Fall Return Q&A with President McNulty

Check out this interview between President Paul J. McNulty '80 and Lisa (Adams '78) Gordon, Alumni Council Member and News Producer-Anchor with WICU/WSEE in Erie, as they discuss the College's fall Return to School Health and Safety Plan.

 

UPDATE: November 9, 2020
Health/Home/Holiday Transition

Dear Friends,

On the first day of classes in late August, I greeted you with these words: “There are just over 90 days between today and Thanksgiving. With heightened conscientiousness, a spirit of self-sacrifice, and the sweet providence of God, we will write one of the most memorable chapters in Grove City College’s illustrious history.” The time has passed quickly and eventfully. And while many in our community have experienced hardship along the way, our mission to equip you for your unique callings has faithfully continued. Through extraordinary dedication and resiliency, we have reached the end of this challenging stretch of time and our community is stronger as a result.

Now, with two weeks left before the Thanksgiving holiday, getting you home safely and healthy is the top priority! Given that Tuesday, November 24, is our last day of in-person classes, this is the time to begin planning your transition from campus to home. As we announced last summer, the residence halls will be closed after the 24th.

Our COVID cases have increased significantly this past week, and the risk of infection is clearly higher. Herculean efforts are being made to limit the spread as more and more students are placed in quarantine or self-isolation. Many have elected to go home now because their quarantine periods will last until Thanksgiving week. While these and many other prevention efforts are ongoing, the virus now appears to be more prevalent on campus. It is more important than ever to be conscientious about social distancing as you prepare to head home. Larger gatherings and activities, which present increased risk, will be impacted by the growing numbers of absent and departed participants.

Therefore, I urge you to confer with your family and settle on the wisest transition plan to return home healthy for the holiday. You may depart campus at any point between now and the 24th and switch to online classes. Simply notify your professors of your plan to transition to online classes (noting your departure date in the subject line) and follow the departure procedures in your residence hall. Also, please take special care to ask your professors about any outstanding in-person assignments such as labs prior to leaving campus.

As you consider what works best for you, please keep this information in mind:

• Student support operations, including housing, food services, health care and other resources, will not be available after November 24. Accommodations will only be considered for students with highly unusual personal circumstances.
• Quarantines are required to last 14 days from the date of exposure to a COVID+ person. We have reached the point where new quarantine periods could extend beyond November 24. Avoiding the need to travel during quarantine is another reason for seriously considering an earlier departure from campus.  
• If you are planning to fly home, you should make your plans as soon as possible and follow good physical distancing practices in the meantime. Flying soon while you have the opportunity would be a smart move.

Perhaps this year’s Thanksgiving holiday, in God’s perfect plan for our lives, will not be like last year’s celebration.  Nevertheless, I hope this special family time is still a blessing for you. That’s why it is so important for you to manage your affairs carefully. Limiting your interactions until you depart is your most effective prevention action.  Health, home, holiday – let’s work together for a successful conclusion to this memorable semester.

In His peace,
P. McNulty  

 

UPDATE: October 28, 2020
COVID-19 Campus Update

Dear Families,
 
We are down to just four weeks of on-campus instruction until the Thanksgiving break. God’s faithful care has continued throughout this historic semester at Grove City College. We have faced many significant challenges, and we know there are more to come. But with His kindness and your support, we are greatly encouraged.
 
As indicated on our twice-weekly updates to the COVID Dashboard, our case count increased throughout the month after an initial stretch of less than six cumulative positive test results as of October 5. We have tested more than 600 students, about 30% of our residential population, and our total number of cases since late August sits today at 33 (28 students and 5 employees). The majority of these individuals have returned to campus. Most importantly, no student has suffered serious illness, and many of the infected students have been asymptomatic.
 
Managing the risks associated with this virus is an unprecedented challenge. Our staff, faculty and administrators have responded with extraordinary dedication and skill. Erring on the side of caution and in compliance with PA Department of Health requirements, we have been proactive with the use of quarantines and self-isolation to prevent possible spread. This has presented considerable hardship for many students, and we are deeply thankful for their understanding and resilience. We formed a Quarantine Care Team to focus on the needs of these students and help them through this hard providence.
 
