Communication to Georgetown University Faculty 2020

December 16, 2020: Spring Course Planning

Dear Colleagues,

As we begin to plan for next semester, we would like to share some thoughts about spring courses on the Main Campus and at the School of Nursing and Health Studies. The School of Continuing Studies will continue to follow their own calendar and recommendations.

This fall demonstrated for many of us that teaching remotely is effective and exciting. At the same time, we heard loud and clear from you and from our students that teaching and learning remotely—at a distance, with reduced access to campus resources, support, and social interaction—take more time and can be overwhelming and exhausting. Undergraduates have felt these strains particularly acutely, though graduate students experience them as well. 

Based on the guidance of our public health and safety professionals, we have adopted an academic calendar that has nine weeks of uninterrupted classes between January 25 and March 26, when spring break commences. To prevent exhaustion, periodic relief seems necessary for us and for our students, especially in undergraduate classes.

There are a few things we can do:

• While President’s Day (February 15) is not a university holiday this year, try to avoid large assignments or assessments due on or near that day. You might also consider alternative class formats, such as shorter meeting times, individual or group mentoring in lieu of class time, independent work, or class-related screen-free activities.
• We encourage faculty to designate either Week 5 (February 22) or Week 6 (March 1) as a light work week. There are many ways to do so. For instance, build a week of review or hold tutorial-type meetings with small groups rather than full class sessions.
• When designing your course, consider what you can reduce from your overall expectations of your students without sacrificing quality and rigor. We know that everything just takes longer in the online teaching and learning environment.

These may not be feasible options for all courses, and even where possible, will require flexibility and creativity on your part. We also recognize that these options may be more suitable for undergraduate courses than for graduate courses, which have different expectations and schedules. We hope, however, that in all cases you will be attentive to the stresses that the virtual learning environment imposes on students and that you will build in periods of relief for yourselves and for them as appropriate. 

Our Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) will be running a series of workshops and training sessions—along with ongoing office hours—in January to help anyone who would like to explore additional ways of designing and pacing courses. The schedule can be found on the Instructional Continuity website.

Finally, as occurred in the fall, the Spring semester may need continual adjustments. Stay in touch with your students, find simple ways to engage with them, and help them feel connected to Georgetown at a time when they—and we—are all feeling the distance.

With thanks, and best wishes for the holiday season.
 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Paul Almeida, Dean of the McDonough School of Business

Maria Cancian, Dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy

Chris Celenza, Dean of the Georgetown College

Joel Hellman, Dean of the Walsh School of Foreign Service

Carole Roan Gresenz, Interim Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Alexander Sens, Interim Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

 December 16, 2020: Happy Holidays

Dear Georgetown Students, Faculty and Staff,

I write today to wish you and your family a wonderful and happy winter holiday season.

As I reflect upon this past year, I wish to extend my continued thanks and appreciation to the entire Georgetown community for your dedication, perseverance and embodiment of our Jesuit values. We have been challenged in unprecedented ways. I know that many of us, in the midst of this global pandemic, may have faced challenges this year. 

I hope that the upcoming winter holidays offer a more extended opportunity to rest and reflect. Especially, I hope that you take advantage of the additional days off of December 21-23.

All of us have been working harder these days than is typical. We deserve time to reconnect to family and friends and forget about work for a period of time.

I look forward to 2021 with optimism, and I am certain that the Georgetown community will continue to be strong and united, no matter what the future holds. Thank you, again, for all you do and best wishes for a happy holiday and joyful new year.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 November 23, 2020: Thanksgiving Thoughts and Wishes

Dear Georgetown Students, Faculty and Staff,

I write today to wish you and your family a safe and restful Thanksgiving. 

This year has challenged each of us in unprecedented ways. I know that many of you are suffering the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in ways that greatly complicate your lives. These effects create quite rational stresses and anxieties. Those of you in multi-generational households face special burdens, given restrictions on group care services and closures of schools. Those of you whose household members have lost work hours endure lower incomes. All of us are adapting to unusual behaviors necessary to avoid the virus.

I am deeply thankful for your patience, for your commitment to teaching and learning and for your continued embodiment of the ideals of men and women for others. Indeed, while each of us are suffering, we know that many others in the world are facing even more dire straits. They are in our thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for embodying cura personalis and for the profound care and responsibility for one another in these circumstances. Thank you for voicing your concerns and actively participating in the University’s response to extraordinary challenges. Thank you for supporting each other and the University as we continue to move forward.

I want to express my warm gratitude to you with wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 November 16, 2020: Planning for the Spring 2021 Semester

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus Faculty and Staff,

I write to follow up on President DeGioia’s message regarding Georgetown’s plan for the Spring 2021 semester. We all share the goal of returning to the traditional Georgetown educational design – close, interpersonal, in-person education supported by our faculty and staff. We all want this pandemic’s effect on our education mission to end. Unfortunately, this is not completely within our control.

This letter gives more detail on the Main Campus Spring 2021 academic activities.

Academic Calendar

We will begin with a slightly delayed start, beginning January 25, 2021, with a new combined Easter and Spring Break from March 29 through April 4, 2021, and using the new academic calendar.   

Expanded Access to Campus Facilities

As noted in President DeGioia’s letter, we plan to allow members of the senior class not currently living in DC to return to campus, and we plan to offer rooms in our residence halls for these students. We plan to bring graduate students to campus for a selection of hybrid courses and by-reservation access to the library. All seniors and graduate students will be given access to study spaces on campus, limited by a reservation system to enforce physical distancing, provided public health conditions allow.  

Mode of Instruction

Most undergraduate level classes will be offered in virtual mode, while some senior level classes and graduate level classes may be in hybrid mode. It is important to note that this plan is dependent on the course of the pandemic and may be altered under changed circumstances. We will regularly announce updates in the coming months, monitoring the public health circumstances, which would affect the Spring semester.

Tuition

We will continue the same tuition reductions in place for Fall 2020 (10% for undergraduates and 5% for graduate students) with the exception of Class of 2021 undergraduate students who choose to  have physical access to on-campus facilities, subject to density and other public health requirements. We will provide more information to members of the class of 2021 who decide not to have physical access to campus facilities.

For Sophomores and Juniors

We have listened carefully to student feedback, and have shared this information with faculty designing Spring courses with this input in mind. We are developing an exciting selection of courses, building upon the foundation of online coursework offered in the Fall. We know it is disappointing that public health conditions do not allow for all students to return to campus this Spring. We encourage you to continue to engage students through your coursework and to encourage them to take advantage of the many opportunities to create and be part of the Georgetown community that our Student Affairs offices and student organizations offer. Please also encourage students to take advantage of department offerings and gatherings hosted by Georgetown’s many departments, programs and Centers anxious to include students in their activities. 

For First-Year Students

If public health conditions allow, the University is planning to invite current first-year students, who will be rising sophomores in Summer 2021, for a summer residential academic experience, making available credit-bearing courses typically taken in the sophomore year of study. As public health conditions become more clear, we will be in touch with further details.

Undergraduate Students Approved for Residence Exception

Undergraduate students who were granted approval in the Fall through the Housing Stability Application process will be able to live on campus along with students who had been invited to return to campus because of academic requirements, and a limited number of Resident Assistants to support this residential community. Students in the BSN program will be contacted by their program leadership regarding their return to campus in the Spring for clinical placements.

Graduate Students

While many graduate-level courses will be taught virtually, some will be offered in hybrid mode. Graduate students may elect to participate in their courses remotely. We are working, as public health conditions allow, to provide graduate students increased access to campus facilities, including the Library and additional study spaces, on a reservation basis. 

Public Health Conditions and Student Responsibilities

All faculty, staff and students coming to campus or residing on campus must meet all testing protocols, quarantine and public health requirements set forth and accessible through our website. This may include quarantining prior to coming to campus. You can find additional information on health and safety requirements on the COVID-19 Resource Center website and in the frequently asked questions which are updated regularly. 

International Students

The University recognizes that this change may have a special impact on international students who may now have new travel plans. For students studying remotely, please continue to plan ways to make it possible for students in distant time zones to continue to engage directly with you and their classmates. International students who are concerned about their visas should contact the Office of Global Services (OGS) with questions about their specific situations. In general, according to current guidance, continuing international students with existing visas can study online from any location (in the U.S. or abroad) and maintain their active visa status. Please contact the Office of Global Services with any questions. New international graduate students should contact the Office of Global Services to discuss their options. 

Classroom Renovations

For the past four months, we have been renovating classrooms to enhance teaching and learning technology. Specifically, we have completed classroom upgrades, preparing for students to return to campus and for the possibility of hybrid and other flexible modes of instruction. You will notice new technology in many rooms. If you are teaching in hybrid mode this semester we strongly encourage you to reach out to our CETS team at cets@georgetown.edu or via their Zoom help desk (Meeting ID 995-332-8350) between 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. to schedule a one-to-one session in your assigned classroom to become familiar with the technology and teaching conditions.

For MSB classes, please contact the MSB help desk through the Zoom link (https://georgetown.zoom.us/j/2026874721) or ‘chat bot’ (https://sites.google.com/georgetown.edu/msbtech/home) or by email (msbhelp@georgetown.edu) or by phone (202-687-4721). The MSB Help Desk is available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in advance of the first day of class to complete a technology check in your classroom. In addition to technology upgrades, we have updated the ventilation systems in classroom buildings and ensured HVAC systems and filters are in proper working order.

Library Services

The Library has established physical distancing guidelines and procedures, including a new space reservation system, to best serve faculty and students. With these new procedures in place, we will be able to accommodate returning seniors, graduate students and faculty, though of course not all at one time. The Library will communicate soon with faculty, staff and students with further details.

Study Spaces

We have heard from our students and understand that study spaces are very important. We are planning to make available a number of new study spaces for Spring that include physical distancing, accessed through a new space reservation system similar to the Library’s space reservation system. We will be in touch as the semester approaches with further details.

Pilot Courses

I would like to thank the faculty, staff and students who are engaged in pilot courses at the current time, which have informed our thinking and decision-making for the Spring term. We have listened very carefully to your comments and taken the feedback on classroom technology, the need for study spaces, preferences for virtual and hybrid instruction, and public health conditions very seriously.

Travel Policy

Due to the continuing impact of the pandemic on global travel, we have decided to continue the moratorium until further notice on University-related international travel for all students, faculty, and staff. There will be very limited exemptions that must be approved by the appropriate campus EVP or the COO (for staff). This decision was made after careful consideration and in the interest of the health and safety of our community.

WeWork Access

We are working to provide students with access to WeWork facilities globally. We are assessing the needs of our community members regarding this resource and will develop a pathway for those whose current environment is challenging. WeWork provides office space for individuals in 800 locations in 32 US cities and in 88 cities around the world. We hope this resource will be helpful in supporting our virtual learning environment.

Staff Teleworking

Thank you for your hard work to date. In order to lower the density of individuals on campus, many academic staff members will continue to telework. Certain staff members currently eligible for telework may be expected to return to campus based upon their roles, the academic and research needs of our community, and the needs of students and researchers who will now be on campus in the Spring term. More information will follow from supervisors related to teleworking and timing of a return to campus.

You can find additional information on the COVID-19 Resource Center website and in the frequently asked questions, which are updated regularly. If you have additional questions, please call the University’s COVID-19 Helpline at 202-784-3510 (available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday to Friday) or email covid19-questions@georgetown.edu to be connected to the appropriate University representative to answer your question.

We thank you for your commitment to your academic endeavors and to the University. We must continue to prioritize public health needs in our decision-making and to work to protect the health and safety of our community. While we may have faced certain disappointments this year because of the public health pandemic, we are also presented with many new opportunities to engage with each other. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the University in the Spring in the many enriching and diverse ways we define our community— virtually and in person.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 November 12, 2020: Incorporating Feedback on the Fall Semester

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus Faculty,

I write with some suggestions and guidance based on the feedback we’ve received from our Fall semester student surveys. In moving to a remote mode, we have done a wonderful job of adapting course materials into the virtual environment. Despite our best efforts, our students report feeling overwhelmed, and report increased zoom fatigue, anxiety about the world and the weight of a heavy course load. As we enter into the final third of the semester, the Deans of the Main Campus Schools, CNDLS, and I would like to ask you to please consider the amount of in class and out of class work needed for each course. CNDLS suggests the following steps:

1. Limit screen time for you and your students. You might:

• Hold audio only office hours
• Create assignments that encourage students to work with people in person at home
• Encourage students to read print materials where available
• Reduce synchronous class meeting time or the number of synchronous class meetings
• Take multiple breaks in synchronous class sessions
• Assign independent work days
• Create alternatives for asynchronous class participation (discussion, group work, in class activities) 

2. Respect the demands on everyone’s time (yours and your students). Please:

• End class on time
• Do not assign work during breaks
• Consider adjusting the amount of time you ask of students outside of synchronous meeting times

3. Adapt assessments to the online learning environment making them more manageable for you and your students:

• Consider alternatives to timed synchronous assessments
• Avoid proctored exams and quizzes
• Do not weigh any one assignment too heavily
• Rethink the number of assessments
• Create low-stakes assessments that encourage student engagement and participation

Consider asking for feedback directly from your students and be transparent with them about the challenges of the semester. Above all, please continue to be flexible and compassionate with your students and yourself. We are all feeling the continued effects of being online as our principal mode of communicating.  

For more information, please visit CNDLS page on suggestions for the final month of the semester.

With thanks,
 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 October 22, 2020: Expansion of Dependent Care Support Inbox

Dear Georgetown Faculty and Staff:

We hope you and your families are doing well. We appreciate the time and energy you have devoted to preparing for a smooth start to the Fall semester. As we approach the mid-semester point, we recognize the extraordinary efforts by so many in our community. In spite of the challenges the pandemic has unleashed, you remain resolute and strong in your commitment to excellence in your professional endeavors for our students and the entire Georgetown community. You have our deepest admiration and gratitude.

