Pace To Start Classes In August; No Fall Interscholastic Sports

PLEASANTVILLE, NY — As Pace University prepares to reopen its three campuses, the athletic department has had sad but unsurprising news: outside intercollegiate athletics competition has been suspended through Dec. 31.

"I know how disappointing this is for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and our community," Pace University Director of Athletics and Recreation Mark Brown said Thursday in an announcement to the school community.

Pace classes begin in Pleasantville and New York City Aug. 24. Classes at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains will also start Aug. 24, though the part-time flex option begins Aug. 22.

The college's plans are in line with the phased reopening guidance for higher education issued by New York State, from managing campus space to monitoring the community's health and establishing social expectations. Find full plan details at www.pace.edu/return.

"We know that the new semester will be unlike anything that has come before," President Marvin Krislov said in a letter to the Pace community.

The school is starting classes early to complete in-person instruction by Thanksgiving break, with the end of the semester, including exams, conducted remotely and finishing on Dec. 6. That should avoid having students disperse across the country and then return to campus, potentially contributing to the spread of the coronavirus.

Pace has appointed a Coronavirus Coordination Officer to serve as a point of contact for all students, faculty, and staff, to manage testing, tracing, and response efforts, and to coordinate with public health officials.

In inter-collegiate athletics, the Northeast-10 Conference Council of Presidents is trying to create meaningful competitive opportunities during the 2020-21 academic year.

"Although we may not be participating in outside competition this semester, we will take this opportunity to engage our students in positive, meaningful ways and it gives us additional time to prepare for the spring," Brown said. "This decision was not made lightly. Over the last several months, we have worked extremely hard to plan for a return to sports competition this fall. However, after careful consideration of all factors involved, including public health guidance, physical distancing guidelines put in place on each campus, limits on travel, limits to group gatherings, and restrictions to visitors on campuses, this difficult decision had to be made."