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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Updates as of 5/8/2020: Move Out Program


Now that Governor Wolf has listed Lawrence County as a yellow zone, we are prepared to roll out a highly controlled move out process. Below is information regarding this process. Questions should be directed to residencelife@westminster.edu

Move out will begin Wednesday, May 13 and is tentatively scheduled for the month of May. Students MUST make an appointment as only 5 students per building will be permitted to move out at one time. Students living in traditional halls will have 4 hours appointments for move out; Berlin Village residents will have 6-hour slots. Those slots are as follows:

Traditional Halls:

  • 8:00 am – 12pm
  • 12:30pm – 4:30pm
  • 5:00pm – 9:00pm

Berlin Village:

  • 8:00am – 2:00pm
  • 2:30p – 8:30pm

  Schedule an Appointment Now

Protocol for Highly Controlled Move Out

Social Distancing Requirements

In compliance with social distancing practices that diminishes the spread of COVID-19, please follow these instructions:

  • It is imperative you arrive and depart at your designated times. Doing so will allow everyone to follow the governor’s mandate for social distancing.
  • Overnight accommodations will not be provided. Please plan your stay with a local hotel or other alternative places.
  • No more than two helpers may accompany you: 1 resident plus 2 helpers.
  • Practice social distancing by maintaining 6 feet between each person while on campus.
  • Masks must be worn while on campus.

If you or anyone in your household is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, DO NOT return to campus to check out. Contact residencelife@westminster.edu for alternate options.

What to Bring With You

Please be aware, volunteers to help carry items, handcarts, and dollies will not be available. You should plan to arrive with any supplies such as:

  • Masks
  • Boxes and packing materials
  • Room keys
  • Mailroom key – Check your mail; students not returning to WC should return their key at the mailroom
  • Library books – Return at bookdrop outside library
  • Lending library books – Return to Office of Faith and Spirituality, MCC
  • Borrowed laptops –LIS will contact you to make return arrangements

Keys: If you left your key at home, you can return the key by mailing it to Student Affairs at this address: Student Affairs 319 South Market Street New Wilmington, PA 16172 Please e-mail: residencelife@westminster.edu with Key Mailed in the subject line. Be sure to tape the key to the inside of your envelope, use a padded envelope or wrap the key in paper. Please do so within 14 days of departure.

Move Out Day Details

  • When arriving on campus, park in the lot nearest your building. Please be respectful of designated parking spaces designated by the Department of Public Safety.
    • Pack up your belongings
    • Move your vehicle to the entrance loading zone only when you are ready to load.
  • Be mindful of the extra work by custodians and put your trash in the dumpsters nearest your building (see locations below).
  • Athletes will be able to access their lockers in Memorial Fieldhouse and musicians will be able to access their lockers in the School of Music. Please call Public Safety for building access once you completely move out of your room.
  • Traditional Halls: Keys can be returned in the building lobby. Write your name and room number on the provided envelopes and place it in the box.
  • Berlin Village: Place your key in the labeled key packet and leave on the kitchen counter.

Alternative Move Out Methods

  1. Pack and Ship: If you live 6 hours or further away, have extenuating circumstances and would like your room packed and shipped at no cost to you, e-mail residencelife@westminster.edu with your name, address, a phone number where you can be reached and the words Pack and Ship in the subject line. Someone will contact you and walk you through the process.

  2. Pack and Store: Students who live 6 hours or further away and have extenuating circumstances can have their items packed and stored. Items such as small fridges, small end tables, lamps, microwaves, small storage bins and linen as examples. E-mail residencelife@westminster.edu with your name, residence hall, room number, (or Berlin Townhouse and room number) a phone number where you can be reached, and the words Pack and Store in the subject line. Someone will contact you about the process.

  3. Same Room Storage Students who were approved during housing selection for a Same Room Storage and any current Berlin Village resident who will be residing in the same Townhouse in the Fall can leave their items in their room. E-mail residencelife@westminster.edu with your name, residence hall, room number, (or Berlin Townhouse and room number) a phone number where you can be reached, and the words Same Room Storage in the subject line. Someone will contact you to confirm.

If you have a need that differs from any of the above options, email residencelife@westminster.edu with your detailed situation and request.

Mail Forwarding and Packages

Please check your campus mailbox before you officially leave. Any USPS 1st class mail delivered to campus will be forwarded to your permanent address at no cost. Mail cannot be forwarded to international addresses. For any packages delivered by carriers other than USPS, please contact Carmelina shockec@westminster.edu for assistance with this process. The mailroom will be open Monday – Friday 10a – 6p.

