COVID-19 Resources

Dear Allegheny Students and Families,

We’re back today with your weekly checklist as you get ready for move-in next week. As we continue to make preparations for students to arrive on campus, we also wanted to provide reminders about move-in and information about what to expect during the first few weeks of Module 2, including the quarantine periods and campus services.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu so we can personally assist you. We’re very excited to begin Module 2 with you!

ACHA Update

By now, almost 1,200 returning students have ordered their at-home COVID-19 test from Inspire Diagnostics! If you have not ordered your COVID-19 test kit using the link in the Inspire Diagnostics email, please do so immediately.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15: ALL STUDENTS SWAB THEIR NOSES AND DROP THEIR TEST KITS AT A UPS DROP SITE. Check your UPS site in advance so that you drop your package before the daily cut-off time. Visit the UPS website for information on drop-off locations.

This will maximize the likelihood that you have your test result before you move in on February 18 or 19. There is still a possibility that a few test results will not be available on move-in day; those students will have to wait off campus for their results. We will be in touch with students throughout move-in week to help everyone get back to campus safely and smoothly.

If you are currently outside the U.S., you are responsible for getting your own COVID-19 PCR test within five days before you return to campus. As always, email us! We are here to help. healthagency@allegheny.edu

Move-in Reminders

For details about move-in on February 18 and 19, please review the update sent on January 27.

Important reminder: residential students must sign up for a move-in time in Housing Self-Service by today, February 12.

Here’s what to do when you arrive on campus:

• If you have items in storage that are needed for the first few nights, you need to go to storage to obtain your items as early as possible. If you are unable to get to your storage facility (e.g. students on the shuttle), please complete this form.
• Head to the Wise Center at your scheduled move-in time for your COVID-19 test.
• For the health and safety of everyone, we ask that you come into the testing area on your own and rejoin in your car anyone who accompanied you to Allegheny after you have been tested and have picked up your room key at the testing site.
• Make sure you know where your Allegheny ID card is. You will need your ID card when you pick up your keys at the COVID-19 test site for move in. If you have lost your ID, contact us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu as soon as possible.
• After your test is completed, you may proceed to your residence hall and move in. A map is available here with the routes to follow to residence halls after testing. Reminder: The Allegheny College Health Agency has given approval for up to two family members to help each student move into their residence hall (previously only one family member per student was permitted).
• As in the fall, face coverings are required for all individuals on campus, and you should maintain appropriate physical distance.

Personal Quarantine Period

After students move in, they will be required to remain in personal quarantine in their residence halls until receiving the results of their on-campus COVID-19 test. We anticipate results will be available by February 22.

During personal quarantine, students will be expected to remain in their residence halls except to pick up take-out meals from McKinley’s or Brooks and then return immediately to their rooms. For convenience and to limit exposure to others, students will be able to pick up meals for multiple days during one trip to McKinley’s or Brooks.

Residence Life staff members are planning a number of virtual activities during this period to help students connect with each other safely. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work to keep the campus community as healthy as possible while a large number of students are returning to campus.

Campus Quarantine Period

Following the personal quarantine period, students will be required to remain on campus until the campus quarantine period is complete (approximately March 4). Please come to campus prepared to stay on campus until March 4, 2021.

During the campus quarantine period, students will be able (and are encouraged!) to use campus services and facilities, such as the Campus Center, Pelletier Library, and the Wise Center. We are also planning a wide range of events and activities, including an outdoor ice-skating rink that will be set up in the Campus Center parking lot. (Juniors and seniors, you might remember a similar rink brought by GAP to the Campus Center lobby during Winterfest 2019.)

• Requests to leave campus for urgent situations during the personal or campus quarantine period should be submitted to this form.
• View the Spring 2021 Building Schedule for the hours of campus buildings and services during the personal quarantine period, the campus quarantine period, and the remainder of Module 2.
• Add the Programming & Events Campus Calendar to your Google Calendar — there will be updates each day!
• Updated link: check out the on-campus gatherings policy here.

Important Module 2 Dates

As a reminder, Module 2 classes begin on Tuesday, February 23. There are two one-day breaks scheduled with no classes on Wednesday, March 10, and Tuesday, April 13. You can view the Spring 2021 Academic Calendar on the Registrar Office website.

