COVID-19 Updates

East Tennessee State University is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19. The safety and health of the ETSU community is our highest priority, and we take any threat very seriously.

We continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Washington County Health Department. University officials continue to meet with Ballad Health, government leaders and public health officials to coordinate response efforts.

We are committed to keeping you informed of any updates, further developments, or changes in operations. Please check back to this website often for the latest information and announcements.

Announcements

Research Activities to Resume June 1 - 5/26/20

Effective June 1, research activities will resume on the ETSU campus. This announcement applies specifically to our funded researchers and graduate students in those labs. In addition, undergraduate students who are supported by NIH R15 grants or NSF grants should also return to their respective labs at this time. Deans and department chairs are communicating with research faculty and students regarding the conditions of re-engagement of research activities in laboratories. These conditions include the use of masks, limitations on the number of persons working in a lab space, and social distancing practices. In addition, information is being shared with faculty and students regarding the re-engagement of research activities that involve human subjects. Dr. Bill Duncan, Vice Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs Administration, is overseeing the process of research activities returning to campus and is making this information available on the ORSPA website. Those with questions should consult Dr. Duncan or the respective dean or department chair.

At this time, administrative and clerical staff are not required to return to the laboratory when research resumes. These employees will follow the guidelines and recommendations that the university prescribes for employees by classification. More specific information about administrative and clerical staff returning to campus will be included in the recommendations from the Future Operations Workgroup. The recommendations will be shared with senior leadership team. Decisions regarding how and when other faculty, staff, and students may safely return to campus will be made as soon as possible. Until that time, employees will continue to work remotely.

Strategic Options Workgroup Formed - 5/18/20

As the Future Operations Workgroup chaired by Dr. David Linville continues its efforts to develop a plan to transition university operations from its current remote status back to campus, a Strategic Options Workgroup has also has been established to specifically address budget matters. Led by co-chairs Jeremy Ross and Dr. Michael Hoff, this group is charged with providing the Office of the President with projected budget scenarios for the 20-21 fiscal year and to make actionable recommendations and options in response to each identified scenario to ensure budget and strategic plan alignment. In addition, this group will be responsible for identifying long-term strategies that may be considered for implementation into future university operations.

Joining Mr. Ross and Dr. Hoff as members of the Strategic Options Workgroup are:

Lori Erickson, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources;
Margaret Pate, Senior Associate Vice President of Budget and Financial Planning;
Dr. Tony Pittarese, Senior Associate Dean, College of Business and Technology;
Candy Massey, President, Staff Senate;
Dr. Daryl A. Carter, Professor, History;
Dr. Fred Mackara, Associate Professor, Economics;
Dr. Jodi Polaha, Associate Professor, Family Medicine and 2020 Presidential Fellow; and
Dr. Larry Calhoun, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Academics.

ETSU Future Operations Workgroup seeking ideas and feedback - 5/11/20

The Future Operations Workgroup is meeting to develop recommendations and a plan for returning to appropriate academic, campus, and business operations in the safest way possible. The workgroup intends to provide different options or scenarios for the university, providing flexibility in how best to adapt to the pandemic situation as it continues to evolve. This coming fall will not look like any other we have had, and the workgroup wants to ensure scenarios and recommendations take into account many different perspectives. As this work continues, the workgroup is providing a way to submit any ideas, suggestions, or feedback.

Click here to submit a comment.

CARES Act Information for Students - 5/8/20

East Tennessee State University has begun to distribute $5.54 million provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for emergency relief to eligible students. The US Department of Education provided student eligibility criteria and guidance to institutions of higher education concerning the distribution of the federal CARES Act funds. Students are required to have established eligibility for Title IV funding to qualify and the funding formula sets aside at least 75% of the funds for students with federal Pell Grant eligibility. Grants will be distributed to students with the highest need based on the data provided on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2019-2020 aid year.

In the coming days, university staff in the Office of Financial Aid and the Bursar’s Office will process the grant amounts and apply the aid to student accounts. Students do not need to take any action to receive the grant. Students eligible to receive the grant will receive an email from the university with additional details regarding the disbursement. Approximately 90% of the initial CARES Act funding will be disbursed directly to eligible students in the form of grant awards to address financial hardships as a result of COVID-19.

The remaining 10% of the initial CARES Act funding will be made available for direct student emergency grant requests. Students must have been enrolled in the spring 2020 semester to qualify and the individual grants can be awarded for student expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. More information about student eligibility and how to apply for emergency grants available through the CARES Act will be forthcoming in the coming days.

The university has already distributed almost $50,000 and raised over $40,000 in private donations for the Buccaneer Student Crisis Fund, which is a separate fund from CARES Act funding. The Buccaneer Crisis funds enable the university to support a broader range of students and student needs, which include international students and other students who may be ineligible to receive CARES Act funds. Students who may not qualify for federal financial assistance, or who may have needs related to housing insecurity, may submit a care report to the Office of the Dean of Students to apply for emergency funding provided by the Buccaneer Student Crisis Fund.

ETSU has taken additional steps beyond the creation of the Buccaneer Student Crisis Fund to provide students with support and financial relief due to the disruptions experienced by the spread of coronavirus.

