Dear Students,
Our entire community looks forward to welcoming you to campus in just a few days! I am contacting you with more information to help you prepare and make the move-in process as safe and as smooth as possible.
As President Link emphasized on the Zoom call with students and families on Monday, August 10, reducing the risk of COVID-19 on our campus is the responsibility of all of us. We are proud of how the members of our community support one another, and many of you have already asked what you can do to help us all be safer. There are two steps you can take now to set us down the right road as we embark on this journey together:
- Please self-isolate as much as possible for 4 or more days before coming to campus. Since parties and other social gatherings of more than 10 people present a higher risk of spreading COVID-19, it is critical that you not host or attend large parties or gatherings immediately before coming to campus, even if they are outside. You and everyone traveling with you to campus should also observe precautions when making stops on the trip to campus: wear face coverings, practice physical distancing, wash hands thoroughly, and use hand sanitizers.
- Please read and be prepared to adhere to the Gator Pledge to support a Community of Mutual Care, which affirms our responsibilities for our own health and for keeping the Allegheny community safe. You will be asked to sign the pledge when you arrive on campus.
We also know that you have many questions, and I respond below to some of the most frequently asked questions. Many more are addressed in the FAQ on the College’s COVID-19 Plans & Resources website. Please check the website regularly for updates.
Navigating in the current environment is a new adventure for all of us, and our plans will adapt as we learn more. Updates will be posted on the website and the FAQ.
With best wishes for safe travels,
April Thompson, Vice President of Student Life
More Details
- What you can expect: Please plan to arrive at your scheduled time at Allegheny’s Robertson Athletic Complex, where we will greet you. We will ask that students to go into the testing site, which will be set up at Robertson, while anyone traveling with them remains in the car. Students will be asked to review and sign the Gator Pledge and then be tested. After testing, students will exit the other side of the building and be directed to a table where they will be given their room key and other materials, and then students return to their vehicles. Staff will direct you to your residence hall and assist you with bringing your belongings in. To protect the health and safety of our guests and community, only one family member or friend will be allowed to accompany you into your residence hall.
- Updated protocol for move-in from quarantine states: If your home is in one of the states for which Pennsylvania is requesting a quarantine, please pack a bag with what you will need for two nights, including bedding and towels, so we can move the balance of your belongings into your residence hall room on your move-in day, and you will have what you need during the quarantine period. We will ask you to stay in a single room in a separate housing unit until your test results are returned. Test results are expected within 24–48 hours, and students coming from the affected states will be able to move into their residence halls once their COVID-19 test comes back negative. Meals will be delivered to your building.
- If you need a shuttle from the Pittsburgh airport, please sign up for a shuttle and fill out the form to request a change in your testing time to align with the shuttle’s arrival to campus.
- Please talk with your roommate about keeping one another safe. Students who wish to move in alongside their roommate(s) are permitted to do so — if all are in agreement about quarantining together until their move-in testing results are returned. As a precaution, please encourage one another to begin self-isolating at least 4 days before coming to campus. Once on campus, students should wear masks and stay distant during the time they are awaiting testing results. If families have concerns about managing their risks, please contact us to discuss options.