8 20 186 https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/7c446b6d23c50756bb38b04e22e24112.pdf a0af969e5b73faedf67d9a57bc585647 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Summary for May 13 Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to SRU faculty and staff about important campus updates Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-05-13 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/4e8554098daa1ba62e07e9988e1ec4ca.pdf 3b372bea221c670cdd12f7ae54f7c5bb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Summary for May 22 Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to SRU faculty and staff about important campus updates Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-05-22 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/9e247295ea2c1b2b890abeda650f271f.pdf 2da62676eef9d47ba86d7e241cf5f1b6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Summary for May 4 Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to SRU faculty and staff about important campus updates Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-05-04 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/d7a8495bc551ea1fab4d374764c62088.pdf 7c871021b4b80ee49e287249db2aa07e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Summary for May 6 Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to SRU faculty and staff about important campus updates Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-05-06 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/4f429e5506d0d738ee6bdc6fcc3ae763.pdf 67fc0eb52a229cb8cf287fcc7d20c0fc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Summary for May 8 Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to SRU community about important campus updates Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Office of the President Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-05-08 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/34b418f81356071ad16ce55c9ae76a9d.pdf 1bc4a7233ad3718364d773f3e0ef58f7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Support Services Description An account of the resource Email from Student Affairs to SRU students describing how student support services will be available remotely Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-20 Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource SRU Communicatoin Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/3e2db8d85c9268edd6f452bc1995de26.pdf f728ca00cb647934cace30e3bd86d90d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document National Student Employee Appreciation Week is April 13-17 and offices and departments on Slippery Rock’s campus have began to recognize their student workers through social media. The Office for Inclusive Excellence (OIE), Payroll and Student Employment and other offices celebrated their student employees with posts of their pictures and names on social media, such as Twitter. Although student workers aren’t on campus, they are still working remotely with their superiors. Amy Kayser, a second year graduate student in the master of public health program with a major concentration in health promotion and wellness, is a graduate assistant with the enrollment services office. Kayser manages Slippery Rock’s social media account including Youtube, Instagram and Twitter as well as helping the office manage the SRU Students account on Twitter. “I really love working with students and getting to hear all their stories,” Kayser said. “Part of the job is to produce the SRU success story videos that you may have seen floating around the internet. I really get to learn where students come from and how their background feeds into their success at Slippery Rock.” Similarly to Kayser and her enjoyment of working with students, Emma Burgman, a senior public relations major, worked with housing and residence life and is currently a social media specialist at the Office for Community Engaged Learning. Burgman said that she loved going to work and being able to talk with her boss and work with the graphic designer at the office. Although a senior, Burgman is working remotely, mainly to train the next student who will take over her position. Burgman started in the position when she was a sophomore and holds a place on the media and outreach team where she runs the social media accounts and keeps a favorable image of the different programs offered. “I get to graduate with experience in the field I want to go into,” Burgman said. “My second [favorite part] would be the community of the office. Everyone is so supportive and it wasn’t like they are my coworkers, they are my friends too.” A common theme following the community of student workers on campus is friendship, and Gabby Yannellio, a sophomore public relations major, agrees. Yannellio works for the Payroll and Student Employment Office and helps with marketing materials, assisting students with applying for jobs and going through their paperwork. “All of my coworkers have gotten me out of my shell,” Yannellio said. Although these students are missing the campus community and their coworkers, they are still working remotely during the semester. Kayser said that her job doesn’t ever stop and that social media is 24/7 and constantly has to be checking the accounts. “..it’s stressful, especially during this pandemic,” Kayser said. “At first, a lot of people were tweeting at Slippery Rock wondering where their money is, where this is at, or what are we going to do? It’s difficult to not always have those answers as a graduate assistant.” Also managing social media accounts is Burgman, who said that she is currently focusing on handing over the position to another student, which was in the process before classes moved online. Burgman is also letting students know through the social media accounts that the Office for Community Engaged Learning is still there for them. “To anybody, especially underclassmen, when it comes to employment, branch out and see what is out there,” Burgman said. “There is a lot of opportunities on campus and honestly, I didn’t think I would be graduating with the experience that I had.” Gaining valuable experience through student employment is something that Gabby Yannellio is familiar with. Before taking her position as the Payroll and Student Employment Office, she worked a little bit with the President’s Commission for Gender Identity and Expression and Sexual Orientation (GIESO). “You have to interact with students all day and all the people I work with are really outgoing,” Yannellio said. From home, Yannellio creates content for the Payroll and Student Employment Office, keeping in touch with her supervisor and sending drafts back and forth. Although the employees are missing their on campus jobs and their coworkers, all agree that searching for a job on campus is a good way to gain experience and establish a connection with the campus community. “If you’re looking for an opportunity to really make yourself well-rounded and build your connections, friendships and professional relationships, then student employment is the way to go,” Kayser said. “I really think that some of the most fun jobs out there are on our campus.