COVID-19 Campus Updates
Resources
Student Resources
- Student Refund Update
- Grading Options
- Canvas: Getting Started Guide for Students
- What is the Canvas Student App?
- Academic Assistance: The Learning Zone and Writing Wing
- Chaplain and Religious Life Resources
- Counseling Services Resources
- Career Services Resources
- Student Software
Faculty & Employee Resources
- Five Ways to View Coverage of the Coronavirus
- CDC Tips for Managing Stress & Anxiety
- Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus
Resources for Everyone
- CDC
- PA Department of Health
- F.A.Q.
- Zoom
- Join a Zoom Meeting
- Navigating the Controls in a Zoom Meeting
- Xfinity Wifi Hotspots
- Comcast Internet Essentials
- ITS Knowledgebase
- Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-Being Resources
- Event Updates
- High Library: Documenting Etown's COVID-19 Experience
- Wellspan myStrength Resources
At Elizabethtown College, the overall safety and wellbeing of our campus community is our priority. We are closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) updates 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. Any students or parents with questions can reach out to 717-361-1197 or reslife@etown.edu.
Important COVID-19 Campus Updates - May 1, 2020
As an Elizabethtown College community, we were able to transform our campus environment online in just a few days to finish the spring semester as we faced insurmountable circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve shared it many times in the last few weeks, but it must be said again, our resilient community inspires me, even more, to lead our institution through these trying times.
We know there are many questions, and we currently have a leadership team in the process of examining multiple scenarios and creating a framework to provide more clarity to our students, parents, faculty, staff, and the broader community.
We are planning that Elizabethtown College will have all students return to campus in August. We also anticipate bringing back our faculty and staff to campus in phases over the next several months. The safety and health of our campus community remain at the core of our decision-making and we will continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, and communicate our preventative safety measures to you as we prepare our return to campus.
Fall 2020 Planning
We will deliver our on-campus class instruction by optimizing our facilities to offer our academic programs while maintaining social distancing measures. We will lean on the creativity and innovation of our faculty to conduct our in-person learning formats—in labs, classrooms, studios, learning centers, as well as continue to expand our digital education tools, approaches, and resources. Our proposed plans for the fall 2020 semester include:
- Utilizing larger spaces and creating smaller classes, labs, studios, and learning centers/offices to incorporate appropriate social distancing practices
- Resuming clinicals/fieldwork/internships in accordance with best safety practices
- Providing options for engaging hybrid or online learning, even while on campus
- Expanding academic and personal support services for our students
We also realize the value of the residential student experience with 85 percent of our students living on campus. While we will have to be flexible, we intend to offer the student life experience our students desire. Our plan includes:
- Opening residence halls*
- Opening Dining Services*
- Opening athletic and wellness facilities*
*Following the guidance and best practices from the CDC and the PA DOH
As we approach finals week, I am thoroughly impressed by the level of academic excellence our students have produced to reach their educational goals. Students—your determination and ability to adapt to our online environment this semester has been incredible and we sincerely appreciate your flexibility and understanding through these trying times.
In addition, the innovative and compelling teaching our professors have delivered has been nothing short of first-class. I am enthused by their
newly adopted resolution
to “providing all our students with a nurturing, safe, and connected educational experience in the fall.” I also commend our staff who take intentional care and support through their daily work to ensure our institution continues to operate efficiently.
We cannot wait to welcome our students back to campus. We will continue to keep you informed throughout the summer as we have more updates to share. I’m looking forward to celebrating the Class of 2020 during our upcoming
virtual celebration
on May 16.
Best wishes for health and happiness,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
April 23, 2020
Student Refund Update
Elizabethtown College is committed to providing each student with high-quality instruction during these unprecedented times which have required us to transition to an online distance learning model. We are pleased to share that beginning Friday, April 24, Elizabethtown College will begin issuing partial housing and meal refunds to students. We have worked diligently to develop a fair refund policy for our students that recognizes the fixed costs of operating our housing and dining operations. Please carefully read the guidelines below to learn about our methodology and how you will receive your refund.
April 8, 2020
In light of the changes to our learning environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elizabethtown College faculty adopted the following changes to the College’s grading policies for the spring 2020 semester. The following policies apply for students in the traditional College and SCPS undergraduates in the S3 2020 session.
- Students will have the option to convert a final course grade from a letter grade to S (A, B, C, D) or NS (F) . Students will be permitted to make this change after final grades have been reported. Letter grades are calculated in the GPA as usual; S/NS grades are not. Students will want to consult with their academic advisors to ensure that they have considered carefully the implications of these decisions (e.g., for entrance to graduate schools and professional programs). By the final week of April, Department Chairs will communicate with students whether or not particular prerequisites or graduation/accreditation requirements cannot be met with a grade of S/NS. Please be patient as academic departments consider the implications of the new policy and convey any necessary considerations to students.
