Greetings, Mounties,

There are Mounties arriving on campus with more on the way! We are full steam ahead for a great semester, and the sunshine outside on campus right now hints at future days of nice, spring weather! Until that time, we’ll make do with some sled riding and snowball fights. I’ve never tried snowshoes, but perhaps there are some Mounties who can teach or learn alongside me!

Spring 2021 Student Agreement

In the fall, we shared a Student Agreement addressing protocols and mitigation practices on campus. Similarly, the Spring 2021 Agreement, linked below, includes a bulleted reminder of responsibilities, a guide to testing and quarantine strategies, and a notice of risk. As we have noted many times, we are taking prudent steps, but cannot eliminate risk or guarantee safety. We want to emphasize this as you return to campus and stress your part in acting, every day, as required to mitigate risk for our community. If you have any questions related to the Agreement, please feel free to contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Spring 2021 Student Agreement

New Addition to Pierce

We cut the ribbon to our brand new Anatomage table on Tuesday in front of a virtual audience. You have to check this technology out! This is a game-changer for our nursing, health science, and science programs. I could try to describe it to you, but it would be more effective to take a look for yourself!

Demonstration of the new Anatomage Table

As I begin my second semester at Mount Aloysius College, there are many things to be excited about, and so many exciting things ahead. As you prepare to head back to campus, please join me in being an ambassador for this wonderful institution.  Please share with your friends and peers, and especially anyone thinking about enrolling, all of the good things that are happening here on our beautiful stake of the Allegheny mountains.

Be Well, Live Mercy,

John McKeegan
President, Mount Aloysius College

Greetings, Mounties,

The activity on campus is picking up and we are busy getting ready to welcome you back!

Reminders

Please carefully review recent information from Residence Life about the start of the new semester (as well as details in my messages). Here are some key points:

• Residents will be moving in (staggered) sometime between January 18-31. Stay tuned to your emails for scheduling info.
• You will need a negative test result within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival.
• We ask that you stay as quarantined as possible in the week leading up to your move-in. There will also be a soft quarantine in place after you arrive on campus until classes resume.
• Make sure you have the CourseKey app installed for when you arrive on campus.

In-Person Instruction

We have heard overwhelmingly throughout the past year that our students and faculty prefer in-person instruction.  Indeed, in-person learning is an essential element of our mission and pedagogy.

With that in mind, the expectation for all students enrolled in our in-person courses this semester is to physically attend those classes — unless you have an approved medical leave or have requested and received an ADA accommodation.

There are several reasons for taking this approach. The PA Department of Education has offered guidance for in-person instruction which we strive to follow, including:  

• Socially-distanced classrooms;
• Masking in and out of the classroom;
• Coordinating with local public health officials;
• Cleaning protocols for the entire campus;
• Strategy for monitoring and communicating COVID information; and,
• Plans for quarantining and isolation.

As the government and health authorities continue to make adjustments and recommendations in response to the changing pandemic, the College will respond accordingly.

In addition to guidance from the state, other factors informed our decision to resume in-person instruction. Vaccinations are moving along, and the Department of Health has included students and trainees in health care settings as among those in Phase 1A for receiving vaccinations. We have also increased our capacity for testing on-campus, as evidenced by the move-in plan. And, although we cannot predict the outcome, we have applied to have the campus designated as a vaccine distribution center.  We anticipate hearing more on that in the coming weeks.

Also keep in mind regarding in-person instruction:

• Anyone who will physically be on campus is required to complete the CourseKey app evaluation each day before arrival.
• If you receive a yellow or red card on your daily CourseKey evaluation, do not attend classes in-person until you speak to a medical professional. Contact the Health Services office for a medical excuse and next steps.
• All quarantining and isolation must be confirmed by the Health Services office in order to have excused absences.
• Students without ADA accommodations or health excuses are subject to losing attendance points per course policy for missing in-person classes. 
• Any student may apply for ADA accommodations through the process laid out on our Disability Services page.

Finally, even with our stringent classroom protocols, it is as important as ever to follow our COVID protocols. The large majority of active cases in the fall were related to not following protocols outside of the classroom or contracting the virus off-campus. There were no instances of the virus spreading in a non-clinical classroom setting – a tremendous accomplishment to be sure, and why it remains crucial that you continue to social distance, mask up, wash your hands, and to stay put when you don’t pass the daily CourseKey.

If you have any questions regarding ADA compliance, please contact Marisa Schuster at mschuster@mtaloy.edu.

Winter Break Sweepstakes

The “Winter Break Sweepstakes” is in progress and we’re thrilled to see how many Mounties have gotten involved!