Today, we announce the expansion of the GUCares dependent care fund from $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000 per employee through the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2021). These funds support full-time faculty and staff facing dependent care challenges due to COVID-related closings of school, child care and elder care services. If you previously received a COVID Dependent Care Grant for the Fall 2020 semester at the lower reimbursement threshold, the Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits will reach out to you to coordinate whether you may qualify for additional reimbursement of eligible expenses up to the new reimbursement threshold. You can learn more about this and other GUCares grants at benefits.georgeotwn.edu/gucares. 

In recognition of the need to consider care responsibilities in decision making about operational status and future planning, the Office of the Chief Operating Officer and the Faculty Senate are working together to convene a standing committee to provide continued input on dependent care support and resources provided by the University.

Additionally, the Department of Human Resources is committed to deploying a Dependent Care Resource (DCR) Coordinator. This role will be available to support faculty and staff through the many complexities of dependent care identification, serving as a point of contact within Georgetown to communicate and answer questions about our available resources. The DCR Coordinator can be reached at dependentcare@georgetown.edu. We anticipate this position will be active and available to answer questions no later than October 30, 2020.

Finally, we would like to remind you of the following resources provided by the university to meet your dependent care needs:

Child Care Support Resources for Faculty & Staff During COVID-19

Launched in September, benefits.georgetown.edu/covid-childcare provides faculty, staff and AAPs with information on available child care resources.

Discounts from GUAdvantage

From child care centers, tutoring, laptops and Au Pair placement services, explore the employee discounts available at beneplace.com/georgetown. Enter password “GUSAVES” when registering.

Support and Resources from Bright Horizons

Georgetown University currently partners with Bright Horizons to provide eligible faculty, staff and retirees with access to the following benefits:

Nationwide Caregiver Search Platform

Free annual membership to sittercity.com allows employees to:

• Search from among millions of caregiver profiles; 
• Post jobs for one-time, recurring, or full-time caregiving; and,
• Review feedback and conduct background checks

Child Care and Education Discounts

Through the Bright Horizons Care Advantage Program, employees have:

• The ability to jump ahead on waitlists for Bright Horizons centers;
• Registration fee credits at hundreds of child care locations; and,
• Tuition discounts of 10% or more at partner centers nationwide

Eldercare Planning Resources

Bright Horizons provides:

• Tools for locating and evaluating facility-based care and in-home care agencies;
• Resources for understanding and preparing for ongoing needs; and,
• One-on-one consultations available

We remain committed to supporting you and your families’ well being during these challenging times. Our best wishes for continued good health.

Sincerely, 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 October 19, 2020: Remote Teaching from Outside the United States

Dear Colleagues:

We hope that your semester is going well and that you and your families are safe. As you know, instructional planning for the Spring semester is underway. We bring an important matter to your attention regarding work from abroad.

Faculty members teaching courses online are generally required to do so from the United States for a number of reasons. Our University is authorized to conduct business in limited locations, primarily Washington, DC and, thus, our employment contracts contemplate employment in the United States. Teaching from outside the United States has potential legal and tax implications for both the faculty member and the University because, generally, the law of the place where the faculty member lives and works governs the employment relation. Therefore, if you will be teaching in the Spring semester, we expect you to do so from within the United States. 

If exceptional circumstances require that you need to teach your Spring courses from abroad, the University must review the circumstances on a country-by-country basis and incur significant costs in order to comply with the legal and tax consequences of teaching from another country. Accordingly, such reviews and any decision to allow a faculty member to teach from abroad are extremely limited. To be considered for an exception, please direct your request through your department/program to your Dean’s office.

We appreciate your efforts to create a rich academic experience for our students despite the personal and professional challenges brought on by the pandemic. We will continue to support you every step of the way.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 October 1, 2020: Election Day 2020

Dear Georgetown University Faculty,

As we approach Election Day this year on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, we ask that we each grant our students, graduate assistants and unit staff latitude so as to facilitate participation in the electoral process. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic health measures, there may be lines or unexpected delays at polling locations outside of an individual’s control, and it is important that we enable members of our community to exercise this important right.

If you are teaching on Tuesday November 3, you might consider class design alternatives such as asynchronous learning that day, or assignments that can be completed in lieu of an in-class assignment for the few students unable to attend due to a conflict with voting. 

For reference for those who have asked,  the policy for staff regarding voting and time off from work (new window) (new window) can be found in the Georgetown University Human Resource Policy Manual.

Thank you in advance for your flexibility and for the dedication you show throughout the semester to our hard-working students.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

 September 14, 2020: Additional Extension to the Tenure Probationary Period

Dear Faculty,

We hope your semester is off to a good start. We are most grateful to you for your extraordinary dedication as you continue to navigate the personal and professional challenges imposed by COVID-19.

In recognition of continuing disruptions to research progress due to restrictions on travel and access to campus and research materials/facilities, as well as the requirements of course design for remote instruction and dependent care challenges, the University Faculty Senate has recommended that the Executive Vice Presidents provide untenured faculty members the option to extend the tenure probationary period by an additional year. This extension is in addition to the one-year extension announced on March 25, 2020 for faculty members who are in the first through sixth year of their probationary period. 

We agree with this recommendation and are hereby instituting an additional one-year extension of the tenure probationary period for all Main Campus faculty who in Academic Year 2020-21 are in the sixth year or earlier of their probationary period (including those whose probationary period has been adjusted for any other reasons).

This extension does not take away the option to apply for tenure and promotion during any year of the tenure probationary period up to and including the sixth year.

If you have initiated the application process, consult your Dean’s office for further information.

We hope this new option will allow you to focus on your immediate personal and professional needs.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Paul Almeida, Dean, McDonough School of Business 

Maria Cancian, Dean, McCourt School of Public Policy 

Christopher Celenza, Dean, Georgetown College 

Joel Hellman, Dean, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service 

Alexander Sens, Interim Dean, Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences

 September 8, 2020: COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol Violations

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

We all have a shared responsibility to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and abide by the health and safety guidelines of the Georgetown University Community Compact (“Community Compact”), the District of Columbia and the federal government.

Among those measures specified in the Community Compact, those on campus or students living in the Georgetown, Burleith, or Foxhall neighborhoods (“Neighborhoods”) must:

• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times (except when alone in a room, when eating/drinking, when in your personal residence without guests, or when exercising outdoors with at least six feet of physical distancing);
• Maintain physical distancing of at least six feet;
• Limit non-university-sponsored gatherings to no more than ten individuals; and
• Complete a daily health attestation in order to access University buildings, if approved to be on campus.

Reports of low-level noncompliance — such as not wearing a mask, if compliant when reminded, or not practicing physical distancing in a brief and apparently unintentional way — will be handled at the campus-level and individuals will be provided with educational information on adherence moving forward.

Reports of serious or persistent noncompliance — such as gathering in groups of more than ten people, not abiding by quarantine/isolation requirements, or repeated lower level violations — will be referred to the appropriate University campus disciplinary body for investigation and adjudication. This referral may result in ongoing suspension of access to campus and University facilities, and corrective or disciplinary actions and sanctions under the procedures set forth in the applicable Student Code of Conduct or professionalism, the Faculty Responsibilities Code, or Human Resources policies, as applicable.

If a student or faculty or staff member observes an individual or group whom they suspect is not acting in accordance with established health and safety protocols, they can report these incidents through the COVID-19 Incident Report Form. Reports will be referred to the relevant campus official for follow up. Your good faith reporting is protected by the University’s whistle-blower protection policy. Examples of behaviors to report include concerns about gatherings of more than ten people, failure to wear a mask or comply with physical distancing guidelines, or failure to adhere to quarantine/isolation protocols.

In addition, we have launched a new “Public Health Ambassador” program on the Main, Medical and Law campuses as part of our Redeploy Georgetown program. These individuals will be easily identified and will be present on campus and in the Neighborhoods to remind members of our community to adhere to public health guidelines, provide free masks, and answer any questions.

All of us must do our part to reinforce the healthy behaviors of one another. Thank you for your commitment to protect the health and safety of each other and all members of the Georgetown community.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 August 28, 2020: Enhanced COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Our Community

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

As we begin our limited on-campus activity for the Fall 2020 semester, we are writing with more information about our ongoing testing strategy to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Beginning on Tuesday, September 1, we will implement enhanced testing requirements as part of the University’s protocol for routine testing of community members with a regular presence on campus and students residing in the Georgetown, Burleith, or Foxhall neighborhoods (“Neighborhoods”). Routine testing is an important element of the COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures described in the Georgetown University Community Compact. Please carefully review the information below and sign up for testing, as appropriate.

Testing Schedule

In general, if you are on campus two or more times per week, you should be tested twice each week. If you are on campus once per week or are a student residing in the Neighborhoods, you should be tested once each week. Below is a summary of ongoing testing requirements by population. Please refer to these frequently asked questions and the full breakdown of testing requirements and exceptions to routine testing.

Testing two days per week (Tests ideally should be taken two to four days apart; please note there is no testing offered on Saturdays or Sundays):

• On-campus residents
• Approved non-residents (faculty, staff, and students) regularly present on campus two or more non-consecutive days per week
• Contractors regularly present on campus two or more non-consecutive days per week (they should be tested the weeks they are on campus)

Testing one day per week:

• Approved non-residents (faculty, staff, and students) present on campus one day per week or less, or only on campus for two consecutive days per week (e.g., those who only come to campus on Mondays and Tuesdays should get tested once per week)
• Students residing off-campus in the Georgetown, Burleith or Foxhall Neighborhoods

Required Consent Form

If you have not already done so, you must sign the consent form, which authorizes One Medical to release your COVID-19 test results and your daily risk badge status reported through the mobile application to Georgetown. Failure to consent will generate a red Building Access Badge and restrict your access to campus buildings. Georgetown will continue to comply with all applicable privacy, confidentiality, and public health laws related to collection and maintenance of testing and other health-related records. Georgetown’s public health team cannot keep our community safe without having access to this information.

Scheduling and Taking Your Tests 

If you are approved to live, study, or work on campus, you should self-schedule your appointments through the One Medical app or website and select an on-campus testing site. Tests will be available on both the Main Campus and Law Center campuses. New slots are added daily, so please continue to check the app for appointment availability. You will get your test results via a secure message in your One Medical account. 

If you already have signed up for a testing appointment on the Main Campus next week, please note that the testing site has moved from the Healey Family Student Center to McDonough Gym.

Students living in the Neighborhoods should order a weekly at-home test kit and follow the instructions as noted, in lieu of testing on campus. One Medical will ensure that you receive one kit weekly until Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions or concerns about the testing process or the One Medical app, please contact One Medical at 1-888-ONEMED1 (1-888-663-6331) or hello@onemedical.com.

For general inquiries about COVID-19, please call or email the University COVID-19 Helpline so that the appropriate University representative can answer your questions:

• 202-784-3510 (Available 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET Monday–Friday)
• covid19-questions@georgetown.edu

We will regularly review the University’s testing protocol with the appropriate University bodies, including our faculty led Public Health Planning Group.  

Every Hoya, everywhere has a role to play in keeping our community safe. We are grateful for all of your efforts to contribute to the health and safety of those around you while preparing for your usual responsibilities this Fall. 

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 August 26, 2020: New GUCares Grant for Fall 2020 Dependent Care

Dear Colleagues:

In recognition of the dependent care challenges faced by many of our faculty and staff due to COVID-related closings of school, child care and elder care services, the University will offer assistance in defraying dependent care costs, up to a maximum of $1,000 per eligible applicant for the Fall 2020 semester. 

Applicants must be full-time faculty, staff or AAPs who have incurred additional dependent care expenses as a direct result of the pandemic in order to be eligible for a grant. You may apply for a grant even if you previously received a GUCares COVID Relief Grant or another GUCares grant. As with the COVID Relief Grant, only one COVID Dependent Care Grant will be provided to each eligible employee.

You may apply by completing the online grant request form and providing the required supporting documentation (proof for school/service closings, payment receipts or a description of the rationale for the grant, if costs are not yet incurred or are not listed above) for expenses incurred, or reasonably anticipated, between September 1 and December 23, 2020.

Reimbursable expenses include those reasonable and necessary expenses directly associated with child care or adult dependent care responsibilities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the costs of hiring babysitters in the home, expenses for drop-off child care, enrollment in in-person or online tutoring/activity programs, and in-home or on-site elder care. 

You can learn more about this program and apply for assistance at benefits.georgetown.edu/gucares. Additional resources and support information can be found at benefits.georgetown.edu/covid-childcare.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

 August 18, 2020: Building Access for Faculty and Staff Working Remotely, and Visitor Registration

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus and Medical Center Faculty and Staff,

As we shared in our August 14 message, we are implementing a new set of procedures regarding access to university buildings in order to protect the health and safety of Georgetown University community members who are on campus now and who will be on campus during the Fall 2020 semester. We are writing to provide important information about the new process for faculty and staff who are working remotely to request access to university buildings, as well as the University’s new visitor registration system.

Limited Building Access for Faculty and Staff Working Remotely

As a reminder, GOCard access to university buildings has been turned off for faculty and staff who have been designated as telework-eligible and have not been approved to work on campus.

If you are a faculty or staff member who is working remotely and needs to pick up materials from your office, please follow these instructions for requesting access to your office. Please submit your request at least 48 hours prior to the date you intend to visit campus. 

If your request is approved, you will receive an email invitation via the new registration system we are launching through Traction Guest, an enterprise visitor management system.