---

We’re looking forward to seeing you very soon!

Dean of Students Office

Questions? Let us know at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu so we can help you!

Dear Campus Community,

I am writing with an update on the COVID-19 response on campus and the preparations for welcoming back 1,340 students in February.

We have completed three rounds of testing for our 43 returning students and two rounds of testing for many returning faculty and staff. The dashboard gives details of our results, but to summarize, we have had two positive employees from at-home testing, three positive employees from on-campus testing, and one positive student from on-campus testing. Everyone is recovering well. We have been pleased with Inspire Diagnostics’ fast processing of results and easy communication. Students have been emailed the link to sign up for the at-home test kit, to be taken on February 15. If you haven’t ordered your test kit, go ahead and do so ASAP.

As a reminder, employees are welcome back on campus after one negative COVID-19 PCR test (at home), and then will have two follow-up COVID-19 PCR tests on campus in the ensuing two weeks. Students will have one at-home test followed by two on-campus tests.

As we prepare for the spring semester, ACHA has been meeting with many different departments to take what we learned in the fall and expand offerings in the spring. A few highlights are listed below.

Athletics is cautiously optimistic for some competitive play later in the semester. This will depend on the number of positive cases on campus, but Bill Ross and I are drafting plans for safe play so that, if we can play, we will be ready to do so. Competitive sports would have no spectators, with video feed available. Extensive and extra testing would be mandatory for student-athletes and coaches.

Music is on my mind. Professor Dearden (chair of the Music Department) and I have been brainstorming how to safely bring back live music to campus. Again, with cautious optimism, we are discussing outdoor music in May, weather and pandemic permitting, with spaced seating and masking.

Residence Life has been getting savvy about social-distanced fun and has included several student volunteers to help plan activities for campus quarantine and beyond.

There has been concern from different groups on campus about “getting in trouble” for getting together. We want you to gather! But, yes, safely. ACHA members have been working on a campus-wide policy for safe gathering, to be implemented after the campus quarantine has been lifted. Last semester, athletic teams were perceived as having more liberal gathering rules because they practice in small groups less than 6 feet apart. These groups did practice less than 6 feet apart (always masked, even during play) and were always supervised in person by an Allegheny employee. To extend this opportunity to other groups, I wrote ACHA’s functional group policy. Please read the guidelines, which include a staff sponsor, and consider creating your functional group. Any organization on campus, including Greek organizations and athletic clubs, are welcome to create functional groups. Email questions to Marko Sadikovic or me.

Over 20 students have reached out to inform ACHA that they have received the COVID-19 vaccine! We have some amazing students on the front lines, including several EMTs and a dental hygienist. Some of these people have asked the question: if I am vaccinated, and am exposed to a person with COVID-19, will I have to quarantine? For now, we will take this on a case-by-case basis. The reality is that those who live in college residence halls or shared apartments live very closely together, and the risk of spread is high. Therefore, should you be exposed, we will consider your vaccination status, with the safety of everyone on campus our ultimate goal.

On a personal note, my parents, senior citizens living in Brooklyn, New York, received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine last week. I have not seen them since February 2020. I miss them; I am sure everyone reading this can relate on some level. Well, my mom was so excited that she announced that they would be coming to visit exactly seven days after their second dose — on February 18!

Don’t worry — I pushed them to early March.

See you all soon,

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny Students and Families,

We’re writing today with several important updates and reminders to help you prepare for move-in on February 18–19 (that’s just a little over two weeks away!). Please use these emails as your guide — for easy reference, they’re available on the latest updates section of the COVID-19 Planning & Resources website. Based on student feedback, we have also added an Important Forms page that provides a central location for forms students may need as they begin Module 2.

If you are unsure about any details or need assistance, please contact us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu so we can help.

At-Home COVID-19 Testing Information

You should have received an email on Tuesday, February 2, from Inspire Diagnostics inviting you to sign up for an at-home COVID-19 test. If you do not see the email, check your spam folder or deleted emails.

Please order your COVID-19 test kit using the link in the Inspire Diagnostics email as soon as possible. Monday, February 8, is the deadline to order your kit.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15: ALL STUDENTS SWAB THEIR NOSES AND DROP THEIR TEST KITS AT A UPS DROP SITE.