On a general level, our close-knit academic community has endured many adjustments including masking, physical distancing, reduced or altered activities, and modifications in dining. You may be aware that I instituted a week-long pause on in-house dining and campus activities a few weeks ago because of concerns for the number and nature of the cases we experienced during the week of October 6. This rise in cases did not stem from the preceding three-day weekend as some have speculated. Our understanding of how students are contracting the virus is quite strong, and this knowledge will be particularly valuable for us in our review and planning for next semester.
 
I remain optimistic about this academic year. With your encouragement, our campus community hopes to celebrate a strong finish to this semester. We know there are major uncertainties about COVID-19 in 2021, but we are determined to push forward with the best college experience for our students that we can achieve. Infection numbers around the country may be on the rise at the moment, but our campus life is proceeding responsibly, with heightened conscientiousness about how to remain healthy and safe.
 
As you may have seen, our updated schedule for next semester was released last week. We will begin the spring semester one week later than planned (January 25), and the Easter break will be extended as an alternative to the now-cancelled spring break a few weeks earlier. This will give us two uninterrupted months (February and March) to hold face-to-face classes and reduce the presence of COVID-19 on campus. Graduation exercises are still scheduled for May 15.
 
Students are motivated by a variety of priorities on a college campus, and the pandemic’s impact on life at GCC hits some students harder than others. But the constant refrain I am hearing this semester is a deep appreciation for just being back together. In a world of strained relationships and prolonged isolation, this experience may be molding these Grovers into more caring and engaged neighbors, better equipped to persevere through life’s many difficulties. By God’s grace, we will strive as individuals and as an institution to redeem this dark season for a brighter future for every member of our unique community.
 
Thank you for your support in this great effort.
 
In His peace,
P. McNulty

 

UPDATE: October 21, 2020
Spring 2021 Academic Calendar Announced:
In-person classes slated to begin Monday, January 25

Dear Students and Parents,

We are pleased to announce the release of the Spring 2021 Academic Calendar, available here for your information and planning purposes. Please be assured that the health and safety of our community continues to guide our decisions as we plan for the spring semester.  

Grove City College will resume in-person classes on Monday, January 25. Information regarding a phased move-in process will be announced in the coming weeks. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering a high-quality educational experience to our students, while wisely managing risks during this pandemic.

A key change from the previously announced calendar is the extension of the Easter break to an entire week and the elimination of an earlier break in March. This shift will remove the risk associated with student departure and return in the flu season.

Highlights of the academic calendar for spring include:

• Monday, January 25	On-campus classes begin
• Saturday, March 27	Easter/Spring Break recess begins
• Tuesday, April 6	On-campus classes resume
• Thursday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 11	Final examinations (see schedule for details)
• Tuesday, May 11	Last day of classes

Dr. Peter M. Frank '95
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

 

UPDATE: October 9, 2020
Important COVID-19 Update

Dear Friends,

As many of you may be experiencing or observing, we have had a rise this past week in the number of COVID-19 cases. This morning’s cumulative count since August 16 is now 15 (12 students and 3 employees). Each new case may substantially impact our contact tracing, quarantine and self-isolation requirements and procedures. In particular, a limitation on available rooms is placing a severe strain on our quarantine efforts. It is clear to me that we can and must do more to reduce the risk of a wider spread of the virus within our campus community. Unlike the classroom where compliance with the masking mandate is strong, other activities and settings are higher risk for COVID spread because of unmasked and extended close contact.

Therefore, beginning this weekend, the changes listed below will be implemented. These policy modifications will remain in place during the week of October 12. We will reevaluate campus conditions on October 16 and decide whether to continue or even expand these policies. All classes will remain in-person as currently scheduled.

1.  All dining will be grab-‘n-go only with no in-house eating in Hicks, MAP or Breen Student Union, including the tents. Students are encouraged to eat in their rooms. However, if you choose to eat outside, you MUST practice social distancing. If compliance with this requirement is not successful, we will have no other choice but to prohibit all outside eating.

