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Message to Students

An Updated Message to Students

We look forward to welcoming you back to Penn State Berks this fall! The health and safety of the Penn State Berks community is our first priority and we would like to share some of the strategies we have put into place to help to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on campus.

Updated August 4, 2020

We look forward to welcoming you back to Penn State Berks this fall!

The health and safety of the Penn State Berks community is our first priority and we would like to share some of the strategies we have put into place to help to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on campus. Penn State will meet or exceed the expectations for colleges and universities that have been outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for returning students to campus.

Health and Safety

The University is taking a multi-layered approach to confronting the coronavirus, which will include pre-arrival testing, quarantine strategies, monitoring local health systems, surveillance sampling, and testing of symptomatic and suspected positive individuals.

Before returning to Penn State, all students must:

  • Read and sign the new required “Penn State Coronavirus Compact” that outlines expectations for the semester.
  • Complete mandatory pre-arrival COVID-19 testing, if notified. Select students living in counties across the United States with high infection rates will be contacted by the University on an individual basis in August to complete mandatory testing.
  • Self-quarantine for at least 7 days immediately prior to arrival.
  • Review Penn State and local requirements for masking and social distancing.

For the latest information on student health requirements, visit https://virusinfo.psu.edu/back-to-state/.

In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health guidelines, wearing face masks and adhering to social distancing practices, including maintaining six feet of physical distance between another person, are critical components in helping to maintain the health and safety of the entire campus community. Students, faculty and staff are expected to practice social distancing and wear face masks in classrooms, labs, offices, dining and retail facilities, and public spaces. The campus community is also expected to wear face masks outdoors when they cannot be physically distant from others and whenever state or local laws require.

Course Delivery

Penn State offers several options designed to fit your needs as you start or continue your Penn State education in fall 2020. You may plan to attend in-person or may consider attending remotely through the Start at Home or the Continue at Home program. As we navigate this health crisis together, Penn State Berks is here to help make the choice that is best for you.

If you are considering taking part in the remote Start at Home or Continue at Home program, we strongly recommend that you fully explore the three options outlined on Learning at Home. Each of these options comes with critical differences and limitations, so it is important that you understand these differences before making a final decision. We also strongly recommend speaking with your academic adviser. If you are not sure who your adviser is, please check LionPath or contact the Academic Advising Center at 610-396-6280 or email [email protected].

Due to the number of students registered for in-person courses and the size of classrooms, necessary changes have been made to the academic schedule to focus on enhancing safety and lowering the risk of spread of the virus. Penn State Berks will deliver smaller classes, following University guidance. Course delivery will occur through a highly flexible mix of in-person, remote, and online instruction throughout the semester. For a description of instructional modes, please visit https://keeplearning.psu.edu/fall-2020/flexible-instructional-modes/.

Your professors will contact you via email in the near future to explain how your courses will be delivered, and you are also encouraged to contact your professors with any questions or concerns.

For those students who are immunocompromised or at-risk, unable to wear a face mask due to medical conditions, or choose not to come to campus this fall, the University will work with you to develop appropriate accommodations. There are flexible options so that you can continue to make progress toward your degree.

Please note: When checking your courses in LionPath, please review all components of the course to ensure you are viewing the complete mix of instructional modes. Click on Class Schedule, the word “More,” select Fall Term, and then continue to see all components for your class(es).

Fall schedule

The fall semester will begin on the originally scheduled date of Monday, Aug. 24, and campus-based residential instruction will end Friday, Nov. 20, with the remainder of the semester — including finals — being delivered remotely and/or online when classes resume after Thanksgiving break on Nov. 30. To minimize travel and lower the risk of spreading coronavirus on campuses, classes will be held on Labor Day (Sept. 7). The semester will end following finals on Dec. 18, as originally planned.

If you are a returning student and would like to discuss your options, please contact your academic adviser at Penn State Berks. If you are not sure who your adviser is, please check LionPath or contact the Academic Advising Center at 610-396-6280 or email [email protected].

If you are a new incoming student who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, please contact the Berks Admissions Team at 610-396-6060 or via email at [email protected].

If you are a new international student, please visit Penn State Global or contact the Office of Global Programs at 814-865-7681 for more information.

Penn State is focused on supporting students and helping them to meet their desired educational goals no matter the method of delivery, and advisers will be available to assist students in crafting their individual class schedules and curricula options. In addition, Academic Support Services will be available to all students, regardless of the mode of delivery of their courses.