Check your UPS site so that you drop your package before the daily cut-off time.

This will maximize the likelihood that you have your test result before you move in on February 18 or 19. There is still a possibility that a few test results will not be available on move-in day; those students will have to wait off campus for their results. We will be in touch with students throughout move-in week to manage individual needs.

If you are currently outside the U.S., you are responsible for getting your own COVID-19 PCR test within five days before you return to campus.

As always, email the Allegheny College Health Agency with any questions at healthagency@allegheny.edu.

Switching to On-campus or Remote Learning

A large number of students who were remote in the fall have selected to live and learn on campus instead in the spring. If you are currently signed up for remote learning and want to switch to on-campus living and learning, it is still possible to do so, until Thursday, February 4, by emailing spring2021@allegheny.edu.

If you are currently signed up for in-person living and learning and want to change your residency status to remote, you should email spring2021@allegheny.edu. Before 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 4, students may switch to remote without penalty, fee, or charge. Please review this message for more information.

Move-in Process

For details about move-in on February 18 and 19, please review the update sent last week. Important reminder: residential students must sign up for a move-in time in Housing Self-Service by February 12.

Update: The Allegheny College Health Agency has given approval for up to two family members to help each student move into their residence hall (previously only one family member per student was permitted).

Students will be required to remain on campus until the campus quarantine period is complete (approximately March 4). Please come to campus prepared to stay on campus until March 4, 2021.

---

We recognize that there is a lot of information to keep track of as you prepare for move-in; for the health and safety of everyone in the Allegheny community, we ask that you carefully follow the processes that have been established. We are here to help answer any questions you might have. Please reach out to us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu so we can personally assist you.

Dean of Students Office

Dear Allegheny College Students:

We are writing to follow up on the message that went out yesterday, from Deans Thompson and Binnington, about the deadline to switch to remote learning. We wanted to clarify that if you are currently signed up for remote learning and want to switch to on-campus living and learning, it is still possible to do so, until February 4.

We know that it is challenging to decide whether to be remote or in-person, and we wanted to provide you a little more context to help you in making the decision. As noted in Deans Thompson and Binnington’s email, students currently signed up for in-person, who want to change their residency status to remote, should email spring2021@allegheny.edu.

1. Before 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 4, students may switch to remote without penalty, fee, or charge.
2. Between 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 4 and the time they move in, students may switch to remote and will be charged a $600 cancellation fee. Room charges left after the $600 is deducted and all board charges will be refunded.
3. After a student moves in, they may switch to remote and will be charged a $600 cancellation fee. They will receive a prorated refund of room and board (not tuition and fees) through the 60% mark of the semester.
4. After the 60% mark of the semester, students may switch to remote and will receive no refund of room or board and will not owe any additional fees as a result of moving out.

A large number of students who were remote in the fall have selected to live and learn on campus instead in the spring. As some students are currently still weighing their options, we wanted to alert you to our updated and enhanced COVID dashboard, which shows the COVID positivity rate on campus (currently 0.42%), compared to that of Crawford County (currently 12.9%) the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (currently 10.5%) and the U.S. (currently 11.9%). Our ACHA advisory board — including epidemiologists and microbiologists in California and in Erie, PA — is confident that the surge is declining in Crawford County and that Allegheny College remains one of the safest possible places to live and learn this spring.

To that end, students who are currently signed up to be remote, who may have changed their minds and wish to live and learn on campus, should similarly email spring2021@allegheny.edu by February 4 to arrange for at-home testing prior to move-in. For students who make this switch, billing for room and board will be reinstated.

Whether you plan to be with us in-person or joining us remotely, we are all excited for the spring Module 2 semester to start. We wish you all the best, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus soon.

Sincerely,

President Link and ACHA

Dear Allegheny Students,

We want to update those of you who are still weighing your options for Spring 2021 and deciding if you will return to campus or take classes remotely.

At this point in the semester, it is too late to switch from remote to on-campus or commuter. However, students may still choose to switch from on-campus or commuter to remote, with the following deadlines and conditions. These are the same conditions as were in effect for Fall 2020. Please see here for the full refund policy.

Students wishing to change their residency status to remote should email spring2021@allegheny.edu.

