Dear IUP Students,
I hope you, your families, and your communities are well.
During uncertain times information changes almost daily. Please plan to hear from me frequently throughout the remainder of the semester, even if it is only to check in with you. If you have questions or concerns, I encourage you to reach out to the appropriate university office, and you are encouraged to continue to email iup-hawks@iup.edu with your questions and comments.
We have heard from many of you that you are unsure of what to do in light of last night's announcement from Governor Wolf, so I wanted to offer this update.
Here is what we know: IUP is continuing operations as planned. The university REMAINS OPEN. We have NOT been told to close.
This means the following:
- Residence hall move-out is continuing as scheduled. If you have not yet contacted the Office of Housing regarding your plans, please contact Housing at iup-housing@iup.edu or 724-357-2696 as soon as possible.
- Dining operations will continue as scheduled for the few students remaining in campus housing. We encourage all students who are utilizing on-campus dining facilities to continue practicing social distancing guidelines set up by the Centers for Disease Control, which means that no more than ten (10) students should assemble in one place.
- On-line classes will continue as scheduled.
- Faculty are continuing work to transition face-to-face classes to on-line coursework.
- Classes that were face-to-face will be offered on-line starting Monday, March 23, as previously announced;
- Resources for on-line instruction are available.
- Health Services is open but is accessible by appointment only (you can do so by calling ahead of time at 724-357-2550 to make an appointment).
- The Counseling Center will continue providing remote services.
- We are continuing to determine how best to provide refunds, as appropriate. Students should make sure they are signed up for direct deposit, as noted in my message this morning.
- Students in work-study positions will continue to be paid.
- We have not yet made a decision if commencement ceremonies in May need to be changed or postponed.
We know that many students and families are very challenged financially by this national health crisis. To help you, the university has established an Emergency Response Fund. Please take advantage of this opportunity if you are in need.
The best advice I can give you is to continue to protect your health and the health of your family and community by practicing social distancing and other key preventative measures, and focus on your studies.
Although this is a time of extraordinary change and upset, please do not neglect your studies. Continuing your classes, even if they are in a different format, provides you with the opportunity to engage with your faculty and classmates while moving forward in your academics. Your faculty are available to help you be successful as you complete this semester.
There is a great deal of information out there, and that can be confusing and overwhelming. Please continue to monitor your IUP email and check the IUP website for official information and updates. Continue to send your questions to IUP-hawks@iup.edu.
Thank you for your patience with us as we work through this time together.
Respectfully,
Dr. Segar