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU supports student employees Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the campus life section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-04-17 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hope Hoehler Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/5efb87bf3dcc49bb0e325dfc1677d0ee.pdf 2336415c941de7de2a77770fcfa374f1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document This story is no longer being updated as of March 12 at 4 p.m. For the most up-to-date information, please read our coverage on SRU’s spring break extension and the status of 14 schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. UPDATE (MARCH 12, 12:04 p.m.) – Mansfield suspends face-to-face instruction one week, will transition to online classes Mansfield University has become the final university in the PASSHE to alter its educational instruction due to COVID-19. In an online statement from Mansfield President Charles E. Patterson Thursday, the university announced it was suspending face-to-face instruction for one week to prepare for a transition to online instruction. All courses, except for online which will continue as scheduled, will resume on Monday, March 23 in an online format. The statement said the university was not closing but using the week of March 16 to prepare for the shift to online learning. Mansfield students will have the choice to either stay in their residence halls or move out and return to their homes. The opportunity of a choice comes from Mansfield realizing that no two students have the same situation. However, students who stay on campus will likely be consolidated to one or two dorms, using appropriate social spacing measures. Campus resources for students choosing to remain on campus will remain available. On-campus events that are attended by, or coordinated with, external visitors will he evaluated at a case-by-case basis, and PSAC Athletic events will continue with enhanced precaution. Internships, clinicals, field experiences and student teaching assignments will continue as expected, barring a suspension of the host organization. UPDATE (MARCH 12, 11:32 p.m.) – Indiana (Pa.) suspends face-to-face instruction until March 23 Indiana University (Pa.) announced Thursday through an email from IUP President Michael A. Driscoll to students that all face-to-face instruction has been suspended until March 23. The statement stressed that IUP’s campus is not closing as faculty and staff will report to campus to continue efforts to restructure classes and events to fit recommended health guidelines. The decision comes in order to allow time for faculty to alter courses to minimize the risk of disease transmission while still meeting educational objectives. All on-campus through April 19 that are expected to draw more 75 people will be canceled, restructured or postponed. IUP asked students to not return to campus or the residence halls until March 21 or 22. IUP will continue to monitor the situation. UPDATE (MARCH 12, 11:25 p.m.) – Clarion suspends face-to-face instruction indefinitely Clarion University announced Thursday morning that face-to-face instruction has been suspended until further notice, according to an online statement from Clarion President Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson. The statement said that classes will continue online or in an alternative setting, based on what each individual faculty or staff member decides. Students have been given the choice to either stay on campus or return to their homes to complete coursework, and the university urges students to make the best decision for their individual situations. All campus offices and services will remain open, which includes student housing, library services and other student services. While all university events have been cancelled, a statement in regard to athletics will be released later. UPDATE (MARCH 11, 8:05 p.m.) – Cheyney extends spring break by one week, California modifies schedule Cheyney University administration extended its spring break by one week. The university anticipates that on-campus classes will resume as normal on March 23. Students should report back by March 23 unless notified otherwise. “Next week, we will determine whether courses will be conducted in-person or remotely for the rest of the semester,” Cheyney’s online statement reads. “Should circumstances warrant that courses be taught remotely, we will notify the Cheyney community. Until that point, we are operating under the assumption that classes will be taught in-person. All current online courses will continue as normal and will resume on March 23.” Cheyney faculty and staff are to report on March 16. California University has extended its spring break for on-campus students until March 27. Online classes will continue as scheduled on March 16 and beginning March 30, and all on-campus classes will resume through online and distance learning. The current anticipated return to on-campus classes in April 13. UPDATE (MARCH 11, 7:00 p.m.) – Mansfield decides to proceed as normal Mansfield University has decided to proceed with business as usual, citing an early spring break and a rural campus, in regard to the threat of COVID-19, the university announced Wednesday in an online statement. Mansfield is preparing for the possibility of moving classes online and has begun planning for such a change with its Academic Affairs leadership and faculty union. All university-sponsored travel for faculty, staff and students, excluding athletics, has been cancelled. The university is encouraging faculty, staff and students to stay in the community on weekends. Mansfield will assess all on-campus events internal to the campus population to ensure the health and well-being of all on campus. These events include student-run clubs, organizations, intramural sports and non-credit experiences. Dining hall access has been restricted to just faculty, staff and students. UPDATE (MARCH 11, 6:15 p.m.) – Lock Haven suspends classes following spring break Lock Haven University became the ninth university in the PASSHE to alter its instruction plans over the rest of the semester when the university put out a formal statement Wednesday evening. Face-to-face instruction will be suspended following LHU’s spring break, and the week of March 16 will be used for faculty and staff to prepare for classes to resume online on March 23. The online instruction will continue until April 3, with face-to-face courses resuming on April 6 — which is subject to change. “This is a pre-emptive action aimed at preventing the potential spread of what the World Health Organization has designated a global pandemic and federal officials warn will worsen across the country,” LHU President Robert Pignatello said in the statement. “So, early interventions like this, which are consistent with many campuses here in PA and elsewhere, matter.” Students will be expected to live off-campus temporarily with the residence halls expected to house only a select number of students. Students needing to live on campus between March 16 and April 4 must provide a justified reason for staying. All university-sponsored events, athletics excluded, will be cancelled until April 3 and visitors to the university will be limited. All university offices will remain open but hours may be limited. UPDATE (March 11, 3:00 p.m.) – Clarion monitors outbreak Clarion University announced Wednesday afternoon that they are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak while students are on spring break. Clarion students returned from spring break on Monday, March 9. The university is operating on a normal schedule as of March 10. “While most of the PASSHE universities are on spring break this week, ours was last week, making our situation different. The location and size, as well as current conditions in the areas near campuses, dictate how each campus makes those decisions. At this point in time, conditions do not indicate a benefit to suspending our face-to-face instruction,” Clarion President Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson said in an email. Pehrsson said the university will monitor Gov. Wolf’s coronavirus update with legislative leaders and Secretary of Health Rachel Levine and adjust plans if necessary. UPDATE (March 11, 1:40 p.m.) – Slippery Rock extends spring break for two weeks SRU is the eighth PASSHE school to modify its instruction. Spring break is extended for two weeks until March 30. During the next two weeks, faculty will receive training on how to move their courses online. According to a document of frequently-asked questions attached to President William Behre’s email, on-campus classes will “probably not” resume after spring break. For more information, see our breaking news post: “SRU extends spring break by two weeks, instruction to most likely move online.” UPDATE (March 11, 12:45 p.m.) – Kutztown extends spring break Kutztown University President Kenneth Hawkinson announced via a campus alert that classes will be suspended until March 23. “Faculty should be available for student inquiries, and use the extra time to prepare to deliver courses online, should it be necessary to take further action beyond March 21,” Hawkinson said in an online statement. Residence halls are closed until March 22 at 1 p.m. but will be available for students who need housing for internships for credit, clinicals and student teaching