- Incomplete Grade Options: Students may also request that a faculty member submit a COVID-19 specific incomplete grade of IC, COVID-19 Incomplete or RC, COVID-19 Repeat. Each option is at the faculty member’s discretion, and are described in greater detail here.
- Signature Learning Experiences: Any student in the traditional program who is enrolled currently in a Signature Learning Experience (SLE) and earns a passing grade will receive credit toward fulfillment of the SLE graduation requirement. If the SLE also fulfills a departmental program requirement, the academic department chair will identify a suitable plan for a student to fulfill the graduation requirement.
- Academic Honors: Academic Honors policies that stipulate letter-graded coursework will be upheld as published.
Questions?
Please consult your instructor, academic advisor, and/or department chair concerning specific advising questions related to spring 2020 semester grading options.
General inquiries may be directed to
Brian Newsome
, Dean for Curriculum and Honors.
April 1, 2020
Dear Elizabethtown College Students:
I hope you and your family are doing well and staying safe. I am continuously inspired by the degree of commitment and impressive work you are producing in your courses as we have transitioned online. Your professors are sharing positive messages of your optimism and dedication to completing your spring semester successfully.
The administration and College’s Emergency Management Group (EMG) continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic, and as you are likely aware, we have all learned this week that the nation has been advised to continue to social distance through April 30. Lancaster County is also currently under a stay-at-home mandate. As a result, we have no choice but to delay our return-to-campus schedule that was slated to begin on April 6, and we will provide updates regarding a new timeline for students to return to campus and retrieve their belongings when it is safe to do so.
I know this may cause some disappointment, however, all of our decisions have been based on the safety and well-being of our campus community and beyond as well as the guidelines provided by our government and health agencies.
We appreciate your understanding as we all navigate this unprecedented time. I’m so proud of all you are accomplishing and encourage you to work hard toward achieving your goals as you complete your spring semester.
Sincerely,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
April 1, 2020
Dear Elizabethtown College Faculty and Staff:
I hope you and your family are all doing well and staying safe as we face these unparalleled times during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am so impressed by our dedicated faculty and committed staff who continue to provide our students with an exceptional online learning experience.
As you are most likely aware, we learned this week that the nation has been advised to continue to social distance through April 30. The state of Pennsylvania also is under a stay-at-home order. This means all faculty members, as we have previously communicated, will remain teaching their courses online, and all employees, unless otherwise authorized as essential personnel, will continue working remotely.
While we had previously anticipated bringing our campus community back by April 6, the evolving coronavirus situation presents too much uncertainty. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) continues to monitor the coronavirus situation very closely along with the College's Emergency Management (EMG) team. We will provide updates regarding a timeline for employees to return to work on campus as we determine it is safe to do so.
As a community, we remain diligently focused to meet the needs of our students so they can successfully finish their semester.
With thanks,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
Previous Updates
Dear Elizabethtown College Community:
We are informing our campus community that an Elizabethtown College student has tested positive for COVID-19 or coronavirus. The student traveled overseas during spring break and has been in self-quarantine since March 12 when the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared the country the student visited a Level 3 status. The student, who had not experienced any symptoms prior to self-isolating, is receiving the necessary care for their treatment as they recover and will remain in isolation for the recommended amount of time per medical providers and the CDC guidelines.
As soon as the College received the test results today, we immediately started the communication process of contacting those individuals who may have been in direct contact with the student, sharing with them the CDC guidelines and recommendations depending on the extent of their contact with the student.
In order to safeguard the private information of our community and our students’ health information, we would ask you to respect the privacy of the identity of the student and their family, and refrain from sharing any informal information.
As we’ve been sharing, the health and wellbeing of our community is our top priority, and this reinforces why it is critical for our campus community to social distance at this time. We remind our community of the CDC guidelines, resources, and contact information we have available to all students, faculty, and staff at etown.edu. We strongly encourage you to review the materials to familiarize yourself with any information you may need to learn about the coronavirus.
I continue to be lifted by the positive messages of our community members as we get through this together.
Sincerely,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
Dear Elizabethtown College Community:
This is a difficult message to share with you. Two weeks ago, we were hopeful the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation would not impede our regular campus environment for an extended period of time. However, after following daily developments, considerate deliberation, and reflection, Elizabethtown College will remain remote through the rest of the spring 2020 semester. We had anticipated bringing our campus community back by April 6, but the evolving coronavirus situation presents too much uncertainty. The health and wellbeing of our campus community is always our top priority, and if we were to bring our community back to campus, it creates too many vulnerabilities that could ultimately impact all of us. We continue to lean on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), our state health and government officials, and our College’s Emergency Management Group (EMG) to move forward in a safe and effective direction.