1. Before 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 4, students may switch to remote without penalty, fee, or charge.
2. Between 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 4 and the time they move in, students may switch to remote and will be charged a $600 cancellation fee. Room charges left after the $600 is deducted and all board charges will be refunded.
3. After a student moves in, they may switch to remote and will be charged a $600 cancellation fee. They will receive a prorated refund of room and board (not tuition and fees) through the 60% mark of the semester.
4. After the 60% mark of the semester, students may switch to remote and will receive no refund of room or board and will not owe any additional fees as a result of moving out.

The date for the 60% mark of the semester will be posted here.

If a student elects to switch to living and learning remotely after they move in, they should email spring2021@allegheny.edu. They will need to vacate their residence within 48 hours of that notice and will need to clear the room of all of their belongings.

Students who have already declared their intent to live and learn remotely, either through the initial form last semester or through an email to fall2020@allegheny.edu or spring2021@allegheny.edu, should please check their bill to ensure their housing and meal plan have been removed before the February 4 deadline; if they have not, please re-confirm your intention to be remote at spring2021@allegheny.edu.

Please let us know if you have any questions and good luck with the remainder of Module 1.

Best wishes,

April Thompson
Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students

Ian Binnington
Dean of Curriculum and College Registrar

Dear Allegheny Students and Families:

We are very excited to welcome students back to campus on February 18–19 for the start of in-person learning! This email includes important information that will help you prepare for move-in.

We want to make the move-in process go as smoothly as possible for our students and families. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we do everything we can to ensure the health and safety of the Allegheny community as Module 2 begins. Please review this email carefully and contact us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu with any questions.

There is a lot of information here, so here is a quick checklist of what students need to do THIS WEEK to prepare for returning to campus:

COVID-19 Testing Requirements

All students who plan to return to campus, both those living in campus residences and those living elsewhere but who may be present on campus for any reason, MUST provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test before arrival on campus. We strongly suggest that all students take the College’s test rather than other tests. Please complete the Student Information Form by January 29 to convey your ability to complete the at-home test. You will be able to update the form after the 29th if needed.

In early February, students will receive a link in their email from Inspire Diagnostics to order an at-home COVID-19 test kit; please complete this order as soon as you receive the email. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD SWAB THEIR NOSES AND DROP THEIR TEST KITS AT A UPS DROP SITE ON FEBRUARY 15. Testing on February 15 will provide students and families the most accurate and timely information regarding possible positive cases. Starting the semester with as few positive cases as possible is a key element of our successful reopening. While we anticipate that students will receive their test results throughout the day on Wednesday, February 17, families should be prepared to stay home until their test results are returned.

Please see this update from the Allegheny College Health Agency for more information, including instructions for students arriving from outside of the U.S. We anticipate that if students follow the instructions and return the at-home test on February 15, results will be returned to students by February 17. While we understand that this creates issues and anxieties for families to not be able to solidify plans, we believe this is the best way to ensure that students are safe to return to campus. We ask for your patience as we all wait for test results to be returned.

Some considerations for your travel preparations:

• For students traveling by plane or traveling long distances, please choose a Friday, February 19, move-in time.
• When scheduling a move-in time, plan for retrieving items from storage, purchasing personal items, and completing local errands PRIOR to testing. After testing, students will be expected to go directly to the residence halls for move-in and quarantine. If you need assistance with storage items, please complete this form.
• We anticipate that the weather could be cold and possibly snowy/icy, and the sun sets around 5:50 p.m. Please come prepared to be outside in potentially inclement weather, and if your move-in appointment is after 5:30, you may need flashlights.

Do not travel to campus without proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test; you will not be allowed on campus. The ACHA will work closely with students who may not receive results from their at-home test in time to move in on February 18 and 19.

Move-in Process for February 18 and 19

All residential students are required to sign up for a move-in day and time in Housing Self-Service. Because every student will be tested for COVID-19 when they arrive on campus, a limited number of time slots will be available on each day. (Don’t worry — plenty of spots will be available, but if you need to move in on a specific day, do not delay in signing up!) Please sign up for a move-in time by February 12, 2021.

Commuter students will receive a separate communication regarding testing time slots for February 18 and 19. Please pay attention to your email so you can sign up for your testing time!

