April 17, 2020
Dear students and parents,
Sotheby’s Summer Institute for Pre-College Students is moving online in 2020. Many leading education providers are making similar decisions in response to social responsibility and safety of our students and communities, and we too feel this is the right choice for the Summer Institute and will help our students keep learning and pursuing their passions this summer while staying safe and healthy.
Furthermore, we have been working hard to ensure that this virtual experience will be like no other. Instead of translating the Summer Institute into the usual online classroom, we will be bringing you so much more… opportunities to explore not just New York City but the world, to connect in new ways, to focus on unique passions, extra curricular activities, and to be mentored and taught with care and attention from our faculty who have experience teaching online.
Any enrolled students or those with pending applications will be contacted directly by an enrollment counselor to discuss their options. Our Pre-College team can be reached anytime at +1 (646) 665-1861 or summerinstitute@sia.edu.
March 12, 2020
Dear students and parents,
As we continue preparations for another great Sotheby’s Summer Institute, these preparations include planning around the current global health issue of Coronavirus/COVID-19. Please know that we are taking this very seriously while also recognizing that we have several months until the start of the summer to watch, learn, and prepare.
As of now we’re planning to hold our pre-college program in New York City as scheduled. We realize this situation could change at any moment and we will keep our community members advised of any changes. In the meantime, we want you to feel confident about applying to and participating in our programs. As a result, we want to share the following:
For Applicants: We still encourage you to apply by our next deadline of March 16 to secure your place in your preferred class, as several of the most popular courses are approaching capacity.
For Admitted Students: We encourage you to pay your deposit and tuition according to schedule. We are suspending our cancellation and refund policies until the situation stabilizes to give you the flexibility you need to make decisions. If you need to withdraw from the program due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 related issues, we will provide a full refund or allow you to defer enrollment to a later term, pending availability. We will be in touch with any updates as necessary and as more information becomes available.
Hopefully, these policies provide comfort to families so that you can apply to and enroll in our programs as normal, and, if the circumstances change in the future, you can alter your plans without penalty.
There is no higher priority than the safety of our community of students, faculty, and staff. We will continue to communicate throughout the spring, but rest assured, we are monitoring this developing situation closely, staying in regular contact with state and local agencies, health organizations, and other experts. We will continue to post updates as this situation evolves to our website, and communicate directly with you via email. Our enrollment counselors remain in place to guide you through any individual questions or concerns.
Thank you for your patience and trust in Sotheby’s Institute of Art. For now, know that we are watching and actively planning for a variety of scenarios, and are prepared to navigate through these challenging circumstances with your student’s safety at the forefront of everything we do.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kay Chubbuck
Director, Sotheby’s Summer Institute