We successfully began our online learning and working phases this week, and it is with the support of our committed students, faculty, and staff that we are able to continue operating our College. We have already grown so much, and have certainly learned that we love and miss our campus dearly, but no geographic borders will keep us from staying connected. As we have shared, we’re committed as a College to ensuring all our students receive the best possible educational experience through these unprecedented circumstances. I’m also grateful to the essential employees who are keeping our physical campus functioning while the majority of us cannot be present. It truly takes all of us to shift our regular routines to make this work, and I am incredibly thankful and proud of everyone for remaining patient, optimistic, and kind as we work together through this difficult period.
The CDC advises against holding events and interactions with groups of 50 people or more for at least the next eight weeks and as a result, that guideline has forced us to postpone our Commencement Exercises scheduled for Saturday, May 16 so we may safeguard our community. We are committed to providing the ceremony in another format or at a later date as well as holding other traditional events honoring the accomplishments of our students, especially our seniors, and will communicate those updates as soon as details are finalized.
Academic Continuity/Faculty
- The spring 2020 semester will continue with online courses only for the remainder of the semester.
- Faculty members must teach their online courses remotely (off-campus) through the spring semester. We appreciate our hardworking faculty members and will continue to provide academic and technology resources as needed throughout this online learning semester.
- For technical questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk. Academic-related questions should be directed to the Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development, Kristi Kneas. We have also made resources available at etown.edu.
- The last day of online classes is Friday, May 1 with finals week still being held May 4-8.
- Additional information regarding spring 2020 student-teaching assignments, fieldwork, and/or internships is forthcoming.
- Summer online courses will begin as scheduled on June 1.
Staff
- All employees who are currently working remotely should continue to do so. We will be closely monitoring the coronavirus developments and communicate updates as decisions are made. Staff resources are available at etown.edu.
- The College has redefined essential staff reducing the number of employees permitted on campus. Again, we continue to monitor the developments on a daily basis and will make changes to this plan as necessary.
Events
- The 2020 Commencement Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 16 has been postponed. Details regarding the future ceremony and other traditional events such as Baccalaureate will be shared soon.
- The Landmark Conference and its presidents have canceled the remaining spring 2020 athletic competition season.
- View a list of postponed or canceled events.
Student Housing
- In order for students to pick up their belongings, we have created a form to schedule a time to return to campus (when it is deemed safe) and move out all of their belongings and acquire any items they have in academic buildings (art, science, music items, etc.).
- Due to the restriction on sizes of gatherings, we need to carefully schedule small numbers of students to return for belongings. The Office of Community Living will send out instructions for this sign-up process and the anticipated dates available will be from April 6 through April 27.
- We still have a small number of students who are currently residing on campus and are being cared for by the Office of Community Living.
- All student mail and packages will be forwarded to home addresses immediately as a courtesy to students.
Refunds
As a result of these decisions, Elizabethtown College intends to make a prorated refund of housing and meal plan costs for students displaced from campus. Currently, we are finalizing our list of students impacted and reviewing an array of unique circumstances including but not limited to room assignments, meal plans, and financial aid awards of those resident students related to housing and meal plan costs. Further updates will be shared once we finalize the list of students and determine the duration of displacement from campus housing. We appreciate your understanding as we work through this process.
Campus Access
The campus is closed. At this time, no one is permitted on campus except for essential staff until further notice.
International/Domestic Travel Ban
- All international and domestic college-sponsored travel for students and employees is suspended until communicated otherwise.
- If you have specific questions regarding travel, please contact your direct supervisor.
I understand these decisions will cause immeasurable disappointment for our campus community. One of my favorite quotes written by Charles Swindoll reads, “life is about 10 percent of what happens to us and 90 percent of how we react to it.” While we cannot control this situation, we can control how we respond. I ask that we stay calm, be compassionate when working with others, and lead our lives with our motto, Educate for Service, at the heart of everything we do. I have never been more proud to be a part of the Blue Jay family, and I cannot wait to see how much stronger we will be, together, once again. Blue Jays, always.
With much gratitude and wishes for good health,
Sincerely,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
Dear Elizabethtown College Community:
In light of today’s developments announced by the national Coronavirus Taskforce, we wanted to share that Elizabethtown College continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations very closely. We remain committed to our remote learning and working environment for students, faculty, and non-essential staff members with online courses beginning on Wednesday, March 18 through Friday, April 3. We’re hopeful of our anticipated start date of in-person classes beginning again on Monday, April 6, and if our timelines were to change, we will communicate with you through your etown.edu email, the College’s website, and our social media channels.
As a reminder, no students or employees are permitted on campus without confirmed authorization. We encourage you to check our COVID-19 web section where our updates and resources are also posted. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the College during these challenging times.
