President Iuliano advised the community that Gettysburg College would be extending spring break until March 22.
Dear Members of the Gettysburg College Community,
In December, the first reports of a novel strain of the Coronavirus emerged. As you know, the virus has since rapidly spread and raised unprecedented questions for governments and institutions throughout the world, including for institutions of higher education. At the College, we have been closely monitoring the situation in coming to judgments about how best to advance the educational growth of our students in an environment that places the highest priority on their safety and well-being.
With these objectives in mind, the College has decided to extend Spring Break for students through Sunday, March 22. The additional week will provide us with the opportunity to understand more fully the evolution of the outbreak, including now that the first cases have been reported in Pennsylvania. It will also enable us to be as best positioned as possible to resume classes, whether in person or online, as anticipated on March 23.
We recognize that any adjustment to the academic schedule is disruptive to students and their families, and we do not come to this decision lightly. We also recognize that this decision raises a set of operational, financial, and logistical questions, about which we will have more to say shortly. For now, however, we wanted to convey the decision to extend spring break as soon as possible to give students and families the opportunity to make plans.
As we work through the issues presented by this global situation, we will always have as our touchstone the best interests of our students, both educationally and as a matter of their well-being. Given the commitment of our faculty and the entire institution to our students, I am confident that our path forward will uphold the best traditions of this College.
Thank you.
Bob Iuliano
President