It is VERY easy to enter into the drawings (multiple times) to take home one of several great prizes. Learn more at https://www.mtaloy.edu/sweepstakes. 

Check out the MAC Instagram page today and submit your cozy winter photo!

Be Well, Live Mercy,

John McKeegan
President, Mount Aloysius College

Happy New Year, Mounties!

I hope your holiday break has left you refreshed and excited for the new year ahead of us.

I am writing today to share some updates about the Spring 2021 semester. The information below focuses primarily on our first two weeks together, but I want to assure you that after February 1, we are planning for a vibrant, in-person experience on campus.  Also, we hope that advancements in vaccinations will allow us to gain an even greater sense of “normalcy” this spring and into the fall 2021 semester.

Guidance

As noted in December, the PA Departments of Health and Education have issued recommendations for returning to campus. These recommendations include evaluating:

1. Re-entry testing and testing during the semester;

2. Testing plans for close contact groups;

3. Daily screening; and

4. Delaying in-person education.

As you know, points #1-3 have been in place since the beginning of last semester and we will continue those practices (more information below). There is more information on point #4 below.

Semester Start Date

Our academic calendar will not change from the version posted in fall 2020. The only change is that the first week of classes, from Jan. 25 through Jan. 29 will be conducted remotely – with the exception of certain on- and off-campus clinical courses (see the full list here). In-person courses will begin on Monday, February 1. If you are a residential student enrolled in one of the courses in the list above, you will receive further notification shortly about the moving in process.

Residential Student Move-In

Residential move-in will be staggered to maintain appropriate distancing. Students will be assigned a move-in date between January 18 – January 31. Students will receive more information regarding move-in and scheduling in the coming days.

Residential Student Re-entry Testing/Quarantining

Our re-entry process for the spring semester is in three phases:

1. Based on the guidance above, all residential students must receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to your arrival on campus. Students are responsible for the scheduling and payment for this test. More information on how to submit your test results will be sent in a follow up communication from Student Affairs. Once you have taken your test, we ask that you remain quarantined as much as possible before returning to campus. If you cannot complete this step, please contact StudentHealthServices@mtaloy.edu to discuss your situation and options.

2. When you arrive on campus on your scheduled move-in day/time, you will be directed to a specific location where COVID-19 testing will take place. You MUST complete your COVID-19 Test and receive your results (this takes about 15 minutes) prior to checking in and moving your belongings into your residence hall. All students will “soft quarantine” in their rooms until February 1. Students will be able to pick-up meals from the dining hall and attend approved clinicals, however no in-person activities or gatherings will occur during that period. Within 7-10 days of your arrival, you will be scheduled for another COVID test with the Health Services Department at no charge.

3. Beginning on February 1, students will continue with their in-person schedules for the semester. Like the fall, all classrooms are socially distanced and all students must be masked on campus.

All residential students will receive a follow-up communication in the coming days with more details about move-in and protocols. Guidance from the government will be ongoing and as we indicated this fall, our plans are subject to change.

We are so excited to see you all on campus again, and we are here to help if you have any questions about your return to the Mount.

If you have questions about the residential student return to campus, please contact: jfritz@mtaloy.edu

If you have questions about clinicals or the academic calendar, please contact: ceberhart@mtaloy.edu

If you have questions about testing or safety protocols, please contact: StudentHealthServices@mtaloy.edu

Be Well, Live Mercy,

John McKeegan
President, Mount Aloysius College

Dear Mountie Residents,

We are eagerly anticipating your return to campus for the spring 2021 semester and want to provide additional information to follow up on President McKeegan’s message from January 5. We know many of you are looking for details about arrival, testing, and residence hall move-in processes. This communication provides that general information and will be followed by a subsequent message, which will include information about your specific date of return along with directions on how to submit your COVID-19 test results, and sign-up for a COVID-19 testing/move-in time slot.

As President McKeegan mentioned, we are using a staggered approach to bring residential students back to campus. This will allow us to maintain appropriate distancing and safety protocols, as well as facilitate an efficient COVID-19 testing process for our students and the staff who will be assisting that day. The arrival and move-in schedule is outlined below.

CAMPUS ARRIVAL & RESIDENCE HALL MOVE-IN:

• First Round of Arrivals:  January 18, 2021
  International Students and Resident Assistants

  (students will sign-up for their arrival/testing time via a link to be sent in the next communication)

• Second Round of Arrivals: January 23, 2021 and January 24, 2021
  Clinical Students, Student Teachers, all newly enrolled residential students

  Testing on 1/23 & 1/24 (to occur before residence hall move-in) 12pm – 2pm
  (students will sign-up for their arrival time via a link to be sent in the next communication)

• Third Round of Arrivals: January 28, January 29 & January 31
  January 28, 2021: All out of state students and students whose permanent address (registered with the College) is more than 2 hours away from the College.
  January 29, 2021: Students whose permanent address (registered with the College) is between 1 and 2 hours away from the College.
  January 31, 2021: Students whose permanent address (registered with the College) is less than an hour away from the College.