Elizabethtown College
Dear Elizabethtown College Community:
At Elizabethtown College, the overall safety and wellbeing of our campus community is our priority. As we have been sharing, we are closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) updates 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. We encourage you to please read to the end of this message.
In result, all face-to-face classes are canceled for Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17. Beginning on Wednesday, March 18, classes will resume online to continue the learning experience remotely through Friday, April 3. This decision means all scheduled activities and/or events on the campus of Elizabethtown College during this time period are also canceled. We anticipate holding face-to-face classes again on Monday, April 6. As with all of these details and changes, we will continue to monitor the coronavirus updates closely and reevaluate timelines as necessary.
It is important to note that at this time there are no reported cases of coronavirus at Elizabethtown College, and as of March 12 (8:45 a.m.), there are no reported cases in Lancaster County. Our proactive stance aligns with state and federal health and government officials who have advised that social distancing is an effective way to slow the spread of the virus. It is our hope that by taking these measures we will limit social contact providing us additional time for our response to prepare our campus capabilities for a long-term plan.
Please read the updates to appropriate areas of our institution regarding campus operations:
Academic Continuity
- At least 24 hours prior to the scheduled class session, faculty members will communicate to students by email and/or through Canvas regarding online instruction and how they may be contacted remotely during normal business hours.
- Faculty members are encouraged to work with their respective Department Chair, the Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development, and the College’s Information and Technology Services (ITS) employees as needed.
- This is a dynamic situation, and we understand there may be questions regarding specific course requirements and activities (e.g., labs, performance, community-based learning experiences, student teaching, field work, quizzes, and exams, etc.). The Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development will share resources, information, and regular updates with faculty members to communicate any changes to courses with their students.
- All students participating in internships and field work this spring are expected to continue those activities unless otherwise directed.
- Students or faculty members for whom access to computer technology is an issue should contact the ITS Help Desk to discuss available options and support.
- For Faculty: All faculty members should begin working remotely starting on Monday, March 16 to prepare for online courses with their students beginning on Wednesday, March 18. View a teaching-and-learning-from-home resource website.
- SCPS Students/Faculty: Online courses will operate as normal.
Student Life/Residential Housing Updates
- All students are encouraged to return home as soon as you are able and leave your residence hall, apartment, quad, or SDLC by Sunday, March 15 at noon with all essential belongings. Students will not be permitted to return to on-campus housing and/or residence halls until a further communication has been released with a return-to-campus confirmation date and procedures.
- Students can take their keys with them and are not required to check out of their rooms.
- International students and domestic students with challenging home circumstances, and students with academic commitments that are not possible with commuting who would like to be considered for a housing exception* will need to complete this online request form by Friday, March 13 at 1 p.m. to ask for consideration. (*Dining will be provided to those students permitted to stay on campus through the Jay’s Nest.)
For Employees (*Human Resources will send a separate communication to all directors.)
- All non-essential employees should begin working remotely starting on Monday, March 16. Work expectations and duties should still be fulfilled and will be instructed by direct supervisors.
- View a work-from-home resource guide.
- Essential employees (and those employees deemed essential by their supervisor) should report to campus for their respective work hours. Any changes to duties will be communicated by their direct supervisor.
International/Domestic Travel Ban
- During this timeframe, all international and domestic college-sponsored travel for all students and employees is suspended.
- If you have specific questions regarding travel, please contact your direct supervisor who will be in contact with their respective Senior Leadership Team member.
Study Abroad Students/Trips (Update: March 13, 2020)
- We currently have students studying abroad through several program partnerships with the College. As of March 13, 2020, the College has decided to have all students return to the U.S. by March 20, 2020 and complete their study-abroad experience online or through alternative plans made on a case-by-case status.
- The College has canceled all May 2020 international trips.
Events/Athletics
- All scheduled activities, face-to-face meetings, and/or events on the campus of Elizabethtown College will be canceled during this timeframe. View a list of canceled events.
- The Landmark Conference for the NCAA has suspended all athletic events from March 14 through April 6. On April 6, conference play will resume to allow for our participation in the NCAA championship tournaments.
- At the present time, we anticipate events such as Commencement and Senior Week activities will occur as scheduled.
With the wellbeing of our students at the center of every decision we make, we appreciate your support as we face these unprecedented times. Our goal of ensuring our students reach success is unchanged and we will be stronger as a community as we help our students finish the spring semester successfully. We will share an update with our campus community regarding the return-to-campus procedures prior to April 3. Our updates also will be shared on our website which we encourage you to check regularly.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and support of the College as together we work to sustain the health and wellbeing of our campus community.
Sincerely,
Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D.
President
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298© 2020 Elizabethtown College