Communication to Georgetown University Staff 2020

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 17, 2020: Planning for Spring 2021 Semester

Dear Colleagues:

Yesterday, President DeGioia sent you a note regarding Georgetown’s plan for the Spring 2021 semester. In his message, President DeGioia explained that while we plan to increase the number of undergraduate students living on-campus by 500 to bring our total to approximately 1,000, much of our instruction and operations will continue virtually. In addition, graduate students will be welcomed back to campus for some hybrid instruction and library access, and there will be some library access, some student organization activity and a limited program of hybrid instruction for law students. Following this announcement, we write to provide more information about how this change impacts our employee community.

Telework Status Review for Staff and AAP Employees

As we move towards the end of the Fall semester, each of us, along with the senior leaders on our campuses, will review our employee lists to make any necessary updates to telework status for the Spring 2021 semester. Given the planned increase in activity on our campuses, additional staff members supporting our work on campus may be required. By no later than mid-December, staff and AAP employees will receive confirmation from their supervisors and the Department of Human Resources regarding whether they will work in-person or telework until further notice. We will also continue to review our Redeploy Georgetown program and will be in touch with more information on our needs in the coming weeks.

Dependent Care Support

Last month we announced the expansion of the GUCares dependent care assistance grant program 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 staff and faculty facing dependent care challenges due to COVID-related closings of school, child care and elder care services. You can learn more about this and other GUCares grants at benefits.georgetown.edu/gucares.

The Department of Human Resources has also appointed Liz Andrew as the new Dependent Care Resource (DCR) Coordinator. In her role, Liz will support staff and faculty through the many complexities of dependent care resource identification, serving as a point of contact within Georgetown to help employees identify our available resources and address any questions. She can be reached at dependentcare@georgetown.edu.

Virtual Mental Health Support

Georgetown University is committed to supporting faculty and staff during this unsettling time. Virtual therapy and coaching from One Medical will soon be available at no cost to eligible U.S.-based faculty and staff. The program gives employees fast, convenient, and free access to one-on-one mental health help through video appointments. More information will be shared via a follow-up email. The addition of One Medical is a complement during this challenging time to the mental health resources provided through University-sponsored health plans and the services offered through the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).

Financial Impact

With Spring 2021 plans impacting the University’s finances, we ask for your cooperation in the following measures aimed at reducing spending:

Holiday Spending and Printing: University resources should not be used to purchase holiday gifts or to send holiday cards. Before printing and mailing any material (including annual reports), please consider an electronic substitute.
Travel Moratorium: Due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, we will continue until further notice the moratorium on all university-sponsored and supported international and domestic air and train travel, including travel funded by a grant, foundation, company or another university. There will be very limited exemptions that must be approved by the appropriate campus EVP or the COO. Without prior approval, any travel booked during this moratorium, regardless of when it is scheduled to take place, will not be eligible for reimbursement. While this measure is one way to reduce spending, this decision was ultimately made in the interest of the health and safety of our community.

Virtual Staff and AAP Community Forum

We will hold our next Virtual Staff and AAP Community Forum this Thursday, November 19, at 11 a.m. Details for the forum will be sent in a follow-up message later today. Joining us for Thursday’s forum will be Tony Kinslow, our new Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and Dave Green, our Chief Financial Officer.

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.

For many of us, it is hard to believe that when we left campus in mid-March it would be the last time we would see our office or interact in-person with our colleagues in 2020. The past year has been unlike any other, and we will continue to face challenges as we begin the year ahead. Yet, we never could have navigated this pandemic without the tireless efforts of our faculty, staff and AAP community. We are grateful to all of you for your extraordinary service during these challenging times.

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

November 16, 2020: Planning for 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.

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

October 22, 2020: Expansion of Dependent Care Support

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

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 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.

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 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

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

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.

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.

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 13, 2020: Follow-up to President DeGioia’s Message to the Main Campus Community

Dear Colleagues:

I hope that you have been able to review President DeGioia’s message yesterday, which addresses serious financial concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This memorandum elaborates on that message.

These have been days of deep challenge to all of us, forcing us to complete the spring semester under unprecedented disruption. I thank you for your understanding and the commitment to Georgetown that you displayed over the past weeks.

