COVID-19 Resources

Dear Allegheny College community,

I am writing with an update about COVID-19 testing on campus, which is key to our efforts to keep the Allegheny community as safe and healthy as possible. As of next week, we will stop using the Abbot BINAX rapid antigen test due to supply chain issues that are impacting thousands of the company’s customers.

Fortunately, our partner from last year, Inspire, is able to provide us with an ample supply of rapid tests. Beginning with tests conducted on Monday, September 13, we will return to the Inspire app and website that we used so successfully last year to keep our community safe.

LITS has worked in partnership with Inspire so that all users in our current Navica system should already have an Inspire account. You will continue to receive testing invitations via email from ACHA and, when invited, will be able to sign up for appointments directly through Inspire using your Allegheny email. Students and employees will not be charged for these tests, and there will be no billing to insurance companies.

In addition, Cindy Huya will continue as our COVID-19 nurse, and our robust testing protocols will not change as we continue to test as follows:

• All Allegheny College community members at least every other week
• Unvaccinated students and employees weekly
• Travelers within 3-5 days of return from travel
• Ill persons as needed

Gators continue to show up for their COVID-19 tests, wear their masks when ill, and follow safety protocols when in the local community where transmission rates are high. We keep each other safe.

Nice work.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College community,

As we end the second week of the academic year, I am writing to inform you of several updates.

Vaccine boosters: Meadville Medical Center (MMC) has agreed to come to campus to dispense COVID-19 vaccine booster shots at such time as they receive FDA approval and are recommended by the CDC. No date has been set. The expected recommendation is for the booster to be administered eight months after the second dose, but that remains to be confirmed.

Pennsylvania Mask Mandate for K-12: Allegheny College follows the CDC recommendations for Institutes of Higher Education. Given that we currently have zero active cases, the College will continue to operate without a mask mandate at this time. Those who wish to mask on campus are encouraged to do so. If you feel ill, please wear a mask and email ACHA or visit the Winslow Health Center.

Testing update:

• We tested 1,582 students and 270 employees during the two weeks prior to August 23, with one partially vaccinated student testing positive.
• We have tested 942 students and 347 employees since August 23, with one positive partially vaccinated student and one positive vaccinated employee (described below).
• ACHA partnered with LITS to set up a new test scheduling system based on Google calendar. Appointments are available weekdays, some mornings and some evenings.

Illness update:

• One vaccinated employee tested positive for COVID-19 last week. This person was asymptomatic and had been on campus without a mask. Contact tracing identified 28 close contacts. One unvaccinated contact is in quarantine at home. Twenty-seven vaccinated close contacts continued to work and study in person, while masking and distancing under direction from ACHA. COVID-19 tests were administered to all on days 5 and 7, with day 0 being the date of contact. All 27 contacts have tested negative twice.
• One partially vaccinated student who arrived late to campus last week tested positive for COVID-19 when they arrived to move in. They are recovering well off campus. No Allegheny College close contacts were identified.

Travel update: travel is unrestricted for vaccinated persons. However, help keep our campus safe by registering your travel here so that we can invite you to test 3-5 days after your return. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend safely!

Gator strong. Gator safe.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College Campus Community,

I am writing with an update on the COVID-19 response on campus.

Quick Overview:

• Campus positivity rate of 0.118% View the COVID-19 dashboard here.
• Entire campus population tested every two weeks
• Click here for more information regarding vaccine efficacy
• Masks are not required for vaccinated persons; N95 masks available for those who want them. Masks are useful for colds and other respiratory diseases, and we remind the community that many people wear masks for many different reasons.
• Keep our campus safe! Stay home if you feel ill and contact ACHA for a rapid test.

All students and employees were tested prior to moving on to campus. We had two people test positive during move-in, who are now in isolation. One was fully vaccinated; one was partially vaccinated. Contact tracing was completed and showed no exposed Allegheny College community members. Thank you, Gators, for creating this safe space at Allegheny College.

Testing: While the initial Allegheny College Pandemic Plan was to test students and employees one to two times per semester, that plan was made before the delta variant became prevalent. We are now testing the entire campus population every two weeks. This will ensure early detection of COVID-19, which will prevent an outbreak on campus and allow us to continue with our robust in-person experience. Test scheduling will be flexible, with early morning and evening hours available.