2.  Extracurricular activities will be put on pause for the next week, including sports, special events and other gatherings. Please direct any questions you have about specific activities to Dr. John Coyne in Student Life and Learning. Chapel next week will continue as currently scheduled.

3.  Most study spaces will be available for use, but masking and social distancing will continue to be required.

4.  Great care must continue to be taken when traveling off campus. Student social gatherings, both indoor and outdoor gatherings and events, are often high risk and strictly prohibited by the policy we have had in place from the beginning of the semester.

Many students have already been through the contact tracing process, and they now better appreciate the importance of social distancing. The obvious goal of these compliance efforts is for all of us to have a short list of campus contacts if we test positive for COVID-19. That is why continuous conscientiousness is so important.

It pains me to be faced with these choices. We all desperately want to return to life as normal at GCC. But in God’s good providence, these are not normal times, and we must respond with resilience and determination. Make the most of your academic opportunities, and please pray that these measures will be successful.

In His peace,
P. McNulty     
 

UPDATE: October 5, 2020
Campus Health Update and Refocusing for a Strong Finish

Dear Friends,

We have reached the midpoint of our time together on campus this semester, and God’s kind providence has been the big story. We have only had five people within our campus community test positive for COVID-19, and hundreds have gladly received negative test results. Most importantly, no one has become seriously ill as a result of this virus. Cooperation with our prevention efforts has been impressive generally and a significant factor in this success. The countless inconveniences and sacrifices we have all experienced in getting to this point have not been easy. We especially owe a debt of gratitude to many of our College employees for their tireless service. I look forward to recognizing at a later date these COVID prevention heroes.

But now is not the time to drop our guard. Our deep desire to be together in person until Thanksgiving has, and must continue to be, a powerful motivation for our compliance efforts. If we relax now, October could be a very different story with hundreds of students forced to shift to long stretches of online learning or worse. Just as it would be a mistake to relax after achieving an “A” at midterm or a winning record halfway through a sports season, we must remain strongly committed to our health and safety policies for the remainder of the semester. There are certainly no guarantees that our efforts will be successful. The Lord will bring his perfect plans to pass, whatever they may be.  But we are responsible for doing our best with the less than perfect knowledge we possess at this point in the pandemic.

Therefore, stick with our masking policies and practice social distancing whenever you can.  Keep washing your hands – frequently and thoroughly. Make a conscious effort to avoid the coronavirus. In addition, getting a flu shot is very beneficial to you and helpful to our community. Dr. Jody Mathie ’77, a physician and College trustee, advises that the influenza vaccine will help decrease fevers, cough, malaise, and other symptoms caused by the flu resulting in less COVID testing and related concerns. Think about that, by getting a flu shot you may avoid illness and possibly the travail of waiting in quarantine for the results of a COVID test. It’s also important to note that our positive COVID tests are coming from off-campus contacts. We must all be very careful in this regard, particularly when it comes to high risk circumstances such as prolonged close contact with others in poorly ventilated settings. That’s why bars, parties, and close proximity with students from other schools must be avoided. This is also why our home visit limitations remain in place.

Students, the reason this college exists is for you to grow in ways that will truly make a difference in this broken world. It desperately needs people of firm integrity who have made a habit of doing the right thing when no one is watching. As a former prosecutor and business ethics advisor, I know how hard it can be to set aside our own interests and follow the rules. I have witnessed countless personal tragedies, the loss of nearly everything, because of compromised values. On the other hand, building a godly character is the essence of a good life. This is a major theme of the wise sayings in the book of Proverbs. Two great examples are Prov 10:9 and 28:18. “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” And “whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.”  Our community is counting on all of us to walk with integrity.

Please pray that God will continue to bless our campus with good health and safety. We will continue to review our policies and modify them when appropriate. Thank you for your partnership in this historic endeavor.

In His peace,
P. McNulty

 

UPDATE: September 4, 2020
Our Great Start and Big Challenge

Dear Friends,

We’re off to a great start! As of this morning, we have had only one positive test and a very low number of students have been in quarantine. The Lord has greatly blessed us these first two weeks.  Based on what we know today, this is truly remarkable, especially if you are following what is happening at other colleges and universities. And now that we have almost passed the 14-day mark, the concern about students bringing the coronavirus with them to campus is significantly reduced. That’s the good news.