 

Financial Support


Bring Back the Titans

We know that many of our students and their families have been impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. But we want you to know that we are passionate about keeping all our students on their paths to graduation. To that end, more than 600 Westminster College alumni, friends, and employees donated to a special effort to provide additional funding to students whose families’ incomes were impacted by COVID-19, along with generous support from the May Emma Hoyt Foundation. To date, over $1 million has been committed to our ‘Bring Back the Titans’ campaign.

If you are a returning student whose financial circumstances have been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is help available. You may apply for additional financial aid for the coming academic year. Please complete the Special Circumstances Financial Appeal form as soon as possible and provide the relevant documentation so that your request can be considered. We want to help bring our Titans back!

Please Note: While the Bring Back the Titans campaign is for our returning students, we know that some of our new students--those who plan to begin their Westminster educations in the fall of 2020--have also been financially affected by the pandemic. If you are an incoming student whose financial situation has recently changed due to COVID-19, you are also strongly encouraged to complete the Special Circumstances Financial Appeal form and to provide the relevant documentation so we can review your financial aid offer.

  CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting

Information for Students



Spring 2020 Grading Policy

Please see the grading policy below that is now in effect for spring 2020 courses. You should read the entire page carefully so that you can make the best decisions for your situation.

Please know that our faculty, staff, and administration care deeply about your overall well-being, and want you to be successful. We know that this is a difficult time for many due to circumstances out of our control. I think that if you had heard the thoughtful and caring discussions among our faculty that led to this policy, it would have reinforced your pride in the Westminster community.

We do not anticipate that opting into the alternative grading system will disrupt financial aid offers, but if you have any questions about that, then feel free to contact Financial Aid at finaid@westminster.edu.
  Spring 2020 Grading Policy


Wellness Center Services

Counseling Services and Wellness Coaching

Changes to our normal routines and the uncertainty of what lies ahead with the current COVID-19 pandemic can cause stress and anxiety. While students are away from campus due to the coronavirus response plan, the Wellness Center will offer remote services for students. Please contact the Wellness Center at 724-946-7927 to learn more about remote services. If you experience a mental health crisis or emergency while away from campus, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
  Community Resources & Support for Students at Home


Academic Success Center – Tutoring and Academic Coaching

Please use the following steps to create and attend an online tutoring or academic coaching appointment:

  • Book a tutoring appointment using the link on D2L or on the Academic Success Center website.
  • Once you schedule an appointment, the Peer Tutor will schedule a Zoom meeting time that corresponds with the booked appointment time.
  • You will receive an email invitation for the meeting at the designated time. Join the meeting using that link.
  • Tutoring sessions will remain 45 minutes long. You must schedule an appointment at least 12 hours in advance. Please have a plan for what work or material you’d like to cover during the session.
  • Group sessions can be scheduled; you should indicate the names of the students who should be included in the session on the “notes” section of the booking page. Zoom limits group meetings with 3 or more people to 40 minutes long.

Tutoring sessions will remain 45 minutes long. You must schedule an appointment at least 12 hours in advance. Please have a plan for what work or material you’d like to cover during the session.

Group sessions can be scheduled; you should indicate the names of the students who should be included in the session on the “notes” section of the booking page. Zoom limits group meetings with 3 or more people to 40 minutes long.

  ASC Virtual Learning Guide


Disability Resources

Disability Resources will continue to provide support to students and faculty as we move to an online format. The office continues its work to remove barriers for students both on campus and in online courses. Students can reach Faith Craig at 724-946-7192 or at craigfa@westminster.edu with any concerns.

LIS Help

The LIS Help Desk hours will be:
  Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

*If you wish to submit a work order please email helpdesk@westminster.edu or login to our user portal https://support.westminster.edu. In the unlikely event that you are unable to access the portal or send us an email, we will make every effort to answer your call at 724-946-6000.

