COVID-19 Pandemic Return-to-Campus

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.

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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 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 5, 6
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

Resources

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.

Covid-19