Now, here is our challenge. Compliance with our community agreement needs to improve. I’m particularly concerned about students leaving campus for insignificant and unnecessary reasons. We have provided some flexibility in this area and asked you to exercise good judgment. However, it appears that too many students left campus last weekend for personal enjoyment and not an important reason as described in our policy. I’m also concerned about students not wearing face masks when they are not physically separated from others, which is defined in our policy as being within six feet of another person for more than 15 continuous minutes.

The consequences of this non-compliance are real. First, we will end face-to-face classes if our infection numbers are too high to manage appropriately. Second, exposed students are required to quarantine for 14 days. Maintaining social distancing is the best way to avoid this undesirable situation or putting a friend in this circumstance. And third, students refusing to honor the community agreement will be required to leave campus.

So, please, let’s stay committed to working together for a historically successful semester. If God is pleased, we can accomplish something very special. Regardless of what any of us may think about the science and public policies associated with COVID-19, we must demonstrate integrity (actions matching our words) and follow the requirements of the community agreement. Now watch Mr. Hardesty’s video message to you for more on these concerns: 09/04/20 Message to the Students.

Thank you for your cooperation.

In His peace,
P. McNulty

 

UPDATE: August 17, 2020
Orientation Board and Freshman Move-In

Orientation Board is made up of over 100 upperclassmen chosen expressly because they want to serve you by helping to acclimate you to life at Grove City College!  When you arrive on campus, a member of OB will approach your car and ask if you would like help moving your belongings into your room. If so, the OB team will help to make quick work of the move-in process. If not, we’ll understand and respect your family’s wishes to unload without help.

As outlined in the College’s Health and Safety Plan, up to two members of your family may help unload your vehicle and set-up your room. While we wish we could invite families to stay longer, we would ask that they plan to leave at the end of your three hour move-in time. Doing so will help with social distancing and will aid in our efforts to provide students with a safe and healthy living environment.

Due to the worldwide pandemic, we’ve had to drastically modify our typical move-in process and orientation schedule. This includes canceling some of the traditional large events scheduled for move-in day. Please know we are doing this to better promote the health and well-being of those in our community. But, rest assured, your OB Connection Group mentors (you will learn more about them soon!) and Resident Assistants will connect with you soon after you arrive in order to help with your transition to Grove City College! LEARN MORE>>

 

UPDATE: August 5, 2020
Fall 2020 Return to Campus Health and Safety Plan

Dear Campus Community,

I am thankful for the opportunity to send you this “Fall 2020 Return to Campus Health and Safety Plan,” and the tremendous work of our FRPC over the past two months.  Please take the time to become familiar with our policies and procedures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on our campus.  If you have any questions, please use the email address in the introduction to the plan.

Fall 2020 Health & Safety Plan

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation with this plan.  I am excited about the return of students to campus and the start of a historical academic year.

In His peace,
P. McNulty

 

UPDATE: August 4, 2020
Update on Our Fall Return

Dear Friends,

This week you will be receiving a lot of information about our plans for preventing COVID-19 infections on campus this fall. With information such as guidelines and mandates constantly changing, the preparation of these plans has been extraordinarily challenging. For example, we prepared a schedule for when students should return assuming that a large number of varsity athletes would be coming back to campus early. As you may have heard, most fall sports have now been switched to spring, so the return schedule needed to be revised. Return timing and procedures will be sent to students later this week. This is the world in which we now live.

Our Fall Return Health and Safety Plan will be sent to you tomorrow morning. Please be sure to read this document.  Here are some of the plans that I expect will be of most interest to you:

• Masking policy: Face coverings will be required in most places and circumstances.
• Campus activities: Most off-campus activities will not be permitted and some beloved campus social events will need to be cancelled this fall.
• Off-campus travel: This will be discouraged.
• Monitoring and testing: With our current plans, and they could change, students will be randomly selected at some point for testing, and you may be notified about potential COVID-19 exposure as a result of our contact tracing efforts.
• The Community Agreement: The language of the agreement will be in the Health and Safety Plan, and students will be instructed on how to affirm these commitments later this week.

