COVID-19 Resources

View full archive of CARES Act Student Aid Reports

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 Educations’ 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 will use no less than fifty percent 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 $729,992 as of August 20th, 2020, and an additional $29,468 as of October 10th, 2020, bringing the total to $759,460.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College had approximately 1,400 students in the spring semester and approximately 1,350 for the fall semester as of the date of this report that are 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 academic year and, thus, are 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 to 986 students as of August 20th, 2020 and another 109 students as of October 10th, 2020, bringing the total to 1,095.

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 that 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 those and necessarily 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.

Funds Reserved for Future Distribution

Allegheny College has reserved $186,192 for eligible students that incur other additional expenses related to the disruption of on-campus instruction as a result of COVID-19. The reserve amount in Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students under Section 18004(a)(1) may be applied for using the Success Grant application available on the Allegheny College’s Dean of Students webpage. As of July 7, 2020 the balance in the reserve for eligible students is $150,749. Allegheny College has not finalized its distribution methodology for these funds and reserves its right to modify this report as needed.

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 are asked to include in the application the amount and brief description of the expense incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is used to determine an award amount. For students already issued Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1), the expense must be in addition to the expense for which they already received funds.

To our campus community,

The following is an update on the health and safety of the community.

We currently have no community members with active COVID-19. We have one student in quarantine.

The first week of rapid testing at our on-campus CVS site was successful. Thank you to those who, unfortunately, waited a long time on Monday and Tuesday, and to those who worked through sign-up glitches. Despite some administrative hiccups — which have been resolved — we have been able to achieve our goal of testing approximately 60 students and employees per day. In addition to our asymptomatic surveillance, we have been able to include a few community members who reported feeling ill and were added to the testing schedule last minute. This eliminated the need to quarantine ill students and thus reduced the drain on campus resources. It also decreased the stress level of those individuals and their close contacts.

Please note that the Allegheny College COVID-19 dashboard results will lag by one to two days. CVS does internal vetting of results, so they report final numbers approximately 24 hours later. We also have to account for the human factor, as only Dr. Gabrielle Morrow has access to test results. If she is providing direct patient care or counseling persons diagnosed with COVID-19 and their families, the results may be delayed a short time longer. The ACHA aims for full transparency, so if you have a question or concern about the results or the dashboard updates, please send us an email at healthagency@allegheny.edu.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is asking all state residents, including college students, to download the new COVID Alert PA mobile app. The app provides alerts for potential exposures to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and advice for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19. The College is not requiring individuals to download the app, but we encourage everyone to sign up for this powerful new tool that can be used to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Thanks to your efforts, we are now living and learning in person for the fifth week in a row! This is due to YOUR commitment to safety. Thank you to everyone in our campus community for all you are doing. Allegheny Strong!

The team at the Allegheny College Health Agency

Dear Allegheny community members,

This Monday (9/21), rapid testing starts at Allegheny College!

All community members will receive an email invitation over the next few weeks to schedule a rapid test through our on-line system. Testing is available by invitation only, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CVS is administering the nasal swab test, which is manufactured by Abbott. The testing location is in Edwards Hall. You will get your results within 15 minutes of the test! If you are positive, a nurse practitioner will counsel you immediately in a private area and help you make plans for isolation. We expect to test the entire Allegheny College community every 35 days.

Help keep our community safe and our college open by scheduling and showing up on time for your rapid test each time you are contacted!

We welcome your questions and suggestions at healthagency@allegheny.edu. Keep in mind that we are also providing ongoing medical care to all those in isolation and quarantine, so while we answer every e-mail personally, it may take a few days to respond.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the health and safety of the Allegheny community.

Dr. Gabrielle Morrow

Dear Allegheny Students,

We are happy to report that the campus quarantine process has been observed according to plans. The most recent test results have been better than expected, and students have been great at abiding by the Gator Pledge and following face covering and distancing policies.

While we have had students test positive, we have had an unprecedented collaboration between the Allegheny College Health Agency (ACHA), College leadership, faculty, and students resulting in less than 1% of our student population with COVID-19 at any time. The current positivity rate is 0.1%.