Here’s what to do when you arrive:

• If you have items in storage, you need to go to storage to obtain your items first. If you are unable to get to your storage facility (e.g. students on the shuttle) please complete this form.
• Head to the Wise Center at your scheduled move-in time for your COVID-19 test.
• For the health and safety of everyone, we ask that you come into the testing area on your own and rejoin in your car anyone who accompanied you to Allegheny after you have been tested and have picked up your room key at the testing site.
• After your test is completed, you may proceed to your residence hall and move in. A map is available here with the routes to follow to residence halls after testing.

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.

There will be limited staff available to assist with move-in, so pack your belongings so you can carry them to your room.

As in the fall, face coverings are required for all individuals on campus, and you should maintain appropriate physical distance.

Expectations for Spring Semester Module 2

Your commitment to health and safety was key to the success of the fall semester, and we are confident that the campus community will again do everything possible to uphold the Gator Pledge. Students will be required to remain on campus until the campus quarantine period is complete (approximately March 4). Please come to campus prepared to stay on campus until March 4, 2021. Requests to leave campus for urgent situations during the quarantine period should be submitted to this form.

We wish you all the best as you complete your Module 1 course — and we are looking forward to seeing our students on campus in just a few short weeks! Again, please contact us at deanofstudents@allegheny.edu with any questions so we can personally assist you.

Dean of Students Office

Dear Allegheny College Campus Community,

Welcome to Spring Semester 2021 at Allegheny College! I have many updates today, both on the COVID-19 response on campus and on ACHA. We are reshaping our efforts in response to feedback from the campus community.

First, an update on the happenings on campus. We welcomed back 43 students on January 18, 2021. A small cohort of employees is also back on campus. Most of these students and employees participated in the Inspire at-home COVID-19 testing protocol; some who did not were excluded due to documented prior COVID-19 infection in the last 90 days. Others returning from international travel completed a non-Inspire COVID-19 test before returning to campus. Out of 97 people tested at home, 96 received negative results. Two students have not yet returned the test and will not return to campus until they do so. Three students had delayed results and waited an additional day until they received their negative results, at which point they moved on campus. We then retested these 97 people on January 18 and found one additional person to be COVID-19 positive. They are currently in isolation; they were feeling poorly but are now improving.

We have begun the at-home testing protocol for faculty and staff so that we can welcome them back to campus as well. Half of those results have been received as of this writing; one person tested positive so far and is isolating at home. We will keep you posted as those results come in; you can also watch for updates on the dashboard.

Note to Students (and their parents!): as we managed the at-home testing process, we noted that the window to return the test and get results is small. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD SWAB THEIR NOSES AND DROP THEIR TEST KITS AT A UPS DROP SITE ON FEBRUARY 15. Check details of your UPS site so that you drop your package before the daily cut-off time on the 15th. This will maximize the likelihood that you have your test result in time to move in on February 18 or 19. There is still a possibility that a few test results will not be available on move-in day; those students will have to wait for their results before they can come to campus. We will get those students to campus as soon as possible. Please complete the Student Information Form by January 29 to convey your ability to complete the at-home test. (You can update the form after the 29th if needed.)

As of this writing, Inspire has shipped at-home test kits to over 300 employees so that they can return to work in person in anticipation of students returning on February 18. We are awaiting their results and will keep you posted. You can also watch the dashboard for updates.

We received feedback that the campus community would like more detailed data on the COVID-19 activity on campus. To respond to this, we have revamped and expanded the case dashboard on the College’s COVID-19 Plans & Resources site. We now show a breakdown of positives by student or employee, and tests administered on campus or off campus (e.g., at home or at an urgent care). We show a breakdown of students in quarantine by close contacts versus recent travel. You will see a new graph detailing the last weeks of testing. We have also included the Crawford County infection rate so we can compare that with our campus positivity rate. Right now, our campus positivity rate is 0.42%, while Crawford County is at 12.9%. We are working hard to make campus as safe as possible.

