Guidance and reminders regarding remote instruction, travel

Posted: March 11, 2021

Dear Students and Colleagues,

We would like to remind you of the changes to the academic calendar approaching in the weeks ahead. The schedule was intentionally adjusted to remove our typical spring and Easter breaks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on campus by discouraging travel outside our Gannon communities. These adjustments include:

Students: Classes canceled after 12:30 p.m. on April 2 in observance of Good Friday. Classes will follow their normal schedules up to this time and resume on Monday.

Employees: Easter holidays were transferred to additional time off during the winter break. Please plan for full work-days during this timeframe, unless using your personal vacation time.

In alignment with CDC guidance, we are continuing to discourage any travel during this timeframe and throughout the semester.

University policies regarding travel; remote course delivery; and unexcused absences, including missed assignments and exams, remain in effect. This means:

• In-person attendance is a course requirement. Students should report in-person unless ill, quarantined or previously approved for remote accommodations through the Academic Advising Center.
• Courses delivered in-person should remain as such. Unless the faculty becomes ill or quarantined, courses should not be switched from in-person delivery to remote if it is not initially structured to do so.
• Students’ personal travel is not an excused absence from class, unless it is for a family emergency or medical reason.
• Employees’ personal travel requires supervisor approval and must be registered in advance.

Gannon’s travel policy on update.gannon.edu outlines what is permissible and the necessary steps to register your travel in advance.

We have made several special accommodations to keep the college safe while ensuring that students who need to miss class due to COVID-safety concerns do not fall behind in material. This includes the adjustments to our academic schedule, which are necessary this year to ensure we finish the semester healthy, strong and in-person on campus.

We recognize the impact this semester’s schedule may be having on some. Please know that we are here for you, and we will get through this together. You have proven your commitment and desire to stay in community together through a successful onboarding in January. We now need to reinvigorate that commitment, continue to heed caution and ethically follow our COVID and academic policies so that we can safely reach May and achieve yet another successful semester together.

If you have a question or a comment, you can submit it at https://www.gannon.edu/Questions-or-Comments/