Details

To:                   Pitt Public Health Faculty, Staff and Students

From:              Office of the Dean

Re:                   Important Pitt Public Health COVID-19 Update                

Dear Pitt Public Health Community,

Today you received a communication from the Chancellor announcing additional steps the University of Pittsburgh is taking related to global COVID-19 pandemic. These steps are necessary to minimize risk to our students, faculty, and staff. We very much appreciate your understanding, patience, and professionalism during this challenging time. 

In addition to University-wide communications you will receive, we will also continue to provide information and Pitt Public Health-specific updates. To summarize today’s guidance:

1. Classes will be canceled for the week of March 16^th and will resume Monday, March 23^rd but the in-person instruction will be replaced with online education options.  These changes will be effective through the end of the current semester. The semester will end at the originally scheduled time, with no extension of the academic calendar. Plans for supporting our students and faculty during this transition are underway and more details will be forthcoming in the next 24 hours.
2. Events that exceed 25 people will be canceled or replaced with virtual engagements. As of right now, we have no specific directive about graduation and convocation activities. 
3. Most other non-travel facets of graduate education (committee meetings, defenses, research meetings, internships) should continue uninterrupted, but with accommodations for remote participation as needed.
4. Pitt Public Health buildings, research labs and clinics will remain open and operational.
5. There will be maximal flexibility in accommodating remote work arrangements for faculty and staff.  To address those specifics, faculty, and staff should work directly their department administrator and GSA/GSR/TA/TF and hourly employees should work directly with their immediate supervisor. 

This is an evolving situation so as new information becomes available we will routinely be sending out updates. In addition, we will continue to provide the latest information on the Pitt Public Health COVID-19 Resource and Guidance website. 

Thank you for being patient and flexible as we navigate these changes together.  

Everette James
Interim Dean, Graduate School of Public Health

Eleanor Feingold
Executive Associate Dean

Jessica Burke
Associate Dean for Education 

Renae Brinza
Associate Dean for Administration and Finance