After Fordham paused in-person activities due to COVID-19 last March, the university canceled in-person tours and visitations indefinitely. On March 29, 2021, an email from the Office of the Vice President for Administration announced that limited campus tours for prospective students and their families would resume on April 7. 

The university acknowledged that spring is a critical time for students and families to select a college for the fall and that campus visits are a key component of the search. 

John Carroll, assistant vice president of Public Safety, said excitement and interest from prospective students and families are reasons for the recommencement of campus tours. 

The decision was made with guidance from University Health Services and Public Safety, according to Patricia Peek, dean of undergraduate admissions. She said that they have been monitoring the situation since last summer.

“We are continuing to monitor the program daily and are making adjustments that provide access but also keep the safety of staff, students and visitors as paramount.” Patricia Peek, dean of undergraduate admissions

“The decision to allow visitors to campus has not been an easy one. It was only recently that we felt we could allow a limited number of admitted students on campus who had not previously visited,” she said. “We are continuing to monitor the program daily and are making adjustments that provide access but also keep the safety of staff, students and visitors as paramount.” 

In order to abide by COVID-19 restrictions and safety guidelines, visits will be limited to a maximum of 30 families with a maximum of three family members on each campus in a single day. 

Carroll said families are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within five days of their scheduled visit. 

Public Safety will also screen every visit, take the temperature of each person and require visitors to sign a COVID-19 waiver. Staff in the Office of Undergraduate Admission are assigned time slots to enter and exit campus, as opposed to student tour guides. Groups will also only visit the outdoor campus area and remain on campus for no longer than one hour. 

“We will not have any mingling between our students and prospective students, families and visitors on these planned visits,” Carroll said. 

Carroll specified that visitors will be prohibited from entering any buildings at both campuses. At Lincoln Center, prospective students and families will remain on the plaza. At Rose Hill, visitors will be limited to Keating Hall Terrace and the walkway surrounding Edwards Parade.

Comparing Virtual and On-Campus Tours

Last spring, prospective students relied on virtual tours and online information sessions to familiarize themselves with the campus and reach decisions about their future college. 

Karen Watanabe, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24, toured Fordham Lincoln Center virtually in the spring of 2020. She expressed difficulties with picking up on the atmosphere of the campus and daily life there.

“One of the most difficult things about utilizing online tours was getting the ‘feel’ of the community,” she said.

“While I think Fordham has put together amazing and quality virtual events to make up for the lack of in person opportunities, not being able to see the campus or feel its energy is definitely an issue for most students.” Ritamarie Pepe, FCLC ’22

Ritamarie Pepe, FCLC ’22 and an orientation coordinator, believed that the in-person tours are of value to admitted students because the decision of choosing a college for the next four years is stressful without resources such as on-campus tours.

She added that while Fordham’s online tools are helpful, they pale in comparison to in-person visitations. 

“While I think Fordham has put together amazing and quality virtual events to make up for the lack of in person opportunities, not being able to see the campus or feel its energy is definitely an issue for most students, and it is daunting to commit without having that opportunity,” she said. 

Watanabe emphasized that she would not consider an in-person visit this semester because of restrictions on indoor visitation and interacting with faculty and students. 

“I feel like it would be the same thing as looking at Google images. The experience of visiting a college campus won’t be as nice if you actually witness the traditional campus life,” she said.

Despite Fordham’s efforts to accommodate in-person visitors, Pepe is unsure of the effectiveness of on-campus tours because of restrictions in place that limit indoor visitation and interaction with student ambassadors.

“Because we are only one city block, people may not understand all that Fordham has to offer, which you really get when you are able to talk to student ambassadors during tours inside of the facilities,” she said. 

Pepe recommended that prospective students attend virtual events, chat with student ambassadors and conduct more independent research. 

According to the Office of Admissions, the university received 47,883 applications for the Class of 2024 and welcomed 2,050 students. For the Class of 2025, there was a 4% decrease with 45,000 applications.

Class of 2025 Affected by COVID-19

According to Peek, the Class of 2024 was smaller than previous classes, reflecting a greater trend in declining college enrollment in the fall of 2020. She attributed this decrease to the changing circumstances of families due to COVID-19, resulting in reconsiderations regarding distance from home, financial realities and deferment of enrolling by a semester or year.

According to the Office of Admissions, the university received 47,883 applications for the Class of 2024 and welcomed 2,050 students. For the Class of 2025, there was a 4% decrease with 45,000 applications. 

“The pool was very talented and we were able to admit more qualified applicants,” Peek said. 

Peek noted that tours were a major deciding factor for prospective students prior to the pandemic, but that the virtual formats have become comparable. 

“Before the pandemic, I would have said they play a significant role. However, we have created so many virtual options from online tours to academic panels and sessions that ‘virtual’ experiences are emerging as comparable in many ways,” she said.  

Only newly admitted students who have not previously toured campus will be allowed to visit, and students from local academic institutions such as Cristo Rey New York High School will be permitted to visit campus. Visitors are restricted from interacting with university students, faculty and staff. 

Carroll is confident in the university’s COVID-19 safety measures. “We believe testing within 5 days is a prudent measure using PCR or antigen tests to proactively coincide with strict measures mentioned above,” he said. 

“We are hoping to expand campus visits this summer and look forward to a fall where we will be able to balance both in-person and virtual events in a new suite of opportunities.” Patricia Peek

Virtual tours will still be available, according to Carroll.

Peek stressed her excitement to welcome new students and urged prospective students and their families to utilize the several virtual features available online. 

“We are excited to welcome our admitted students and their families but acknowledge our offerings fall short of the high demand. We encourage everyone to continue to attend our robust and varied virtual events. We are hoping to expand campus visits this summer and look forward to a fall where we will be able to balance both in-person and virtual events in a new suite of opportunities,” she said.