As President DeGioia noted, the unplanned expenditures to protect our students, faculty and staff will be followed by more financial losses this summer. Hence, to protect the welfare of the community, we are attempting to build “the strongest possible framework for the Fall, and to continue to protect as many jobs as possible.”

We have already achieved more than $2 million dollars in salary reductions from more than 50 senior leaders, imposed a hiring and salary freeze for this year and limited all non-essential spending. The university is now moving forward with additional actions:

There will be no merit increase for the next fiscal year (FY21) for faculty, staff and AAPs.
The university will temporarily halt its contributions to all 403(b) retirement accounts—although this decision will be revisited during the course of the year based on updated financial data.
The university has cancelled non-essential capital expenditures.

These are painful decisions for all of us.

President DeGioia also outlined two voluntary initiatives that people can participate in that will help the university financially at this difficult time: a voluntary salary reduction and a voluntary furlough. From these efforts, we are attempting to save $10 million from the $120 million salary costs we would otherwise incur over the summer months. Every dollar we save will be used to support our community, including to extend the jobs of those in the Georgetown community as long as possible in the face of future financial losses.

Voluntary Salary Reduction

We will offer a Voluntary Temporary Salary Reduction Program for all faculty, staff and AAPs who wish to participate.

This program will:

allow any employee to designate a reduction amount or percentage in their annual salary;
maintain all benefits for participating employees;
run through the date of the employee’s choosing, anytime until June 30, 2021;
be done in a confidential manner so that managers, supervisors and academic deans are not aware of employees’ participation; and
be revocable at any time in the future by the employee.

Interested staff and AAPs should apply using the appropriate form which is available on the Human Resources website.

Voluntary Furlough Program

Georgetown is implementing a Voluntary Furlough Program for any staff member who is unable to perform some or all of their job remotely. The staff program includes both positions for which there is an inability to work and positions for which there has been a reduction in the amount of available work. A furlough is a temporary unpaid leave, during which affected individuals remain Georgetown employees.

All staff and AAP employees, including both hourly and exempt employees, are eligible to participate in the Voluntary Furlough Program.

Upon approval of senior leadership, employees would take an unpaid leave of absence while retaining benefits. Details of the voluntary furlough are below:

The furlough will go into effect Monday, May 25, 2020, and conclude on Sunday, July 26, 2020.
Furloughed employees will return to work on Monday, July 27, 2020.
All furloughed employees will retain their current medical, dental and vision insurance. Georgetown will pay both the employer and employee portions of these insurance premiums during the furlough period.
Tuition Assistance Program benefits and paid leave accruals, if applicable, will continue while employees are temporarily furloughed.
Affected employees may file for state unemployment compensation benefits and federal support immediately.
Upon an employee’s return to work, the university will consider efforts to mitigate economic impacts this furlough may have caused.
Additional information, including FAQs, can be found on the (new window) (new window)Human Resources website.

Interested staff and AAPs should apply using this form by 5 p.m., Monday, May 18. Applications will be reviewed by HR and managers, and applicants will be notified in writing as to whether their furlough application has been approved or denied by Friday, May 22.

Informational webinars will be hosted via Zoom on Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15, 2020 at 10 a.m and 2 p.m. Representatives from the Department of Human Resources and Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits will discuss the Voluntary Furlough Program and upcoming changes to the university contribution toward the 403(b) retirement plan, and participants will have opportunities to ask questions.General questions can also be directed to the HR, Benefits and Payroll help line at 202-687-2500.

We recognize that people have different work obligations and financial needs. Not everyone will be able to participate in these two programs. For more information about how you can help, please refer to the “How to Help” section of our COVID-19 website, which outlines ways the community can lend support.

This is a critical time for the community to come together. Our actions over the coming months will determine Georgetown’s status for some years to come. Your help will make a great difference.

I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your willingness to quickly adjust to the demands we face. We’ve had to move rapidly to a new way of life and work, all the while striving to deliver the critical parts of our academic mission of teaching and scholarship.

We are humbled by your dedication to the university, and your many outstanding contributions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves, Provost

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

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 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

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 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 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