On the day of your visit, you will receive a second email with instructions to complete a COVID-19 Health Attestation questionnaire and sign the Georgetown University Visitor Agreement before you arrive on campus. If you successfully complete the COVID-19 Health Attestation, you will receive a confirmation email with a QR code, which you can print or display on your mobile device. Please bring your GOCard with you to campus.

Before you arrive on campus, please check this list of university buildings staffed by a public health screener. If you are visiting a building NOT on this list, you will need to call GUPD at (202) 687-4343 when you arrive so that a GUPD officer can meet you at the building’s entrance. The GUPD officer will check your GOCard and scan your QR code, and, if it is valid and you are wearing a face covering, provide you with access to the building.

If you are visiting a building staffed by a public health screener, the public health screener will check your GOCard and scan your QR code. If your QR code is valid and you are wearing a face covering, you will be permitted to enter the building.

You must follow all University health and safety measures while you are on campus.

Visitor Registration

Beginning on August 19, faculty and staff who have been approved to work on campus can invite visitors, including research participants, to come into university buildings staffed by a public health screener via our new visitor registration system in Traction Guest. Faculty and staff should only invite visitors who need to be on campus for essential University business that cannot be conducted virtually. Faculty and staff who have been approved to work on campus will receive an email from tg-invite@georgetown.edu when their accounts have been activated in Traction Guest.

Please follow these instructions for registering visitors.

Visitors will receive an email immediately after you send an invitation through Traction Guest. On the day of their visit, visitors will receive a second email with instructions to complete a COVID-19 Health Attestation questionnaire and sign the Georgetown University Visitor Agreement before they arrive on campus. If they successfully complete the COVID-19 Health Attestation, they will receive a confirmation email with a QR code, which they can print or display on their mobile device.

When your visitor arrives on campus, the public health screener in the building they have been invited to visit will scan their QR code and take their temperature using a no-touch thermometer. If their QR code is valid, their temperature is below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are wearing a face covering, your visitor will be permitted to enter the building.

Faculty and staff hosts are responsible for ensuring your visitors follow all University health and safety measures while they are on campus.

Welcome Kits for Faculty and Staff Working on Campus

We encourage faculty and staff who have been approved to work on campus to pick up your return-to-campus welcome kits in Salon C of the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Wednesday, August 19, until Tuesday, August 25. The welcome kits include two washable and reusable Georgetown-branded face coverings, hand sanitizer, a digital thermometer, and a touchless door opener.

Thank you for your compliance with these new procedures as we work together to protect the health and safety of each other and our students. We are deeply grateful for your care for and commitment to the Georgetown University community.

Sincerely, 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 August 14, 2020: Update on Building Access Procedures

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus and Medical Center Faculty and Staff,

As we shared in our August 7 message, we are implementing a new set of procedures regarding access to university buildings in order to protect the health and safety of Georgetown University community members who are on campus now and who will be on campus during the Fall 2020 semester. We are writing to provide a reminder and an update about these procedures, which will take effect Monday, August 17, 2020.

Building Access for Approved Faculty, Staff, GUMC Fellows, and GUMC Graduate Students

Access to Buildings With Public Health Screeners

As a reminder, beginning on August 17, if you have been approved to work on campus, you will be required to show your Building Access Badge from the GU360 website to gain entry to university buildings staffed by a public health screener. When public health screeners are on duty (7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday), faculty and staff will need to use entrances staffed by a public health screener because GOCard access for these buildings will be turned off for these hours. Faculty and staff who have been approved to work in these buildings will have GOCard access to them outside of these hours and on weekends.

Please see a summary of the new guidelines as part of the “Welcome to Campus” information that will be distributed by the public health screeners.

Your Building Access Badge must be green to gain access. Red badges will be denied entry. For more information about your Building Access Badge, including how to access it on your mobile device and how to get help if you have questions, please click here.

The color of your Building Access Badge is determined by several factors. To receive a green badge, you must:

• Complete the COVID-19 daily symptom check-in survey in the One Medical mobile application by midnight each night before you come to campus, and receive a “Low Risk Factor” in the app (green or blue in color);
• Sign the One Medical consent form, which authorizes One Medical to release your COVID-19 test results and your daily risk assessment “badge” reported through the mobile application to Georgetown;
• Not have an active COVID-19 positive test result;
• Have completed the Fall 2020 Affirmation and signed the Georgetown University Community Compact by logging into GU360; AND
• Have been approved to work on campus.

Access to Buildings Without Public Health Screeners

Beginning on August 17, if you have been approved to work on campus, you will continue to have GOCard access to university buildings that are not staffed by public health screeners. You will not be required to show your Building Access Badge to enter these buildings. However, you are still required to complete the COVID-19 daily symptom check-in survey in the One Medical mobile app by midnight each night before you come to campus and check the status of your Building Access Badge from the GU360 website before arriving on campus. If your Building Access Badge is red, you should not come to campus or enter any university building. If your Building Access Badge is green, you can enter university buildings, and you must wear a face covering, practice physical distancing, and comply with all other District of Columbia guidance and University health and safety measures, as required by the Georgetown University Community Compact, while on campus.

Building Access for Faculty and Staff Working Remotely and Visitors

As a reminder, beginning on August 17, GOCard access to university buildings will be turned off for faculty and staff who have not been approved to work on campus.

Next week, we will provide information about the process for faculty and staff who are working remotely to request access to university buildings to pick up materials or for other reasons, along with information about the process for registering visitors to Georgetown University. Until then, no visitors will be permitted to enter university buildings, with the exception of study participants who should follow the protocol described in our August 7 message.

Mail Services

As a reminder, faculty and staff mail and packages will continue to be rerouted to the Mail Services department and distributed out of the Harris Building. Pickup of mail and packages continues to be available between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Beginning on August 17, when most faculty and staff will no longer have GOCard access to the Harris Building, anyone coming to pick up mail or packages will need to call 202-687-5246 when you arrive. A member of the Mail Services onsite team will meet you outside the building.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact our University Helpline between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday to Friday at 202-784-3510 or email covid19-questions@georgetown.edu.

Thank you for your compliance with these building access procedures as we work together to protect the health and safety of each other and our students. We are deeply grateful for your care for and commitment to the Georgetown University community.

Sincerely, 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 August 12, 2020: Faculty Requiring Ongoing Access to Offices

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus and GUMC Faculty and Researchers,

A very small number of faculty and research staff may be given permission to be on campus in the Fall semester to use their offices and other campus spaces for online teaching or limited office-based research activities, in keeping with health and safety requirements and the University’s reopening plan submitted to the DC government. We’re writing today to begin planning for this option; no date has been set yet. 

In general, the default expectation is that faculty and staff will discharge their teaching obligations and office-based research from home for Fall 2020, but in some extenuating circumstances, limited presence on campus may be granted. Total building occupancy rates on campus must be restricted in accordance with guidance from the DC government and to ensure physical distancing. Allotted places will be shared as equitably as possible across departments and schools in proportion to normal occupancy rates. We must work together to maintain a low density of personnel on campus, and our return will be guided by public health factors including local conditions, testing availability, testing return times and other considerations.

We invite faculty and research staff who are seeking to return to campus on an ongoing basis (once per week or more frequently over the course of the semester) in order to occupy individual offices or teaching facilities (distinct from laboratory spaces), to complete a new Office Access Questionnaire, even if you have already completed a 2020 Research Restarting Plan, or similar surveys, in which you requested permission to use an office or classroom. We ask for your patience as we navigate the difficult process of returning to campus. Your responses to this new request will help the University execute that return safely and in a more orderly manner. 

If you are a member of a laboratory for which a 2020 Restarting Research Plan was approved for the lab as a group through GMS, then you need take no further action to request access to the specified laboratory spaces.

To access the Office Access Questionnaire, please log in to GMS. Faculty will see an “Office Access Request” icon on their home page, which they can click to be taken directly to the survey. Staff can access the portal from GMS by running the Create Request task in GMS, and then selecting the 2020 Office Access Request option within the All option on the dropdown menu of request type. Further instructions can be found in the Office Access Request Job Aid.
 
Applications for office access will be considered in parallel with outstanding Restarting Research applications, with the number and timing of approvals to return to campus dependent on both public health considerations and our testing capacity, each of which is subject to change. Office Access Requests will route to department chairs or equivalents who will assess priority as High, Medium or Low. Final decisions will then be made by school deans, and access to campus will be permitted as soon as public health conditions permit and you have undertaken the required testing and other public health measures outlined in the Georgetown University Community Compact, but not earlier than the first day of Fall classes.

As a separate matter, please note that “grab and go” access is currently allowed up until midnight, August 16 for faculty needing to retrieve materials or supplies from workspaces. The Office Access Request is for ongoing access (not “grab and go”).

Once again, we thank you for your patience as we navigate the changing circumstances of the COVID-19 public health crisis. We apologize to those of you who have reacted to multiple requests. Based upon the information generated via the new questionnaire we will be able to better manage a safe return to campus. 

With gratitude,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences & Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

 August 7, 2020: Important Information about University Building Access Procedures

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus and Medical Center Faculty and Staff,

In order to protect the health and safety of Georgetown University community members who will be on campus during the Fall 2020 semester, we are implementing a new set of procedures regarding access to university buildings. Please carefully review the information below and take the actions appropriate to you. Procedures for off-campus buildings will be communicated to building occupants in the coming days.

If you have been approved to work on campus, please note you will be required to show your badge in the One Medical mobile application the week of August 10 and then, beginning on August 17, you will be required to show your Building Access Badge in the GU360 website, as described below, in order to gain access to university buildings staffed by a public health screener. Please see a summary of the new guidelines as part of the “Welcome to Campus” information that will be distributed by the public health screeners.

You have been approved to work on campus if:

• Your supervisor has identified you as someone who needs to work on campus and submitted this information to the appropriate university leader (e.g., Executive Vice President or Chief Operating Officer);
• The appropriate university leader has approved this submission;
• You have received an invitation to download the One Medical mobile application, downloaded the app, and signed the consent form, which authorizes One Medical to release COVID-19 test results and daily risk assessment information reported through the mobile application to Georgetown;
• You have complied with the University’s testing protocols; AND
• You have completed the Fall 2020 Affirmation and signed the Georgetown University Community Compact on the GU360 website.

Building Access Between August 10 and August 16

Access to Buildings with Public Health Screeners

Beginning Monday, August 10, from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, public health screeners will greet members of our community at the entrances of the Main Campus and Medical Center buildings listed below. Faculty and staff who have been approved to work in these buildings will have GOCard access to them outside of these hours and on weekends.

Public Health Screener Locations

• Basic Science
  • Front Entrance on Podium Level
• Building D
  • Front Entrance on Podium Level
• Med-Dent
  • North Entrance off of parking Lot E
  • South Entrance on Podium Level
• Pre-Clinical
  • Ground Floor South Side off of Leavey walkway – Plaza Level
  • Door at the stairs by the Dahlgren Medical Library
• Research Building
  • Entrance on Podium level
  • Ground floor Entrance East Side
  • Loading Dock Entrance
• Reiss Science
  • Northeast Entrance facing Arrupe Hall
  • Southwest Entrance facing Regents Hall
• Regents Hall
  • East Entrance facing Reiss Science
  • South Entrance facing Harbin Hall
• White Gravenor
  • Southeast Entrance (before August 17)
  • East Entrance (August 17 and later)

As a reminder, anyone in public or shared spaces on campus must wear a face covering and practice physical distancing, as required by District of Columbia and University health and safety guidance. The public health screener will deny entry to anyone who is not wearing a face covering.

If you are approved to work on campus, the public health screener will ask to see your badge in the One Medical mobile application. Please have your badge ready when you approach the screener.

As a reminder, if you are approved to work on campus, please fill out the COVID-19 daily symptom check-in survey on the One Medical app before you arrive on campus each day. One Medical will then send you an in-app message with your daily status badge that shows your current risk level. Your badge must be green or blue to come to campus. If your badge is red, you should not come to campus, and the public health screener will deny entry to anyone with a red badge. A member of Georgetown’s COVID-19 public health team will contact you if you have a red badge to discuss next steps.

If you are simply coming to campus to gather materials and your office is in one of the buildings staffed by a public health screener, please show your GOCard and let them know the purpose of your visit. You will be permitted to enter the building if you are wearing a face covering.

Access to Buildings Without Public Health Screeners

If you are coming to campus to gather materials from your office, you will have access to enter the building through Sunday, August 16, at midnight, as we communicated in our August 4 message. Faculty and staff should have GOCard access until August 16 and should notify your supervisor to advise them of your plans to access the building. In the event of an access problem while on site, please contact GUPD at 202-687-4343.

Building Access on August 17 and Later

Beginning on Monday, August 17, GOCard access to university buildings will be turned off for faculty and staff who have not been approved to work on campus. In the coming days, we will provide information about the process for faculty and staff who are working remotely to request access to university buildings to pick up materials or for other reasons after August 16.

Access to Buildings with Public Health Screeners

Beginning on August 17, if you have been approved to work on campus, you will be required to show your Building Access Badge from the GU360 website to gain entry to university buildings staffed by a public health screener, which are listed above. Please access your Building Access Badge from the GU360 website by going to https://gu360.georgetown.edu/s/building-access. (You will not be able to access your Building Access Badge until August 17.) We recommend that you create a bookmark on your iPhone or Android mobile device by following these instructions. Your Building Access Badge must be green to gain access. Red badges will be denied entry.

The color of your Building Access Badge is determined by several factors. To receive a green badge, you must:

• Receive a “Low Risk Factor” after completing the COVID-19 daily symptom check-in survey in the One Medical mobile app (blue or green One Medical badge);
• Sign the One Medical consent form, which authorizes One Medical to release COVID-19 test results and daily risk assessment information reported through the mobile application to Georgetown;
• Not have an active COVID-19 positive test result;
• Have completed the Fall 2020 Affirmation and signed the Georgetown University Community Compact by logging into GU360; AND
• Have been approved to work on campus, as noted above.