The bottom line is this:  we are purposely beginning the semester cautiously with the hope of avoiding the spread of the virus within our campus community. The young and healthy among us may ask why worry about this possibility to such an extent given the relatively low risk of serious illness for so many. Well, this is an academic community with many members, including students, who are more vulnerable to the threat of this disease than you may perceive yourself to be. When we are at our best, we care about others the way we care about ourselves.

This chapter in our College’s illustrious history has tremendous potential to become a story you will treasure for the rest of your lives. Lord willing, you will tell of the collective sacrifice and heightened conscientiousness that prevailed against a powerful pandemic. In this narrative, the first-rate education we highly value will have come to pass along with other great accomplishments in this moment in time.

In His peace,
P. McNulty

 

UPDATE: July 23, 2020
Vital Information on Returning to Campus

Dear Students,

I hope you are experiencing a healthy, pleasant, and productive summer in this historically challenging season of our public life. Lord willing, one month from tomorrow in-person classes will begin on campus. Since the departure of students last March, we’ve been eagerly looking forward to this return.

The Fall Return Planning Committee has been working diligently for the past two months to ensure that you and the College’s employees will enjoy a safe and productive fall semester. As I’m sure you are aware, the circumstances of this COVID-19 pandemic continue to change which makes planning even more difficult. Thank you for your patience as we have been carefully establishing dozens of policies and protocols for our community. We are being advised by an outstanding medical team, and we are partnering with trusted healthcare providers.

When our senior class first arrived on campus in the fall of 2017, we introduced five core values for everyone’s consideration. One of those values is “community.” Since then, we have increasingly emphasized the importance of this value as the divisions in the larger society appear to be widening. We’re not perfect, but our community is a special culture of kindness, cordiality, support, and respect.  And the more our community is marked by these virtues, the more equipped you become to be life-long ambassadors for what is truly good.

Our distinctive community will now be put to the test. Will we selflessly and conscientiously serve the good of the Grove? As the uncertainties of COVID-19 unfold in our country, will GCC demonstrate what one community can accomplish by God’s grace when its members act responsibly? Success in this extraordinary challenge will be a touchpoint of encouragement for all of us in life’s future trials.

So, let’s get started on this mission together. Please carefully read the instructions below. This is the first of several messages about policies and procedures for the new semester. There will be much more information about academic and campus life, but the next steps will focus on how we hope to establish a healthy baseline for the beginning of the year.

NEXT STEPS:

• Pre-arrival screening and testing through Quest Diagnostics
  •  You will receive a screening survey directly from Quest Diagnostics to determine risk for COVID-19 based upon several factors.
  •  Quest Diagnostics will send the survey to you approximately 14 days before your scheduled arrival on campus. This timing is intentional, and it means that students will receive their surveys at different times over the next three weeks. Please monitor your GCC email account for the message from Quest Diagnostics – you must complete and submit the survey as soon as it arrives.
  •  If you are selected for testing as a result of the screening process, Quest Diagnostics will send you a COVID-19 test kit in the mail with detailed instructions for administering the test under the auspices of a medical professional through an online telehealth appointment. If you receive a test kit from Quest Diagnostics, please complete it promptly and return the test as directed.
  •  Those of you who live in what are being referred to as “hot spots” will not be required to quarantine. But depending on various factors, you may be selected by Quest for testing.
  •  If you clear the screening or receive a negative test result, you will be permitted to arrive on campus as scheduled.
  •  Students who test positive must meet certain conditions and be reevaluated by a health professional to determine whether they may come to campus. Instructions will be provided in these cases.
  •  You must complete this health clearance (screening, and, if necessary, testing) before coming to campus.

• Moving in
  •  You should self-isolate to the best of your ability for five (5) days prior to your scheduled return to campus.
  •  The move-in process will be staggered to reduce traffic flow.
  •  New student arrivals are extended to two (2) days and returning student arrivals are extended to four (4) days to allow for distancing during check-in times.
  •  International students must communicate their return plans to the College by contacting Mr. Scott Gordon as soon as possible so that appropriate quarantine accommodations can be made.
  •  Target move-in dates are as follows:
    •  Athletes: August 10-14 – but look for confirmation and additional guidance from coaches next week
    •  RAs: August 12
    •  Band: August 12
    •  Orientation Board: August 13 and 14
    •  Freshmen and Transfers: August 19-20
    •  Upperclassmen: August 20-23
  •  Please monitor your GCC email account for more information concerning move-in details.