There have been questions about the efficacy of the various COVID-19 vaccines against the delta variant. The data has not been fully vetted yet, but we do know that while vaccinated persons can transmit the delta variant to others, they are infectious for a shorter period of time and that their respiratory droplets contain less viral particles. In addition, it is rare for vaccinated persons who test positive for COVID-19 to become hospitalized.

Given our extremely high vaccination rates and our testing protocols, masks are not currently required for vaccinated persons. If you feel ill, please stay home, wear a mask and contact ACHA for a rapid test. If your COVID test is negative, and you still have symptoms, a mask will prevent the spread of a cold or other respiratory virus to others. If you would like an N95 mask, please see Cindy Huya at the testing site in the Wise Center.

Gator Strong. Gator Safe.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College community,

Welcome back! 2020 was hard on everyone, and coronavirus is still with us, but given how well the Allegheny College community kept each other safe during 2020-2021, I am confident that we can have a great year in 2021-2022. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are striving for normalcy at Allegheny College.

I am writing today to address masking on campus. As of this writing, masks are not required, indoors or outdoors, for vaccinated persons on campus who are participating in Allegheny College’s testing protocol. Here is why:

• 99.9% of students are vaccinated against COVID-19.
• 88% of employees are vaccinated against COVID-19.
• 94% of faculty are vaccinated against COVID-19.
• 29 students received vaccine exemptions. These students are collaborating closely with ACHA to enjoy campus life without risking their health or the health of others. They will remain masked at all times, physically distance and test weekly.
• Students who are vaccine-exempt or were not fully vaccinated before arriving on campus provided a negative PCR result before move-in. One of these students tested positive for COVID-19; they are currently asymptomatic and will join campus when their isolation is complete.
• Professors, extracurricular advisors, coaches and resident advisors have been notified of vaccine-exempt students so they can provide support and protection for all.
• Employees who have not been vaccinated or who have chosen not to disclose their vaccination status to ACHA will remain masked at all times, physically distance and test weekly.
• All students and employees were tested for COVID-19 in the two weeks leading up to the first day of class. We performed over 1,800 Abbot BINAX COVID-19 tests and 35 Gannon PCR tests with one positive result. That person is in isolation and is feeling well.
• We will test the entire Allegheny community every two weeks; every day over 100 students will be tested, starting the day after move-in.
• The CDC recommends that vaccinated people wear masks in public spaces or in places of high transmission. Allegheny College is a private space with limited visitors and, given our low move-in testing rates, is a place of low transmission.
• Campus visitors are limited and must mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
• You can stay abreast of our testing stats on the Case Dashboard.

Perhaps the biggest reason that vaccinated persons do not need to mask at this time is because Allegheny College has shown itself to be a community of mutual respect and care. When it became available, nearly all Gators got the COVID-19 vaccine — often out of care for others, despite their own reservations. Allegheny community members show up for their COVID-19 tests — our “no show” rate is minuscule. Gators stay home when they feel sick; they let us know when they have had contact with COVID-positive persons; they are honest about contact tracing. Last year, there were zero cases of transmission of COVID-19 in the classroom. This is a community that knows how to stay safe during the pandemic.

As a community of mutual care, we all agree to respect the health concerns of one another. At this time, masks are not required on campus for vaccinated persons who are participating in Allegheny College’s testing protocol. However, anyone who wishes to wear a mask is encouraged to do so.

Public health experts recommend an N95 mask for the best individual protection; ACHA has these available upon request. Please see Cindy Huya, the ACHA nurse, at the Wise Center to obtain an N95 mask. The Gator masks that were recently distributed will also reduce community transmission. ACHA is closely monitoring COVID-19 on campus and in our surrounding community. If campus COVID-19 rates rise, ACHA may ask everyone to temporarily mask indoors, either temporarily or longer-term.

And as a reminder, ACHA is not just me, Dr. Morrow. The ACHA team members are Emily Shears, an epidemiologist who is Director of Quality Improvement and Infection Prevention at UPMC; Bruce McIndoe, President of McIndoe Risk Advisory LLC and a leader in risk management, technology and intelligence; Sue Steven, a retired microbiologist for the U.S. Navy; and Trae Yeckley, Associate Dean for Community Standards and Wellness. We meet every other week to advise President Link and the Cabinet, with frequent contact in between our meetings. We all agree on this recommendation.