Please note Georgetown will continue to comply with all applicable privacy, confidentiality, and public health laws related to collection and maintenance of testing and other health-related records. The University recognizes the importance of protecting private health information and will protect faculty, student, and staff privacy by limiting what sensitive information is collected, who has access to it, how it is used, and how long it is retained to the extent possible while protecting public health.

Access to Buildings Without Public Health Screeners

Beginning on August 17, if you have been approved to work on campus, you will continue to have GOCard access to university buildings that are not staffed by public health screeners. You will not be required to show your Building Access Badge to enter these buildings. However, you are still required to complete the COVID-19 daily symptom check-in survey in the One Medical mobile app and check the status of your Building Access Badge before arriving on campus. If your Building Access Badge is red, you should not come on campus or enter any university building. If your Building Access Badge is green, you can enter university buildings, and you must wear a face covering, practice physical distancing, and comply with all other District of Columbia guidance and University health and safety measures while on campus.

Study Participants

Visitors to Georgetown University who are actively participating in a research study are the responsibility of their hosts, and must follow any additional protocols as required by the Institutional Review Board. A member of the investigator’s team must meet study participants at the building entrance. The public health screener will take the study participant’s temperature using a no-touch thermometer. If their temperature is below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and they are wearing a face covering, they will be permitted to enter the building. Participants in Georgetown studies conducted at a MedStar Health facility will follow MedStar Health’s protocol.

Visitor Registration

In the coming days, we will provide information about the process for registering visitors to Georgetown University, including study participants. Until then, no visitors will be permitted to enter university buildings, with the exception of study participants, as noted above.

University Vendors

Beginning on August 17, University vendors without a GOCard will be treated as visitors and will be required to check-in at designated visitor stations, have their temperature taken, and follow all other University health and safety measures while on campus.

Mail Services

Faculty and staff mail and packages will continue to be rerouted to the Mail Services department and distributed out of the Harris Building. Pickup of mail and packages continues to be available between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Beginning August 17, when most faculty and staff will no longer have GOCard access to the Harris Building, anyone coming to pick up mail or packages will need to call 202-687-5246 when you arrive. A member of the Mail Services onsite team will meet you outside the building.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact our University Helpline between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT Monday to Friday at 202-784-3510 or email covid19-questions@georgetown.edu.

Thank you for your compliance with these building access procedures as we work together to protect the health and safety of each other and our students. We are deeply grateful for your care for and commitment to the Georgetown University community.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 August 5, 2020: Grading Policy for Fall 2020

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus Students, Faculty, and Staff,

We look forward to beginning the Fall semester in just a few weeks. Taking into account student response to the Spring grading policy, and as recommended by the Main Campus Executive Faculty, the University will implement the grading policy outlined below for the Fall semester.

An important change to note is that students will have until the last study day to choose the grading method, as opposed to the last day of class, as in the Spring semester. Similarly, students will have until the last study day to withdraw from a course. Modular courses within the term will have the withdrawal deadline of the last day of class for that module.

For Undergraduates Students in the Fall Term:  

• Undergraduate students will have the option to choose one of two grading frameworks, either:

(1) a letter grade, or 

(2) Satisfactory (S); Credit (CR); or No-credit (NC): (S=grades A through C; CR=C-, D+, D; NC=F)

• Students can make this choice in MyAccess, beginning on September 7 until the last study day on December 10 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

• The choice to take a class S/CR/NC can apply to any course: core, major, minor, certificate or free elective. 

• The choice can be made without permission from the deans (per the usual process).

• The S/CR/NC options will not be counted toward the stated maximum of student’s degree programs (e.g., “six” as outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin). 

• The course withdrawal date will also be extended to the last study day, December 10 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Modular courses within the term will have the withdrawal deadline of the last day of class for that module.

• A transcript notation for Fall 2020 will explain that S/CR/NC was instituted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Graduate Students in the Fall Term:

• Graduate students in programs that opt in to this policy will be able to choose one of two grading frameworks, either:

(1) a letter grade, or 

(2) Satisfactory (S) or No-credit (NC): (S=grades A through C; NC=C-, D+, D, F)

• Students can make this choice in MyAccess beginning on September 7 until the last study day on December 10.

• Individual programs may exclude any or all courses from the S/NC grading modality; a list of exempted courses should be submitted to the Associate Dean of Academic affairs in the Graduate School as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, August 14.

• Requests by graduate students in programs that have opted into the policy must be approved by the appropriate director of graduate studies or dean, and by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the Graduate School.

• The withdrawal date will also be extended to the last study day, December 10 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Modular courses within the term will have the withdrawal deadline of the last day of class for that module. Late withdrawal is only available to graduate students in programs that have opted in to the policy. 

• A transcript notation for Fall 2020 will explain that S/NC was instituted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We thank students and faculty, both for your enthusiasm approaching the Fall term, and for your patience as, together, we work through the many challenges the current public health crisis has presented. We look forward to the start of Fall classes and to joining each other in Georgetown’s community of learning.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 August 4, 2020: Gathering Office Materials Before August 16, 2020

Dear Georgetown University Main Campus Faculty and Staff,

As you know, for the past few weeks we have all been given permission to visit our work spaces to quickly gather books or materials useful for our teleworking and then return home.

This will end soon, as we move to a more formal testing and health protocol.

We write to note that faculty and staff should access your offices by Sunday, August 16, 2020, to gather materials you need to prepare for the Fall semester and to continue to work in remote status.

Through Sunday, August 16, 2020 (the previous date was August 9), at 12 midnight, you have access to university buildings. Faculty and staff should have GOCard access until August 16, and should notify one’s supervisor to advise them of your plans to access the building.  In the event of an access problem while on site, please contact GUPD at (202)687-4343. If you believe you do not have access,  please complete the GOCard Door Access Request form to request GOCard access to the university buildings you need to enter. As a reminder, anyone coming to the campus now is required to wear a face covering and practice physical distancing while on campus. Starting on August 17, you must follow university protocols for testing and access restricted only to those approved for on-campus work for the Fall semester.

This policy also applies to School of Continuing Studies (SCS) faculty and staff at all office locations. SCS will be in touch directly with faculty and staff with additional details about visiting SCS office locations.

We understand there may be singular instances of unanticipated access needed later in the semester. Those will be managed by your Dean’s office or supervisor on a case by case basis.

Thank you for your patience at this time and for your diligence in preparing for the upcoming semester. We look forward to a day when we can be together in person.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 July 30, 2020: Remote Teaching From Outside the United States

Dear Colleagues:

We hope you and your families are safe and doing well. As we look forward to starting a new academic year during these unprecedented times, we bring an important matter to your attention regarding work from abroad.

Main Campus faculty members teaching courses fully online are generally required to do so from the United States for a number of reasons. Our University is authorized to conduct business in limited locations, primarily Washington, D.C. and, thus, our employment contracts contemplate employment in the United States. Teaching from outside the United States has potential legal and tax implications for both the faculty member and the University because, generally, the law of the place where the faculty member lives and works governs the employment relation.

To the extent that we can make an exception to the requirement of teaching from the United States, the University must review the individualized circumstances on a country-by-country basis and incur significant costs in order to comply with the legal and tax consequences of teaching from another country. Accordingly, such reviews and any decision to allow a faculty member to teach from abroad are extremely limited. To be considered for an exception, please direct your request through your department/program to your Dean’s office.

If the University grants an exception for a faculty member to teach online from abroad for the Fall semester, we expect your return to the United States as and when public health and travel conditions allow, but no later than Spring semester. 

We appreciate your efforts to create a rich academic experience for our students this Fall, despite the uncertainties and challenges unleashed by the pandemic. We will continue to support you every step of the way.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 July 29, 2020: Changes for Fall Semester 2020

Dear Georgetown Main Campus Undergraduate Students, Faculty and Staff,

I write to follow up on President DeGioia’s message earlier today regarding Georgetown’s plan for the Fall 2020 semester. We will begin on time, using the academic schedule previously announced. As noted in his letter, all courses will begin in virtual mode. Undergraduate and Graduate level classes will begin in a virtual mode, with in-person elements added as soon as public health conditions permit, with the intention that some programs will transition to a hybrid virtual and in-person format. We understand this may change our students’ plans for the semester. We will regularly announce updates, monitoring the public health circumstances which would allow for a return to the classroom physically as well as virtually.

Tuition

In recognition of the impacts of this decision, all students in credit-bearing undergraduate and graduate courses, will be offered a tuition discount. This discount will apply to students regardless of whether the original modality of the program was on-campus or online.

All undergraduate students will be offered a tuition discount of 10%. Room and board reductions for undergraduate students on campus will remain in place. 

There will be a 5% reduction in the Fall tuition for all graduate and professional students at Georgetown. This discount reflects the changed access to some services for graduate students during the virtual experience. 

Undergraduate Students Approved for Residence Exception

Undergraduate students who were granted approval through the Housing Stability Application process, will be able to live on campus along with students who had been invited to return to campus because of academic requirements and a limited number of Resident Assistants to support this small residential community. Any students coming to the District of Columbia from states designated by the District of Columbia as high risk are required to self-quarantine for 14 days after traveling to the District. 

First-year students whose personal or family situation makes it impossible or unrealistic to pursue their studies at their permanent address may apply for a limited number of on campus spaces. More information on this process will be shared with the class of 2024 shortly. 

All students must complete the “Fall 2020 Affirmation” form by logging in to GU360. Any students who are on campus—as well as those students living in the surrounding neighborhoods—will be expected to adhere to our Community Compact. Students who fail to comply will face student sanctions.

Graduate Students

All classes will be online for at least the first four weeks of the semester. We will be re-evaluating regularly whether at some point after September 28 classes or other activities can be offered in a hybrid format, in which students and faculty may choose whether to be on campus or participate remotely. If we make a decision to resume classes in a hybrid format, we will give you at least three weeks notice so that you will have time to move to DC if you choose to participate on campus.

International Students

The University recognizes that this change may have a special impact on international students and it is working to create a rich learning experience for them. Faculty and students are planning ways to make it possible for students in distant time zones to engage directly with their professors and classmates. International students who are concerned about their visas should contact the Office of Global Services (OGS) with questions about their specific situations. In general, according to current guidance, continuing international students with existing visas can study online from any location (in the U.S. or abroad) and maintain their active visa status. 

Members of the incoming first-year class who are F1 visa holders will be invited to return to campus. Please contact the Office of Global Services with any questions. New international graduate students should contact the Office of Global Services to discuss their options. 

Research

Our plans for restarting research on campus will continue as announced. We plan to expand our research capacity as testing and public health guidelines allow, according to our research plan submitted to and accepted by the District of Columbia. We will have more information about the restart efforts at our Research Town Hall on Thursday, July 30 from 11 to noon. Faculty should please watch email for Zoom information.

Courses Designed for an Online Experience

The University has developed an exciting array of courses to be offered in this online environment, building upon the foundation of online coursework offered in the Spring. Faculty have been working hard to design their courses for an online experience, and to engage students in new ways.

Classroom Renovations

For the past two months, we have been renovating classrooms to enhance teaching and learning technology. Specifically, we have been planning classroom upgrades with students in mind, preparing for students to return to campus and for the possibility of hybrid and other flexible modes of instruction. 

Library Services
The Library has been developing plans for enhanced services and will soon make detailed information available for faculty, staff and students. The Library plans will address graduate students’ needs as we look forward to a gradual transition back to on-campus learning.

Academic Staff Teleworking
Most academic staff members will continue to telework. Certain staff members currently eligible for telework may be expected to return to campus based upon their roles, the academic and research needs of our community, and the needs of students and researchers on campus. More information will follow from supervisors related to teleworking and timing of a return to campus.

Together, we must acknowledge that this is an unprecedented time of change at the University, in the nation, and across the globe. At Georgetown, we will continue to prioritize public health needs in our decision-making, and work assiduously to protect the health and safety of our community. You can find additional information on the Fall 2020 website and in the frequently asked questions which are updated regularly. We look forward to welcoming all in our virtual community in a few weeks – an environment that will explore the best of Georgetown, teaching and learning together, and caring for each other.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 July 23, 2020: Georgetown University Community Compact

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

As President DeGioia wrote in his message on July 6, protecting the health and safety of the Georgetown University community is a vitally important priority as we resume on-campus academic and research activities and prepare for the return of our students, faculty, and staff to campus for the Fall semester. Please carefully review the health and safety measures we are implementing for the Fall semester and take the actions indicated below to assist with our safe return to campus. 

Our mission of cura personalis calls each of us at this time to bear individual responsibility to help protect the health and safety of the entire community.

All students, faculty, and staff – including if you are already working or living on campus, returning to campus, or not returning to campus for the Fall semester – must complete a Fall 2020 Affirmation. You will be asked to indicate whether you plan to come onto any Georgetown University-owned, managed, or controlled property (jointly, “campus”) or, if you are a student, whether you will live in the neighborhoods of Georgetown, Burleith, or Foxhall (the “Neighborhoods”) at any time during the Fall 2020 semester. You also will be asked to verify the address where you will be learning or working from for the Fall semester and to update your emergency contact information. It is important to collect this information to protect the health and safety of our community and to provide appropriate support services to our community, regardless of where you may be learning or working during the Fall.

Staff and AAPs who are not already working on campus will be notified by your managers in the days ahead regarding your work status for the Fall semester and should not complete the Fall 2020 Affirmation until you have heard from your supervisor as to whether you will be teleworking or working on campus.  

