brew, as well as the outdoor patio on the 4th floor of Gleason Hall.
The buildings contain signs which set forth room occupancies, where individuals should not gather, where individuals should stand to wait for service in various offices, prohibited areas, and directional signage, as well as signage regarding masks, hand washing, and social distancing.
The Brew (our café at Simon) will open on August 17. We offer Glen Edith coffee, sandwiches, salads, soup, bagels and pastries. In addition, Campus Dining has a wide variety of dining options on campus that will be open for the fall. The University of Rochester’s dining experience is regularly ranked among the best in the nation.
Yes. The University will make both facilities and service modifications to keep people safe.
Dining Services is developing a plan adhering to NYS guidance for dining/restaurants and the following principles: Occupancies for dining should not exceed approximately 50% of the posted occupancy, and occupants should observe social distancing guidelines and wear masks while waiting in line. Markings on the floor will indicate where people should stand to maintain correct social distancing. No food will be allowed in classrooms while class is in session, general common areas not designated for dining, or libraries due to masking requirements.
All managers and employees of Dining Services will go through University mandatory training as well as dining-services-specific training. Health checks will be completed at the beginning of all shifts and face masks will be worn by employees at all times. Dining Services will remove all self-service options and will use disposables for utensils, plates, and trays to limit the spread of germs. We are redesigning our staffing and menus to maintain our commitment to local purchasing and our commitment to serving our diverse community while also being mindful of the need to simplify choices to minimize transaction times and maximize throughput.
To promote safety for riders and drivers, shuttle bus capacity will be reduced initially to 50% capacity. Standing will be prohibited. Every other seat will be taped off to easily identify whether capacity remains. Shuttle bus routes will be adapted in order to accommodate greater physical distancing with available resources. Extra buses have been added to the heavily utilized shuttle lines to spread out rider capacity and service hours will be expanded to accommodate a greater number of shuttles. Passengers and drivers will be required to wear masks. Sanitizer stations will be located at each bus point of entrance/exit. Shuttles will be wiped down after each route. Shuttle operations will end between midnight and 5am in order to have proper sanitization and deep cleaning time.
If you wish to participate in person for Welcome Week starting January 4, you should start your quarantine as soon as possible if you have not done so already. Otherwise, you will be required to participate virtually for Welcome Week. All Welcome Week programming is mandatory.
If you cannot arrive in time to participate in person for Welcome Week but want to be able to come to campus to attend the first day of classes on January 11, you should start your quarantine by December 28. If you arrive after this date and need to quarantine, you will begin classes with remote learning until your quarantine period is complete.
Once you have completed the 14-day quarantine, you are okay to come to campus. Please note that you must complete the mandatory COVID-19 training on Blackboard. In addition, each time you come to campus you are required to complete the Dr. ChatBot questions. A reminder will be sent to you each day.
Plan to bring items that will keep you comfortable for up to 14 days. Please note that once you move into a residence, you will be unable to go out to buy items you may need. You should plan on bringing essential things such as medications, toiletries, towels and bedding, academic materials and electronic items you will need before classes start, and snacks, drinks, or other food. We provide resources below for ordering food or groceries, but you may want to have some other food with you to last the duration of the quarantine until you can get to the store.
Students should plan to quarantine in:
Isolation is for students who are sick with COVID-19. Like quarantine, isolation means staying inside your home until you are cleared to stop isolating per University Health Service guidelines. Graduate students will typically isolate in their private residence in graduate housing or off campus.
Contact University Health Service (UHS) at +1 (585) 275-2662.
Whenever the UHS offices are closed, a UHS physician is on call and available by phone from home for urgent concerns that cannot wait until UHS reopens. Check here for help deciding if your condition is urgent.
E-mail questions about COVID-19 to: Uhscovid19@uhs.rochester.edu
Uber or Lyft are available to transport from the Rochester airport, bus station, or train station to your quarantine location. You will need to wear a mask during your transit to quarantine.
Students moving into graduate housing should go through the standard check-in process to pick up keys. The offices are all enforcing social distancing guidelines, seeing only one student at a time, with the necessary protective barriers, requirement that masks are worn at all times, and sanitizing stations in each office. Students are required to make a move-in appointment. All check-in requirements will be sent by graduate housing.
Students living off campus should work with their landlord on the requirements for picking up keys.
Groceries and/or basic necessities: Amazon Pantry, Walmart Grocery Delivery, Wegmans Delivery, Instacart (Instacart delivers from many different grocery stores, drug stores, and pet stores)
Pharmacy: Alexander Pharmacy, Instacart (serves both CVS and Rite-Aid)
Food Delivery: Grubhub, DoorDash, Black Owned Restaurants in Rochester
Note: We encourage students to use the above options for groceries and food. However, financially insecure students may want to consider the following resources:
The Food Pantry is open to all Rochester graduate students. Simon is arranging to provide delivery services to students who utilize the food pantry. While the Food Pantry is need-blind and does not require income or financial aid information to be served, in order to be able to make our supplies last and meet the current high demand, we ask that you consider whether the Food Pantry is right for you. The Food Pantry should be used by any students or postdocs who:
While we understand that going to grocery stores can be difficult for everyone at this time, if you have the financial means to do so, we ask that you consider the following options before using the Food Pantry: Grubhub, Amazon Pantry, Walmart Grocery Delivery, Wegmans Delivery, and Instacart. If the Food Pantry would be beneficial to you, please fill out this form.
The Basic Needs Hub provides urgent, essential student necessities, such as food, clothing, housing, and access to academic tools for students who need financial assistance.
Phone:
We are currently researching this and will update students when we know more. If you need assistance regarding a phone, please contact your academic advisor noted below.
Internet:
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