An update from the president to students, Aug. 9: Masks mandatory indoors starting tomorrow

Posted: August 9, 2021

Main takeaways include: 

• We are actively doing everything we can to inform, encourage and support each and every employee and student to get vaccinated. Nearly 80% of our full-time faculty and staff have completed their reporting of their vaccinations. I want to thank them for their leadership and commitment to a healthy environment for us all. Let’s keep that processing moving and get the student body to or beyond that level heading into the new year!
  
• We have not mandated the vaccine and understand some may have medical or other essential restrictions that might preclude them from getting the vaccine. Therefore, in order to maximize the safety and protect the health of all, anyone who has not provided their documentation of vaccination will be expected to wear a mask at all times and will be tested at least once every two weeks as part of our ongoing intensive surveillance of the virus on campus.
  
• Masks will again be required for all of us inside all University facilities on both the Erie and Ruskin campuses beginning August 10 in recognition of climbing rates in our local communities. We will monitor our regional environments surrounding both campuses as we always do and continue to make adjustments as the conditions relative to the virus change. For now, we will be back to masks indoors to respect each other and to follow evolving regional guidance and CDC recommendations.
  
• Otherwise, our classrooms and campus environment will be back to normal capacity and physical social distancing measures (limited desks, chairs, etc.) have been removed. 
• We do expect you will monitor your health at home. If you are ill, DO NOT come to campus. Reach out to the Health Center via the LiveSafe app to let us know and get any support we can provide.
  
• Students will be asked to accept Gannon’s COVID-19 Acknowledgment and Testing Consent forms on Tuesday, Aug. 10. 
  
• All of these updates and details on our mitigation plans, travel policy and more can be found at update.gannon.edu.

Coming up on our campuses: 

• We are looking forward to kicking off the start of the semester with student move-in dates in Erie beginning Aug. 18 through 22. 
• There are specific instructions for first year residents, upper-level residents, global students and athletes regarding your return, so please be sure to check your Gannon email for specific instructions from Residence Life and the University.
• On our Erie campus, we will have the opportunity to celebrate Welcome week together this year, including Call to Community on August 19 to celebrate our incoming students, as well as Convocation and the IgKnight Activities Fair on August 24 for all to enjoy. We encourage you to download the Gannon Guide app for a more detailed schedule of all the Welcome Week events.
• On the Ruskin Campus, many are already back and in full swing, but we are eager to formally welcome you to campus for orientation on August 23 & 24.
• The first day of classes is August 25 for all. 
• In Ruskin, construction will begin on the third floor of the New Academic Building in late September early October.
• You will see new artwork across campus.
• The Chapel will be open for in-person worship and Mass.
• The Hatchery on the third floor of I-HACK will open this fall
• Construction will continue on South Hall, and Chick-Fil-A construction continues, though, delayed a bit from the planned opening this fall.
• There will be several new dining changes, including the new LUMI Café in the Center for Business Ingenuity; changes in the cafeteria including continuing to-go options there and a station in Waldron; you will also have the ability to use Grub Hub to order food and drinks for pickup from our campus dining locations.