  Testing upon selected arrival date/time (to occur before residence hall move-in)
  (students will sign-up for their arrival time via a link to be sent in the next communication)

TESTING:

All students will receive a link to submit a copy of their negative COVID-19 test results and a link to sign-up for an arrival time for testing and campus move-in. This information will be sent to students in our follow up to this communication, which you will receive in a few days.

When you arrive to campus on your assigned move in date/time, please proceed directly to the testing site (parking lot #6), where staff will check that you have submitted a negative test ahead of arrival (instructions for submission will be in the next communication). If you have provided the appropriate documentation, Health Service staff will then proceed to administer a COVID-19 test (nasal swab). If your results are negative (approx.15 minutes for result – wait in your car in the parking lot) you will be cleared for move in, and will proceed to your residence hall.

You will be scheduled for a third COVID-19 test 7-10 days later. You will receive an email notification to remind you to schedule your test.

Every residential student will receive an additional follow up communication from the Office of Residence Life in the next few days. The communication will:

• Identify your specific arrival date. This will allow you to plan when to get your initial COVID-19 test (remember: test results must be within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival to campus). See chart below for assistance in determining when to schedule your Covid Test (based on type of test, i.e., PCR or Rapid Test).

• Provide a link to upload a copy of your COVID-19 Test Results. Any student who has been COVID-19 positive within the past 90 days, or who may have already received both doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine, should upload their documentation to this link as well.

• Provide a link to select your arrival/testing time.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• COVID-19 Canvas Course:
  All residential students are required to complete a short (10-15 min) COVID-19 Course on Canvas prior to their scheduled arrival date. Please log into Canvas beginning Monday, January, 11, 2021 to complete the course. Students will not be able to move into their residence hall until they have completed this course.

• Residence Hall Room Consolidation Process:
  Without a COVID-19 vaccine currently available to our students, we want to be as prepared as possible for any positive cases that occur on our campus this spring. In order to provide additional on-campus quarantine/isolation spaces for the spring semester, we will be consolidating spaces in our residence halls. While the room consolidation process typically starts a few weeks into the semester, we are moving up the timeline this year to coincide with move in so that we can have additional quarantine/isolation spaces available when the semester begins. This will not only provide us with additional spaces, but will also give us more flexibility when assigning students to quarantine/isolation rooms.

  If you are a student who does not currently have a roommate, or you live in a suite that has one or more vacancies, you may be asked to relocate to another room within the same residence hall or another building (at the same cost as your current room), or someone may be assigned to fill any of the vacancies. Room buyouts will not be an option for the spring ‘21 semester.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation with our testing and residential move-in processes, and encourage you to check your email frequently for updated communications. Should you have questions at any time, please check out our FAQ or  feel free to contact the following offices for assistance:

Residence Life: residencelife@mtaloy.edu
Health Services: studenthealthservices@mtaloy.edu

Greetings, Mounties,

There is wonderful news regarding vaccinations, with distribution beginning to occur for healthcare workers nationally, and even within our own county.

While this is a great development, prioritization protocols make it unlikely our student population will receive the vaccine early in 2021. We continue to review guidance from the state government, which has emphasized continuing diligence in preparing for the Spring 2021 semester, and are evaluating plans for mitigation and testing strategies that are appropriate for our community. As you know, the PA Departments of Education and Health are urging colleges to use virtual instruction to the maximum extent feasible, and to consider the delay of students returning to campuses.

In order to present a timely and comprehensive approach to our community’s spring semester, we are waiting until January 5 to announce a formal reopening plan. While our planning is not final, some of the points that might be included are:

• Online COVID-19 training and certification before courses can be accessed. This could cover areas such as contact tracing, isolation protocols, processes for interaction with various offices, and more;

• Testing, either at-home or on-campus, before the semester begins. We understand that these decisions could impact timelines for returning to campus. If such testing is included, we will be sure to work with each student to make sure they are able to receive a test and be ready for the start of their semester.

• At-home and/or on-campus quarantine leading up to the semester.

Consistent with government guidance, we are strongly considering starting the semester remotely for two weeks (with exceptions for clinical/laboratory students). Again, these decisions will be shared on January 5. That said, our fundamental goal is to once again provide a vibrant in-person learning environment for the large majority of the semester — unless local virus conditions prevent this.

Thank you for your patience, and for the multitude of ways you selflessly promoted the health of our campus this Fall.