We are now ready to end the campus-wide quarantine except for anyone who has been designated for individual quarantine by the ACHA. The ACHA has recommended and the administration has approved an end to the quarantine, effective 9 a.m. September 15.

What does this mean for each student?

This means that any student who is not currently positive nor under individual quarantine restrictions may travel off campus into the local community. Anyone doing so must follow all of the mitigation efforts you also follow on campus: always wearing a mask, keeping physical distance, washing hands, using common sense.

• Travel to restricted states is not permitted. If traveling outside of the county, please complete the Off-Campus Travel Form.
• Students may leave campus for appointments and shopping. Continue to use delivery and curbside options whenever possible.
• Students may eat in restaurants only where they are able to appropriately physically distance.
• Off-campus work is restricted to only those who rely on the income to pay for their livelihood. Please contact ACHA for more information.
• All vehicles must be at one-half capacity, masks must be worn, and students should spread out to maximize physical distance.

Beginning September 21, we will be screening cohorts of 60 students, faculty, and staff per day, five days a week. This will enable us to identify new clusters of COVID-19 and take swift and appropriate action to isolate them, keeping the campus as safe as possible. These groups are specifically formed to represent all residence halls, athletic teams, and other easily-identified cohorts on campus. We will cycle through our entire community every 32–35 days.

While Allegheny College has shown that it was better prepared and more diligent in meeting COVID-19 prevention requirements than many other colleges and universities, if we hope to remain open for in-person living and learning through November 20, the situation will continue to require careful monitoring. Individual responsibility requirements for anyone leaving campus overnight are listed BELOW.

Important Updates and Reminders

• Please note that, starting September 15, the Wise Center will be open for use by students, faculty, and staff only. There will be limited hours and new COVID-19 protocols in place. The Wise Center will use a reservation system for individuals working out since every space in the facility will have limited capacity. Further details about reserving a time will be shared with the campus community. Also on September 15, athletic teams will begin their first phase of training which will be closely supervised by the coaches, who have been invaluable in helping to contain the recent cluster of COVID-19 cases.
• There can still be no gatherings, no parties, no visitors to the residence halls from off campus, or other behaviors that put the health and safety of the community at risk. In general, the only person you should be within six feet of without a face covering is your roommate.
• A few students have rightfully asked why, after the campus quarantine ends, we are planning to bring admissions visitors to campus, including athletic recruits. We want to be clear that we are doing so under the strict guidance of our epidemiologists and medical professionals, who approved the protocols necessary to move forward with allowing visitors on a very limited scale based on guidelines set forth by the CDC. Some of those guidelines consist of health screening questionnaires, face coverings at all times, scheduled time between visitors, vastly reduced numbers of visitors permitted, and limited exposure to campus buildings. Walk-in visits are not allowed and we are not permitting students to visit from CDC restricted areas.

If you have any questions about our guidelines moving forward, take a look at the updates to the Plans to Reopen Allegheny College site. We continue to do our best to update the site, although things are moving quickly in real-time, so we appreciate your patience and attention as any changes are needed.

Sincerely,

The team at the Allegheny College Health Agency

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Individual Responsibility Requirements for Students Leaving Campus Overnight

• Students who leave campus overnight are required to quarantine in their room upon their return. If the student has a roommate, they will quarantine in a designated quarantine area, such as Edwards Hall or Allegheny Hall.
• Upon return to campus, the student will be asked to quarantine for four days and then get a test on day five (or the next testing date after day five, as testing is not available every day). Quarantine continues until a negative result is returned or 14 days have passed.
• Important Exception: any student traveling to a state that is currently on the Pennsylvania quarantine list is required to quarantine on campus for 14 days with no option to end quarantine early with a test.

View full archive of CARES Act Student Aid Reports

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 Educations’ 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 will use no less than fifty percent 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 $720,792 as of July 7, 2020, and an additional $9,200 as of August 20th, 2020, bringing the total to $729,992.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College has approximately 1,400 students as of the date of this report that are 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 academic year and, thus, are 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 to 974 students as of July 7, 2020 and another 12 students as of August 20th, 2020, bringing the total to 986.

