Pacific Plans Online Courses
Pacific University is committed to the wellbeing of our students and employees, as well as our community. As a university with a specialty in healthcare, we are dedicated to ensuring the continued educational progress and success of our students. However, we also believe it is critical that we participate in preventing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic to avoid overloading our hospital systems.
In conjunction with recommendations from the Oregon Health Authority and guidelines from Oregon Gov. Kate Brown today, we will alter our course delivery and upcoming events to limit large gatherings and encourage social distancing. The details of these changes will vary by college and, in some instances, even by school or program, so look to your respective dean or director for additional information.
Please find details below and continue to follow pacificu.edu/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information.
Forest Grove Undergraduate Programs
Spring break is March 23-27 for undergraduate students on Pacific’s Forest Grove Campus in the colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business and Education. We will extend spring break through March 31 to allow faculty time to transition courses to online delivery. Starting April 1, all Forest Grove undergraduate courses will be delivered online.
Students are welcome to stay in Forest Grove through the end of their residence hall contracts. Campus offices, facilities and student support services will remain open. Campus dining will continue after spring break, as usual.
Students who choose to go home instead may do so, completing the rest of the spring semester remotely. A process for checking out of residence halls will be announced early next week for those who do not wish to return to campus after spring break.
We continue to consider alternative ways to allow students to present senior capstone projects, as Senior Projects Day will not be possible in its normal format.
Graduate & Professional Programs
By April 1, Pacific’s graduate and professional programs will also start delivering many courses online to help encourage social distancing. Some coursework, especially labs and clinical placements, will need to continue on-site. Every effort will be made to keep groups small and/or to provide larger spaces for groups to meet. Program directors will provide more information to students in the coming days. Campus buildings and services will remain open.
Online Teaching Tools
Deans are communicating directly with their faculty members around expectations for the transition to online course delivery. The Center for Educational Technology and Curricular Innovation has prepared a number of tools and guides to help faculty manage the transition.
Athletics
The Northwest Conference (NWC) has made the decision to suspend all spring sport competitions and NWC Championship events, effective immediately, until further notice. The NCAA has also canceled all remaining winter and spring NCAA Championships. Pacific Athletics will suspend all practices and competition for varsity, junior varsity and club programs until further notice. Coaches will be in contact with student-athletes with additional information. In addition all intramural activities and recreation fitness classes will also be suspended until further notice.
Events
All Pacific events with expected attendance of more than 250 will be canceled through the rest of the term. Unfortunately, this will include the Lū‘au & Hō‘ike. We will continue to monitor public health recommendations as we look ahead to May Commencement and other year-end celebrations.
Smaller essential university events, including admissions and clinical outreach activities, may continue with appropriate social distancing practices. Non-essential events should be canceled.
Travel & International Study
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now lists a worldwide Level 2 advisory. All students abroad in international study or clinical placements should return home immediately. Students will be able to continue coursework online as available, and programs will work with students individually when online options are not available. Faculty and staff abroad also should return home immediately.
Non-essential domestic travel, including field trips, also are canceled. Pacific students and employees are strongly advised to avoid non-essential personal travel.
Campus Precautions
To date, there have been no cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in the Pacific community. We encourage students and employees who feel ill to stay home, and everyone to continue following CDC guidelines for prevention.
Pacific Facilities staff is conducting enhanced campus cleaning, specifically wiping down high-touch surfaces such as door handles and counter multiple times a day. This is the best practice in community transmission situations.
Employee Expectations
Pacific’s campuses remain open, and we are committed to continuing to educate and support our students. It is the expectation that employees who are well come to work as scheduled. Employees who are ill and need to stay home should complete this illness survey, in addition to normal absence processes, to help us track any infections in our community as well as our workforce availability. Employees with vulnerable health situations should contact HR. Additional guidance is available online .
Respect & Inclusion
Remember, COVID-19 does not discriminate, and neither do we at Pacific. Please help to interrupt stigma by sharing accurate information and speaking up if you witness or experience harassment or discrimination. As always, you may report concerns of discrimination to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion by phone at 503-352-1457, by email at nrodrigu@pacificu.edu or online.