  Microsoft Office Download Information


McGill Library

Due to the new restrictions mandated by the state, the library will be closed starting March 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Checked out books:
  • Contact helpdesk@westminster.edu if you currently have books checked out so we can renew them until you are allowed back on campus.
  • Please note that no one will incur fines. Even if you get an automatic notification, we just ask that you return the books when you are back on campus.
Interlibrary loans (ILL):
  • If you currently have ILL books, don’t worry about them. They will be due back when students are allowed back on campus.
  • From this point on, only electronic/article and book chapter requests will be processed.
Laptop checkouts:
  • Students who do not have access to a desktop/laptop should contact helpdesk@westminster.edu as soon as possible to request a long term laptop loan. You can also stop by the library Tuesday March 17 only.
  • Laptop pickup will be Tuesday, March 17 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the LIS Help Desk.
  • All students taking a laptop out of the library will need to sign a waiver taking on responsibility for any damage done to the device while checked out.
Additional resources:
  • Our physical resources will not be available after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2020, but you will still be able to access e-books, online journals, streaming media, and more from off campus. Instructions for accessing resources from off campus can be found here: https://libguides.westminster.edu/offcampusaccess.
  • If you need help with research papers, capstone, etc., Librarians are still available via email and are working on setting up reference hours (stay tuned for more info!). Expect an email from the library director Jamie Kohler soon with more detailed information about library resources and services.

Public Safety

Public Safety continues to be scheduled around the clock. Contact them at (724) 946-7777.

 

 

Events


All public events scheduled on campus are being cancelled or postponed.

The events listed below will be offered online only.

Information for Employees


  Department of Labor Families First Coronavirus Response Act

  Official Westminster Virtual Backgrounds

College employees are to continue to work from home until further notice. You will be official notified by the College when Governor Wolf's mandate is lifted and can safely return to work.

Category One


Has a personal machine at home and is willing to use it for work. IMPORTANT...we are not requiring anyone to use their personal computer for their Westminster work.

Description: Uses Microsoft Office products, accesses my.westminster.edu, email, Internet, and Westminster cloud-based resources like D2L, occasional need to access network drives (P:, V:, N)

  1. You will use the Webmail (Outlook WebApp) to check your email
  2. If you need to access a file on a network drive (P:, V:, N:) you can use the Network Files Portal

Category Two


Using a College-owned machine with VPN access

Description: Uses Microsoft Office products, accesses my.westminster.edu, email, Internet, and Westminster cloud-based resources like D2L, and needs continual access to network drives (P:, V:, N)

  1. You will take home the computer, monitor, mouse and keyboard that you use on a daily basis. You will be required to send me an email to let me know what equipment you are taking home.
  2. You will need to download and install the VPN client on your machine. Instructions coming.

Category Three


Heavy EX users

Description: EX client users that are using EX all day

  1. We are working on procuring laptops that can be used to remote into your office desktop. There is a very limited amount of laptops. If we are unable to get a laptop for you, you will fall into category two.

 

  Available Technology Resources

LIS Help is still the main contact if you have any issues. Email helpdesk@westminster.edu or open a ticket at support.westminster.edu

Between March 18 and March 31 the buildings will be locked. If you need access contact your supervisor.

For those covered by the College’s UPMC Health Plan, all co-pay, coinsurance and deductible expenses associated with COVID-19 testing have been waived.

For the next 90 days (March 11, 2020 – June 11, 2020), UPMC Health Plan will waive all UPMC Health Plan member cost-sharing, including deductibles or co-payments for AnywhereCare visits.

All College-sponsored travel is suspended, including but not limited to conference attendance, training and development and grant-supported travel.

Code of Conduct for Online Class Sessions

Students have the right to express themselves and participate freely in online class sessions. However, they are expected to treat each other and the instructor with courtesy and respect. Offensive or inappropriate language is not to be used in any form of communication e.g., emails, discussion postings, group projects, submitted assignments. Students are allowed to disagree with each other or the instructor, but must do so in a civil and appropriate manner.

Some instructors may use the discussion area of D2L or other platforms, and that discussion area is reserved for postings related to course work only. Postings of a personal or nonacademic nature are not permitted and may be removed by the instructor. Grades and personal issues should be handled by private email to the instructor.

Students are expected to submit work which is their own, following Westminster College’s academic integrity policy. Plagiarism or cheating will not be tolerated for any assignment or assessment, and violations will be sanctioned. Students may view the College’s policy in either the Undergraduate Catalog or the Student Handbook.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend online sessions just as if they were on campus. Instructors are able to track your activities on D2L, and you will be expected to log in to your course regularly to remain current with the course material and assignments. Attendance in online classes is defined by federal regulation on distance learning as the active participation in an online discussion forum, digital submission of a writing assignment, or a completion of a quiz/test/exam.