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 that 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 those and necessarily 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.

Funds Reserved for Future Distribution

Allegheny College has reserved $186,192 for eligible students that incur other additional expenses related to the disruption of on-campus instruction as a result of COVID-19. The reserve amount in Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students under Section 18004(a)(1) may be applied for using the Success Grant application available on the Allegheny College’s Dean of Students webpage. As of July 7, 2020 the balance in the reserve for eligible students is $150,749. Allegheny College has not finalized its distribution methodology for these funds and reserves its right to modify this report as needed.

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 are asked to include in the application the amount and brief description of the expense incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is used to determine an award amount. For students already issued Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1), the expense must be in addition to the expense for which they already received funds.

Dear Allegheny Students,

We know there have been a flurry of College e-mails over the past few days, but we want to make sure that we provide you timely updates about important matters. I have previously communicated with you about changes to the academic calendar and about what happens next for course registration. Today, I want to update you about changes to the daily scheduling grid to increase the “passing time” between classes.

As students, you do not need to do anything (except to check the updated start and end times for your classes). Within the next 24-48 hours, Self-Service will be updated with the new class times. You can see a grid of the new class times below.

The sole change is that “passing time” between classes has been expanded from 10 minutes (MWF) or 15 minutes (TTH) to 20 minutes (MWF & TTH). The duration of class periods remains the same, 50 or 75 minutes, plus labs, studios, and other exceptions. The only changes are the start and end times. This does, obviously, necessitate a later end to the teaching day. This change was vetted with, among others, Athletics and Recreation, the Department of Music, and Parkhurst Dining.

Monday / Wednesday / Friday

Old Monday / Wednesday / Friday	New 20 Minute Passing – Monday / Wednesday / Friday
8:00-8:50 A.M.	8:00-8:50 A.M.
9:00-9:50 A.M.	9:10-10:00 A.M.
10:00-10:50 A.M.	10:20-11:10 A.M.
11:00-11:50 A.M.	11:30 A.M.-12:20 P.M. (or 11:30 A.M.-12:45 P.M.)
12:00-1:30 P.M. – Lunch	12:40-1:30 P.M. – Lunch
1:30-2:20 P.M	1:50-2:40 P.M.
2:30-3:20 P.M.	3:00-3:50 P.M.
3:30-4:20 P.M.	4:10-5:00 P.M.
4:30 P.M. – Start of Athletics Practice	5:20 P.M. – Start of Athletics Practice

Tuesday / Thursday

Old Tuesday / Thursday	New 20 Minute Passing – Tuesday / Thursday
8:00-9:15 A.M.	8:00-9:15 A.M.
9:30-10:45 A.M.	9:35-10:50 A.M.
11:00 A.M.-12:15 P.M.	11:10 A.M.-12:25 P.M.
12:15-1:30 P.M. – Lunch	12:45-1:35 P.M. – Lunch
1:30-2:45 P.M	1:55-3:10 P.M.
3:00-4:15 P.M.	3:30-4:45 P.M.
4:30 P.M. – Start of Athletics Practice	5:05 P.M. – Start of Athletics Practice

The Curriculum Committee approved this change to adhere to the Allegheny College Health Agency requirements for cleaning and physical distancing. This is a temporary change for one semester and does not represent a permanent change to the daily scheduling grid.

You should also be aware that we are moving classes around campus to allow for proper physical distancing and to ensure that spaces adhere to appropriate air handling standards. Please check your schedule in Self-Service before going to class, as its location may have changed.

If you have questions please reply to this message at registrar@allegheny.edu.

Best wishes,
Professor Binnington

Dear Allegheny Students,

This message serves two functions — (1) to give you information about how faculty have been planning for their fall semester courses; and (2) to give you information about what happens next for course registration. If you have questions, please e-mail registrar@allegheny.edu.

