State College, PA – Penn State University announced yesterday that, starting this upcoming Monday, March 16, no in-person classes will be held on any of the campuses until at least April 6 as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. Classes will still continue online.
In related new for events on campus, the Senior Scholastic Challenge has been postponed in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Carol Foltz, the event organizer, is working to reschedule the event.
All Penn State classes are being taught remotely at least through April 6th and events are either canceled or being rescheduled. Penn State DuBois campus remains open and faculty and staff are working diligently to continue serve our students and communities.
You can see the official statement from Penn State President Eric Barron here.
Dear Penn State Community:
As you know, communities around the globe are facing unprecedented challenges as coronavirus continues to spread. It remains our goal to take the necessary, active steps to confront this public health threat and manage our risks.
In light of this situation, and in the best interests of the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and our local communities, Penn State has decided to move to remote learning for all classes beginning Monday, March 16, through Friday, April 3, with a plan to resume in-person classes on Monday, April 6, at the earliest. For faculty and staff, the University will remain open, however, there are additional details below regarding specifics.
The continuity of class delivery is critical to the success of our students. All in-person classes, seminars, and labs will be delivered remotely for students at every campus location. The College of Medicine will soon announce consistent protocols that reflect the unique mission of that unit and its relationship with the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health. Penn College will also announce separate guidance for its community.
During this three-week period following spring break, undergraduate and graduate students at all campus locations are strongly discouraged from returning to campus, off-campus locations, and group dwellings (e.g., apartments and fraternities), and should return to, or remain at, home during this time period.
For international students who are already on campus, and students who must return to campus due to extenuating and/or compelling circumstances, we will work with you on an individual basis to make special visit or housing arrangements. Students should contact their campus Housing office, and contact information is available at: hfs.psu.edu/campuses.
Please also be aware that residence halls and campus dining facilities will not be reopened for normal operation during this remote-learning period (beyond the facilities that are already in use).
For students who need to retrieve belongings, arrangements for temporary access can be made. Students should contact their campus Housing office, and contact information is available at: hfs.psu.edu/campuses.
For those students who do not have access to a computer and/or the internet from home or from alternate locations, we will assist you in getting access from computer labs at campus locations.
Please contact the IT Director at your campus or the IT Service Desk at University Park to determine computer lab availability or for more information about those arrangements and the available locations.
All on-campus student-sponsored events and activities, such as student organization meetings, will be postponed/canceled until April 6, at the earliest. Please reach out to Student Affairs with further questions. This direction is applicable to all other locations, including gatherings at off-campus locations.
All non-essential events should be canceled, rescheduled or offered virtually through April 6, regardless of the size of the event. No new non-essential events should be scheduled. For essential events that are expected to have more than 50 attendees, approval must be sought from Provost Nick Jones.
For the time being, athletic games being held at PSU in State College will be played without fans in the stands. Home athletic events will be limited (for both Penn State and its opponents) to: Essential personnel as designated by Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics; Participating student-athletes, coaches and staff; Families of participating student-athletes, coaches and staff; Media; Penn State recruits.
