January 20, 2022

Dear UTS Students, Faculty and Staff:

We hope you enjoyed the Holiday Season and have made a wonderful start to the New Year!

As we prepare for the launch of the Spring 2022 semester, we want to thank you for being part of our UTS Community. Each of you plays a valuable role in the success and well-being of the Seminary, and we continue to pursue ways to deliver the most advanced academic and professional training.

Amid the ongoing health crisis, the focus of UTS remains the health and safety of all. Mindful of the developments in the current health landscape, the Seminary continues to seek ways to return to on-campus classes and activities. In this effort, UTS remains constantly mindful of recommendations from the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, and the New York City Department of Health regarding all on-campus gatherings.

In Spring 2022, UTS will again offer both on-campus and online learning options. Canvas courses are fully online, and other classes may include on-campus gatherings. In this regard, UTS encourages faculty to consult with students to determine the best alternative for holding class during the Spring semester. Students and faculty should feel free to express any reservations they have regarding onsite attendance requirements.

All students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Masks must be always worn in the classroom by faculty and students, as well as during meetings among faculty, staff, and students, irrespective of vaccination status. Appropriate social distancing should be maintained. Other health and safety measures may be implemented as necessary.

As circumstances require, the Seminary will provide on-campus office hours. The level and frequency of administrative staff office hours will be arranged to meet the needs of the Seminary community. On-campus meetings and student/faculty activities may be held if compliant with all health and safety guidelines and approved through the Office of the Academic Dean and the Office of the Dean of Student Life.

UTS reserves the right to update its policies as health authorities’ guidelines and as circumstances demand.

We wish you great success during the Spring semester.

God’s blessings be upon each of you and our UTS community.

August 20, 2021

Greetings to the Members of the UTS Community:

Our warmest wishes to each of you as we begin the Fall 2021 semester. We hope that each of you has had a productive summer, despite the ongoing challenges we face.

Thank you all for all that you do to support the Seminary as students, faculty, or staff. Each of you are valuable members of our community, and we look forward to welcoming you back.

As we look forward to the launch of the Fall semester, at the heart of our plans and activities is always the health and safety of everyone at UTS. As we emerge from the current health crisis, our hope and determination are to return to our on-campus classes and activities. Recommendations and guidelines by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the New York Department of Health, and the New York City Department Health remain the reference point for the procedures and practices for UTS on-campus activities.

This Fall, UTS will offer a mix of on-campus and online learning options. Canvas courses will be delivered fully online. With some exceptions, all other classes include an on-campus component. Students and faculty are encouraged to express any reservations they have regarding onsite attendance requirements.

In preparation for the beginning of classes, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to receive COVID- 19 vaccinations. Per current CDC recommendations, masks must be always worn in the classroom by faculty and students and during meetings among faculty, staff, and students, irrespective of vaccination status. Additional health and safety measures may be put in place as circumstances require.

The Seminary will hold regular on-campus office hours. The level and frequency of administrative staff office hours will be established as required to meet the needs of the Seminary community.  On-campus meetings and student/faculty activities may be held if deemed appropriate and duly approved.

UTS reserves the right to modify the above in accordance with changes in health authorities’ guidelines and as circumstances require.

We look forward to a successful Fall semester.

God’s blessings be upon each of you and our UTS community.

 

December 1, 2020

Dear UTS Community:

Our best wishes to all our faculty, students, and staff!

As we approach the end of the Fall 2020 semester, UTS wishes to thank each of you for your support and cooperation during the on-going COVID-19 crisis.

In anticipation of the start of the Spring 2021 semester, we want to inform you, out of concern for the health and safety of students and staff alike, all classes and activities for the Winter Break Intensive and the Spring 2021 semester will continue to be delivered online. Limited exceptions for an on-campus session may be granted based on the request of the faculty.

We are mindful of everyone’s desire to return to on campus classes and activities and look forward to that day. The Seminary will continue to take measures to safeguard the institution in accordance with guidelines published by the New York Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control.

