University leadership and a Pandemic Illness Assessment Team have been making plans to respond based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health and other agencies.
To all members of our Cal U community:
The University has been carefully monitoring the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a potentially serious respiratory illness.
University leadership and a Pandemic Illness Assessment Team have been making plans to respond based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health and other agencies.
Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our students and employees. With that in mind, Cal U is taking steps to protect our campus community while continuing to educate our students and keep essential University functions on track. We understand that these temporary measures will cause significant disruption, but we believe it is important to be proactive when the health of our University family is at stake.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR STUDENTS?
- If you are enrolled in a 100% online program, it’s “business as usual.” Continue your courses as planned.
- If you are taking one or more classes online, those classes will resume as scheduled.
- If you are enrolled in an on-campus (face-to-face) program, your spring break will be extended by two weeks, through March 27. Beginning March 30, all on-campus courses will be taught via online/distance education for a minimum of two weeks. Whether online/distance education will continue past April 10 is subject to further review. Students will be kept informed.
Check your campus email and the Cal U homepage for updates. Our intent is to complete the spring semester on time. Your professors will be in touch via your Cal U email to share details about your courses.
All students are strongly encouraged to return to their permanent residence and continue their coursework from home until on-campus classes resume. However, residence halls will re-open March 15. Students who choose to return to campus will be expected to follow hygiene and social distancing measures to protect their own health and that of others. No visitors will be permitted in the residence halls.
Please make the choice that is best for your personal circumstances. Be aware that on-campus dining services will be limited and some locations, such as the Herron Recreation and Fitness Center and the Vulcan Theater, will be closed.
Also:
- Manderino Library will be open, and social distancing measures will be in place, for students who need to use University computers to complete online/distance learning assignments. Librarians will be on call; online resources and hours of operation will be posted on the library’s website.
- Student teachers, interns and students engaged in fieldwork should report to their student teaching/internship/fieldwork sites as scheduled, providing the site is open and they are feeling well.
- Student workers and graduate assistants will continue to be paid, but they should NOT report to work until on-campus classes resume.
If you feel ill, do NOT return to campus. Stay home until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. If you recently traveled to an area experiencing widespread COVID-19 outbreaks – places such as China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan or hotspots in the United States – please contact the Student Health Center at 724-938-4232 before you return to Cal U.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FACULTY?
For faculty who are teaching a 100% online program or any online course(s), it’s “business as usual.” Continue your courses as planned.
Faculty who teach on-campus courses are expected to be working from March 16-27 to convert their face-to-face courses for online delivery or distance learning. The course schedule will resume March 30 with all courses being delivered via online/distance learning modalities, with the intent of completing all course objectives by the scheduled end of the semester.
Faculty should continue to supervise student teachers, interns and students engaged in fieldwork, providing their student teaching/internship/fieldwork sites remain open and the faculty member is well.
While we are encouraging students to continue their coursework at home, Manderino Library will remain open, with appropriate hygiene and social distancing measures in place, for students who need University computers to keep up with their assignments. The provost/VP will outline the duties of other non-instructional faculty as needed.
If you feel ill, do NOT come to campus. Use ESS to request sick leave and contact your dean if you are unable to work. If you recently traveled to a country affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, please inform your dean. Even if you feel well, please avoid coming to campus until 14 days have elapsed since your return from high-risk countries as designated by the CDC.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR STAFF?
Union members, non-represented staff and administrators will continue to report for work as usual for now.
The University is exploring tele-work options and social distancing measures that may be deployed should conditions change. In the coming days, the Human Resources Office will contact unit directors and other managers regarding essential functions and telecommuting options.
If you are not feeling well, do NOT come to work. Use ESS to request sick leave and contact your immediate supervisor to report your absence.
HOW IS UNIVERSITY TRAVEL AFFECTED?
For the health and safety of our Cal U community:
- All University-sponsored international travel is canceled until further notice. This includes new trips and international travel previously approved.
- All University-sponsored domestic travel, both in-state and out-of-state, is suspended until further notice, with the exception of travel deemed essential by the University President. Requests to approve essential travel, including previously approved trips, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Travel guidelines will be re-evaluated when conditions warrant, and updates will be shared.
To minimize the risk of transmitting a viral illness, all travelers are asked to self-quarantine if they recently have visited a high-risk area or if they are not feeling well after they return.
WHAT ABOUT CAMPUS EVENTS?
- To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, all events in the Convocation Center and across campus have been canceled through April 10. Future events will be evaluated in the days ahead.
- Intercollegiate student athletics will follow guidelines issued by the PSAC and NCAA.
(UPDATE: Following PSAC and NCAA guidelines, all spring sports have been canceled; no practices are scheduled.) - Other campus events will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
These are extraordinary circumstances, and many people are working hard to put appropriate plans in place. I appreciate your cooperation as we implement these important measures. All guidelines are subject to change as the situation warrants. Please watch your campus email and the Cal U homepage for additional information.
Family members who have questions may phone the Cal U Information Hotline between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 724-938-5600. Please leave a short message with your name and telephone number so we can call you back.
Sincerely,
Geraldine M. Jones
University President