Letter from University Communications to students, family members, faculty and staff
PRINCETON, LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–See letter below or download at link above:
03/16/2020
Dear Rider Community,
Rider has been notified that a Westminster Conservatory student, who is not enrolled at Westminster Choir College or Rider University, and their parents have tested positive for COVID-19. The family remains under self-isolation.
The University is notifying individuals who were in direct contact with the Conservatory student and her family on the Princeton campus. Those individuals are also self-isolating as a result. The buildings that were accessed by the Conservatory student and family over the weekend of March 8 and 9 will be closed for cleaning. These buildings include the Conservatory (Princeton Hall), Marion Buckelew Cullen Center and Robert L. Annis Playhouse.
Out of an abundance of caution, Rider is announcing that all on-campus private instruction, lessons and classes offered through the Conservatory on the Princeton campus and its extension sites are suspended until further notice. All ensembles are postponed. Conservatory teachers will provide remote learning to their students if possible. If teachers decide to conduct lessons remotely, they will contact students directly with instructions.
The University remains open. Residence Halls, Dining Services and other services are continuing to operate as normal.
There are currently no other confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students, faculty and staff on the Princeton or Lawrenceville campuses.
The University has been in contact with local health authorities and continues its enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols overnight and throughout the day, using disinfectants recommended by the CDC for killing viruses like coronavirus. Additional cleaning and disinfecting are being conducted in the residence halls during the extended spring break. This includes individual residence rooms, common areas and bathrooms.
We encourage all members of our University community to continue the preventive practices recommended by public health officials to help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like coronavirus. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
If you believe you have been exposed to coronavirus or start experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness like the flu or coronavirus, call ahead first to your personal healthcare provider or the Student Health Center. Students who live off campus are encouraged to contact their primary healthcare providers first. The Student Health Center will be available to provide guidance via telephone consultation. Students who currently live on campus should contact the Student Health Center.
The official source of information about Rider’s response to COVID-19 is www.rider.edu/coronavirus. It will be updated to reflect new information as it becomes available. For questions and general inquiries, please email [email protected].