As part of the Fall 2020 Affirmation, all individuals currently living or working on campus, or who will be coming onto campus in the Fall semester, and students residing in the Neighborhoods during the Fall semester will be required to commit to the Georgetown University Community Compact (“Community Compact”), which outlines our mutual responsibilities and the commitments we must make to one another to ensure our daily activities on campus and in the Neighborhoods support public health efforts to prevent and mitigate risks of infection with COVID-19.

Please log into the GU360 website, click on the “Fall 2020 Affirmation” icon, and follow the instructions.

For undergraduate students who will live in the Neighborhoods this fall, please note the District of Columbia Zoning Commission is expected to waive the on-campus residency requirement for the 2020-21 academic year, and you will not be subject to discipline for not meeting it.

Compliance with Health and Safety Measures

To protect the health and safety of our community, it is imperative that students, faculty, and staff on campus for the Fall, and students living in the Neighborhoods, comply with the provisions of the Community Compact and all health and safety measures established by the University, the District of Columbia, and the federal government.

We are relying on the actions of each of us as a community member to do our part in this time of national and local crisis. The Georgetown community has always been committed to the wellbeing of others. Each member of our community should reinforce the healthy behaviors of one another.

Individuals who fail to follow the University’s health and safety measures could endanger others and may be required to immediately leave campus.  In addition, serious or persistent noncompliance may result in ongoing suspension of access to campus and University facilities, and corrective or disciplinary actions and sanctions under the procedures set forth in campus student codes of conduct or professionalism, the Faculty Responsibilities Code, and Human Resources policies, as applicable.

University Helpline and FAQs

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact our University Helpline between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT Monday to Friday at 202-784-3510. We also encourage you to view this set of FAQs, which may be helpful in providing further information and will be updated regularly.

We are deeply grateful for your care for and commitment to the Georgetown University community. As we prepare for the Fall semester, we will be guided by cura personalis in all of our work together.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 July 7, 2020: Fall 2020 Semester

Dear Georgetown Hilltop Campus Undergraduate Students, Faculty and Staff,

We know you have been looking forward to hearing more about the Fall semester at Georgetown. Following yesterday’s message from President DeGioia, this letter provides more detailed information for you about this first stage of our return to campus.

All of us, faculty, staff, and students, are greatly looking forward to our joint work together in education, research, and service to the community. We are all living history day-by-day as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We seek to make this year, for you, the best possible experience we can. 

Even though most courses will not be offered in Hilltop classrooms, faculty are planning new and innovative ways to use virtual learning technologies to deliver engaging and impactful learning to benefit our students. We are planning events and access to speakers from around the world that make the most of the online platform. Student Affairs staff are working on inventive ways to create virtual events that support clubs and affinity groups. Student leaders are working to adapt to their diverse constituencies in new ways. 

Together we will create the Georgetown way of thriving despite the challenges the pandemic presents us. We will do this as we do all great things — together, as women and men for others, caring for our community and its mission of excellence in education. Together, we are resilient and can adapt to the challenges thrust upon us.

Key Take-Away Messages

1. We must be flexible to achieve the resilience we need in fall semester
2. We must follow public health protocols to have any on-campus presence
3. Only if public health conditions permit at the start of the semester will approximately 2,000 undergraduates initially live in Hilltop residences 
4. The academic calendar has been changed to reduce during-semester travel
5. Access to campus buildings is restricted to faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduates living in residence halls

Flexibility
The health and safety of our community continue to guide all decision-making. Although we are planning to have some students take on-campus courses in Hilltop classrooms in this first phase of fall term 2020, the course of the pandemic may force us to change plans to an all virtual educational environment. That is not our choice. It, however, may be our fate this semester. Conversely, if the public health landscape and the DC government allow, we hope to invite more students back to campus during the semester. We must all maintain a level of flexibility this term in the face of external events out of our control. 

Following Health Guidelines
This priority extends to you, as well as all faculty, students, and staff. Before we set foot on campus, we will each pledge to follow a set of guidelines called the Georgetown University Community Compact, involving matters such as daily self-monitoring of health symptoms, testing, wearing face coverings, and physical distancing. There will be strict penalties for students who return to campus and do not adhere to the Compact. 

We can best protect each other and our full community by fulfilling our pledge to adhere to the Compact. 

Which Undergraduates Are Returning to Campus Residence Halls First
If public health conditions and the DC government permit, approximately 2,000 undergraduates will be invited to the Hilltop Campus to live in campus residence halls this August. 

This number was established based on several factors, including the capacity of our residence halls and classrooms to allow for adequate social distancing, and our capacity for testing, tracing and isolating. Priority for on-campus residence has been given to students whose personal or family situation makes it impossible or impractical to complete their studies at their permanent address. We want to make sure that every Georgetown student, regardless of their different circumstances at home, can fully engage in what we have to offer at this challenging moment. 

Beyond this, a limited number of undergraduate students who have curricular requirements that need Hilltop campus facilities, and a limited number of residential life student workers required to live in residence halls will return to campus in the initial group. Finally, first year students, the class of 2024, will have priority as the initial transition to college life and a campus community is critical for framing an academic career at Georgetown.  

As we have announced earlier, graduate students will return to campus only for classes. There will be no residential graduate students on campus.

As we begin the Fall semester, and if conditions allow, President DeGioia noted that we plan to welcome to campus four categories of undergraduates, numbering about 2,000:

• Members of the first-year class, the Class of 2024
• Students whose personal or family situation makes it impossible or unrealistic to pursue their studies at their permanent address:
  • Students experiencing housing or food insecurity, with safety and security concerns in their current living environment, with extraordinary living conditions and high financial need, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services (Financial Aid), with unresolvable internet inaccessibility, or whose permanent home address is more than five hours away from the Eastern US time zone may apply to return under this category. A separate note on the process to apply for these exceptions will be sent to students Tuesday, July 7. Students who are currently living in campus residences do not need to apply again.
• A limited number of seniors and other students whose graduation requirements and academic program necessitate an on-campus presence: 
  • Nursing students whose clinical experiences are required for licensure will be granted on-campus residence. A listing of these students will be supplied to the Residential Life staff to verify eligibility. These students do not have to complete a separate application.
  • Seniors who are enrolled in 5-year Bachelor/Master programs and taking one or more Master’s level courses will be granted on-campus residence. A listing of these students will be supplied to the Residential Life staff to verify eligibility. These students do not have to complete a separate application.
  • ROTC cadets will be granted on-campus residence. A listing of these students will be supplied to the Residential Life staff to verify eligibility. These students do not have to complete a separate application.
  • Seniors who are engaged in previously approved credit-bearing individual projects for senior theses or capstone projects requiring campus facilities, as part of their program completion, will be granted residence. These students do not have to complete a separate application.
• Some student Resident Assistants to support this small residential community

It is important to note that a student in any of these four groups has the option to remain at home should they prefer.

For those not invited to live in Hilltop Campus residence halls in the initial transition, we understand your disappointment. The faculty, staff, and other students are united in wanting all of us back together again as soon as possible. We hope that this will occur soon, but we have no assurance of that possibility. To serve those away from campus, all courses will be available to all students enrolled in them remotely, whether or not the class has in-person meetings.

Characteristics of a Course in a Hilltop Classroom

For courses with in-classroom meetings (held for students attending in-person), both students in the classroom and students distant from the classroom will be able to participate in the class meetings. In addition to participating synchronously, all students will be able to access videos of class meetings stored for asynchronous viewing and study.The classrooms themselves have been altered over the summer in two important ways:

1. Classrooms will be upgraded with enhanced educational technology, with microphones for students, cameras for lecture capture purposes, and data projectors.
2. The number of desks in each room has been radically reduced, to provide for physical distancing among students and more space between the instructor and the class. 

Each classroom will be cleaned frequently. Sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizing dispensers will be available widely. All students and instructors will wear face coverings during the class meeting. Some instructors may be teaching from a remote location and will appear on a screen in front of the classroom. If there are remote students in the course, students in the room will use their laptops in a Zoom meeting, so that they can see their remote classmates. 

International Students
We are examining closely the recent statement from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Georgetown is committed to supporting our international students and is working to find academic and course planning solutions that will allow our international students to experience as little disruption to their academic progress and F-1 student status as possible. We will be monitoring further anticipated guidance on this issue and working closely with departments and students in the coming weeks to develop and communicate options for our international student community. 

The Academic Calendar
The academic calendar has been altered to reduce the amount of travel by buses, trains, and airplanes during the term. This is an effort to reduce the risk of infection for students, faculty, and staff.

Residential Life
Room assignments will be made in the coming weeks with students living in single bedrooms. Incoming first-year students will live in traditional residence halls and suite-style buildings, while returning students will live in suite-style and apartment-style buildings. There will be opportunities for community life in the residence halls, but there will also be significant limitations on social gatherings and common activities, in order to assure health and safety.

Living off Campus
Those undergraduate students who are not approved to live on campus are strongly encouraged to remain at their home address in order to be mindful of our community neighbors.

It is important to recognize that the many courses for upperclass students will be offered exclusively on-line. Undergraduate students living off campus may not attend classes on campus, except for those enrolled in accelerated master’s programs. All students who live on-campus or off-campus are members of the Georgetown university community and are expected to abide by University health protocols; the Compact applies to all students, whether they are living on campus or off-campus in the neighborhoods adjacent to the University. The university will provide testing, tracing, and an app for symptom monitoring, within the university’s capacity to do so.

Access to Campus Spaces
All campus spaces are being reviewed for their operations and plans, and determinations about use will be made on an individual basis based on DC and University health and safety guidelines. Only students living in Hilltop Campus residence halls will have access to Main Campus buildings, with the exception that off-campus students will be allowed to access the Student Health Center.

The Spring Semester
We cannot yet make decisions regarding the Spring 2021 semester, given the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as we can, we will announce those decisions.

Finances and Financial Aid
Any questions regarding financial aid should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Services.

For More Information
For general information about nonacademic University operations and services in the coming fall semester, please contact our university helpline between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT Monday to Friday at 202-784-3510.

For questions about academic issues (classes, courses, and degree requirements), please send an email to AskAboutFall2020@georgetown.edu. Your questions will be directed to the appropriate school and dean to assist you. In addition, each school is planning follow-up webinars and seminars to provide further detailed information. Announcements for these events will come from the school dean’s offices.

We encourage you to view this set of FAQs which may be helpful in providing further information. 

We thank you in advance for your patience as we approach the Fall semester, and urge you to remain flexible in your planning. We will continue to monitor the public health concerns that guide our decision-making, and will promptly reach out to you with any adjustments or changes to planning as we get closer to the opening of the term. 

Whether we are teaching and learning in-person or in a virtual environment, I know that, together, we will experience an exceptional and uniquely Georgetown education, and we will be guided by cura personalis in all of our work together.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves
Provost

 June 30, 2020: Faculty Teaching in Fall 2020

To: Main Campus Faculty Teaching in Fall 2020

From: Bob Groves, Paul Almeida, Chris Celenza, Maria Cancian, Carole Roan Gresenz, Joel Hellman, Kelly Otter, Alex Sens

By Georgetown’s COVID-19-related practices, introduced in March 2020, faculty teaching and a variety of administrative staff duties have been designated as telework-eligible while the University maintained a virtual operating model. 

This memorandum outlines a set of practices that will guide the faculty presence on campus and decisions regarding the preferred mode of instruction (i.e., hybrid on-campus or online). These practices will apply only to fall 2020 unless explicitly changed in a later statement.

The process occurs in two parallel steps:

Faculty Determination of Teaching Mode. The physical and mental health of faculty and staff is a preeminent principle of the fall 2020 plans. Individual considerations may constrain the actions of faculty members (e.g., membership in a CDC high risk category, the presence of an at-risk person in their household). Thus, if a faculty member feels they have health circumstances or other reasonable concerns that require them to teach online, they would perform their teaching duties by teaching remotely. 

Determining Mode of Instruction Appropriate to Course Learning Goals. When a course is offered to students available for on-campus instruction, a decision must be made about whether the course will use hybrid mode or online mode. The achievement of each course’s learning goals is central to the choice of mode of instruction. Some courses have characteristics that suggest their learning goals can be achieved more fully with an in-person presence of a faculty member. Other courses may achieve their goals more easily with a fully online mode. The academic learning goals of a course will determine the most appropriate teaching mode (hybrid on-campus or online) for the course. Faculty collectives in individual academic units (e.g., departments in the College, degree programs, concentration areas), led by their department chair or program director, will determine the preferred mode of instruction for each course offered in the unit. Unit plans will ultimately be approved by the relevant school dean’s office. 

These two steps combine in the following way:

1. If a faculty member will not be teaching in-person, all classes he/she teaches will be delivered remotely.
2. If a unit/program director decides, in consultation with the faculty member, that a course must be taught in a hybrid mode for pedagogical reasons, whatever faculty member is assigned to that course will teach the course in person in a hybrid format.
3. When there are conflicts between 1) and 2) above, the department/program will propose alternative instructor staffing appropriate to the designated mode of the course, with the assistance of the dean’s office.

Regardless of the delivery mode of the course, faculty will have the opportunity to request teaching times compatible with their household time constraints. Those constraints will be accommodated as much as possible in the course scheduling for fall 2020. Departments/programs will be expected to offer their classes at the times and days thereafter assigned by the University Registrar. 

Office Hours. Zoom is the preferred mode for office hours. However, rooms suitable for physical distancing of one faculty member and one student will be available on campus. When on-campus, faculty and teaching staff may choose to offer some on-campus office hours. Office hours or other 1-1 meetings are required to follow the physical distancing guidelines of the approved University plan

Small Research and Administrative Meetings. Small meetings (fewer than 10 people) of department/unit faculty may be held on campus only if (1) it is determined  by the department/unit leader that meeting in person will significantly enhance the ability to meet essential responsibilities of the unit, (2) a room fulfilling campus social distancing guidelines is available (3) accommodations are available for participants who require alternatives from meeting in person (see above). 