•  Community Agreement
  •  As I stated in the introduction above, establishing and maintaining a healthy and safe community will require everyone’s commitment to the common good of our campus community. To reinforce this shared responsibility, you will be required to sign a “Community Agreement” prior to arriving on campus. Through this agreement, you will acknowledge your understanding and willingness to support the College’s COVID-prevention policies and procedures for this coming semester.
  •  One example of what the College will expect: you will be free to leave campus, but it will be important for the good of our community that you make wise decisions about where you go and what you do. We will be encouraging you to stay within the Grove City area and only go beyond the surrounding region for special occasions or necessity. The more everyone stays in “the Bubble,” the better off we will be.
  •  This agreement and related instructions will be sent to you in early August.

•  Masking, social distancing and monitoring  
  •  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has ordered that masks be worn in public areas unless there is a medical reason not to do so. In accordance with these guidelines, the College will observe masking and social distancing protocols during the fall semester. A branded face mask will be given to you. Please stay tuned for details about where masks must be worn and how we will be creating safer environments for learning and living.
  •  We will also be monitoring the health of our community through continuous and random testing and attention to potential symptoms of the coronavirus. Again, details on these initiatives will be forthcoming.

In addition to the additional information and instructions that will be provided to you directly in the days ahead, our comprehensive “Fall 2020 Return to Campus Health and Safety Plan” will be publicly available on August 3. This plan outlines nearly all the policies the College is implementing to resume safely academic and student life.

Please remember to pray for our community. Our goal is to accept gladly the changes and inconveniences so that we can prosper together through this unique opportunity. I am highly confident that God will bless us in the unprecedented endeavor, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

In His peace,
P. McNulty

UPDATE: July 16, 2020
College to work with Quest Diagnostics to screen incoming students
Grove City College is partnering with Quest Diagnostics, one the nation’s largest and best-known medical laboratory companies, to screen and possibly test students for coronavirus before they return to campus for in-person instruction next month. Detailed instructions for the return process will be distributed to students in the near future. “Quest Diagnostics has a national presence and a proven track record of experience in the screening, testing and ability to deliver results promptly to students wherever they are located. This is a critical step we are taking to safeguard the health of our campus before classes begin on Aug. 24. It also affords the College the opportunity to establish a baseline for the overall health of our community and the ability to benchmark trends throughout the semester. The Quest Diagnostics partnership is an integral component of our return to campus plan. Coupled with additional on-campus testing measures and protocols that monitor and maintain the health and safety of our community, we’re doing all that we can to mitigate risk associated with the virus,” College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. In response to COVID-19, Quest Diagnostics is expanding their services to institutions of higher learning as they prepare to bring students back to campus. Quest is a preferred partner of Allegheny Health Network (AHN.) Grove City College recently signed on to AHN’s Physician Consultant Program, which provides expert advice and best practices guidance to businesses and institutions in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. LEARN MORE>>

UPDATE: July 10, 2020
College partners with AHN to prepare for safe and healthy fall return
Grove City College is collaborating with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) to protect students and employees as in-person instruction and residence life resume on campus in the fall. The College recently signed a partnership agreement with AHN’s Physician Consult for Business program, which will provide tailored guidance from medical and public health experts on best practices to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the campus community. Under the program, the College will retain an AHN physician consultant who will advise and support administrators and staff on best practices to prevent the virus and respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Through a designated consulting physician, Grove City College will have access to a chief medical officer and an advisory board of medical professionals with expertise in infection prevention, infectious diseases, mental and behavioral health, laboratory medicine and employee health, primary care and wellness. Allegheny Health Network, a leading medical provider in the region, initiated the Physician Consult for Business program as part of their effort to deal with the coronavirus pandemic as businesses return to work under state and federal mandates and guidelines. LEARN MORE>>

UPDATE: June 18, 2020
Guidance issued regarding the Fall Semester schedule
Students will not return to campus after the Thanksgiving break.  Instead, there will be one week of online classes beginning on November 30 prior to finals.  In order to replace the instructional days of December 7-9, classes will be held on Monday and Tuesday, November 23 and 24, of Thanksgiving week and on Labor Day.  We will also cancel the fall break on October 15 and 16 to limit student travel out of the area.  Alternative off days will be scheduled which will most likely be October 2 (day before Homecoming) and October 13.