Gator strong. Gator safe.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College campus community,

We are writing with an update to our 2021–2022 Allegheny College Pandemic Plan in response to the CDC’s new COVID-19 guidance and recommendations. In summary, the CDC recommends that vaccinated persons wear masks indoors in public spaces in locations where COVID-19 infection rates are increasing. This updated guidance is a result of the highly contagious Delta variant that is currently circulating. Crawford County shows high rates of infection, which you can see here.

Breakthrough infections (infections in fully vaccinated persons) happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, and they are more likely with the Delta variant. Preliminary evidence shows that vaccinated persons who are infected with the Delta variant can spread the virus to others. When these infections occur in fully vaccinated persons, they tend to be mild or asymptomatic. It is rare that breakthrough infections result in hospitalization or death.

The Allegheny College community has worked hard to become highly vaccinated. When students return to campus for Fall 2021, the projected vaccination rates will be:

• Students: 99%
• Faculty: 94%
• Administrators and staff excluding dining and cleaning staff: 88%*

These vaccination rates will significantly lower the risk of infection. Our arrival testing plan also ensures that we begin the semester with all community members tested. And, our pandemic plan restricts the interaction of students and employees with unvaccinated visitors.

Given the hard work of the Allegheny College community to keep our campus healthy, we will not be requiring masks for vaccinated students and employees at this time. We agree with the CDC’s recommendation for masking in public spaces, and we believe, given the vaccination rate and the campus community’s demonstrated commitment to health protocols, a mask mandate is not necessary. We will, however, ask students and employees to join us in taking the following steps to protect our community from the increasing spread of COVID-19 in our surrounding community.

• All employees, students, and guests are required to be masked during move-in, regardless of vaccination status.
• We recommend that students remain on campus, and if they need to go into Meadville, where COVID-19 transmission is high and vaccination rates are low, use caution and mask at all times.
• We strongly recommend that employees and students who live in the surrounding community mask in all public indoor spaces while off campus.
• If you go off campus, choose activities that are outside whenever possible, such as dining at an outdoor restaurant or spending an afternoon at Woodcock dam or Presque Isle. Use curbside pickup when shopping or getting takeout food.
• Testing protocols have been increased. Students and employees can be expected to be tested 2–4 times this semester.
• Travel is permitted and unrestricted for vaccinated persons, but given the highly contagious nature of the Delta strain, we will test all travelers 3–5 days after overnight travel. Please register your overnight travelhere so that we can invite you to test. This is mandatory for students and highly recommended for employees. This includes personal travel and College-sponsored travel.
• Visitors are allowed on campus for day visits. At this time, no overnight visitors are allowed in student residences.
• All visitors to campus must wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccine status.
• The event and spectator policy remains unaltered, which means outdoor events may have unmasked observers and indoor events require masking of all observers.

We are closely monitoring COVID-19 risk on campus and in the surrounding community and will continue to assess the need to mask on campus. Masks have been proven to protect the wearer and others; those who are more comfortable wearing a mask on campus are welcome to do so.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thoughtfully,
ACHA

*The dining staff and cleaning staff are contract employees with high turnover, which makes their vaccination rate hard to track. Therefore, you will see them continue to wear masks at all times while on campus.

View full archive of CARES Act Student Aid Reports

Final Quarterly Report

In accordance with Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “Act”), The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”) contained in Section 18004 of the CARES Act, and the guidance issued by the United States Department of Education, including Office of Postsecondary Education’s guidance dated May 6, 2020, Allegheny College submits this report concerning the first award Allegheny College received under the HEERF consisting of funds for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

1. Acknowledgement of Funding and Certification

Allegheny College reviewed, signed and returned the U.S. Department of Education’s Certification and Agreement for these funds on April 14, 2020. Allegheny College received a grant award notification on April 23, 2020. As required by the certification, Allegheny College used no less than 50% of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students.

2. Funds Awarded for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students

Allegheny College received $871,541 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act designated for distribution to students impacted by campus disruptions due to COVID-19.