Large Research and Administrative Meetings. Until further notice after the fall start, large meetings (of more than 10 people) of faculty within a department/program may not be held in person except with permission of the Dean, and then must meet the three conditions above (necessity, room availability, and accommodations). This principle necessarily requires that most department/program faculty meetings will occur by Zoom.

Health and Safety Guidelines. All employees and students who return to campus will be expected to comply with health and safety guidelines established by the University.

 June 20, 2020: COVID-19 Update: DC Phase Two Reopening

Dear Members of the Georgetown Community: 

Yesterday, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the city will move to Phase Two for reopening, on Monday, June 22. This will be the second of four phases based on the ReOpen DC plan.
 
In Phase Two, universities can begin to gradually reopen only after an approval by the District government of a university plan. As outlined in President DeGioia’s message on fall planning, the university continues to work on our plan, focusing on how we can provide for the safe return of the members of our community given the risks posed by COVID-19. Georgetown has not yet submitted its plan to the District for approval but seeks to do so soon. We will continue to consult with our community as we finalize our plans for the future, including for the coming semester.  
 
The DC government’s new phase does not change the current operating status for Georgetown University’s campuses and off-campus offices in Washington, DC. The university remains as a virtual learning and telework flexible environment. In support of this effort, staff, AAPs and temporary employees should continue to telework as directed by their supervisors, and all existing telework designations made pursuant to our COVID-19 Telework Guidelines and Procedures remain in place. Please respect the telework designation for the health and safety of our community.

Academic and administrative buildings on the Main and Medical Center Campus will continue to be restricted to a limited number of community members with approved GOCard access as they have been. Buildings that remain closed to the entire community include Lauinger Library, Dahlgren Medical Library, Leavey Center, Healey Family Student Center and Yates Field House. Buildings on the Law Center campus are similarly restricted to GOCard access only. These restrictions also apply to off-campus offices, including Wisconsin Avenue and M Street offices, the Harris Building and the School of Continuing Studies campus at 640 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. 

As detailed in university guidance, all employees, students, and visitors in a Georgetown University Washington, DC, campus space (including all university-owned or controlled buildings, campus grounds, shared laboratory areas, shared residence hall spaces, conference rooms, restrooms, etc.) must wear a face covering at all times, except when alone in a private room with a closed door or in a private vehicle.

As a reminder, the moratorium on university-sponsored travel for faculty and staff remains in effect until further notice. 

If you would like to receive a daily update listing all new COVID-19 communications sent by Georgetown, subscribe to our daily digest. Should you have additional questions, please contact our university call center at 202-784-3510, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 June 15, 2020: COVID-19 Update: Cancellation of Fall 2020 Study Abroad and Exchange Programs

Dear Members of the Georgetown Community,

COVID-19 has deeply impacted all of our lives and we remain grateful for the generosity of spirit of the Georgetown community as we work through so many new elements of our university academic functions and operations.

Today, after much consideration, we regrettably must announce the extension of the moratorium on all university-sponsored student international travel through the upcoming semester, including the cancellation of fall 2020 study abroad and exchange programs.

We know that in light of the moratorium, many in our community had inquired about fall plans for study abroad and other international travel. We thank you for your patience as we worked to assess these complex questions. 

For those students with plans to participate in a university-sponsored or related international travel program or abroad program for the fall or full academic year, the relevant office or department will be in touch with you today to provide additional information regarding next steps, including information for graduate or professional students regarding any relevant exception process. Limited exceptions to this moratorium may be considered for specific graduate and professional student travel, and must be approved by the appropriate Executive Vice President.

This decision applies to all university-sponsored international travel by undergraduate, graduate and professional students. It does not, however, impact university-sponsored international travel for faculty and staff, which remains subject to the moratorium communicated on April 21. 

Our decision was made in the interest of the health and safety of our community, taking into account the dynamic nature of the global public health situation, significant current limitations on international travel, and the ability to appropriately support students abroad during this time of uncertainty. We decided now in order to provide all students who had planned to participate in university-sponsored international travel or programs with ample time to adjust their plans to continue their studies with Georgetown for the fall semester. 

We recognize how disruptive and significant this decision is, and the university is actively working with relevant departments to help affected students determine the best course of action to continue their academic progress in the fall.

University leadership and key stakeholders continue to meet to review, update and communicate during this pandemic. We recognize the challenges this health crisis has caused for our community, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and efforts as we work through these times. 

You can find all university updates, answers to frequently asked questions and other resources related to coronavirus on the Georgetown University website.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 June 2, 2020: Racial Justice and Resources Offering Support

Dear Georgetown Main Campus Students, Faculty, Staff:

This is a time of great challenge and tragedy. Once again, we have seen the impact of racial injustice that has been a stain on our country since the original sin of the enslavement of people of African descent. Frustrations have resulted in peaceful protests throughout the country. These events come at a time when our world is challenged by the unimaginable impact of a global pandemic and its disproportionate impact on the Black community.

Recent reaction is motivated by events related to the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, yet we know that these types of actions have occurred far too many times. Police violence, especially against Black and Brown communities in our nation, needs to be acknowledged and addressed. Other forms of racism and oppression continue to plague our country, and Georgetown is not immune to these struggles. The subsequent nationwide protests are displays of inner pain that are shared by many in our community. 

At Georgetown, we are strongly committed to building a supportive, compassionate, and informed community based on our Jesuit ideals and commitment to social justice. It is our priority to exemplify and promote a diverse community inclusive of talents, interests, and backgrounds for the common good, and to use respectful dialogue and points of commonality in areas of disagreement. 

As a global University whose students, faculty and staff come from every corner of the globe, the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Chief Diversity Officer will be launching a University-wide series on Conversations About the Unfinished Business of Race in the United States of America, beginning the week of June 29. 

Drawing from diverse faculties representing  a variety of disciplines across our three campuses, panels will cover such topics as the Impact of Gentrification in Black Communities, Income Equality, Health Disparities, Equal Justice, and Is Redlining a Relic of the Past? to name a few. Georgetown faculty, staff and students will populate these panels and national experts will also be invited to participate. In addition, the College will lead the series of conversations moderated by Dr. Soyica Colbert, whose panelists will be Dr. Zandria Robinson, Dr. Robert Patterson, Dr. Olufemi Taiwo and Dr. Michael Kazin. The first panel will be held on June 3, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m. 

We encourage all members to participate in these discussions. Let us assure you that we will not stop there, as we recognize that it is time for us to leverage our position as a premier University to make tangible contributions to influence domestic public policy and the geopolitical world stage given our presence in Washington, DC. More information will be forthcoming in the near future. 

As members of our community deal with overwhelming feelings of anxiety, fear, and anger associated with these tragedies, we encourage you to reach out for counseling support through CAPS and Campus Ministry. 

For Students:

• You may also schedule an appointment with CAPS by calling (202) 687-6985 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. In the event of an emergency after hours, please call (833) 960-3006 and you will be connected to a trained behavioral specialist.
• The Office of Campus Ministry is available to all students during business hours by calling (202) 687-5259. In addition, chaplains in residence may be reached after hours by calling (202) 677-0361.

For Faculty and Staff:

• The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) provides free confidential counseling and referral services to faculty, AAPs, and staff. For more information, visit hr.georgetown.edu/fsap or call (202) 687-2409.
• More mental health and telehealth resources for students, faculty, and staff can be found here.

Resources

The Office of Student Equity and Inclusion (OSEI) is a source of support. Another resource is Aspen Ideas’ podcast: How to Talk About Race and Racism which provides recommendations for having difficult discussions. Additionally, here is a set of resources for talking with young people about race, racism, and racialized violence from the Center for Racial Justice in Education. 

Please continue to take care of yourselves and all in our community. Please reach out for support and resources you may find helpful.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Rosemary Kilkenny, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer

 June 2, 2020: Implementation of AFT Student Union Contract

Dear Georgetown Faculty,

As you know, the University reached a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with GAGE/AFT, which was ratified by the Graduate Student Assistants on May 8, 2020. The agreement applies to enrolled Georgetown Ph.D. and Master’s students solely in their work as Ph.D. Research Assistants, Ph.D. Teaching Assistants, Ph.D. Teaching Associates, Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Student Research Assistants, and Student Teaching Assistants. The agreement does not apply to curricular requirements, course performance, or assessment of academic progress of the student.

Hence, it is important to be careful and consistent in distinguishing between purely academic activities (governed by existing academic processes) and a student’s service duties as a graduate assistant (governed by the CBA). For instance, the rate of pay is set by the CBA, but the decision about what course to assign the student is an academic one. 

The CBA is a thorough document that specifies the responsibilities of supervisors and graduate student assistants in detail. These Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions represent general guidance you should bear in mind in your work with graduate assistants; please consult the CBA for more specific information. The Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions can also be found on the Graduate School website. 

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves
Provost

Edward B. Healton
Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

 May 27, 2020: COVID-19 Update: Impacts From DC Phase One Reopening

Dear Members of the Georgetown Community:

Earlier today, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the city will move to Phase One for reopening, beginning this Friday, May 29. This is the first of four phases based on the ReOpen DC plan and the city meeting key thresholds to contain the COVID-19 virus.  

This announcement does not change the current operating status for Georgetown University’s campuses and off-campus offices in Washington, DC.  

While the city is gradually reopening, Georgetown University’s operating status remains as a virtual learning and telework flexible environment. In support of this effort, staff, AAPs and temporary employees should continue to telework as directed by their supervisors, and all existing telework designations made pursuant to our COVID-19 Telework Guidelines and Procedures remain in place. All summer courses will continue to be delivered through remote learning. 

Academic and administrative buildings on the Main and Medical Center Campus will continue to be restricted to a limited number of community members with approved GOCard access as they have been. Buildings that remain closed to the entire community include Lauinger Library, Dahlgren Medical Library, Leavey Center, Healey Family Student Center and Yates Field House. Buildings on the Law Center campus are similarly restricted to GOCard access only. These restrictions also apply to off-campus offices, including Wisconsin Avenue and M Street offices, the Harris Building and the School of Continuing Studies campus at 640 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

This summer we also continue to support approximately 100 undergraduate students and 40 law students who have been approved to stay on campus due to extenuating circumstances. Students remaining on Main Campus or in the neighborhoods by the Main Campus must abide by local directives and face enhanced sanctions for not doing so. 

As detailed in recent guidance, all employees, students, and visitors in a Georgetown University Washington, DC, campus space (including all campus owned or controlled buildings, campus grounds, shared laboratory areas, shared residence hall spaces, conference rooms, restrooms, etc.) must wear a face covering at all times, except when alone in a private room with a closed door or in a private vehicle. 

Each university in the District is working with the city to prepare a more detailed reopening plan for campus operations as the city moves through its four phases. We will continue to update our community as DC updates its plans to reopen. If you would like to receive a daily update listing all new COVID-19 communications sent by Georgetown, subscribe to our daily digest. Should you have additional questions, please contact our university call center at 202-784-3510, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 May 18, 2020: COVID-19 Update: Campus Face Covering Guidance

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

In response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the university is implementing new guidance requiring all employees, students and visitors to wear a face covering when on any of the university’s DC campuses beginning immediately and effective until further notice. 

This guidance is in accordance with the May 13, 2020, District of Columbia Mayor’s Extensions of Public Emergency and Public Health Emergency and Preparation for Washington, DC Reopening Order 2020-066 which mandates, as it pertains to Georgetown, face coverings for individuals engaging in minimal business operations where social distance cannot be maintained. 

As detailed in the guidance, all employees and students in a Georgetown University Washington, DC, campus space (including campus buildings, campus grounds, shared laboratory areas, shared residence hall spaces, conference rooms, etc.) are required to wear a face covering at all times, except when alone in a private room with a closed door or in a private vehicle. This guidance also applies to all riders of university GUTS buses. Visitors to campus will also be required to wear face coverings at all times, including children over the age of two. 

Employees or students who live or work on campus and cannot wear a face covering for reasons related to their inclusion in a protected category may request an accommodation through the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action (IDEAA). Students who wish to request a disability-related accommodation may do so by contacting the Academic Resource Center (for Main Campus and Medical Center students) or the Office of Disability Services (for Law Center students). 

Any employee, student or visitor who fails to abide by these guidelines may be asked or directed to leave the campus space. Employees and students who are directed to leave a campus space for failure to comply with these guidelines may be taken off duty and/or subject to disciplinary action.

As a reminder, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. You should NOT use N-95 face masks meant for health care workers; however, it is easy to make your own face coverings at home. Faculty and staff who need support in securing a face covering can contact the Office of Emergency Management. Students remaining on campus will be contacted and informed about resources related to this new guidance.
The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. More information about the university’s face covering guidance as well as additional health information, answers to frequently asked questions and other university resources on the Georgetown Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center.

If you would like to receive a daily update listing all new COVID-19 communications sent by Georgetown, subscribe to our daily digest. Should you have additional questions, please contact our university call center at 202-784-3510, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 May 11, 2020: Well Done

Dear Georgetown Students, Faculty, and Staff,

It has been an extraordinary spring term full of notable challenges faced by students, faculty and staff at Georgetown. I congratulate you on your completion of the semester!

We were asked to disrupt our campus lives and adapt to instructional continuity within a matter of days. All of us worked in settings that were not designed for our roles as student or faculty member. The staff throughout the university worked in creative and effective ways to ensure the semester progressed as smoothly as possible.

We adapted, struggled through new procedures, and completed the spring courses. We are stronger and more resilient because of it. We have demonstrated we can adapt to a destructive global pandemic and continue our learning together.

I urge us to pause just a moment and reflect on that accomplishment. We did it!

