UPDATE: 3/13/2020
Published: April 13, 2021
Things have changed in the last 24 hours.
Given yesterdays statement by the Governor of Illinois, we have changed course to extend Spring Break one week.
During that week, we will move all courses online for the remainder of spring semester.
(Classes already scheduled to begin online will continue without disruption.)
While we regret our students not being able to access the enriched on-campus educational experience, we share the governors concern and have shifted course.
Rapid changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last 24 hours, and a diagnosed case in a nearby county, compel us to help members of our campus community avoid large group gatherings and promote self-isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our responsibility to students, their families, staff and faculty requires that we incorporate a different approach to learning for the remainder of the semester. We have given this decision great thought and understand that it will disrupt the lives of our students, our faculty and staff, parents, and community members.
With that in mind, we are taking the following proactive measures:
- Effective today (Friday, March 13), we are extending spring break for face-to-face classes until March 20, 2020.This extension allows faculty and students to pause and prepare for a transition to online classes.
- Regular online classeswill continue as scheduled with no disruption. For example, Block B for both undergraduate and graduate level courses online will start March 16, 2020, as scheduled.
- All face-to face-classes will resume March 23, 2020,via remote instruction.Students transitioning to remote instruction will receive more information from us and from their professors as we make the transition.
- All classes will continue in an online format through the end of spring semester. We understand that this transition may be difficult. Student Success will personally assist any students with special circumstances that may inhibit online learning.
- On-campus events including athletic events scheduled through April 5 have been canceled. We will re-evaluate the situation on or before April 6.
- Belongings of students not on campus during Spring Break will continue to be secured
- Please do not attempt to return to campus for your belongings until after April 6.
- We will send specific instructions about returning to campus in the coming weeks. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to community life directly at community.life@greenville.edu
We will continue to review and assess the situation and apprise students as we make decisions about events like Commencement.
On-campus housing remains open to students currently living in the residence halls with prior approval. Students will have the option of continuing to stay, and GU will continue to assess any health risks to the community in line with the current coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. The library will remain open and services such as dining, counseling, health service, and tutoring on campus will continue. We may limit the hours those services operate, however, depending on the volume of students who choose to stay. The Office of Community Life will be in touch with students with more information about these changes.
For more details, please visit the forthcoming FAQ section on this GU Alert page. Check back often as we add new information daily. You can also sign up to receive GU Alerts by registering here.
GU remains committed to our students' success and to the health and well-being of everyone in our community. We will continue to learn and work together even with a different kind of learning delivery. We remain committed to the Greenville University educational experience and face-to-face, hands-on education we are known for. We look forward to our eventual return to face-to-face learning in the summer and fall.
With Hope,
GU Response Team
