Amidst the recent outbreak of COVID-19, Adelphi University has cancelled the Summer 2020 Nursing Cohort: which is composed of a group of qualifying nursing students with high GPA’s & academic merit who applied and were accepted to graduate in August 2020. This final semester for students, which they are suddenly & without warning delaying to the Fall semester, is scheduled to start May 27, 2020 and conclude August 3, 2020. 

I am writing to propose this cancellation be reversed due to the increased need for these students to graduate and join the workforce as nurses during this global crisis, especially in the state of NY. It should also be recognized that other nursing programs are continuing with their degrees virtually and graduating in August at the university.

After 4 years of studying, clinical rotation hours, perfecting nursing skills and more, delaying our degrees to almost 5 months later than expected is nothing short of disappointing and unfair. It is a disservice to disallow us to complete our coursework on time, whether that be online or in person. In a time where NYS is making exceptions in education in order to dispatch healthcare professionals sooner, this only seems right.

We call upon President Christine M. Riordan, Dean Elaine Smith, and the Adelphi Staff to rectify this decision by continuing this cohort and allowing these students to graduate in the timeframe in which they were scheduled & expected to, ensuring they are released to the workforce as soon as possible to help treat patients during this pandemic.