To the class of 2020 in all our programs across the university, we congratulate you on your degree completion success. We will have short virtual ceremonies in the next few days and we are hoping that you come back to campus for a face-to-face commencement at a later date. In the meantime, enjoy this moment—you have earned it!

Our attention now turns to the future. We have accepted a talented group of new students for the fall of 2020 who will join the ranks of scholars in our community. Further, we are delighted to see the larger-than-usual number of undergraduates enrolling in summer courses. We welcome you back!

Thank you for your efforts in this unprecedented time; for your patience, for your commitment to teaching and learning, and for your continued embodiment of the ideals of men and women for others.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 May 10, 2020: Preparing for Fall Classes

Dear Georgetown Faculty,

As we make our plans for summer research and teaching and look to the fall semester, we must use these valuable weeks ahead to actively prepare for fall teaching and learning. While we hope that the COVID-19 environment allows us to return together without restriction as we may have in past years, we must plan effectively for other eventualities.

How you will teach in the fall semester

The university has not yet made a final decision about the mode of instruction for the fall semester. That decision will be made with the health and safety of our community at the forefront of our thinking, and with Georgetown’s ideals of men and women for others as guiding principles. We may teach in a hybrid environment where some instruction takes place in-person, and some instruction takes place virtually. Therefore, all faculty must be prepared to teach classes in a virtual mode, by design. It is critical that we use the time we have now to reimagine our courses and design them to be taught, if needed, in a virtual environment.

How you can prepare

Deans will provide an assessment tool to establish needs of faculty in their respective schools. With that information, deans will match faculty to trainers or training teams, allowing each faculty member to improve their teaching regardless of current skill level. Look for a communication from the dean of your school regarding course design.

Additional resources available to you

It is important for faculty to start preparing as soon as possible. Beginning immediately, we have a rich set of resources available to faculty at all levels of engagement in flexible, hybrid and online learning, including:

• Faculty groups within units and departments organized to assist and support each other; 
• Individual assistance to faculty from support teams with deep experience in developing online courses;      
• Practical examples, approaches, and best practices from school-based and CNDLS expertise;
• Training opportunities run throughout the summer by CNDLS in collaboration with Faculty Peer Mentors, colleagues in your own field, department, or school with expertise in teaching online or hybrid courses. These sessions will be a combination of one-on-one support and small group sessions—with cohorts made up of faculty in your department or those teaching similar topics—to help you with targeted, individualized help in adapting your courses to a flexible, hybrid environment for the fall;    
• Targeted sessions on online and hybrid teaching and learning at the upcoming annual Teaching, Learning, Innovation Summer Institute (TLISI) (May 19-20);
• A robust and growing collection of self-service webinars, online tutorials and online resources available at the Instructional Continuity website.

I congratulate all of our faculty on a successful conclusion to the spring semester. As well as we may have performed, there is always room for improvement, made possible at this moment by the weeks ahead in which we can prepare ourselves for an exciting and engaging array of fall courses. We have learned much from the last nine weeks of instruction and now we will teach differently, and I believe better, than we ever have before.  

With deepest gratitude and admiration,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 April 27, 2020: Interim Practice Guidelines on Research Expenditures

Dear Georgetown Faculty,

Thank you for your continued commitment to our students and to the demands of the end of the Spring semester.  

As you may expect, and as reflected in President DeGioia’s message on April 7, these challenging times demand prudence in our financial management. As a result, we will put a pause on discretionary spending at this time. These Interim Practice Guidelines on Research Expenditures clarify our strategy for implementing this directive.

This pause, which applies primarily to institutional funds, is being put in place until further notice, and at least through June 30, 2020. As the unprecedented uncertainties we face are resolved, the university will update the policy accordingly.

These interruptions to our research are no doubt extremely frustrating, and faculty are all eager to “get back to normal.” However, we need to ensure that when that time arrives, we are in a position to continue our work together.

Please review the guidelines for details. Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of the Provost, at viceprovostforresearch@georgetown.edu.

Thank you for all you are doing to further our work together during this time.

Sincerely,

Billy Jack, Vice Provost for Research

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 April 21, 2020: Continuing Moratorium on University-Sponsored Travel

Dear Georgetown Faculty and Staff, 

In early March, we suspended all university-sponsored international and domestic travel for faculty and staff through May 15. As we have continued to monitor the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our community, today we announce the extension of this travel moratorium until further notice. 

This suspension includes all university-sponsored and supported international and domestic air and train travel and includes travel funded by a grant, foundation, company or another university. Any travel booked during this moratorium, regardless of when it is scheduled to take place, will not be eligible for reimbursement. 

Our decision was made in the interest of the health and safety of our community, taking into account current stay-at home orders and the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 domestic and global response. We will continue to reassess this guidance and will update these temporary restrictions as appropriate. 

When travel resumes, any university-sponsored travel must be booked through Georgetown Travel Services. The service mitigates risk for trip changes or cancellations and also ensures the university is able to provide emergency assistance to its employees and students who are traveling on university business. 

If a faculty or staff member believes there is a compelling university-related reason to book future international or domestic travel, they should consult with the office of the Provost or campus Executive Vice President (for Medical and Law Centers), Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (for staff of University Services), or the Vice President and Chief of Staff (for direct reports to the President) to request an exception. If travel is authorized during this moratorium, special instructions for booking can be found on the Georgetown Travel Services website.

University leadership and key stakeholders continue to meet to review, update, and communicate during this evolving public health emergency. We recognize the challenges this coronavirus outbreak presents for our community, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and efforts as we work through these times. 

You can find all university updates, answers to frequently asked questions and other resources related to coronavirus on the Georgetown University website.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 April 17, 2020: Final Exams, Grading and End-of-Semester Deadlines

Dear Faculty:

We know that this semester is like no other, and recognize that both students and faculty may require additional flexibility at the end of the term. This letter covers a set of important end-of-term issues around flexibility in final exams and grading deadlines. 

Grading Deadlines 

As previously announced, the deadlines for submission of final grades have been relaxed, as follows:

• Grading deadline for graduating seniors and graduate students: May 18 (previously May 11)
• Grading deadline for non-graduating undergraduates: May 22 (previously May 13)
• Grading deadline for non-graduating graduate students: May 22 (previously May 18). 

Note that the last day of classes (April 28) and exam period (May 1-9) have not changed. So, the shift in grading deadlines is not meant to lengthen the semester, but rather to give faculty some latitude in offering extensions to students—and more time to grade assessments.

Guidelines re: Final Assessments

We want to ensure that students have equal access to final assessments. The guidelines below are for any faculty and courses, undergraduate and graduate, who intend to give a timed final examination during the finals period. These points are supported by guidance provided in the links. 

• Wherever possible, faculty should strongly consider alternative assessments to final exams. We are hearing many concerns among students about their capacity to take synchronous final exams. 
• All synchronous exams must be offered during the scheduled time to avoid conflicts. (Faculty may offer makeup exams or time zone conflicts at their discretion.)
• All faculty intending to give a final exam must do a practice run in order to test the technology and process. 
• Faculty should survey their classes to ensure that all time zone, technology and proctoring issues have been identified, before the last day of classes. Unreliable bandwidth or other technical issues that would impair a student’s ability to take a timed synchronous final exam in the scheduled time should be provided extra time or an alternative assessment.
• Faculty should have identified the students in need of the typical exam accommodations (e.g., extended time) before the last day of classes. 

If your class includes an asynchronous final assessment, the assessment should be due during the exam period (May 1-9), even with the extended grading deadlines. Again, faculty may use their discretion in offering individual extensions to students, as long as they are able to meet the revised grading deadlines.

Incompletes: Policy and Practice

A number of faculty have inquired about whether their students may receive incompletes at the end of the term. First, a reminder of the normal parameters for incompletes:

In the event that a student is unable to meet the standard deadlines due to illness or an emergency at the end of the term, the student may request a provisional grade of N (“incomplete”). All requests for N grades must be approved by both the instructor of record for the course and the student’s dean. 

Unfortunately, there will be students—likely more than usual—who fall into this category because the student or a family member contracts COVID-19 or is otherwise disrupted by the pandemic at the end of the term. Those students may indeed be well-served by incompletes and should follow the usual process. Spring semester incompletes for undergraduates must be resolved by September 30, though the faculty and dean may set earlier deadlines. Graduate School incompletes must be resolved by the last day of classes in the Fall term. 

The policy re: incompletes also states:

N grades will only be granted in cases where the student is deemed to be in good standing in the course by the instructor (i.e., the student has participated actively, has completed the majority of the course requirements in a timely fashion, etc.).

We anticipate more tricky cases than usual (for instance, the student who’s struggled to keep up with work in the class because of spotty WiFi). In weighing the merits of those requests, it will be helpful to ask: prior to the COVID 19 disruption, was the student in good standing in the course (passing?  up-to-date on all assignments?)? If not, the student should be encouraged to withdraw (by April 28), rather than to take an incomplete. 

Before suggesting an incomplete to the student, please consult with the student’s advising dean. It may be that an extra day or two of leeway helps resolve the situation, and spares everyone the process of incomplete paperwork.

Thank you for all you are doing to support our students during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Randall Bass, Vice Provost for Education

 April 15, 2020: COVID-19 Update: Cancellation of On-Campus Summer Programming and Transitions to Virtual Delivery

Dear Georgetown Faculty and Staff,

As we approach the final weeks of the spring semester, we continue to navigate the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has presented to our community. At the end of last month, we announced that all Main Campus Summer 2020 instruction would be moved to virtual delivery. The Law Center also moved online all of its summer classes for continuing J.D. and LL.M students. 

In addition to the continuation of the virtual learning environment, today we are announcing that all in-person summer programs scheduled to be held on the Main Campus, the School of Continuing Studies campus and Law Center campus through August 9, 2020 will need to be shifted to an online-only format or otherwise be canceled. 

With approaching summer program deadlines and continuing uncertainty regarding the duration of “stay-at-home orders” and social distancing guidelines, we concluded that this is the best course of action to ensure the health and safety for all. No in-person housing, event or athletic space will be provided for summer programming, including camps and conferences. All Main Campus summer conference deposits through August 9 will be fully refunded. As we move forward, we will prioritize Main Campus orientation programs and pre-sessions associated with the fall semester. For more information, please contact conferencehousing@georgetown.edu.

We recognize there are several academic programs at the Medical Center and Law Center that are part of the upcoming academic year and that would typically begin in July or early August, prior to August 9. Participants in those programs will hear directly from their program directors in the weeks ahead with information on the delivery of those activities.

We will be following-up on travel guidance for the summer in the days ahead.

As a reminder, the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) is available to support faculty and staff in transitioning programs and activities to remote formats. If, after careful consideration, a program cannot be transitioned to a virtual environment, it must be rescheduled or canceled. For all questions about the transition to virtual delivery for summer programs, please consult your program chairs, deans and department heads.

We understand how disruptive these necessary decisions are for our community. As we continue to evaluate the latest health guidance and safety procedures, we will revisit these decisions as circumstances allow. 

Thank you all for your commitment and dedication. We are very grateful for your extraordinary efforts.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

 April 6, 2020: Accessibility Resources for the Virtual Learning Environment

Dear Georgetown Faculty, Students and Staff:

As we continue the work of instructional continuity, we are grateful for our community’s efforts to adapt to this new environment. We deeply appreciate faculty and staff’s commitment to attend not only to the academic needs, but also to the considerable psychosocial, emotional and material needs of students.

With these varied needs in mind, we write now to remind faculty that it is our collective responsibility to ensure students have equal opportunity to access our academic spaces. The university is deeply committed to supporting this effort. Access challenges affect a broad swath of our community and range from the need for new or different academic accommodations for students with disabilities and learning differences, to disparities in access to technology, to new responsibilities for dependent care.

Over the past two weeks, a collaboration of students from Georgetown Disability Alliance, staff from the Academic Resource Center (ARC), CNDLS, UIS and the Office of Equity and Inclusion have worked together to identify the most pressing accessibility problems emerging in our virtual learning environments and gather a set of resources to respond to them. These resources are guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning, a research-based model that aims to build more inclusive learning environments through giving students multiple ways to connect with course content and to demonstrate what they’ve learned.

We are pleased to announce that these resources are now available to all faculty on the Instructional Continuity website under Accessibility. Additionally, students will have access to accessibility resources via Canvas beginning next week on their course dashboard. Finally, we invite faculty to register for a webinar on accommodations co-hosted by CNDLS and the ARC that will take place on Wednesday, April 8 at 11 a.m. The webinar will be recorded and made available on the Instructional Continuity website as well. Faculty can register at this link. We urge that you make use of these resources as we engage in our collective responsibility of advancing access.

The global crisis and its effects on our community are evolving on a daily basis, demanding new forms of collaboration and support for one another. We urge faculty to check in with students regularly about their changing access needs. Deans and chairs will follow up with additional guidance and support by the end of the week.

Sincerely,

Randy Bass
Vice Provost for Education

Todd Olson
Vice President for Student Affairs

 April 3, 2020: Appreciation For Your Work This Week

Dear Georgetown Faculty,

You and your students have done well; congratulations!  We have successfully completed the third week of instructional continuity. 

Let me give you a sense of what you’re reporting back on the short surveys we do on Sundays.

• More of you are reporting that students are highly engaged in your classes; students self-report about the same level of their own engagement, but we’re holding up well.
• More students choose you, the professor, as the most important positive attribute in helping them engage in class; next, is their family.
• You collectively are inventing a diverse number of ways to interact with your students. Truly amazing. Check out blog.provost.georgetown.edu for a list of these.
• The students continue to report that adapting to remote learning and maintaining focus are the most prevalent negative aspects. It’s clear from your answers that you are adjusting content and exhibiting flexibility to circumstances, as much as possible.