3. Emergency Financial Aid Grants Distributed to Students to Date Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act

Of the $871,541 Allegheny College received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act designated for distribution to students impacted by campus disruptions due to COVID-19, Allegheny College had distributed $803,312.76 as of March 31, 2021, and an additional $68,228.24 as of June 30, 2021, bringing the total to $871,541.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College has had approximately 1,850 students as of the date of this report who may be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 by filing a valid FAFSA for the 2019-2020 and/or 2020-2021 academic year and, thus, may be eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

5. Eligible Students Receiving CARES Act Aid

Allegheny College has distributed funds it received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act designated for distribution to students impacted by campus disruptions due to COVID-19. A total of 1,250 awards were given to 1,003 eligible students as of June 30, 2021. Some students received multiple awards.

6. Distribution Method

Funds Already Distributed

In order to qualify for Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, Allegheny College students must first be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and incur expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. Of those students who qualified, Allegheny College chose to provide an initial disbursement of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students who qualified for needs-based room and board grants under Allegheny’s internal criteria because it determined those students were most in need and incurred COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses following the loss of on-campus room and board.

In order to calculate these students’ COVID-19-related expenses, Allegheny College used its institutional policy for estimating needs-based commuter student room and board costs for the remaining 40% of the spring semester. This calculation resulted in an Emergency Financial Aid Grant maximum award of $800 per student.

In order to distribute this grant as expeditiously as possible, beginning on April 13, 2020, Allegheny College provided Emergency Federal Aid Grant relief to students in the same manner as it had previously provided institutional need-based aid, through students’ online accounts. Because Allegheny College began providing qualifying relief funds to qualifying students prior to Allegheny College’s receipt of any CARES Act funding, in accordance with United States Department of Education guidance, Allegheny College reimbursed itself from a portion of the CARES Act funding it received in the amount it advanced to its students in accordance with the above methodology.

Allegheny College had originally reserved $186,192 for eligible students who incurred other additional expenses related to the disruption of on-campus instruction as a result of COVID-19. Students could apply for this reserve amount in Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students under Section 18004(a)(1) by using Allegheny College’s Success Grant application that is available on the Allegheny College Dean of Students webpage. As of March 31, 2021, Allegheny College still had $68,228.24 in reserve from the CARES Act funding. At that time, the college also identified 45 students who met the criteria established for the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) funding granted to Allegheny College. Because there was not enough CRRSAA funding available for those 45 students, per the guidance for the CRRSAA funding, Allegheny College awarded $58,500 of the remaining $68,228.24 from the reserved CARES Act funding to the 45 students meeting the established CRRSAA funding requirements, which can be found under the distribution method in section 6 of the Allegheny College CRRSAA Student Aid Report — June 11, 2021. The remaining $9,728.24 CARES Act reserved funding was awarded to students who had experienced unusually difficult financial hardship during the pandemic. As of June 30, 2021, the balance in the reserve for eligible students is $0.

7. Communication to Students Concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants

All students who were enrolled in the 2020 spring semester, as well as those enrolled in the 2020 fall semester, were notified of the opportunity to apply for this funding via email. Students were asked to include in the application the amount and brief description of the expense incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was used to determine an award amount. For students already issued Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1), the expense must have been in addition to the expense for which they already received funds.

Dear Allegheny College Community,

We are writing with an update on the pandemic response at Allegheny College. The sun is shining, the days are longer, and there are 97 students on campus along with numerous faculty and staff. Here at ACHA, we are hard at work preparing for a safe, robust in-person campus experience for this fall.

First, an update on masks. As of today, June 28, vaccinated persons may remove their masks while outside and inside on the Allegheny College campus. Vaccinated persons are not required to be physically distanced from each other. Unvaccinated persons are required to keep their masks on at all times and be physically distanced. We may revise the masking policy in the fall depending on Allegheny College student vaccine rates. We are waiting for guidance from the CDC on masking in the classroom setting in the fall. Masks will be temporarily required on move-in days for those involved in the move-in process. Please contact ACHA with concerns.

Not everyone will be ready to remove their masks; Gators regard each other with respect and compassion.

Our current reported vaccination rates:

	Vaccinated	Unreported
Rising Seniors	70%	30%
Rising Juniors	64%	36%
Rising Sophomores	61%	39%
Incoming First-years and Transfers	46%	54%

We are still waiting for many employees and students to report their vaccination status. ACHA members have been calling hundreds of persons who have not reported their vaccine status; please answer our call or email your vaccine card to healthagency@allegheny.edu. If you lost your card, let us know — we can help. Remember that vaccination is mandated for all students; religious exemption and medical exemption applications are due July 2, and final decisions will be communicated by mid-July.

