COVID-19 Pandemic Return-to-Campus

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Covid-19

At Elizabethtown College, the top priority is the overall safety and wellbeing of our campus community. Etown's reopening plans include students returning to campus for the Fall 2020 semester and employees returning in phases or as identified as essential by the College. Class instruction will be conducted in hybrid formats including in-person, virtual or a combination of both or fully remote if needed.

We are closely monitoring the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines regarding the Novel COVID-19 or coronavirus and have taken preventative measures both on and off our campus in a proactive effort to protect our community from the coronavirus.

Etown’s plan to return-to-campus also will be aligned and consistent with county orders, the state of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, Pa. Department of Education (PDE) reopening plans. The College will also follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations as well as from the federal government.

*Our knowledge and understanding of the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, and our policies and plans will be updated as appropriate as more information becomes available.

COVID-19 Campus Status

Frequently Asked Questions

Stay informed by checking our COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions page. Questions asked by our community will continue to be added to the page so be sure to check back regularly. If you have any questions that you do not see listed, please email us.

Visit our FAQ page to learn about Elizabethtown College’s return-to-campus guidelines.

Fall 2020 Semester Schedule

The following outlines the Fall 2020 semester schedule for Elizabethtown College. The schedule allows students to return to campus in August while learning and living on campus until Thanksgiving break. The remaining weeks of the semester will be conducted remotely to safeguard our campus community. Students will be encouraged not to travel away from campus when avoidable.

Elizabethtown College Fall 2020 Schedule

Momentum/Kinesis/RAs/Peer Mentors Students Move-In Date: August 17
First-Year Honors Students Move-In Date: August 18
First-Year Students (including incoming transfer students) Move-In Dates: August 19, 20
Fall New Student Orientation Dates: August 21, 22, 23
First Day of Classes (in-person and remote): Monday, August 24
Seniors and Graduate (fourth and fifth-year) Students Move-In Dates: September 4, 5
In-person Instruction for Senior and Graduate Students Begins: September 7
Class Instruction Day: Monday, September 7 (Labor Day)
Sophomore and Junior Students Move-In Dates: September 17, 18, 19
In-person Instruction for Sophomores and Juniors Begins: September 21
No Fall Break/Class Instruction Days: October 1, 2
Students Depart Campus for Fall Semester: Saturday, November 21 or Sunday, November 22
Remote Learning Days: November 23, 24
Thanksgiving Break: November 25, 26, 27
Remote Learning Week: Monday, November 30 to Friday, December 4
Remote Finals Week: Monday, December 7 to Friday, December 11

Student/Employee Travel Request Form

Return-to-campus Guides

*Click on the guide; right-click to download a PDF version.

Reopening Plan

The following Fall 2020 Reopening Plan outlines the health and safety measures Elizabethtown College will enforce to comply with state orders and contain a safe and healthy campus environment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Campus Visitor Guidelines

In order to safeguard the Elizabethtown College community, the College has updated its guidelines for all visitors to campus adhering to strict protocols and a new process in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Until further notice, the following rules apply to all visitors entering Elizabethtown College’s campus. For the purpose of these guidelines, visitors include anyone who is not a College employee or student who needs access to a campus building Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All visits are currently restricted to these days and times. Please view our Visitor guide to prepare for your visit to Etown.

Elizabethtown College Visitor Disclosure and Waiver of Liability Form (Download/Print)

Visitor Registration Form

*If you are scheduling a campus tour or visit with our Admissions Department, please view the following guidelines.

Resources

Admissions Campus Tours & Visits

We're so excited to have prospective students back at Etown! Campus Visits include a tour led by a Blue Jay Ambassador and an opportunity to meet with an Admissions Counselor. Campus Visits are currently limited to two prospective students and their families per time slot. If possible, we encourage you to limit the number of people visiting to the prospective student and two guests. For the safety of our campus community, some buildings may be off-limits. We are asking all guests to wear a mask for the duration of your visit to our campus. If you do not have one, a complimentary mask will be provided upon arrival.

All visitors will need to comply with the College’s safety and health guidelines and complete a wellness questionnaire for entrance to campus.

Visit Campus

Purpose

Elizabethtown College has a dedicated group assembled of key campus community members along with President Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D., and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) focused on the College’s short-term and long-term pandemic strategy planning. The four areas we are deeply focused include:

Health, Safety and Wellbeing: Our priority remains on our campus community. We are following guidance provided by our state Department of Health (DOH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for implementing health and safety measures in our buildings and facilities, dormitories, and dining areas. These health and safety measures will also influence how we will hold events, athletics, and activities on our campus.
Academic Continuity: We will lean on the creativity and innovation of our faculty who are currently working on ways we will conduct our in-person learning formats in a socially distance friendly environment. Utilizing more campus spaces and our labs, classrooms, studios, learning centers, as well as continuing to expand our digital education tools, approaches, and resources will all be shaped in our plan. This group will establish the best practices to resume our clinicals, fieldwork, and internships, and provide options for engaging hybrid or online learning, even while on campus.
Future Planning: While our immediate focus is on our Fall 2020 semester, our administration has already started to evaluate and plan beyond the near future to ensure we have comprehensive plans in place for the remaining academic year.
Sustainability: The campus operations and fiscal responsibilities are of utmost importance as we plan for the long-term viability of our institution. The pandemic has forced us to look at every area of our college. Our strategies put into action now will help navigate us through the challenging times so we come out stronger than ever.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the coronavirus and Elizabethtown College’s pandemic plans, please email us.

Elizabethtown College

717-361-1000

One Alpha Drive
Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298

Elizabethtown College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, possession of a general education development certificate as compared to a high school diploma, or any other legally protected status. This commitment applies but is not limited to decisions made with respect to hiring and promotion, the administration of educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other College administered programs. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is strictly forbidden.

Covid-19