Date: March 18, 2021
To: The NYU Community
From: Provost Katherine Fleming
Exec. Vice President Martin Dorph
Dr. Carlo Ciotoli, Exec. Lead, COVID Prevention & Response Team

We hope you are all doing well.  

Enjoy the upcoming three-day weekend — relax, recharge yourselves, and stay safe. Please use common sense and avoid the activities that spread COVID-19.

Postponing the Start of Registration

The Provost’s Office, the Registrar, and the schools and colleges are currently doing the planning for the full resumption of in-person instruction for fall 2021. We will continue to closely follow public health guidelines issued by the CDC, New York State, and New York City. The planning required for the return to in-person instruction is substantial, so we will postpone the start of course registration from its original date — April 20 — until May 24 for continuing graduate and undergraduate students. Details about individual registration appointments are forthcoming. The fall class schedule will be available on Albert starting on May 3.

We're grateful for your patience. Fear not — you’ll still be able to sign up for the courses you need. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to campus in the fall, and we will of course work closely with international students who may be unable to return to the US due to visa issues or travel restrictions.

New Federal Funds for Direct Student Aid

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act signed in late December 2020, NYU received $37.4 million in federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF II). 

As we did with the earlier round of HEERF funding ($24 million in 2020), NYU is pledging to provide the entire sum — $37.4 million — as additional, direct student aid, available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Already we have distributed over 10,000 grants totaling over $24M to students over the past two weeks. Students can apply for these COVID Emergency Relief Grant funds through the “Finances” tab in Albert. For more information, see this page of the NYU Returns site, or contact the Office of Financial Aid.

The Eligibility for Vaccinations Has Been Expanded

Last week, New York State announced expansions of the eligibility criteria for COVID vaccinations that will allow several thousand more members of our community to seek vaccination appointments. 

It’s good news whenever additional NYUers can be vaccinated, and we strongly urge everyone who is eligible to seek an appointment. The University is prepared to commence offering vaccinations to NYU community members, but has not yet received vaccine stock.  

As the recent Taking Stock communication noted, the process of seeking an appointment can be cumbersome and trying. However, our experience — and the feedback we get from colleagues — is that persistence in seeking an appointment will be rewarded, so stick with it. Perstate!

The recent Taking Stock communication also has some links we hope will be helpful in trying to secure an appointment, and we plan to post tips on the NYU Returns website soon.