assignments. Administrative offices will operate under their regular operating schedules. Athletic events will continue as scheduled, and all campus events for next week will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. All university-sponsored travel is also cancelled until further notice. UPDATE (March 11, 11:45 a.m.) – East Stroudsburg extends spring break In an email sent to students at 11:19 a.m. Wednesday morning, East Stroudsburg University administration announced that spring break will be extended by one week. “It is important to know that our campus is not closed,” ESU President Marcia Walsh said in an email to students. “Our plan to delay the return of students to campus through March 22 is intended to keep our students safe at home while giving our faculty time to convert face-to-face courses to distance education in the event that remote delivery of classes will be required in the week/weeks to follow.” Residence halls will remain open to house a limited number of students, including student athletes, international students and those currently student teaching. Events through March 22 are canceled. Future events will be evaluated as necessary. The extension will allow for the launch of alternative teaching methods if necessary. UPDATE (March 11, 11:00 a.m.) – Shippensburg extends spring break Shippensburg University is the fifth to modify its operating schedule, extending its spring break by one week through March 23. During this extension, faculty members will receive training for online course delivery. Students who need to access to campus are required to complete a form and will have access to the library, the recreation center and certain dining services. Students who can also request housing during this time through the form. Athletic events will continue as scheduled, and officials will review events on a case-by-case basis as needed. Non-essential, university-sponsored travel is cancelled until further notice. UPDATE (March 11, 10:25 a.m.) – Edinboro and Millersville modify schedules Edinboro University is the third PASSHE school to announce a change in its operating schedule. Its spring break has been extended through the week of March 16 and classes will be online March 23-April 5, according to Edinboro President Guiyou Huang. Face-to-face instruction is anticipated to resume on April 6. Online courses will resume as normal on March 16. Students who need to stay on campus are required to complete a form and will have access to the library, dining hall, student center and health center. Students are also able to retrieve their belongings in their residence halls during select hours. There will also be refunds for housing and dining plans on a prorated basis. These details will be shared at a later date. All events through April 5 have been cancelled. As of this time, there are no changes in operations for staff, according to the notice. Millersville University administration also announced Wednesday morning that face-to-face instruction will be suspended after its spring break ends. Spring break will take place from March 14-20 and there will be no face-to-face classes from March 21-27, according to the announcement from Millersville University President Daniel Wubah. “The University will reassess these interim measures on a weekly basis,” Wubah said in the online statement. “We are focused on ensuring our students finish the semester successfully with as little interruption as possible while safeguarding everyone’s health, safety and welfare.” On March 30, instruction will resume via remote instruction. Students are not to report to campus during this time. University staff are to report as usual, and office hours will be held via technology. Day-to-day administrative operations will continue. Faculty will be prepared for remote advising for scheduling summer and fall classes. Online courses will resume as normal after spring break and are not affected by the schedule changes. UPDATE (March 10, 5:40 p.m.) – Bloomsburg extends spring break Bloomsburg University announced Tuesday evening that spring break has been extended by one week. Classes are anticipated to resume March 23. “Out of an abundance of concern for all members of the BU family, we are extending the spring break for our students by one week, with classes anticipated to resume on Monday, March 23,” the message stated. “During this extension, faculty will be provided training, both locally and remotely, specific to online course delivery methods. This will enable continuity of instruction if further delays of our students’ return to campus become warranted.” UPDATE (March 10, 4:20 p.m.) – Kutztown monitors outbreak Kutztown University announced Tuesday afternoon that they are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak while students are on spring break. “The KU Emergency Management Team continues to closely monitor the new coronavirus in our region and beyond. The university is currently on spring break, and there are no reported cases of the new coronavirus on campus. There are no changes to the university operating schedule at this time,” the message stated. Below is the message sent to West Chester University stakeholders, courtesy of a staff member of The Quad, WCU’s student news service. “Please take notice of how students who rely on the university for housing aren’t being addressed in this email, such a[s] students who might experience homelessness or students who are studying internationally. Reimbursement for students who live on campus is not addressed either,” Kirsten Magas, a student at WCU, said in a Twitter message. ORIGINAL POST (March 10, 4 p.m.) As of Tuesday afternoon, West Chester University was the first school in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to modify its academic schedule due to the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. All classes at West Chester University will be held remotely for the rest of the semester. Two universities in Ohio—The Ohio State University and Kent State University—have also announced plans to hold classes online via remote instruction as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the U.S. The announcements come shortly after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency after three Ohio residents tested positive for COVID-19. As of Tuesday, Slippery Rock University administration hasn’t made any decisions regarding the status of on-campus classes after students return from spring break. “The University administration is having on-going discussions relative to that topic,” Robb King, SRU deputy chief communication and public affairs officer, said in an emailed statement. When a definitive answer is available, it will be circulated to all students, faculty and staff as well as media outlets, SRU social media accounts and the University website.” David Wilmes, SRU chief student affairs officer, said university administration is correctly reviewing its contingency plans and will announce if any decisions are made. “The University has multiple contingency plans in place to deal with a wide variety of emergency situations,” Wilmes said in an emailed statement. “We have been reviewing these plans closely while also communicating with the PA State System of Higher Education, the PA Health Department and others. At this time, we are having ongoing dialogues at the highest level on what our decisions will be. Further communication will come from the University if any decisions are made.” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced another presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in a Montgomery County resident, bringing the statewide total to 12. These cases are contained to the eastern side of the state with eight cases in Montgomery County and one each case in Delaware, Monroe, Wayne and Philadelphia Counties. If SRU doesn’t modify its schedule, classes will resume Monday, March 16. Residence halls for students will open Sunday, March 15 at 10 a.m. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU, neighboring universities modify instruction due to coronavirus Description An account of the resource This story was updated in real-time by Rocket staff members as we learned more on how local universities responded to COVID-19. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Rocket Staff Relation A related resource SRU Student Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-10 Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/6a258201271965c092d4040460832817.pdf 808aa8bfe683bde28ebb040a1a2a7f74 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document With the cancellation of all in-person orientation events scheduled for May and June, the Office of Orientation has begun the process of converting orientation to an online experience. Robert Lagnese, who has served as director of orientation for over 20 years, said that orientation is important for building a peer network before incoming freshman begin classes. “We want to make sure the comprehensive orientation experience was still part of their transition because we know that students who participate in orientation have a better likelihood of success and better likelihood of staying with us beyond their first term, Lagnese said. Lagnese’s goals for the online orientation are to mirror a typical orientation agenda and to include interaction with faculty members and the 11 orientation ambassadors. The Office will also ask faculty and campus offices to create videos for this online experience. The web-based orientation will be broken into two different virtual experiences: one for students, and the other for parents. Both experiences will be accessible to all parents and students. Throughout the month of June, the orientation ambassadors will host Zoom sessions on Fridays to answer questions from incoming freshmen and oversee virtual icebreakers as well. Eight of the 11 ambassadors are new to their job, and the majority of the ambassadors are current freshmen. “I think students will quickly engage with it as well and it will give us talking points and the ability to further communicate with students who have similar interests and majors and needs and backgrounds and those kinds of things,” Lagnese said. Lagnese also said the programing will be spread throughout the summer, which was not previously possible with the typical one-day orientation experience. Students will also receive information on their fall schedule, financial aid, CORE and Handshake. While students normally receive their ID cards at orientation, they will receive information on how to get their IDs at a later date. According to the SRU first-year orientation webpage, fall schedules for incoming students should be completed by June 1. Lagnese advises all incoming students and their families to check their emails for more information as it becomes available. “Know that the entire campus has come together to make sure that what we would have done comprehensively in an actual program orientation, we’re going to provide seamlessly through a virtual experience,” Lagnese said. “I would say rest assured that we’re going to give you everything you need when you need it to be successful in your transition here for the fall.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU’s “Passport to Success” orientation experience to go virtual Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-04-29 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hannah Shumsky Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/837c071b388df948dc94b29910c8b28e.pdf 57b20cd3f1e740315e09bb7b7c89a91f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Staff attendance update Description An account of the resource Email to SRU staff from HR concerning remote work and paid administrative leave. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-18 Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource SRU Communication Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/a75071fe329aba5646b0b7b9c9adda8c.pdf 5e1c192a0ae8baff069fc910e017fc64 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Staying healthy during spring break Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Description An account of the resource Email from President William Behre to the university community concerning Spring Break travel and safety. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/fde8cba90daa34b5cee7fd3c102ed447.pdf 13b5d3ecacaf5cc04e27288bb2d47fd6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document The Student Counseling Center and Student Support are still operating through COVID-19 in an online setting and over the phone. Any student needing support can still receive the care and support that they need in a non-face-to-face setting. Kenneth Messina, the director of the Student Counseling Center, said that as of Monday, phone services will be resumed for students who need counseling. “The best way to get set up for phone consultation with one of our counselors would be to email [scc@sru.edu] to schedule an appointment,” Messina said. He said that another thing he refers to a lot is the Psychology Today website, where students can find therapists in their local area while at home. There is a “Therapist Finder” tab on the website. “Students can sort through location, insurance, specialty area and other options to find someone who is online,” Messina said. Karla Fonner, the director of Student Support, said that the easiest way to seek student support during this time is through a care report. “Students can go to the university webpage and search for care report and fill out a care referral form that comes directly to us,” Fonner said. “Once we have that, we can go ahead and connect with them in whatever way that they are needing.” Fonner said that students can also email her directly, at karla.fonner@sru.edu. “I am checking my email while working from home, so if a student doesn’t feel like filling out the form, they can certainly just send me an email,” Fonner said. Once emails and care reports are received, student support will reach out to the student. Student Support has been utilizing Zoom, a video communications app, to have face-to-face meetings over the internet with students. “All of our meetings have been happening through Zoom, though, if a student can’t get to Zoom but have FaceTime, we can have FaceTime meetings,” Fonner said. “However we can connect with students, we are, we just aren’t doing any in person meetings.” Fonner said some students are experiencing additional anxiety during this time of uncertainty with the coronavirus, while other students are relieved because their stress comes from interpersonal interactions in the classroom. She said most of the students she is talking to right now are overly anxious about what is going to happen between online classes and financial concerns. Fonner said that other students are back in homes with families that they may not get along with. “Even if you have a really good relationship with your family, that transition back home after the first time away from college can be kind of bumpy,” she said. Fonner said that the students she typically works with are having difficulties adjusting to this change. “A change for uncertainty can be really hard for people,” Fonner said. Messina said that as of right now the counseling center is focusing on phone calls. “One concern we have is we would be meeting with a student on Zoom and then the app would crash because there would be so many people trying to use it,” Messina said. “We decided to go with phone calls to reduce the chance of any problems or for people who don’t have reliable internet connections.” Messina said that a secretary is monitoring emails daily and will connect students with one of the six counselors who are working from home. He also said that the Counseling Center is implementing some new ideas such as a YouTube Channel with common ways to deal with stress and mental health issues, a live counselor on Slack and a weekly newsletter. Students can also follow the counseling center on Twitter @srucounseling. David Wilmes, chief student affairs officer, has created two focus groups for student affairs. Both are in the beginning stages, according to Fonner, but one is specific to student involvement and engagement, and the other is specific to student support and outreach. Fonner said these focus groups may present some different opportunities for students to get educational programming online. The Rocket will stay updated with these plans over the next couple of weeks. Messina encourages students who may be feeling overly anxious, depressed or in need of services to reach out. Anyone who may be struggling can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 or reach the Crisis Text Line 24/7 by texting “START” to 741-741. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student Counseling Center, Student Support continue operations remotely Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-26 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Haley Potter Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/b3ef7b0139e33d9e26a3a107345b2c0f.pdf 07187b3fb91ef22157fe948a09872838 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Much like the empty Slippery Rock University campus, The Suite in the Smith Student Center has been closed until further notice, making it more difficult for student organizations to conduct business and function in general. With spring break being extended and a confusion around classes starting back up, student organizations have had to adjust to a virtually-based way of meeting and making decisions. Though less convenient than in person, organizations such as the University Program Board (UPB) have begun to work through Zoom and e-boards. “We’ve never really done virtual event planning,” said University Program Board (UPB) President Celine Halt. “Everything we do, whether it be the concert, a speaker, or a common hour event, they all take place on campus. So this is definitely the first time we’ve had to think outside the box as to how can we entertain our students while still doing those things, just from a different location.” Some organizations, such as the Student Government Association (SGA), are also somewhat uncertain on how to proceed with elections, which, Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Lauren Moran said are typically held toward the end of March or early April. “It can certainly impact from a campaigning standpoint or if people’s elections were during business meetings, what does that look like?” Moran said. That’s where an online elections feature comes in. Moran explained that organizations can enter their own portals within CORE, craft ballots, and post information about candidates and selection of staff online. They can then set permissions to allow members of the organization to vote or the entire student body. In the past, Moran said, this feature has been used mainly for Homecoming and university-wide voting in deciding things such as seats for SGA. “It’s a perfect time to take advantage of something like that feature on CORE, being so far apart from everyone,” Moran said. “But they can still hold their elections semi-normally through that process.” Moran and her office are currently in the process of drafting an email to show student organizations how they can internally conduct their elections. The office has been in steady contact with organizations. “We’ve sort of ramped up our communication with student organizations,” Moran said. “Typically, we do once-a-month emails or [for] the big things. But, since the university extended the spring break, we’ve sent out about four communications to student organization presidents, treasurers and advisors.” Such communications have relayed initial FAQs of event cancellations and planning procedures, support from the office with helpful links, and encouragement to organizations to continue functioning. SGA’s Katelynn Hazlett, Moran added, sent out an email to treasurers about the fall budgeting process, which has been slightly delayed. Moran also plans on sending an email regarding things that organizations can do in a virtual environment. Another feature she pointed out is the online event locations, where student organizations can place a link to Zoom or Google Hangouts in the event details. Her plan is to send a weekly update, just to regularly communicate with the organizations. The biggest obstacle, Moran said, is event cancellations. She added that April tends to be the busiest month for student organization events and that she is leading a committee of staff, with representatives from SGA and UPB, to figure out what student involvement will look like in the rest of the semester. “A lot of people are brainstorming, ‘How can we rethink events that we may have had planned?’” Moran said, later using Fraternity and Sorority Life’s idea of its Epic Bingo event possibly becoming virtual as an example. UPB, Halt said, has explored rescheduling events, or finding alternate locations or different ways in which to hold them. “We’re looking at, if we’re doing our speaker […], do they have dates available?” Halt said. “Do we have dates available? Some of the smaller ones where we’re working within ourselves, like those common hour events or travel trips, those are much easier to re-do.” The process of the Rising Star Awards, yearly honors for student organizations, will be continued and the nomination window has been extended until April 6. Student organization registration for the fall will be opened on April 15. Assuming they continue to work, stipend organizations will be paid. Members of these organizations will have to fill out a weekly report to be filled out with what work had been done that week and approved by their advisor. “Two weeks from now or three weeks from now, I think you’re going to see a very different ‘campus environment’ online, but you’ll see a lot more cool things coming out of student organizations,” Moran said. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student organizations remain in function during absence on campus Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the campus life section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-27 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Brendan Howe Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/6ee0f2843b9e4be4d8cbc53d2dcabd8c.pdf 2edbdadcbcd6743be390f7dd56d1bbf5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Student Success Coaches are still hosting meetings for students via Zoom, or the students’ preferred method of communication, during the time of online classes. Students that wish to have a meeting with their Success Coach can email their coach or visit the Student Success Coaches page of the Slippery Rock website to access a booking link. Students that do not have a Success Coach can reach out by emailing oie@sru.edu to connect with one. Emily McClaine, one of the Success Coaches, said that they want to help students succeed in the new environment while still providing the same services. To help students maneuver through the new environment of online learning, the Success Coaches created multiple PDF pages on their webpage as resources to help students; including an Online Learning Essentials worksheet. “The most difficult part of it from the students that I have talked to, is making sure about how they are going to make their new routine,” Julie Ferringer, a Success Coach said. Ferringer referred to the Online Learning Essentials worksheet, and said that there are three main tips that the Success Coaches find important; writing down class expectations, creating a study space and devoting consistent time for class. Earl Coburn, a Success Coach, said that it is important for students to maintain a routine, because that is what they are used to. “In addition to that, just doing the thing you normally do in the morning,” Coburn said. “If I’m getting ready for work, I’m still brushing my teeth, taking a shower and getting dressed. I’m not in my pajamas right now because it’s work time.” An app, a planner or a template are all ways the Success Coaches mentioned would help maintain a schedule. On top of keeping up with routine, Ferringer said that creating a good work space where the student can study and think, will help with the transition to online learning. On top of maintaining a schedule and finding a comfortable work space, McClaine encourages students to create a daily to-do list with class expectations, projects, papers, discussions and online tests. “Having that in a format where you can cross it off gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps us feel motivated because those small wins really helps us recognize the progress we are making and feel good about that progression,” McClaine said. If students are unsure how to apply the tips on the Online Learning Essentials worksheet, they can contact a Success Coach and book a session