A sneak peek at fall…All learning will be in person. There will be no campus quarantine. Vaccinated students will receive a rapid test upon move-in and then are welcome to immediately join in welcome activities, socialize with friends, and dine in person. COVID-19 testing will continue to take place in the Wise Center; vaccinated students will be tested 1–2 times during the semester. Those whose vaccine exemptions are approved and remain unvaccinated will be required to participate in a 1–2 day quarantine upon move-in, remain masked at all times, and participate in weekly testing for COVID-19 for their safety. More information will be available next month when we release the Allegheny College Pandemic Response Plan for 2021–2022.

Gator Strong.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College Community,

Yesterday, May 31, Governor Wolf announced the lifting of significant COVID-19 restrictions. Following guidance from our epidemiological, medical, and risk management experts on ACHA, Allegheny College will adopt some of these changes, but not all of them.

Allegheny College’s revised policies as of today, June 1, are as follows:

Masking:

• Vaccinated persons may remove their masks on campus while outside, including on campus tours.
• Unvaccinated persons should keep their masks on at all times.
• While indoors, all persons are required to wear masks.

Visitors:

• Visitors are welcome on campus in outdoor spaces.
• Only vaccinated visitors are permitted inside buildings at this time and are required to comply with our campus-wide policy of remaining masked indoors at all times.
• Unvaccinated visitors must remain masked on campus, even outdoors.

Daily Health Screen:
The daily health screen will be discontinued effective immediately. Please continue to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and contact your healthcare provider or ACHA with any questions or concerns.

We still only have 65% of reporting students vaccinated. While 96% of reporting employees are vaccinated, 185 employees have not yet reported their status. Students can report their vaccination status here, and employees can report here. Students can review the exemption policies here. The deadline for students to submit a request for a medical or religious exemption is July 2, 2021.

ACHA is pleased to welcome Cindy Huya as our full-time nurse during the upcoming academic year. Cindy will be reaching out to employees and students to confirm vaccine status so that we can get a definitive snapshot of vaccination rates on our campus, which will further inform our pandemic planning for fall. Please respond! You can reach Cindy at chuya@allegheny.edu. All information is kept confidential.

At ACHA, we put the health of our community above all else and make decisions following deep deliberation, the most up-to-date research, and based on CDC guidelines for congregant living. We hope for further lifting of restrictions in the fall, with details to be announced in early August.

Gator Strong!

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College Community,

We have received many questions about masking on campus, especially given the CDC’s new guidance and President Biden’s recent press conference.

Right now, 65% of responding Allegheny College students report full or partial vaccination status. That is not enough to safely remove masks at this time on campus. Please continue to wear your mask inside and outside. As a reminder, students can report their vaccination status here.

Masks will be required at Commencement this weekend. Students are permitted up to two visitors, and that will include elderly or medically vulnerable guests who may or may not be vaccinated. To protect those at risk for severe illness from COVID-19, we ask that you and your guests adhere to the mask requirement.

Starting on June 1, vaccinated students and employees are welcome to remove their masks outside on campus. Please wear your mask when enjoying the company of five or more people or when you enter buildings. Guidance on masking for the fall semester will be determined later this summer.

Also starting on June 1, vaccinated family members of current employees, retired employees, and Wise Center community members are welcome at the Wise Center. Please contact Jared Luteran at jluteran@allegheny.edu for further information and to submit your vaccine card.

Some people will not be ready to take off their masks. Gators support each other with patience and understanding. Take your time.

Gator Strong.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College Campus Community,

I am pleased to inform you that the recent cluster appears to have subsided. Credit goes to the wonderful students who facilitated contact tracing and tolerated isolation and quarantine, as well as to a handful of those amazing people who were vaccinated as soon as it was available to them.

Planning is underway for next year — when we will be fully in-person — and relevant policies are being drafted. We are looking forward to a “new normal” for the upcoming academic year with a return to in-person classes, labs, studios, residence, dining, student activities, and campus events. As we move forward, the foundation of our “new normal” will be based on appropriate health practices, an assumption that vaccinations will be widely available, and Allegheny’s deep commitment to academic quality and supporting the best possible student experience. An updated Allegheny College Pandemic Safety Policy will be published in the next few weeks.

Three weeks to the end of the semester!

Gator Strong.

Dr. Morrow