UTS made a successful, seamless transition from on-campus to fully online classes, and we wish to express our gratitude to our faculty and staff who implemented this changeover, and to our students who have adapted successfully to this new mode of learning. While this is a scenario that none of us could have predicted at the beginning of 2020, we are very proud of the extra effort each of you have made to generate the best possible outcome during the current circumstances.

We all naturally miss the in-person experience in the classroom and on campus, nevertheless the health and safety of everyone is paramount, and the current circumstances do not permit a return to face-to-face activities. In Spring, UTS will continue to abide by the measures put in place at the beginning of the Fall semester. UTS’s plan submitted to the New York Department of Health can be found here.

Further information regarding Spring registration, Orientation, and payment of tuition and fees will be forthcoming. Please check this site and your email inbox for additional details.

We wish you a successful conclusion to the Fall semester.

 

August 21, 2020

Dear Faculty, Students, and Staff:

Warm greetings to each of you as we begin the Fall 2020 semester!

While we look forward to a new semester academically, nothing has greater importance than the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 challenges, Unification Theological Seminary has decided to conduct its classes online for the Fall 2020 semester. Meetings or gatherings of any kind will be minimized for this term.

In any case where a face-to-face meeting is absolutely required, the Seminary, in compliance with guidelines established by the New York Department of Health (DOH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), has developed and will follow a comprehensive plan to ensure the health and safety of our students and employees. We would like to share with you some of the vital public health and safety measures that we are putting in place at UTS for the Fall:

Face Masks

UTS will require all faculty, staff and students to wear face coverings when on UTS facilities this Fall. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you when you visit the UTS campus.

Physical Distancing

We will enforce a policy requiring all Seminary employees and students to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between each other while on UTS premises. Desks are placed further apart in classrooms. In common spaces, seats will be removed to ensure there is 6 feet between individuals. Markings on the floor may indicate the traffic patterns on Seminary premises have been changed.

Sanitary Practices

On the UTS premises, those present must engage in proper handwashing throughout the day. Soap (restrooms) and hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes will be available in all active areas of the campus. Those visiting campus for UTS business are asked to wash their hands regularly during the day or take advantage of the hand sanitizing stations in place on campus.

Protocols and Health Check-in Prior to Visiting the UTS Campus

Faculty and staff will be permitted to visit campus facilities on a limited, pre-approved basis, and the number of individuals visiting campus at a given time will be restricted. Approvals will be limited to visits that are deemed to be absolutely necessary. Meetings with faculty or staff should take place virtually through Zoom or by telephone unless circumstances unavoidably necessitate a physical meeting.

Campus visits are permitted to take place only on Tuesdays throughout the Fall semester. All visits must be pre-approved a minimum of 24 hours in advance by UTS administrators. Faculty and current students are required to contact the Office of the Academic Dean by emailing Faculty Secretary Karen Mathew (k.mathew@uts.edu) for pre-approval. Other staff members and prospective students are required to contact info@uts.edu to request permission to visit campus.

Once pre-approved, individuals will be provided with an online health and wellness COVID-19 screening questionnaire, which must be completed prior to traveling to campus.

Any visitor who has not received prior approval or has not completed the online screening will be turned away at the entrance to the 43rd Street building. Visitors to campus will be escorted at all times and must depart the premises after completing the purpose of the approved visit.

Individuals may not come to UTS if they exhibit any symptoms of illness and could therefore be potentially contagious. We ask that all Seminary employees and students agree that if a COVID positive person is identified on campus, or if their contacts receive a positive COVID-19 test, to participate in our contact tracing process so that we can identify those exposures early and help each individual to self-isolate to prevent further spread of the virus.

Enhanced Cleaning Practices

In addition, we have adopted enhanced cleaning policies at UTS. All high-touch areas will be cleaned and disinfected routinely in accordance with guidelines issued by the CDC and the New York DOH.