Read full July 29th update

View full archive of CARES Act Student Aid Reports

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 Educations’ 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 will use no less than fifty percent 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 $685,349 as of May 23, 2020, and has distributed an additional $35,443 as of July 7, 2020, bringing the total to $720,792.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College has approximately 1,400 students as of the date of this report that are 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 academic year and, thus, are 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 to 916 students as of May 23, 2020 and distribution to 58 additional students as of July 7, 2020, bringing the total to 974.

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 that 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 those and necessarily 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.

Funds Reserved for Future Distribution

Allegheny College has reserved $186,192 for eligible students that incur other additional expenses related to the disruption of on-campus instruction as a result of COVID-19. The reserve amount in Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students under Section 18004(a)(1) may be applied for using the Success Grant application available on the Allegheny College’s Dean of Students webpage. As of July 7, 2020 the balance in the reserve for eligible students is $150,749. Allegheny College has not finalized its distribution methodology for these funds and reserves its right to modify this report as needed.

7. Communication to Students Concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants

Students will be notified of the opportunity to apply for this funding via an email sent to all students enrolled in the 2020 spring semester. Students are asked to include in the application the amount and brief description of the expense incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is used to determine an award amount. For students already issued Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1), the expense must be in addition to the expense for which they already received funds.

View full archive of CARES Act Student Aid Reports

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 Educations’ 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 will use no less than fifty percent 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 has distributed $685,349 as of the date of this report.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College has approximately 1,400 students as of the date of this report that are 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 academic year and, thus, are 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

As of the date of this report, 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 to 916 students.

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 that 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 those and necessarily 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.

Funds Reserved for Future Distribution

Allegheny College has reserved $186,192 for eligible students that incur other additional expenses related to the disruption of on-campus instruction as a result of COVID-19. The reserve amount in Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students under Section 18004(a)(1) may be applied for using the Success Grant application available on the Allegheny College’s Dean of Students webpage. Allegheny College has not finalized its distribution methodology for these funds and reserves its right to modify this report as needed.

7. Communication to Students Concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants

Students will be notified of the opportunity to apply for this funding via an email sent to all students enrolled in the 2020 spring semester. Students are asked to include in the application the amount and brief description of the expense incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is used to determine an award amount. For students already issued Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1), the expense must be in addition to the expense for which they already received funds.

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March 13, 2020 at 10:28am

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Dear Members of the Allegheny Community,

We are writing to share several reminders and updates about the College’s ongoing planning and actions related to COVID-19. We are very grateful for the community’s flexibility and understanding as we work through a very complex set of circumstances. Our highest priority is ensuring the safety of our entire community, and we are making every effort to do that while upholding our educational mission and addressing questions about our plans for modified operations. Details about the modified operations are available here.

We encourage you to visit the College’s COVID-19 website for the latest updates and information, and please keep in mind the following:

Travel Guidance

College-sponsored and Student Organization Travel

Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the safety and well-being of our campus community, the College is restricting all non-essential Allegheny-sponsored travel for faculty, staff, and students, including student organizations, at this time.

If employees are aware of upcoming travel for the student organizations they advise, please communicate the above with them. If you have any questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office at (814) 332-4356. Employees are encouraged to work with their Administrative Executive Committee (AEC) member to evaluate upcoming essential Allegheny-sponsored travel.

We are requiring all students, faculty, and staff to register any essential College-sponsored travel, both domestic and international, by providing us with your date(s) of travel and destination(s). The travel registration form can be found here.

We ask students, faculty, staff, and visitors to be respectful and not travel to campus if they are ill or have traveled to any CDC-restricted area. Travelers are advised to stay home for 14 days from the time they left an area with widespread, ongoing community spread (Level 3 Travel Health Notice countries) and practice social distancing. Follow CDC guidance for travelers returning from high-risk countries.

Update About Travel Advisories and Spring Semester 2020 Study Abroad Programs

The International Education Office in the Gateway is closely monitoring changing conditions and travel advisory levels in countries where our students are currently studying abroad. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently elevated their travel warning to a Level 3 (Avoid Nonessential Travel) for most of Europe (excluding the UK) and to a Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) for the rest of the world. In addition, the U.S. State Department has issued a Global Level 3 Health Advisory – Reconsider Travel.