·        The ETSU Board of Trustees approved the request for a 0% increase in tuition, fees, housing and food costs for the 20-21 academic year.
·        A campus-wide effort “Calling all Bucs!” to call all current ETSU students to offer support, information on resources, and assistance is underway.
·        President Brian Noland approved the continued pay of work study, APS student workers, graduate assistants and tuition scholars during the spring semester who were displaced through no fault of their own.
·        Students who paid out-of-pocket for university housing have received refunds. The university is currently completing refunds associated with meal plans.
·         More than 60 students have received housing and utility assistance and over 70 people picked up food boxes at Bucky’s Pantry during the month of April.
·        The Office of Information Technology, in coordination with the Department of Housing and Residence Life, has designated and loaned laptops to students with technology needs who had no other way to access online learning. Students have also received subsidies for internet access and hotspots.
·         Our skilled physicians, researchers, and faculty have partnered with Ballad and others to safeguard our region. The totality of these commitments and efforts speak to the perseverance of the ETSU Buccaneer spirit.

We thank you for your patience during these times of uncertainty. As the semester draws to a close, we hope the upcoming days can be a time of rest and renewal, and celebration for our graduates. We look forward to the day when we gather together again on the beautiful campus that we are proud to call home.

One E on the logo. One Community. One ETSU Family.

For questions contact: CARESact@etsu.edu

Joe H. Sherlin, Jr.
Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment

ETSU Virtual Commencement Information - 5/4/20

East Tennessee State University will confer some 2,200 degrees, virtually, as Commencement Exercises will be streamed online and broadcast locally for the Class of 2020.

Graduates, their families and friends are invited to watch ETSU's Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 9. The ceremony will be streamed online beginning at 10 a.m. WJHL News Channel 11 will broadcast the ETSU Virtual Commencement Ceremony at 12 p.m. (earlier viewing time than previously announced)

Last month, ETSU President Brian Noland announced that the university would postpone in-person commencement celebrations and hold a virtual ceremony for the Class of 2020. Spring graduates will have the opportunity to participate in a dedicated in-person ceremony in December.

For a more personalized virtual commencement experience, graduates will select and stream a specific ceremony for their college or academic program. More information about how to watch the ceremony is available at www.etsu.edu/classof2020. Video stream links will be available on the website at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 9. Viewers may also stream the ceremony and arrange a watch party on the ETSU Facebook page.

ETSU’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and Quillen College of Medicine will hold separate virtual ceremonies on Friday, May 8.

Gatton College of Pharmacy will host a Virtual Hooding & Commencement Ceremony for its 68 graduates on May 8, at 11:30 a.m. on its Facebook page at facebook.com/ETSUPharmacy and the college’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/COPtechnology.

Quillen College of Medicine will hold a Virtual Hooding & Commencement Ceremony for its 68 graduates on May 8 at 2:30 p.m. A link to a livestream of the ceremony will be hosted on Quillen’s website at www.etsu.edu/com/graduation.php.

ETSU Travel Restrictions Update - 4/29/20

Earlier this semester, ETSU placed restrictions on university-sponsored domestic and international travel. This was one of many decisions made as a result of the COVID-19 virus outbreak to protect the health of our students, faculty and staff. With that same goal, ETSU is extending its suspension of all outgoing university-sponsored domestic travel through June 15, 2020. In addition, all university-related international travel is suspended until further notice.

As noted in a previous communication, local travel associated with everyday operations of the university, including blanket travel will continue. In addition, vehicular travel outside a 50-mile radius, with the exception of other ETSU campuses, continues to require supervisor approval and should be restricted to activities that are absolutely necessary and cannot be rescheduled or conducted remotely.

For more information on changes in university operations, please visit the ETSU coronavirus website. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Ross
Chief Operating Officer

ETSU Future Operations Workgroup - 4/28/20

As the spring semester draws to a close and we finalize plans for our Virtual Commencement ceremony on May 9, advising and registration continues for our summer and fall terms. Here in Tennessee and across the nation, conversations are also emerging about how businesses and government will begin the process of resuming operations at levels similar to how they were prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The safety and health of the ETSU community remains our highest priority as we continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Faculty and staff will continue to work from remote locations through at least May 31, 2020. During the upcoming month, leadership will provide direction on how university operations will proceed during the month of June. These decisions will be guided by the work of a new ETSU Future Operations Workgroup that I have formed and will be led by Dr. David Linville, executive vice provost for academics and health. The workgroup will create and provide recommendations and plans to senior leadership on transitioning our academic, campus, and business operations from our current remote status in a way that is safe for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Joining Dr. Linville as members of the workgroup are:

·      Joe Bidwell, chair of the Department of Biology
·      Tom Donohoe, registrar
·      Kim Edwards, director of space management
·      Stephen Hendrix, president of the Faculty Senate
·      Betsy Kearney, director of budget development and business process improvement
·      Sam Mayhew, assistant vice president for student life and enrollment
·      Matt McGahey, senior associate athletic director
·      Shivam Patel, president of the Student Government Association
·      Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health

I greatly appreciate these members for their willingness to serve on this workgroup, and I will share their recommendations with you next month. As always, you can keep up-to-date on the latest information regarding changes to university operations as a result of the COVID-19 virus by visiting www.etsu.edu/coronavirus. Thank you for all you have done to support and sustain our institutional mission during these challenging times.