to help them apply the tip and navigate it. Along with the Student Success Coaches page on the Slippery Rock website, Coburn advises students to also look at the Covid19 page to see what the rest of the semester looks like for different offices at the university. “It’s a one stop shop about all the ways our university is moving forward, that way students know about it and they aren’t in the dark.” The Success Coaches are also adjusting to the online transition and miss various aspects of the university and campus community. McClaine said that she misses the energy that comes from the students and colleges. Similarly, Coburn misses the daily bustle of the Smith Student Center, or places such as Boozel and Weisenfluh. Farringer misses looking out her window and watching the students walk to class together, seeing them every day. “I really get excited now, when I do hear [the students] pick up the phone when I call them, or when I get to see a Zoom meeting, because hearing their voice or seeing their face, makes a huge impact,” Ferringer said. On top of reaching out to the Success Coaches, Ferringer also encourages students to reach out to their peers, even if it’s simply through a group chat. All three coaches want students to know that they are not alone, and encourage students to reach out and use the resources available. “There are a ton of caring professionals that know you, or maybe don’t know you, but we are here and we want to help you through this,” McClaine said. “We’ve got you. We’re here for you.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student success in online classes Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the campus life section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-04-04 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hope Hoehler Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/426e749256604d64f39afc4b0f236762.pdf 039f3fbff9a0bbcba5c0072531fc656a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Student teachers have exceeded expectations amid sudden changes in the educational environment due to COVID-19, according to James Preston, assistant to the dean of the College of Education at SRU. Preston, who oversees the coordination of student teachers, said they all have worked with their teachers collaboratively to devise a plan for sudden changes occurring because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Coniglio, a secondary English education major, taught at Laurel High School in New Castle during her first eight-week student teaching placement. She’s currently student teaching at PA Cyber, her second placement of the semester, and she said the adjustment has been challenging. “It’s very different,” Coniglio said. “I’m not able to give them physical assignments, so all of their assignments are in digital documents. It’s also not face-to-face. They can see me, but I can’t see them, so it’s kind of like I’m talking to myself.” Fellow secondary English education major Jianna Palladini said she was supposed to teach in Spain, but her placement there was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. She added, however, that adjusting to her online student teaching placement hasn’t been as difficult as she expected. “We’re just kind of rolling with the punches,” Palladini said. “I’m still learning my student’s names, and I’m trying to figure out a way to give students what they need without being able to see them. And we know that everyone’s at-home situation is different.” Though their experiences adjusting to their new placements have been different, both Coniglio and Palladini were both uncertain when changes first took place. “It’s been pretty overwhelming,” Coniglio said. “A lot of us, if not all of us, were really concerned about graduating and earning our teaching certificates. Even Dr. Preston was uncertain at first.” According to Preston, though, student teacher evaluations won’t change very much. He said they will still be evaluated based on their planning and preparation, classroom management, instruction and professionalism. He added that, as always, they will be evaluated based on the Department of Education’s standards as well. “Eight weeks into their placements, most of them had already met the minimum standards,” Preston said. “We already knew they would pass and whether we could certify them.” Despite their initial concerns, Palladini and Coniglio have been reassured by the College of Education and university administration. “SRU has done so much to ease my mind,” Palladini said. “I’m really thankful for the university and everything they’re doing for students. They’ve done a lot to make this whole situation a bit more easy going for all of us.” Preston said although some teachers were very prepared and had readily developed systems in place, some are just starting to figure out how to handle the situation at hand. He said he feels that all teachers have an advantage with SRU’s student teachers who have exceeded expectations thus far. “I’ve heard about our student teachers offering to help their teachers, students and each other however they can,” Preston said. “They’re taking the opportunity to really step up.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student teachers adjust to distance learning Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-04-05 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Allison Downs Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/b98739c76e4870f0b5cde677d256af27.pdf 4234c6ed0a8f4ec613063babba5c3949 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document “Don’t spend more time reflecting on the negative aspect, but look at all the things you got to accomplish,” Celine Halt said. Halt is a senior resort recreation and hospitality management major and leadership minor. President of the University Program Board (UPB), Halt said that she felt some of her time at Slippery Rock University was taken for granted. “As much as I count the days till graduation, it was unexpectedly cut too short,” Halt said. “I didn’t get to experience those last few things where I figured I have so much time left.” Although Halt has taken most of her minor classes online, she said that she still has questions about her major classes and the group work usually required within them. Sharing some concerns about the start of online classes is Nicholas Condon, a junior political science major. Condon said that he is nervous for the switch because some professors may not be technologically abled. “I’m concerned that classes will turn into pushovers and I won’t learn anything, or they will be very heavy busy work because the professors don’t really know what to do with it,” Condon said. However, Condon said that the difference between online and in person classes is that with online classes, the student is the one with the motivation to do it, where in person classes the student almost just has to show up. “Treat it like it’s an in person class,” Condon said. “Set aside time of your day. You have a schedule from earlier in the semester, put aside those time slots and try to use those similarly.” Although Condon offered advice about routine and a schedule, that may prove more difficult for other students, such as student teacher Kylee Osselborn. Osselborn, a senior early childhood and special education major, said that this semester was her semester of being in the field with students. “I’ve been looking forward to this for the past four years and it’s hard that it’s being taken away,” Osselborn said. As a student teacher, students must have 12 weeks in the classroom with four observations from their supervisors to get certified. At the moment where SRU suspended all face-to-face classes, Osselborn said student teachers had just finished their first eight weeks and most only had three observations. Currently, the assistant dean of the college of education said that student teachers can now do 20 hours a week of instructional time, however, Osselborn is placed at a school in Grove City that is currently not having their kids complete online instruction. “My supervisor had the great idea of trying to set us up with families using ZOOM or creating lesson plans for an individual student and working with them 12 hours a week,” Osselborn said. “The student will still get educational time and we could