Effective March 13, Allegheny is requiring that all students currently studying abroad in a location with a CDC Level 3 Warning (Germany and France) begin to make arrangements to return home as soon as possible. The International Education Office is assisting these students and their families in making the necessary travel arrangements to return to the U.S.

For all other students currently enrolled in study abroad programs in locations with a CDC Level 2 Warning, Allegheny is allowing students the option of continuing in their program as long as their program provider/institution continues to offer instruction. If their study abroad provider/institution cancels the program, or if their abroad location moves to a CDC Level 3 Warning, International Education will work with students to make arrangements to return home.

Domestic Travel Advice

• Domestic travel advice from CDC
• State-by-state warnings, states of emergency, and cancelations
• US Travel Association – Emergency Preparedness
• Update map of US cases & deaths from COVID-19

Spring Break Return Shuttle Transportation

The Spring Break return shuttles on March 22, 2020, have been canceled. Shuttles for the same times (5 and 7:30 p.m.) from the Pittsburgh (PIT) airport and 6 p.m. from Megabus) have been set for Saturday, March 28, 2020. Students who have already paid for March 22 and re-book for March 28 will receive credit for the March 28 booking. Students who need to book a return shuttle can do so here. If this does not accommodate your travel plans, please contact the Dean of Students Office at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu.

Athletics & Recreation

Varsity Athletic and Club Sport Activities

All athletic-related activities are suspended effective March 13 until on-campus classes are scheduled to resume on March 30. During this time, no practices or competitions will take place. The College will continue to re-evaluate the situation as necessary.

Wise Sport & Fitness Center

Beginning March 13 at 8 p.m., the Wise Center will be closed until March 30 when on-campus classes are anticipated to resume. This follows Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s recommendation discouraging individuals from traveling to recreational activities like gyms.

Meetings, Events, and Gatherings

As a reminder, non-essential events through March 27, 2020, are canceled. Employees should refer questions about essential events to their Administrative Executive Committee (AEC) member.

Springfest

Due to the shortened time-span for planning this event and out of an abundance of caution, the Major Events Committee (MEC) is canceling Springfest 2020, scheduled for April 3-4. MEC is exploring ideas for another smaller celebration later in the semester.

Modified Hours for Campus Services

Pelletier Library

During Break

• Friday, March 13: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 14: CLOSED
• Sunday, March 15: CLOSED
• Monday, March 16 – Friday, March 20: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 21: CLOSED
• Sunday, March 22: CLOSED
• Monday, March 23 – Tuesday, March 24: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

During Remote Instruction

• Wednesday, March 25 – Thursday, March 26: 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Friday, March 27: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 28: CLOSED

In preparation for classes resuming on Monday, March 30

• Sunday, March 29: 2:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.
• Monday, March 30: Resume normal hours

Dining Services

Dining services will be available for limited hours/locations. McKinley’s will be open on March 13 until 8 p.m. and March 14–15, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 5–6:30 p.m. Brooks will be open March 16–28, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 5–6:30 p.m. McKinley’s will be closed March 16–28.

Winslow Health Center Hours

Winslow Health Center will be open March 16–20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., by appointment only. The self-care clinic will be open March 16–20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., as well. Winslow will resume normal hours of operation starting March 23.

Counseling and Personal Development Center Hours

The Counseling and Personal Development Center will be open March 16–20 during business hours for crisis appointments. Walk-ins may be available; please call (814) 332-4368 for walk-in hours. CPDC will be open March 23–27 during business hours for crisis appointments, and walk-in hours will be added. Therapists will be in contact with current clients about scheduling options. Students needing additional support are encouraged to call the 24/7 Line at (814) 332-2105.

Risk Prevention Guidelines

The best protection from the spread of any virus, including the flu and COVID-19, is through everyday preventive actions, including the following:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Cough into your elbow if you do not have a tissue.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. This includes your cell phone and computer keyboards and mice.

View more information about preventing illness on the CDC website.