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We are very pleased to welcome you to UTS and wish you a most meaningful, successful, and healthy Fall 2020 semester. We hope that together we can do everything possible to stay healthy and get the most out of the coming semester. God bless you and your families!

 

March 23, 2020

Due to Gov. Cuomo’s executive order for the State of New York to go on “PAUSE,” the UTS campus at 4 W 43rd Street will be closed to students, alumni, faculty, and staff until further notice.

As previously announced, classes are only available online at this time. Students should contact their professors for any questions related to their courses. For general questions about UTS, please email one of our staff members.

We will post any new developments for students in Populi and on our homepage. Our prayers and thoughts are with our students, faculty, and staff, and with the world community during this time.

 

March 18, 2020

All Classes are only available online from March 16 through April 12, 2020. UTS Office Hours at 43rd Street remain operational from 10 AM until 6 PM, Monday through Friday during this period.

Visitors and those interested in UTS are welcome to visit our offices, tour our new exhibit, and also pick up literature on the second floor. There you can also be informed of how to contact any members of the UTS faculty and administration whom you need to reach.

These are some helpful contact points:

To Tour the UTS Exhibit during our Operational Hours:

Proceed to the Library and Student Lounge on the Second Floor to meet a UTS representative.

For Enrolled Students:

If you have any questions regarding your academic status, graduation, or wish to reach a faculty member, you may contact Academic Dean Dr. Keisuke Noda at k.noda@uts.edu or Senior Associate Dean and Registrar Ute Delaney at (845) 752 - 3000 x225 or registrar@uts.edu.

Contemplating Studying at UTS?

If you have questions regarding UTS classes and enrollments in Manhattan, you may call our Senior Admissions Counselor Joy Theriot at j.theriot@uts.edu.

If you have questions regarding our online M.A. program, you may contact Mr. Emiljun Rapada, Bursar and Admissions Counselor at e.rapada@uts.edu

If you have questions regarding our Doctor of Ministry program, kindly contact Dr. Drissa Kone, Assistant Professor of Ministry and Director of Student Services, at d.kone@uts.edu.

If you wish to contact the President’s Office for general questions regarding Admissions or Administration, please email ward@uts.edu or contact Christina Lange, Assistant to the President and Director of Special Projects at c.lange@uts.edu.

Please respect CDC guidelines regarding best practices to avoid COVID 19 during this time https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/protect/index.html.

 

March 16, 2020

In light of the health and hygiene threats posed by COVID-19, the New York City campus of Unification Theological Seminary is closed effective immediately and it will remain so until at least Monday, April 13. We will continue all of our Spring 2020 classes but will conduct them via Zoom and/or Canvas until mid-April.

If they have not already done so, instructors will be in touch with their students, and students are also encouraged to contact their instructors with any questions or concerns. If there is difficulty reaching the professors for any reason, Dean Keisuke Noda (k.noda@uts.edu) and Senior Associate Dean and Registrar Ute Delaney (registrar@uts.edu) are available to address any concerns.

We ask that members of the UTS community closely follow all preventative guidelines to protect against the virus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/protect/index.html

Our prayers and thoughts are with our students, faculty, and staff, and with the world community in this challenging time.

 

March 11, 2020

Unification Theological Seminary is closely following ongoing developments related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in New York State. At this time, we are observing the following guidelines:

  • Any student, faculty or staff who is feeling sick should remain at home and teach or follow your courses via Zoom.
  • We recommend that the following hygiene protocols be respected:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. When these are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Do not shake hands, give hugs or kisses. We recommend “elbow bumps” instead.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.
  • For more information on how to protect yourself and your family visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/protect/index.html

Stay informed about your classes and other public events via Populi and the Home Page. Be aware that some faculty may choose to teach their course via Zoom.

We will post any new developments for students in Populi and on our homepage.

At this time classes are not cancelled, nor will they be cancelled for the remainder of the semester. However, depending on developments, classes could be moved completely online.

Students will be able to access courses via the links provided in Populi as well as via Canvas for Canvas-based courses.