Course Delivery

• Most courses will be offered in a HyFlex format, a multimodal teaching approach that utilizes a combination of face-to-face instruction and remote learning. The HyFlex format will ensure a limited number of students for in-person instruction at any given class meeting. The rest of the courses will be delivered entirely online—in either a synchronous or asynchronous format.
• Class attendance will continue to be taken regularly for hybrid and online classes.
• Students with disabilities should work with the Office for Accessibility Services to arrange for accommodations (accessibility@cheyney.edu).

Academic Calendar

• As previously communicated on October 26, 2020, the Spring 2021 semester will begin on Monday, February 1. Final exams for the Spring 15-week session will begin on Monday, May 10, and end on Friday, May 14. To allow for social distancing, move-in for residential students will be staggered, on January 30 and 31. Refer to the Housing section below for additional details. 
• There will be no Spring Break during the Spring 2021 semester. This decision was made to mitigate the risk of students, faculty, and staff traveling during the Break and returning to campus with coronavirus.
• Spring-1 (1st 7.5 weeks session) will run February 1 – March 23. Final exams for Spring-1 session will begin on March 18 and end on March 23. 
• Spring-2 (2nd 7.5 weeks session) will run March 25 – May 14. Final exams for Spring-2 session will begin on May 10 and end on May 14.   

New Student Orientation (NSO)

• New Student Orientation (NSO) will be a virtual event again for the spring semester, and all new incoming students (freshmen and transfer) are required to participate. The session will be held on Monday, January 25 and a follow-up session will be held on Friday, January 29. All new students will receive specific instructions on how to complete NSO.
• Once new students have successfully completed the online orientation program, they will be registered for classes. Block schedules are utilized for all first-year students to allow for concentrated experience of course material, with fewer classes daily. This gives instructors more time to provide students with attention and one-on-one support to engage in active learning activities.

Residence Halls

• The move-in process will be much more regimented. Move-In time slots will be assigned by classification (Freshmen, Sophomores, etc.). All residential students have been notified of their specific group, dates, and times. Groups will be as follows:

Saturday, January 30

• • Seniors (8:00 am – 10:00 am)
  • Juniors (11:00 am – 1:00 pm)
  • Sophomores (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm)

Sunday, January 31 

• • Freshmen last names A – J (8:00 am – 12:00 pm)
  • Freshmen last names K – Z (12:00 pm – 3:00 pm)

• All residential students will be required to be tested for COVID-19, 5 to 7 calendar days before their move-in date. Residential students must provide evidence of a negative test result prior to being allowed to move into their residence hall. The 5-to-7-day window is to allow sufficient time for students to receive their coronavirus test results. Students are responsible for making their own test arrangements.
• Students should take their COVID-19 test in accordance with the following schedule:

Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores

• • Coronavirus testing should be administered on January 23-25

Freshmen

• • Coronavirus testing should be administered between January 24-26

• • Residential students will receive detailed instructions on submitting their COVID-19 test results to the University.
  • After taking their coronavirus test, students are strongly encouraged to quarantine themselves before their move-in date. This is to mitigate the risk of being exposed to COVID-19 after their test.
  • Upon arriving to campus for move-in, students and their families will be screened for temperatures. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will not be allowed access to the buildings.
  • Only students who are registered and financially cleared will be allowed to have access to the residence halls. You are strongly encouraged to get cleared and registered prior to your move-in date in order to avoid unnecessary delays.
  • No guests—including parents—will be allowed to enter the residence halls during the move-in process. This is to protect our residential students and mitigate the risk of a coronavirus outbreak.
  • Arrangements for supplemental services such as Bursar, Financial-Aid, and Registrar will be established in Marian Anderson.
  • Students will be required to abide by more stringent campus policies regarding COVID-19 and violation of the policies could result in loss of housing privileges.
  • Students will be provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as an orientation regarding how to use it and social distancing practices. It is important to avoid personal contact (e.g., handshaking and hugging).
  • Student gatherings and activities will be restricted based on the guidelines set by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  • Students are encouraged to utilize stairs to avoid over-crowding of the elevators and should limit occupants to no more than 1 to 2 people at a time.
  • A staggered move-out schedule will be provided in the coming weeks. All students will be required to move out by Saturday, May 15.

Dining

• Students’ meal plans will include diverse meals that will be grab-and-go at the various dining venues on campus.
• Indoor queueing areas will be created for students as well as one-way in and out paths of the various venues.
• The University will continue to work with its Food and Beverage partner to identify and adopt best practices as it relates to providing a variety of food offerings in a safe manner.