still utilize our skills to help them.” Although Osselborn’s supervisor is helping her with the next step in student teaching, Osselborn said that it’s hard not saying goodbye to her students or getting to meet her next group of students. Similarly to Osselborn’s supervisor helping her, Dallas Kline, a first year graduate student in the student affairs and higher education program, said that multiple of her professors have been in contact, easing her anxiety. Kline said that one professor sent out a survey asking what resources students have and what tools they were comfortable using while another personally called each student to ask if they were doing okay. “It is going to be kind of hard,” Kline said. “Everyone is dealing with their own issues being by themselves that it is kind of hard to create a schedule and stay to it. it’s really relying on my classmates.” The sense of the campus community is something that many students will miss, including Condon. As a part of Student Government Association (SGA), Condon said that he misses it alot, but also misses the community end of things. “Being around other people is definitely what I’m going to miss the most,” Condon said. Other students agree that they will miss the campus community. Halt said that she found her home with UPB and Alpha Xi Delta. “For seniors, it’s not looking at all the things we lost, but all the cool things we got to do along the way,” Halt said. Along with all activities and accomplishments that students got to encounter, Osselborn said that her favorite memories were some of her classes. “I met some of my favorite people in my classes,” Osselborn said. “I have professors that we can text and go to them for anything outside of school.” All students agreed that although saddening, SRU made the right decision. Condon said that cases of COVID-19 hit close to home, one five minutes away from his house. “I think it’s good we’re doing things, even if they aren’t convenient for any of us,” Condon said. Students agree that SRU is doing a great job at keeping the campus community updated. “We need to take the time to see and respect that Slippery Rock has been doing so, so much for all of us compared to other schools,” Halt said. “They have been here every step of the way so far and I want to thank for for everything that they have done.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Students are in this together Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-23 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hope Hoehler Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/a1f6a7337eaf69b7b2908416f2cd1bac.pdf 639ed06ee84a5a675c595ba7f06f5ed3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document UPDATE (April 14, 2:06 pm) — MultiVersity Housing Partners, owners and management for University Village at Slippery Rock, has responded for comment. Anthony Magnelli, principal of MultiVersity Housing Partners (MVHP), sent a prepared statement regarding rent and COVID-19. “We are absolutely empathetic regarding the situation and challenges the COVID-19 pandemic is creating, as well as the impact it’s having on everyone,” Magnelli said. “We have been actively researching local and national financial support resources that we can refer residents to even as we get updates on legislation and other relief resources. We have also been working with residents on waiving late fees for payments as well as [setting] up payment plans or working through any hardships they may be eligible for. “Given we are a private operator, we are independent from the University and as such, our leases are not connected to the University’s operating status or whether or not school is in session,” he continued, “so we have an obligation to stay open on behalf of our residents who chose to stay or plan on returning in order to keep the facilities operational.” Magnelli added that MultiVersity Property Management (MVPM, LLC) is launching a fund that will provide relief to residents of their communities. According to a statement sent by Magnelli, the MVHP Resident Helping Hand Fund has been created to provide financial relief to residents that have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus. “The fund shall endeavor to raise additional funds to help expand our relief efforts for our student-residents,” the statement reads. “Each resident with a demonstrated financial need for the 2020-21 school year will be able to submit a written request in a format provided by the fund for assistance.” According to the statement, the fund identifies tuition, rent and textbooks as costs that qualify for assistance. Further information and details about the fund will be released in the coming weeks, Magnelli said. ORIGINAL STORY (April 13) — Campus closures have forced many students to return home as they continue their studies online, but what does this mean for those who live in off-campus housing? With nearly 10 million Americans filing for unemployment (including many college students), April 1 was sure to be a difficult day for apartment tenants. According to CNN, 31% of American renters didn’t pay their rent this month. Many students who have leases with off-campus housing complexes are still expected to pay rent, even though many of them have left their Slippery Rock apartments to return home. Many of these students were employed on campus or were laid off because their employers had to close business and currently don’t have a source of income. Stonecrest tenant and SRU student Delaney Shaffer was working on campus for the WSRU-FM radio station and the Office of Student Conduct. She said she’s still receiving her stipend for her position at the radio station, and she’s doing alternative student work eight hours per week, but her current income isn’t enough to pay her rent. “I thought ahead and saved up enough to pay this month’s rent,” Shaffer said. “But I don’t have steady jobs like I had on campus anymore.” Shaffer said all Stonecrest tenants received an email March 25 stating that they must continue to pay their monthly rent to the best of their abilities. If they cannot pay rent, they must submit documentation outlining why they’re unable to pay (e.g. job furlough, layoffs) and a payment plan. Depending on the individual’s situation, Shaffer added, all late fees will be waived as well. “It just doesn’t seem right that we have to pay for something that we’re not using right now,” Shaffer said. Stine Evenstroem, an SRU student from Norway, said The Ivy at University Village is still charging the full rate for rent, including charges for closed amenities like the clubhouse and volleyball court. She added that there is an additional $20 service fee when paying online, which only further inconveniences tenants like her. “I have to use my Norwegian card because I don’t have checks in the United States,” Evenstroem said. “I have to pay online — I don’t really have a choice.” She added that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the economy in Norway as well, which has caused the value of its currency to increase. She said one U.S. dollar is normally equivalent to nine Norwegian krones (NOK), but because of the coronavirus’s impact on the economy, it’s increased to 12 NOK per USD. “Because I’m paying for my apartment in U.S. dollars while my bank account has Norwegian currency, I’m paying $200 more than I normally do with the currency change,” Evenstroem said. “That money could’ve gone toward other things like groceries.” She said she was working on campus for Athletic Communications, but with campus being closed and all campus sports being cancelled indefinitely, she doesn’t really have a job. Her only source of income now, she added, is the money she receives from the Norwegian government that goes toward her education, housing, groceries and other necessities. “I was able to pay this month’s rent with the money from the government, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to continue paying rent for the rest of the semester,” Evenstroem said. “I just don’t think it’s right that University Village isn’t doing anything to help us out.” SRU student Alyssa Smith said she recently moved out of her apartment at The Grove because she could no longer afford to live there. She said The Grove is still expecting all current tenants to pay the regular rate for rent, even though amenities such as the fitness center and clubhouse are closed. “It really speaks for itself,” Smith said. “It shows just how little they actually care about their tenants. A lot of their tenants are students, who can barely afford rent as it is.” Meagan Reed, general manager of The Grove, said she cannot provide any express comments, but shared a statement from The Grove’s ownership. “Thank you so much for reaching out,” Reed said via email. “We hope that you and everyone are staying safe and healthy. During this challenging time for all, we are not providing any specific comments, as we are working hard to support and stay focused on our residents.” University Village and Stonecrest did not respond for comment. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Students expected to pay rent amid campus closure Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-04-13 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Allison Downs Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/39e57bde2d8076ed91c1c238e7a297ff.pdf 68bc01d1d1c19e2c098fc3ae65b27bcc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Rocket Description An account of the resource Items from Slippery Rock University's official student newspaper, The Rocket. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document SRU students will receive a 50% refund for housing, meal plans and select fees as a result of the conversion to online classes for the rest of the semester, SRU President William Behre announced on March 20. Behre said that the rate of 50% was determined based on the number of days students will be unable to access the services funded by the fees. “In this case, as the original end date for spring break was to be March 15 and the original move-out date was to be May 8, that equates to an eight-week period, or half of the total 16-week semester,” Behre said in his statement on March 20. Residential students who are no longer living on campus will receive a 50% refund for housing and meal plans. Students who were approved to reside on campus will not receive refunds for housing or meal plans. The following rates will be refunded at the 50% rate for all students: Meal plans (if applicable) Parking (if applicable) Health services Student life enhancement fee Student activity fee Campus recreation fee STEM-H fee (if applicable if a student was enrolled in course that required this fee) Smith Student Center fee Since SRU will continue to provide educational services through distance education, tuition will not be refunded. According to Behre’s original announcement, the academic enhancement fee and technology fee will also not be refunded. An explanation of each fee can be found on the Fee Descriptions document. If a student added voluntary flex dollars to their account for on-campus dining services, they will be refunded the amount not spent in the spring 2020 semester. The refunds are expected to be posted to student accounts on or around the week of April 6. The refund will first apply to any remaining balances on a student’s account before the refund is sent via an electronic transfer to the student’s account or a refund check to the student’s permanent address. Behre added that the conversion to online classes doesn’t change a student’s classification for financial aid and/or reporting purposes. In response to SRU’s spring break extension and conversion to online instructing beginning March 30, SRU’s Office of Academic Records released a video to explain the prorated refunds of student fees. This video can be seen here. According to the video, the preferred method for sending refunds is via direct deposit. Students who are interested in enrolling in direct deposit are to complete the form on the student accounts page and email the completed form to student.accounts@sru.edu. “Direct deposit is the preferred method for sending you any refund,” according to the video. “It is safe and fast and preferred over the use of a paper check, especially with today’s current circumstances of limited banking access for consumers.” Each student’s individual bank will determine how quickly the direct deposit will process. The student activity fee is allocated to the Student Government Association (SGA) each year to support student organizations and the shuttle bus on campus and alleviate costs of athletic events, lectures, movies, entertainment and publications. Due to the 50% refund of the student activity fee to all students, SGA has decided not to entertain any new payment requests for the remainder of the year, according to SGA Vice President of Finance Kaitlyn Hazelett. “This means all organization budgets will not be available for spending during the rest of the semester, regardless of how much was remaining in them,” Hazelett said in in an email. The remaining balance will not carry over to the fall 2020 semester. Hazelett added that any expenses that were incurred prior to spring break will be accepted but need to be submitted as soon as possible. “Clubs should be aware that if they had any expenses incurred prior to spring break or any that are required to be paid before the end of the semester, to still submit those as they will be covered,” Hazelett said. Hazelett said that the following steps should be followed to submit any remaining payment requests: Go to www.sru.edu/core Go to the SGA portal Scroll to the bottom of the page and select “View All Documents” Go to the “Financial Documents” folder Download the payment request and complete by printing or completing the form online No checks can be picked up at The Suite until further notice. “All checks will be processed as soon as the Cooperative Activity Office staff has access to the office again, so please take this into consideration,” Hazelett said. Other schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education have announced similar refunds. East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Lock Haven, and Shippensburg Universities all announced 50% refunds for housing, meal plans and certain fees. California University will refund on-campus residential students 47% for housing and meal plans and all face-to-face students 40% of select fees. Bloomsburg, Cheyney, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana, Mansfield, Millersville and West Chester Universities have not posted refund information to their respective websites as of March 27. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Students to receive 50% refund for housing, meal plans and select fees Description An account of the resource This story was originally published in the news section of The Rocket's website, theonlinerocket.com. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-27 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hannah Shumsky Relation A related resource SRU Student Article SRU Student Story The Rocket https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/1d2dbab034d824d306dbb4aa3a783f0a.pdf 43e62cad66b21c86947fc05c31f149e8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Summary for March 24 Description An account of the resource Email from SRU President William Behre with updates on SRU. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-24 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications https://slipperyrockcovid19.org/files/original/3ba806ecd5366070f121adb7bb5eb600.pdf 855aeffcfea85d56ee426f5792096c23 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SRU Official Communications Description An account of the resource Official communications from the SRU administration to faculty, staff, and students regarding the university's response to the Covid-19 crisis. Email A resource containing textual messages and binary attachments sent electronically from one person to another or one person to many people. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Summary for March 25, 2020 Description An account of the resource Email from SRU President William Behre to SRU faculty and staff with SRU updates Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-03-25 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Office of the President Relation A related resource SRU Administrator Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Slippery Rock University Email SRU Administrator SRU Official Communications