Bucs Are Back

ETSU COVID-19 response

People come first at East Tennessee State University. The COVID-19 pandemic has required adjustments to procedures and operations, such as the academic calendar and course formats. These changes are being made to safeguard the health of our students, faculty, staff, and campus. Whether your courses are online or on-ground, ETSU remains dedicated to providing the safest learning environment without sacrificing the high quality education our students expect and deserve.

Important Information

image for ETSU Operations: Stage 2 with modifications

image for COVID-19 Testing Available for ETSU Community

image for Reporting Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 cases

Revised Academic Calendar for Fall 2020

August 24	First day of classes
September 7 - Labor Day	ETSU will be open and classes will be held
October 12-13 - Fall Break	ETSU will be open and classes will be held; Fall Break will be rescheduled to Thanksgiving week
November 11 - Veterans Day (observance)	ETSU will be open and classes will be held
November 20	Last day of in-person classes (November 21 for Saturday classes)
November 23-27*	ETSU will be closed for Fall/Thanksgiving Break
November 30-December 4	Classes will continue remotely (online)
December 5-10	Final exams will be offered remotely (online)
December 12	Virtual Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m.

*Following the Fall/Thanksgiving Break (November 23-27) ETSU will be open and students will continue their classes remotely (online) through the end of the fall semester.

Gatton College of Pharmacy will alter its start date but will follow the university schedule beginning in September
Quillen College of Medicine will maintain its regular schedule

Revised Academic Calendar for Spring 2021

NOTE: Spring Break will not take place March 15-21; rather, those five days will be dispersed throughout the semester.

January 18 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day	ETSU will be closed
January 19	First day of classes
February 18-19 - "Mini Break"	Classes will not meet; ETSU offices will be open
March 15-21 - Spring Break	Spring break week is being divided into three "mini breaks" throughout the semester. Classes will not meet March 15-16 for "mini break" ETSU offices will be open March 15-21
March 15-16 - "Mini Break"	Classes will not meet; ETSU offices will be open
April 2 - Good Friday	ETSU will be closed
April 14 - "Mini Break"	Classes will not meet; ETSU offices will be open
April 30	Last day of classes
May 1-6	Final Exams
May 8	Spring Commencement (ceremony details to be provided at a later date)

Quillen College of Medicine and Gatton College of Pharmacy will continue to follow their own academic calendars for Spring 2021.

What's Happening Now?

In March 2020, ETSU moved all classes online and the majority of employees began working and maintaining services remotely. ETSU President Brian Noland formed the Future Operations Workgroup to develop recommendations for academics and services to return to campus. The workgroup released its report that includes a series of operational stages, 1-4, designed to address the need for loosening or restricting physical distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stage 1 is similar to the spring 2020 semester with remote work and teaching and Stage 4 is the “new normal” with the least amount of restrictions. ETSU is currently operating in Stage 2 with modifications.

Stage 2 Operations with Modifications

What are the stages of operation as the ETSU community returns to campus?

STAGE 1 – (similar to spring 2020)

• All campus instruction provided remotely using D2L and Zoom.
• Experiential learning in the community suspended.
• Residence halls minimally occupied.
• Employees working remotely.
• Research and service activities suspended with few exceptions.
• Limited campus access.
• University events canceled or postponed.
• Travel suspended.
• All ETSU Education Abroad and other international programs suspended.
• Athletic practice and competition suspended.
STAGE 2 with modifications – Current Operational Status

• More than 80 percent of instruction provided remotely using D2L and Zoom, with few possible exceptions to allow on-campus instruction in select courses requiring specialized equipment, clinical rotations, or other face-to-face learning.
• Experiential learning in the community is possible with approval by the college dean on a case by case basis in partnership with community sites (e.g., clinical rotations, internships, externships, service learning) provided the host organization abides by appropriate safety standards.
• Residence halls minimally occupied, with strategic reductions in density and all students living in single bedroom residences.
• Employees working both remotely where possible, with some on campus, including options for staffing rotations within offices.
• Research and service activities permitted with physical distancing and other safety measures.
• Indoor meetings or gatherings greater than 15 people and not associated with academic coursework are prohibited without special exception from the appropriate vice president.
• All individuals must use face coverings when on campus. Learn more here.
• Crowd control and waiting line measures in place to promote physical distancing (plexiglass at select service windows, spaced marks on floors).
• Enhanced cleaning of public spaces.
• Large in-person university events canceled or postponed.
• In-person festivals, camps, and conferences canceled or postponed.
• Non-essential travel suspended.
• All ETSU Education Abroad and other international programs for ETSU students suspended.
• Athletic competition possible with limited spectators, limited practices or meetings based on guidance from the NCAA and the Southern Conference.
STAGE 3

• Faculty will identify courses, competencies, or experiences that can only be acquired in a face-to-face setting. These courses, competencies and experiences will be the first priority for using classrooms, teaching labs and other on-ground resources.
• All other academic material will be offered in a hybrid format, to assure all students have an opportunity for both on-line and on-ground learning. Achieving a direct faculty-to-student interface, wherever possible, should be a priority, even if this can not happen at every regularly scheduled class session.
• Laboratory and on campus experiential courses permitted with physical distancing and other safety measures.
• Experiential learning in the community with select limitations.
• Online instructional resources are used to address limitations with face-to-face instruction.
• Residence halls occupied with significant efforts to limit face-to-face exposure.
• Employees working on campus with remote work option available for those who identify an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure to themselves or others in their household.
• Research and service activities permitted with physical distancing and other safety measures.
• All individuals expected to wear face coverings when on campus.

• Crowd control and waiting line measures in place to promote physical distancing (plexiglass at select service windows, spaced marks on floors).
• Enhanced cleaning of public spaces.
• Select large university events possible with safety plans in place.
• Outgoing university-related domestic travel is suspended with limited exceptions.
• Outgoing university-related international travel is suspended.
• ETSU Education Abroad and other international programs for ETSU students suspended.
• Athletic competition possible based on guidance from the NCAA and Southern Conference.
STAGE 4

• On campus face-to-face instruction, limited physical distancing expectations.
• Laboratory and on campus experiential courses permitted.
• Experiential learning in the community with few limitations.
• Residence halls occupied.
• Employees working on campus with remote work option available with approval.
• Research and service activities continue with appropriate physical distancing
measures.
• Large university events permitted.
• Domestic and international travel permitted.
• Athletic competition permitted.

Protecting the health of the ETSU community

Bucs Are Back: COVID-19 Safety Pledge

Take the pledge today!

The training module only takes about 10 minutes to complete and includes a review of public health recommendations followed by the pledge.
Click here to watch the training video and take the COVID-19 Safety Pledge.

Visit the Health and Safety Information page to learn more about cleaning protocols, COVID-19 testing, face coverings and travel restrictions.

Individual Responsibility

As members of the ETSU community, each of us have the responsibility to protect one another. All faculty, staff, students and visitors are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:

Wear face coverings
Practice physical distancing
If you show symptoms or are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, contact the University Health Center to learn next steps for testing

Stay informed. Pay attention to campus communication such as:

Email messages sent to your ETSU address
D2L announcements from your instructors
Signs posted and displayed on campus with special instructions
ETSU social media accounts: Facebook Instagram and Twitter
ETSU News website
Install the ETSU Safe app on your mobile device

ETSU COVID-19 Response

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.