VIEW MODIFIED ACADEMIC CALENDAR

UPDATE: June 4, 2020
Working groups established to continue planning for fall return
The Fall Return Planning Committee has formed six working groups to tackle the hundreds of issues that must be addressed.  The groups are:  Residential Life and Dining, Health, Academic Life, Athletics, Campus Life, and Operations and Employees.  The Committee’s goal is to have a comprehensive written plan for a safe and healthy first semester finalized no later than August 3.  We expect to issue important information in July as the full plan is being developed.  

UPDATE: May 11, 2020
College prepares for return to classes on August 24
Grove City College will open as scheduled for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 24 with protocols in place to protect the health and safety of students, employees and the larger community in light of the coronavirus pandemic, College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 announced today.

McNulty has assembled a cross-disciplinary Fall Return Planning Committee to identify and address key campus and community concerns associated with the return of students and develop and implement a comprehensive plan that ensures an excellent academic and residential experience in the fall.

“It is our intention to return to our distinctive residential program in compliance with applicable government directives and relevant guidelines to protect the health and safety our entire community. The College is now marshaling resources – including on-campus expertise alongside outside community health services to chart a safe path to the start of a new fall semester,” McNulty said. “Students and families should know that Grove City College is determined to be prepared to the best of its ability to deliver the learning and living experience for which it is so highly regarded.”

Comprised of administrators, faculty and staff, the committee chaired by President McNulty will formulate extensive plans that support the continuity and quality of the College’s core functions – academic affairs, student activities, athletics, dining and residence halls, career services and more.  Best practices involving testing, contact tracing, monitoring, social distancing, separation and enhanced cleaning will be fully considered and addressed by the committee.  The Fall Return Planning Committee includes:

• Dr. Peter Frank ’95, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Michael Buckman ’82, Vice President for Business & Finance
• Joseph Cirelli, Assistant Dean of Student Life
• Dr. John Coyne ’04, Associate Dean of Student Life
• Jonathan DiBenedetto, Director of Residence Life
• Dr. Vincent F. DiStasi '88, Vice President for Information Technology, Chief Information Officer
• Michael Duda ’95, Risk and Insurance Specialist
• JonErik Germadnik, General Manager Bon Appetit
• Todd Gibson '02, Director of Athletics
• Susan Grimm, Environmental Health & Safety Specialist
• Larry Hardesty, Vice President for Student Life and Learning
• Dr. John Inman, Vice President for Enrollment Services and Registrar
• Dr. Paul Kemeny, Dean of the Calderwood School of Arts & Letters
• Dr. Charles E. Kriley ’88, Professor of Chemistry
• James M. Lopresti, Vice President for Operations
• Melissa MacLeod ’96, Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations
• Jacquelyn Muller, Senior Director of Communications
• Dr. Constance N. Nichols ’93, Professor of Education and Department Chair
• Amy Pagano, Director of Zerbe Health & Wellness Center
• Johanna Paul ’12, Visit Coordinator Admissions
• Zachary Pitcher ’17, Chapel Programming Director
• Dr. Richard Savage, Dean of the Hopeman School of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Dr. Kevin S. Seybold, Professor of Psychology and Department Chair
• Betty Tallerico, Assistant to the President
• Dr. Jeffrey Tedford ’00, Associate Professor of Music and Department Chair
• Marci Wagner, Director of Human Resources
• Michelle Williams ’01, Director of Financial Services
• Lee Wishing ‘83, Vice President for Student Recruitment
• Dr. Brian Yowler, Assistant Professor of Biology