Robert and Cynthia Van Druff, longtime supporters of Penn State Greater Allegheny have pledged $100,000 to create the Robert A. Van Druff and Cynthia A. Dawso Van Druff LaunchBox Endowment
Penn State President Eric J. Barron and Penn State Greater Allegheny Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Jacqueline Edmondson were joined by University, local, county and state leaders for the Ostermayer Laboratory ribbon cutting on Sept. 9 on the Greater Allegheny campus.
The Penn State Office for General Education has announced the selection of seven Penn State faculty who will serve as new advisers and program leaders and will help to build high-impact teaching and learning practices in general education across the institution. The seven new members will serve three-year terms as part of a team of 16 general education faculty scholars.
In a move designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 on Penn State campuses, the union representing about 2,600 technical service employees, has agreed to follow University requirements for mask-wearing, regardless of vaccination status. The agreement goes into effect immediately.
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 conditions around the country and in Pennsylvania, effective immediately (Aug. 4), Penn State will require all students, faculty, staff and visitors — including those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated — to wear masks indoors at all campuses. Within the last 24 hours, many counties that are home to Penn State campuses have shifted to “orange” status, warranting an immediate adjustment to the University’s on-campus masking requirement.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Equity Pedagogy Network increased its reach to four campuses, nine collaborating centers and units and also hosts 130 faculty with about 100 members involved in one of their working groups. Casually referred to as "the Network," the group aims to improve societal outcomes for all students and faculty via improved teaching and learning on equity, bias and diversity.
With goals to enable access to education, engage students, and foster and embrace a diverse world, the Penn State Equity Pedagogy Network works to support and enhance the racial equity work of faculty, staff and administrators across Penn State by developing a community for resource-sharing, collaborative inquiry and reflective practice.
Penn State is planning a phased return over the summer semester to a full on-campus learning environment for fall 2021. The University’s priorities continue to be the health and well-being of its students, faculty, staff and local communities, and the plans for expanded in-person classes have the flexibility built in to quickly respond to changing pandemic conditions, if necessary.
Penn State has decided to delay the start of in-person classes and transition to a fully remote learning environment for the beginning of the spring 2021 semester at all campus locations. This decision was made following extensive analysis and scenario planning given worsening virus conditions nationally and across the state indicating predictions of rising hospitalization rates in the coming weeks.
Plans for Penn State’s Spring 2021 semester, announced Oct. 4, include a later start in January; continuation of the current flexible instructional modes, including in-person; the elimination of spring break; and completion of instruction for all undergraduate and graduate students by April 30. The University will maintain its observance of Martin Luther King Jr. day on Jan. 18 for students and faculty, when no classes will be held and Dr. King’s legacy will be celebrated through a number of virtual events.