Parking and Transportation

• All students, faculty, guests, and tenants are to enter through the main front gate entrance to the campus. The University will continue to staff the front gate with security guards 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The guards will take temperatures and visitors will be required to complete a COVID-19 survey.
• Students must obtain a parking permit and will still be able to park on campus. All student parking will be on-campus, either in the Marcus Foster parking lot or “motorcycle” parking lot on the upper-end of campus.
• SEPTA bus service to and from the campus has resumed. You can view the SEPTA schedule

Academic Support Services

• Library Services, a vital component of academic support services, will be transitioning to include a virtual component for faculty, students, and staff. Current technology supports multiple learning experiences and remote access to library resources. Students learn to employ information fluency, technology, and critical thinking skills in subject-area learning experiences. Students should use the Ask-A-Librarian link on the website to request instructional support assistance with library services and coursework materials. Faculty are encouraged to reach out directly to the University Librarians to make arrangements for their course information literacy, reference, and research needs.
• Supplemental Instruction, tutoring, and weekly homework help services will continue to be provided by the Academic Success Center to assess, assist, and encourage students in the learning process in a variety of disciplines and coursework topics. The Academic Success Center remains committed to offering a number of diverse and flexible methods to connect students with its team of academic support service providers and workshop facilitators. The delivery of these support services shall include traditional in-person, one-on-one, and face-to-face, as well as virtual instructional sessions for both individuals and small groups. The Academic Success Center shall continue its commitment to offer drop-in academic support services, however, it strongly recommends that students request any academic assistance at least 5 days before assignment deadlines by emailing Asc@wolf.cheyney.edu or calling the ASC Office at (610) 399-2046 for a scheduled appointment.
• The Writing Center will remain housed in Carnegie Hall where professional Writing Assistants will be available for face-to-face and/or virtual instructional sessions designed to help students develop their writing skills. The Writing Center staff have been trained to provide assistance in multiple ways to best meet the needs of students including writing review sessions, writing skill development workshops, and weekly homework support in writing-intensive courses, which can be made available to individual students or small groups. While the Writing Center will attempt to accommodate drop-in requests for assistance, students are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment with a Writing Center staff member to ensure that their needs can be met by the desired deadline. Writing Center appointments can be made through the Academic Success Center by emailing Asc@wolf.cheyney.edu or calling the ASC Office at (610) 399-2046.
• TRIO Student Services program will continue to serve students using multiple formats including contact through in-person, phone, email, Zoom, and engagement in the D2L TRIO 101 course this semester. Access to Food Pantry will continue through appointments only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00am-3:00pm. Workshops and cultural events will be conducted via Zoom or onsite in compliance with social distancing requirements. Given the personal attention provided by the TRIO Student Services program, all students using in-person walk-in services are required to wear a face mask, sanitize their hands, and practice any other health and safety activities enforced during the fall semester.
• Faculty office hours and academic advising will be provided in a way that allows for social distancing. Each full-time faculty member will be available at least three days per week (pro-rated for part-time faculty) to meet with their students and advisees. Meetings will take place in a format that is collaboratively decided between the faculty and student.

Student Affairs

• Our Student Affairs Department has planned many activities for the spring semester. These activities will be a mixture of in-person and virtual events. All in-person activities will follow Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus guidelines—limiting the number of people gathering indoors, requiring masks, and ensuring proper social distancing. Virtual events will be designed to be engaging to ensure active participation by students.
• Intramural activities also will be offered with indoor activities taking place February and March, and outdoor activities taking place April and May. These activities will follow Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus guidelines.
• Career and professional services will continue to be offered to students in the spring semester. These services include our Spring Career Expo, professional development workshops, resume and cover letter support, mock interviews, and opportunities to pursue a growing number of internships and full-time positions.

Counseling Services

• Counseling services and Health and Wellness programming are available to students through the Student Health and Wellness Center. Students can self-report their needs directly to the Center by emailing healthandwellness@cheyney.edu. Referrals are welcomed by faculty, staff, and student leaders by emailing the Center and copying the student interested or in need of services. Health and Wellness programming will be marketed to students throughout the semester and will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• Success Coaches (formerly Life Coaches) will be available to work with students in their respective cohort groups, houses, and learning communities either in person or via technology. Unless there is an emergency, all services will be provided by appointment only.

