Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Information

Health Advisory & Campus Update

Updated April 27, 2020, 3:50 PM

To: The Stevens Community
From: Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Date:  April 27, 2020 
Subject:  Health Advisory: Twenty-First Positive COVID-19 Case and Guidance from the State of NJ for Renters 

COVID-19 Update
Stevens has learned that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member became symptomatic on April 17th , was tested on April 20th and received positive confirmation on April 23rd.  The staff member has not been on campus for more than four weeks and is recovering at home.  As with our prior cases, we will follow Hoboken Health Department protocols.  Our thoughts are with those suffering from the virus and we wish them a quick recovery.

If any member of our community tests positive for COVID-19, please immediately contact Stevens Student Health Services at 201-216-5678 or [email protected].

Information for Renters in New Jersey
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order No. 128 (2020) enabling tenants to instruct landlords to use their security deposits to offset rent or back rent. The Order took effect on April 24, 2020 and remains in place until 60 days after the Public Health Emergency established by Executive Order No. 103 (2020) is lifted.  Tenants must communicate in writing or electronically to the landlord that they want to use the funds for this purpose.  Tenants will not be obligated to make any further security deposit relating to their current lease agreement but would still be responsible for any money landlords expend that would have normally been reimbursable via the security deposit as outlined in the original contract (i.e. damage to the property).  However, should the tenant and landlord extend or renew their lease, then the tenant would be obligated to replenish the security deposit in full either six months following the end of the Public Health Emergency, or on the date on which the current lease agreement is extended or renewed, whichever is later. 

Other information for renters in New Jersey may be found at:  https://covid19.nj.gov/forms/renter.

Mental Health Resources and Additional Information
The Office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is now offering tele-behavioral health services (teletherapy) for Stevens students.  This service may be limited depending on your state of residence (current state licensing laws prohibit our staff from engaging in teletherapy with students living outside NY and NJ, however some states do offer temporary allowances). If you are a current client of CAPS and are interested in setting up a teletherapy appointment, please reach out to your therapist (or call our main number at 201-216-5177).  If you have not been to CAPS and are interested in scheduling a teletherapy session, please call 201-216-5177 and a counselor will provide you with a brief screening.  CAPS services are for Stevens students only. Please visit the CAPS website for more information.

For members of our community who are experiencing anxiety and stress due to the COVID-19 emergency, the N.J. Department of Human Services operates a toll-free “warm line” which is a resource for people seeking mental health service. The warm line is activated during events that impact the mental health of New Jersey residents. The warm line is available 24 hours and has language access: (877) 294-HELP (4357). Note that the “warm line” does not replace 911 and is not used to report emergencies.

The City of Hoboken provides daily updates on COVID-19 and its impact on the city. The situation is dynamic and we recommend that members of our community sign up for Hoboken alerts at https://local.nixle.com/alert/7903072/?sub_id=2919246.

Other useful information related to COVID-19 may be found at:

• U.S. State Department
• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• The New Jersey Department of Health
• State of New Jersey COVID-19 Website
• NJ Prepares for Potential Coronavirus Cases 24-hour public hotline: 800-222-1222 

Please sign up Stevens Alerts at https://www.stevens.edu/alerts, which is the system Stevens uses to notify our community of time-sensitive, urgent situations.  Stevens Alerts is used only to transmit urgent and emergency notifications, not routine campus announcements.

The Stevens Emergency Management Team (EMT) continues to monitor this situation and is committed to providing our community with the best information we have and supporting our students, faculty and staff members at this challenging time. We will continue to provide the most up to date information and past advisories and emails on the Stevens COVID-19 website. 

Thank you for your attention to these important matters.  Please stay safe and healthy!

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