In short, I hear that you, as instructors, are going beyond the call to continue to nurture your students in all ways possible in this new world. I know you recognize that some of our students face disproportionate challenges related to financial, social, emotional and learning difficulties. Furthermore, some students will face anxiety, depression and loss related to COVID-19. I know that you will continue to support our students’ existing and changing needs in our new reality.  We cannot guarantee that the remaining weeks will be trouble-free; we can guarantee that our working together will get us through this period.

Together, we are growing in our confidence and building a stronger Georgetown for the future.  I am honored to have you as colleagues. Take care. Stay safe.

With deep admiration,
 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 30, 2020: Impacts From New “Stay-at-Home” Orders for DC, Maryland and Virginia

Dear Members of the Georgetown Community:

Earlier today, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia each issued mandatory “stay-at-home” orders for their respective residents. Maryland and Virginia’s orders are effective today, and DC’s order goes into effect on April 1. Under these new orders, residents are directed to stay at home except for trips considered essential, such as venturing out for work, food, medicine, to care for others or for physical exercise.  

Students remaining on campus or in the DC region are expected to abide by DC’s directive and can face enhanced sanctions for not doing so. 

Georgetown employees who have been informed that they are required to come to campus to work are permitted to do so by these orders. Anyone coming to work on campus should carry their university ID and proof of residence (e.g., state ID or driver’s license) to identify themselves. Under the DC order, Georgetown can continue its current operating status and maintain essential operations for our campus community.

While the university transitioned to a virtual learning environment on March 16, we are still caring for approximately 175 undergraduate students and 110 law students who have been approved to stay on campus due to extenuating circumstances. Research continuity and ensuring our students receive the food, housing, safety and support services they need to be successful does require that a portion of our workforce continue to be physically present on campus, as provided for under the Mayor’s order.

We are incredibly grateful to all members of our community, and express additional gratitude towards our frontline workers who ensure the health, safety and security of our community. Information on resources for these employees can be found in our recent communication to staff and AAPs.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

 March 27, 2020: Summer Course Offerings Moved to Virtual Delivery

Dear Main Campus Faculty and Staff:

As we manage the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presents for our spring semester activities, we are turning now to summer planning. While we continue to work through all aspects of summer programs, including conferences, camps and other activities, we want to communicate that our Main Campus Summer 2020 course offerings will be moved to virtual delivery. We will provide additional updates on summer programs organized through SCS in the days and weeks ahead. Those of you engaged in degree programs traditionally including summer instruction will also receive more information from your programs.

Summary

• All summer academic offerings will use remote delivery platforms; 
• In addition to what is already scheduled, we are planning additional courses for  the summer schedule for undergraduate and graduate students, and will communicate these to you in the near future; 
• CNDLS will continue to provide support for moving courses to remote delivery; and
• We are reviewing how the current situation will affect international students, military connected students, and scholarship recipients. 

Details

We are now engaged in coordinated and creative planning to shift programs and coursework between May and August, as much as possible, into virtual learning environments. We seek to assure that students can continue to stay engaged academically and make progress toward their degrees by providing instructional continuity. 

We are also aware that there are academic-year programs slated to begin in the fall that have on-campus orientations or pre-sessions in July or August. We will make decisions about these programs in the coming weeks, as we gain more clarity about the public health situation.

We want to expand offerings in ways that are responsive to the situation and the interests of students in all of the schools. Please look for communications in the near future for more information on expanded summer offerings. 

We recognize and empathize that moving courses and programs into a remote delivery format will entail significant work. Faculty support needed to move courses and activities to remote formats will continue to be provided by the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS). If after careful consideration, a program cannot be transitioned to remote learning, it must be rescheduled or cancelled. For all questions about the transition to instructional continuity for summer programs, please consult your program chairs, deans and unit heads.

Finally, please know we are seeking clarification about federal policies that affect international students, military connected students and scholarship recipients. We will provide guidance to students as soon as various policies have been clarified.

Thank you all for your commitment and dedication. We are very grateful for your extraordinary efforts in these past few weeks.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 27, 2020: Congratulations! Two Weeks Completed!

Dear Georgetown Faculty and Students,

Congratulations on completing the second week of instructional continuity!  

Over 7,000 classes and millions of minutes of Zoom have been completed. Every day shows more involvement of faculty and students in our classes. This is our way of helping to #FlattenTheCurve. Thank you for your resilience.

Thank you also for answering the short questionnaire last Sunday and Monday. It told us that students value most the support they feel from instructors as they are learning how best to focus and concentrate on classes in this new medium. We learned that we all need to be patient with one another as we adapt to new ways of teaching and learning. Cura personalis works for everybody.

We also learned how deeply the faculty care about their students’ welfare. The comments support giving flexibility to those with weak internet connection or those challenged by time zone differences from that of DC. We learned of how students are navigating complicated home environments for pursuing their studies.

One final note from your feedback. Both faculty and students can get lonely in this telework, remote learning world. Thinking of others makes each of us feel better. I urge you to reach out to colleagues and classmates and talk to them.

I am so proud of how we have pulled together through this period. Together, we are manifesting the strength of community in difficult times.

With deep admiration,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 25, 2020: Extension of Tenure Probationary Period

Dear Faculty,

We are most grateful to you for your extraordinary dedication and hard work over the past few weeks.

Shifting to a remote instructional mode, being unable to come to campus to conduct research, and working from home has had an impact on everyone’s personal and professional life. Many faculty members are caring for children, whose schools have closed, as well as family members with underlying health conditions and elderly parents and relatives who are at particular risk.

In light of these exceptional circumstances, the University Faculty Senate and the University Committee on Rank and Tenure both passed a recommendation that the Executive Vice Presidents provide a one-year extension of the tenure probationary period.

We agree with this recommendation and are hereby instituting a one-year extension of the tenure probationary period for all faculty who in Academic Year 2019-20 are in the sixth year or earlier of their probationary period (including those whose probationary period has been adjusted for any other reasons).

This extension does not take away the option to apply for tenure and promotion during any year of the tenure probationary period up to and including the sixth year.

The University Committee on Rank and Tenure is continuing to process all applications without interruption.

If you have initiated the application process, consult your Executive Vice President’s office for further information.

We hope this new policy will allow you to focus on your immediate personal and professional needs.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

 March 23, 2020: Georgetown University Library Goes Virtual

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

In line with District and federal guidance and university guidelines related to social distancing, the Georgetown University Library will no longer offer physical access effective Tuesday, March 24. This includes access to Lauinger, Dahlgren Memorial and the Bioethics, Blommer, Woodstock and the School of Continuing Studies branch libraries. These locations will continue to offer a full set of online services and access to online collections.

Continuing services will include access to online materials, reference, class or research consultations and assistance with securing expanded online access to curriculum-based and/or research materials, as possible. Please visit the library website for a complete set of services available virtually. If you have any issues with access, please visit the Off-Campus Access page for tips and assistance.

All library materials currently checked-out will be automatically renewed, with an unlimited number of automatic renewals to be applied until further notice.

As the university adapts to this complex and evolving public health crisis, the Georgetown University Library will continue to be a source of knowledge and transformational learning.

Sincerely, 

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Geoff Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Harriette Hemmasi, Dean of the Library

 March 20, 2020: Appreciation to an Amazing Set of Faculty

Dear Faculty of the Main Campus,

At the end of Friday, you collectively have completed over 3,500 remote learning classes. In total, the university used over 2 million minutes of Zoom time. Canvas is supporting thousands of interactions.

You and your faculty colleagues are the heart and soul of this university.  The challenges you faced this week were not of your choosing. Much has been asked of you and your students. But, what I have seen is breathtaking collaboration among faculty as well as new partnerships between students and instructors. We are teaching each other new skills. We are offering social support to each other when needed.

My earlier emails to you acknowledged that there would be bumps in the road, and I know we hit some of them this week. But the dedicated staff that supports all of us made quick fixes and adapted settings on platforms, expanded capacities and proffered real-time advice. Let’s thank CNDLS, UIS and department staff for service beyond the call, and front-line staff in student affairs, facilities and GUPD who are also working hard to support students and faculty. 

I am proud to serve you and your colleagues, who have made this transition with full commitment to the care of our students, a hallmark of Georgetown. Together you are defining a new level of academic resiliency that will build a better institution.

Thank you.

With highest regards,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 16, 2020: Our New Pathway

Dear Georgetown Students and Faculty,

Well, we are launching!

This is a Monday unlike any other we have experienced.  We have asked much of each other in recent days, changing instructional modes and working out of our home addresses, using new tools to communicate with each other, and coming to terms with fears and uncertainty of that which lies ahead. 

We are prepared, but we will indeed encounter bumps in the road today, in the coming days, and in the next weeks. Let’s use the bumps to strengthen the bonds among us. And let’s talk about the bumps and together work around them. 

We need to recognize our strengths to excel in this new era. Georgetown has proven itself a uniquely caring, strong and resilient community. Drawing strength from the bonds that hold us together, you, the faculty and students, working together will invent the Georgetown way to thrive in this new environment.

We can only do this by reaching out. Social isolation is one of the drawbacks of a digital environment. Do not let yourself feel alone. Learning is a group exercise. Find ways to interact virtually in groups in all your classes to provide the catalyst for engagement. 

We are women and men for others. In this situation our community is just a click away. Welcome each other to this new era of learning with a commitment to seek help when you need it and offer assistance when you can. Hoya Saxa!

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 15, 2020: Assessments of Faculty Performance

Dear Georgetown Faculty,

The school deans and I acknowledge with deep appreciation the changes in pedagogical approaches that you are now experiencing. We can successfully complete this semester best by working together to help one another.  

It has come to our attention that some faculty are concerned about the use of student evaluations in the annual merit review and in evaluations for tenure and promotion.

In light of our collective response to the COVID-19 demands on our institution and the urgency required by the global response, the Main Campus will take the following measures for full-time faculty (TL and NTL): 

Student course evaluations will not be used for merit evaluation of faculty teaching performance for the Spring 2020 semester courses. We will continue with student evaluations, chiefly to examine, at the institutional level, how the student reactions for Spring 2020 compare with prior Spring semesters. 

Student course evaluations for courses changed to remote learning on March 16, 2020, will not be used for assessment in faculty promotion dossiers, unless the faculty member prefers that they be so used.

We are continuing to work on additional measures to mitigate the impact of these extraordinary changes to our campus and our pedagogy on faculty research output, promotion prospects and performance review, which will be announced in due course.  

Thank you for your continued dedication to moving to an online environment, and for your commitment to our students as we overcome the challenges we face this semester.

Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 11, 2020: Message from the Provost to University Faculty on Instructional Continuity and Groups and Gatherings

Dear Colleagues:

This morning, all faculty, students and staff received communication from President DeGioia announcing that all classes at the university will move to online instruction until further notice. Faculty and students have also received additional information about maintaining instructional continuity using our online learning resources.

Research inquiry is one of the core missions of our university. As the COVID-19 outbreak increasingly affects our daily academic lives, we must balance the goal of maintaining continuity of our core research activities, while ensuring the health and safety of our faculty, students and staff as our highest priority. We provide here basic guidance and strategies for continuing necessary research activities and also, very importantly, for maintaining our research infrastructure and assets. These guidelines have been developed by our research leadership and faculty on the Main Campus and at the Medical Center, and we welcome any feedback and suggestions you may have.

We will continue to provide additional updates as the rapidly changing landscape of the COVID-19 outbreak evolves.

All our very best wishes,

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean of the School of Medicine

Robert M. Groves, Provost

 March 11, 2020: Message From the Provost of the University

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

You have all received an email from President DeGioia about the university’s transition to a virtual learning environment that implements the instructional continuity protocols we have previously employed.

We take these steps at an extraordinary time, faced with challenges to the health of our community from COVID-19. Nothing is more important to Georgetown than supporting the health and welfare of the faculty, staff and students. We need your cooperation and collaboration during these challenging times.

For our faculty, we must work together to assure that this semester’s courses can continue, for example, by using Canvas and other software. While almost all faculty have used instructional continuity before, we have never offered several weeks of remote education. We must work together to do this well; we will forward more specific information to support faculty in this work very soon. Your dean’s office has been working nonstop since Monday, March 9 to organize this, and Vice Provost Randy Bass, together with the strong resources at CNDLS, will assist in this effort.

Further, to minimize health risks, we will heavily restrict gatherings for research and other purposes on campus. We will assist faculty in transforming any planned gatherings into virtual meetings. Only in exceptional circumstances will face-to-face gatherings be permitted, with advance authorization of the Provost’s Office. More specific guidance on the exceptions process, led by Vice Provost Reena Aggarwal in close collaboration with staff in your own schools, will be provided in the coming days.

Finally, despite our move to deliver education remotely, we commit to continuing our research activities, many of which occur in university spaces. We will issue a statement on research continuity in a few hours. Vice Provost Billy Jack will offer follow-up assistance on research issues working with others in your school.

For our staff, we will see increased use of our teleworking policies. An announcement of that policy and practice will be released immediately. Some on-campus work will be required to support the remote education activities and the continuity of research activities. Direct supervisors will work with each staff member to implement these practices.

For our undergraduate students, we will ask them to return from spring break to their permanent addresses; some students who need housing will remain on campus. We will ask them to switch from a face-to-face mode to a virtual mode. Your instructors will tailor the move to remote teaching in ways that fit each of your classes. Rely on them and help them make the remainder of the semester successful. We will send out guidance soon.

For our graduate students, we ask that they work from their permanent addresses and participate in remote classes there. The Graduate School staff will assist in the graduate student transition to a virtual environment and support completion of programs on schedule. We will send out guidelines for student use of the virtual environment soon.

I am confident, knowing the spirit of Georgetown, that all of us will work together, helping each other make this transition.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost