Residential information for First-Year and Transfer Students

Danielle Phillips, Director of Residential and First-Year Programs, provides First-Year and Transfer Students with details of the process to remain on campus through the de-densification plan.

Email announcement

Good afternoon First-Year and Transfer students,

This email includes important follow-up information to President Iuliano’s email announcing the reduction in density of the student body on campus to address the rise in COVID-19 cases. As stated in that communication, you are all part of the cohort of students who are approved to remain in residence this semester. The importance of providing you with the ability to make connections to the College, the campus, and each other was central to this decision. It is worth underscoring that the College possesses the capacity and resources to support your health and safety, while also continuing to provide you with a rigorous academic experience.

There will be a number of phases to the de-densification plan, and we want to share them with you so that you understand what the coming weeks will entail for you.

• At this time, the all-student quarantine remains in place. This coming week, during the de-densification process, daily updates regarding the status of the quarantine will be provided. Daily arrangements have been made for students to go outside and access fresh air. Please continue to check your email for these ongoing updates and opportunities.
• You will continue to be able to get grab-and-go meals at the Dining Center from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Times vary by day and location so please check the Dining Services website.
• After our remote cohort of students have departed campus, there will be a period of relocation for many of you. The College will be providing all of you with a single bedroom for the remainder of the semester. This relocation will occur after classes have resumed. More information about this relocation will be forthcoming. For now, you are to remain in your current housing location.
• The Residential & First-Year Programs (RFYP) office in partnership with the Student Success Advocates (SSAs) will be reaching out to First-Year students in the coming week. More information will be provided about this in the coming days.
• Once the all-student quarantine is lifted, in-person classes, events, and activities will resume as allowed by state regulations. Many virtual opportunities will also continue to be available.
• Going forward, anyone who has a documented violation of the Student Health Agreement (which includes hosting any social events) will be subject to removal from campus via remote study or suspension.

In order to assist you in understanding what opportunities will be available to you while remaining on campus, please see the following information as it relates to the coming weeks/months:

• The Office of Student Activities & Greek Life (OSAGL) and Campus Recreation are working to develop a variety of activities for students to engage in next week as the College pivots to its new operational model. We are committed to providing outdoor activities that will allow you to continue to connect with one another while we implement a new programming model for the rest of the semester. More information about these activities will be available before the end of the current all-student quarantine.
• Looking beyond next week, OSAGL and Campus Recreation are committed to providing regular and reoccurring in-person, interest-based programming, such as DIY activities, movie nights, fitness programs, intramurals, club sports, watch parties, outdoor activities, weekly trivia nights, etc. To help us to best support your interests, please log in to https://engage.gettysburg.edu and select the interests that most appeal to you. We will then facilitate introductions and/or programming around these topics to help you to find your community within the larger Gettysburg College community. If you are interested in helping us plan and facilitate programs, please reach out to osagl@gettysburg.edu.
• Once the all-student quarantine is lifted, Dining Services will also begin the process to return to a more typical level of service while still maintaining the appropriate safeguards such as physical distancing and Plexiglas barriers. Some upcoming options may include availability of in-room dining, made-to-order sandwiches, additional sauté line items, carving stations, and a made-to-order fruit and yogurt bar. Our dining staff is already working to plan some special theme night dinners.
• For student-athletes, coaches will be engaging any athlete who remains on campus. Athletic activity will begin for each team as soon as possible. The Jaeger Center and pool will reopen under the same conditions it has been operating. 

We are excited to spend the remainder of this semester on campus with you and hope that you will choose to stay residential. If for any reason, you decide that you would like to shift to studying remotely for the remainder of the semester, we can provide information that allows you to do so.

All first-year and transfer students must complete this form to inform the institution whether you will accept or decline the opportunity to remain on campus.

Please complete the form by Monday, September 7, at noon. If you fail to complete the form, the institution will assume that you have declined the ability to remain in residence, and you will be asked to move out of your residence hall.

If you decide to decline the opportunity to remain on campus and wish to study remotely, it is important for you to review this email for important instruction related to moving out of your residence hall and off campus. The email provides specifics for where to return your key, the timeline for moving out, move-out restrictions, and helpful reminders.

If you have any questions, please contact the phone bank at 717-337-8800 during the following times:

• Friday, September 4: 3 - 9 p.m.
• Saturday, September 5: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Sunday, September 6: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

We are looking forward to an exciting remainder of the semester together.

Be well.

Danielle Phillips
Director of Residential and First-Year Programs