Given the changes in CDC recommendations and the pandemic, we have updated the reopening guide for Spring 2021. The biggest change is to the travel policy. With COVID-19 infections saturating all communities, we are no longer limiting employees from neighboring counties from working on campus due to changes in COVID-19 rates. Once the campus quarantine is complete (approximately March 4), students will be able to attend same-day medical appointments locally, shop locally, and pick up takeout. However, we are asking students to avoid off-campus leisure and travel as much as possible. As you will see on our dashboard, the positive test rate in Crawford County is currently 12.9%. This means that it is safer to be on campus than in the community. Of course, emergencies happen; quarantine is available (and required) for those who have an unavoidable trip, such as a funeral or critically ill relative. Students should complete the Off-Campus Request form for these situations.

A comment on vaccines… Our partner hospital, Meadville Medical Center, has received praise for its efficient distribution of vaccines. While we are not yet able to vaccinate our student population, many members of our community have reported that they have been vaccinated. A few students who work as EMTs reported being vaccinated. We continue to advocate for our community and will keep you informed.

Another piece of feedback that we received was that our communications are impersonal. The reality is that ACHA is very personal. I, Dr. Morrow, love running ACHA. The students and employees that I have met on campus are warm, wonderful people, happy to be on campus, and apprehensive about COVID-19. Working to keep you safe while learning and working has been a boost for me during the difficult, lonely months of the pandemic. It hasn’t been easy: with remote schooling, my son is often yelling into his computer while I am yelling into mine (sorry, President Link!). But like you, I work, I strive, and I keep checking the CDC website for updates. I look forward to letting you get to know me, and getting to know you, as I work to keep you safe.

Keep in touch. I mean it! Email me. We will get through this together, and I would love to hear from you.

Dr. Morrow

Dear Allegheny College Campus Community,

We hope that you had a restful and restorative winter break! As President Link mentioned in her communication, we continue to be on course to learn face to face during the upcoming semester. We are writing with updates for the Spring 2021 semester.

Out-of-state quarantine: During the return to campus for the fall semester, we quarantined students returning from states with high levels of COVID-19. We will not be doing this in the Spring semester. Our at-home PCR test satisfies the Pennsylvania requirement for a COVID-19 test before entering the commonwealth. Also, we will work to keep the surrounding community safe by participating in our campus quarantine through March 4, 2021.

Local vaccine distribution: Meadville Medical Center is distributing the Pfizer vaccine using the phased approach developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health to administer COVID-19 vaccines. Initial recipients of the vaccine are healthcare workers, first responders, critical workers and K-12 educators. At-risk individuals are scheduled for the next phase. Allegheny College Vaccine Task Force members have been persistently advocating for vaccination of our community. We encourage you to stay optimistic: the vaccine is coming our way!

Recently tested positive for COVID-19: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instructs persons who have tested positive and completed isolation for COVID-19 NOT be retested for 90 days. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and already completed a 10-day isolation, you are welcome back to campus. You are exempt from Allegheny College testing requirements for 90 days from the date of your COVID-19 positive test. You MUST email ACHA (healthagency@allegheny.edu) with verification of test and completion of isolation prior to return to campus. If you have been ill with COVID-19, we hope you are feeling better!

Returning to campus from outside the U.S.: Students who will be returning to campus from outside the United States are not eligible to use the Inspire Diagnostics at-home PCR testing kit. Therefore, those students should independently take a PCR COVID-19 test in their home country within the five-day window prior to returning to campus; please email the result to healthagency@allegheny.edu. All students who plan to return to campus, both those living in campus residences and those living elsewhere but who may be present on campus for any reason, MUST provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test before arrival on campus. Individuals who do not provide the College with proof of a negative test will not be able to move into residences, attend in-person classes on campus, or visit any other campus offices or buildings.

Taking the at-home test: U.S.-based students moving into a residence on campus should plan to take the at-home test and ship it to the testing company, on the same day, five days prior to their anticipated move-in date. Remember to enter your health insurance information when you register for the test. If you do not have health insurance or your health insurance declines the claim, you will not be charged for the test. Once a student takes the test, it is imperative that all students quarantine with immediate household members only until their return to campus. If you take the test more than five days prior to arriving on campus, you will have to obtain another negative test result yourself within the five-day window and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to the College prior to returning to campus. Keep the test you receive in the mail secure until you know exactly when to take it.