Enrollment Services (Financial Aid/Bursar/Registrar)

• The Financial Aid, Bursar, and Registrar’s offices will be available for face-to-face as well as virtual meetings using Zoom, phone and email. For all face-to-face encounters, the offices have been modified with a plexiglass shield so students, their families, and counselors can access these services in a personal and safe environment.
• We have communicated on a continuing basis throughout the fall and winter months encouraging both continuing and new students to complete all necessary documents and requirements prior to the start of the spring semester with the goal of lessening the traditional number of contacts our staff generally encounters during opening day. Students should make every effort to complete all necessary documents and requirements prior to the spring reopening.
• A “clearance list” will be provided to Residence Life during check-in, and only those whose names appear on the list will be permitted to enroll and reside on-campus. To ensure a smooth transition, please take the initiative to contact the appropriate offices and confirm your clearance.
• During move-in days, individual service stations will be created in Marian Anderson, with PPE and plexiglass so students and their families can access these Financial Aid, Bursar, and Registrar services. The queuing process to access Marian Anderson will be coordinated in the Airport Parking Lot. Thereafter, interactions will be in person or via technology, and by appointment only.

Hygiene Requirements

• The University expects all members of the campus community to adhere to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) How to Protect Yourself & Others These guidelines include but are not limited to the following: Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or apply hand sanitizer. Avoid touching nose, mouth, and eyes. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow and immediately wash hands or apply hand sanitizer. Discard tissues in lined trash cans. The University will also deploy enhanced sanitizing practices for high-traffic touchpoints, such as handrails and door handles.
• The complete set of CDC guidelines can be found here.

Sanitization of Campus Buildings

• During the winter break, all active buildings on campus—academic, residential, and administrative—went through an extensive process of sanitization prior to the reopening of campus for the spring semester.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Masks, face shields, or other approved face coverings must be worn inside all campus buildings and outside where social distancing is not possible. This applies to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
• The University will provide face coverings for students, faculty, and staff.
• Visitors are expected to arrive to campus with a facial covering; if not, a mask will be provided. Only authorized visitors will be permitted on campus and only in such cases where an in-person visit is necessary and a virtual meeting is not sufficient.
• Details on the distribution of masks, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, etc. will be shared at a later date.

Social Distancing/Gatherings

• Social distancing rules must be followed, which means maintaining a 6-foot distance from others, avoiding large gatherings, limiting the number of passengers in an elevator, restricting visitors in the residence halls, and avoiding sharing of food and drink.
• The University will be restricting events held on campus by third-party organizations. Further information on these restrictions will be provided a future date.

Campus Environment Modifications

• The classrooms on campus will have modified seating arrangements to accommodate social distancing. Classrooms with built-in seating will contain signage indicating where it is okay to sit and maintain social distancing. Social Distancing will also be required in the various Laboratories on campus.
• In the various academic facilities, as well as residence halls, elevators should have no more than 1 to 2 people at a time.
• In a residence hall that has communal showers and bathrooms, there should be no more than three people at a time in the restroom area. Additionally, in residence hall lounges and hallways, students must also practice social distancing and wear PPE at all times.
• Food and beverage offerings will be grab and go in Ada Georges and Marcus Foster.

Health Services (clinical/medical)

• Medical and Health Services will continue to be available for students through the Health staff on campus and the medical doctor either in person or via technology. Unless it is an emergency, all services will be provided by appointment only.

Non-essential Travel

• As part of our efforts to remain a healthy environment, all nonessential business travel will be suspended until further notice. Non-essential travel includes travel to attend professional or educational conferences. Essential travel is defined as travel that, if not accomplished, will cause significant harm to the academic or business operations of the University.
• Faculty and Staff with questions about whether specific proposed travel is essential, or those seeking approval to engage in essential travel, should confer with their functional Department Head or the Provost. The functional Department Head or Provost will make a recommendation as to the essential nature of the travel request and forward that recommendation to the President. The President will make the final decision on all business-related travel.
• Approved travel will follow the normal process and guidelines.

Use of Technology

• The Administration encourages the use of Zoom and Microsoft Teams for meetings (and Teams chat feature) when possible. As noted in other sections of this guide, when in-person interaction takes place, social distancing, facial coverings, and frequent handwashing or use of hand sanitizer is required.
• As a reminder, the University has laptops available for students who need them for specific courses, assignments, etc.

Coronavirus Vaccinations

• The Administration is currently evaluating whether to offer coronavirus vaccinations on campus once college employees and students are eligible to receive them based on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s vaccine roll-out plan.

Coordination with Public Health Officials

• The University will continue to follow guidelines established by the PA Department of Health, the PA Department of Education, the Chester County Health Department, and the CDC.

Self-reporting

• The following persons are required to report to the campus Health Office:

• • Anyone with close contact with an individual confirmed to have COVID-19 by laboratory testing or with a presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19, meaning not tested but diagnosed by a physician as likely to have the infection.
  • Anyone living on campus in University Housing and having symptoms consistent with COVID-19, including flu-like symptoms with chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea, cough, shortness of breath, or fever. In addition, the sudden loss of the sense of smell or taste can be an early sign of COVID-19 and should be immediately reported.
  • Anyone returning from international travel, regardless of country traveled from.
  • Anyone returning from travel by cruise ship.
  • Reporting is easy, simply call or text 267-648-7594 or e-mail mcorbin@cheyney.edu.

Screening

• The University will conduct periodic health screening for all employees and students. Health screens will be conducted by trained professionals and/or Health Center Staff. A standard health screening procedure will be mandatory for all authorized guests and visitors to the University.

Testing/Quarantine

• All residential students will be required to be tested for coronavirus prior to moving back on campus into their residence hall. Proof of a negative test result must be submitted to the University prior to moving in. Residential students will receive detailed instructions on submitting their COVID-19 test results to the University.
• Faculty, staff, and commuter students are strongly encouraged to get tested prior to the start of the semester.
• Whether you are a student (residential or commuter), faculty member, or staff member, in the event of a positive coronavirus test result, you are to notify mcorbin@cheyney.edu and you will be provided with specific instructions.
• Throughout the semester, testing will be required for those showing symptoms of COVID-19 and those at risk of exposure. The Administration is currently evaluating providing ongoing coronavirus testing of other segments of the campus community as well.
• After the semester begins, coronavirus testing will be available on campus through the Health Center in Marcus Foster. Specific instructions will be provided based on whether the test result is negative or positive.

Confirmed Cases

• In the event of transmission at the campus (confirmed case), we have protocols in place to communicate to the campus (students, faculty and staff), community constituents, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
• For your convenience, the University has also published a COVID-19 Cases Tracker (click on the plus “+” sign next to COVID-19 Cases Tracker to see the latest status). This dashboard is updated weekly.

Contact Tracing

• If there is a confirmed case, the appropriate party will interview the person affected in order to ascertain key information to attempt to identify people and places that the person interacted within a given amount of time.

Quarantine/Isolation

• The University adheres to the CDC’s guidelines on isolation and quarantine
• The University has a quarantine and isolation plan for those residential students who may need it. This will include residential-student quarantining and isolating should it be necessary.
• Should quarantine or isolation be necessary for commuter students, faculty, or staff, these individuals will need to do so off-campus at their residence.

County Status Change (Red/Yellow/Green)

• The Administration will monitor any changes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health County Status (Red/Yellow/Green) for Chester and Delaware Counties and make adjustments to campus operations accordingly.

General Campus Updates

• As significant changes are made to the University’s “Guide for Spring 2021 Semester,” the Administration will continue to notify the campus community via email and the Cheyney Hub. Further, the COVID-19 page on Cheyney’s website will be updated periodically to reflect the University’s current approach to the pandemic.

Identified Case/Quarantine

• In the event of transmission at the campus (confirmed case), we have protocols in place to communicate to the campus (students, faculty and staff), community constituents, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
• For your convenience, the University has also published a COVID-19 Cases Tracker (click on the plus “+” sign next to COVID-19 Cases Tracker to see the latest status). This dashboard is updated weekly.

Monitoring Your Own Health

• In addition to the screening provided by the University, all faculty, staff and students are expected to self-monitor their health daily prior to coming to campus or attending class. If they experience any symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay home and contact their healthcare provider. Students should also contact Chester County Department of Health for medical assistance and to help the University in monitoring campus health and safety.

Required Adherence to COVID-related Policies / Consideration for Others

• Due to the nature of the coronavirus, it is possible for someone to have the virus but be asymptomatic—that is, not show any signs of being infected. As such, the University is requiring students, faculty and staff to adhere to the CDC guidelines and the University’s COVID-related policies. Doing so not only helps to enhance your personal health and safety, both also contributes to a healthy environment for our entire campus community. Failure to adhere to the University’s COVID-related policies could result in disciplinary action and/or removal of housing privileges.

Note:

¹Due to the nature of COVID-19 and updated guidance from federal, state, and local governmental authorities as well as the effect on our community, these plans may change or be updated periodically.