What to do with the results: After you take the test and mail it to the provider, Inspire will provide results directly to students and to the College, via email. The College will maintain the information with other student records, respecting confidentiality. If you test positive, Inspire will provide instructions for next steps. Any student who tests positive should not return to campus until isolation is completed and they are cleared by ACHA.

ACHA and Inspire are partnering for the successful testing of the Allegheny community. Let us know any barriers to testing so that we can help. If you have questions, please contact ACHA at healthagency@allegheny.edu. More details about our plans for the spring semester are forthcoming. Thank you for your continued excellent work that advances the health and safety of our Allegheny community!

ACHA

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 $759,460 as of October 10th, 2020, and an additional $31,254 as of December 31st, 2020, bringing the total to $790,714.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College had approximately  1,400 students in the spring 2020 semester and approximately 1,350 for both the fall 2020 semester and spring 2021 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. A total of 1,161 awards were given to 980 eligible students as of December 30, 2020. 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 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 College Campus Community,

I hope you’re having a healthy, safe, and restorative break with family and friends. As we celebrate the arrival of 2021, I wanted to send you an update so that you have a clear picture of plans for the upcoming spring semester. This update has critical information that you need to know as you plan for January and February. We will be following up with more detailed emails about some of the topics mentioned here, so please keep an eye on your email in the days and weeks to come.

• Module 1—fully remote—will start as planned on January 19, 2021, and will run through February 11. Module 2 classes will start, face-to-face as planned, on February 23, 2021. Students were asked to confirm at the end of last semester if they will be living and learning on campus during Module 2; if plans have changed since you submitted your survey, please contact us ASAP at fall2020@allegheny.edu. The Allegheny College Health Agency continues to watch guidance from the county and state; at present, our plans are on track to begin in-person classes on February 23, 2021, as planned. We will of course communicate to you immediately if we need to change plans based on CDC or government mandates or action.

  You will be receiving an email to register for an at-home COVID-19 test kit two weeks before you return to campus. Our many experts continue to emphasize that an essential key to a successful semester is testing for everyone—students, faculty, and staff — before they arrive on campus. For that reason, for spring we will require proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test selected by the College just before arrival. Look for an email from Inspire Diagnostics and read it carefully. You will need to register for the test and enter the best mailing address to receive the test during the two weeks before you return to campus. If you have medical insurance, please enter that information. If you do not have medical insurance or if for some reason your insurance company rejects the claim, Allegheny College will cover the expense. Please carefully read as well the instructions that come with the test, which will tell you the best date to take the test. Timing is critical for the testing to ensure maximum effectiveness.

• Students will be able to move into on-campus residences on February 18 and 19. As in the fall, all students (including commuter students, as well as all faculty and staff) will be required to take an additional COVID-19 PCR test on campus during these two days. Allegheny College will continue to operate with proper physical distancing and masking protocols in place. Therefore, as in fall, we need students to stick to their assigned move-in time to avoid congestion. Students will receive information about scheduling their move-in time as soon as possible. Based on our success in the fall, a second, in-person COVID-19 PCR test will also be required for all students on February 25 and February 26. We will, again, have an on-campus quarantine; this is tentatively scheduled to end March 4, but we will not finalize the date until we confirm there is no campus spread of COVID.

• I am pleased to announce that Allegheny College will be doing even more testing during the spring semester, to ensure the health, safety, and success of our community. We’re investing in this additional testing to make sure we once again complete the semester face-to-face. Such testing will be mandatory for those individuals who will be on campus, a practice that will help maintain a safe on-campus experience for all. We wish to ensure that all of our students can maintain their academic progress and have a productive semester. As always, ACHA and Dr. Morrow are available for questions and concerns. Email them at healthagency@allegheny.edu or gmorrow@allegheny.edu.

• We have formed a Vaccine Task Force that will be partnering with local medical and public health authorities to educate our community and—as soon as possible—to make vaccines available. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

As always, our community’s health, safety, and well-being are our highest priority, along with ensuring that nothing disrupts our students’ ability to achieve their academic goals and earn their degrees on time. Thank you all for your continued dedication and resolve and, above all, for the kindness and respect you’ve displayed toward all members of the Allegheny College family. I’m proud to be a part of our amazing campus community.

I look forward to a wonderful semester ahead. In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones a coming year filled with good health, happiness, success, and so much that is good, including vaccines for all!

President Link