Coronavirus Information

This page is your go-to resource about how Trinity is handling the Coronavirus. This page will be updated, so be sure to check back for new information. Additional information is available on the Coronavirus on Trinity’s Health and Wellness site.

UPDATE: MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2020

Message from Trinity President Pat McGuire
Heading into Week #3: How’s Everybody Doing? Take The Survey!

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

Check out the great photos from last week’s Purple and Gold day and other scenes from “working/teaching/learning at home” you are all marvelous!  Watch the video! 

I’d like to know more about how you are doing as we head into  Week #3 of the Coronavirus Crisis.  I have created a very quick survey that will help me and the Senior Executive Staff understand more about your needs and how we should be planning for the next few weeks.  Can you take a minute and fill out this survey now?  Thank you!!

Some things you need to know as we head into Week #3:

Governors Hogan of Maryland and Northam of Virginia and Mayor Bowser have issued “stay at home” orders so you should really now be staying home. Trinity’s offices are closed — we have instructions online for getting in touch with all staff, and they are also sending many messages about this, so please know that we are here for you, just virtually.

We do have some “essential” functions that must occur physically on campus, and these continue and I am so grateful to the staff involved for making sure these services continue without interruption:

• Resident students will continue to have food service, security, facilities services and all other essential parts of residential services.  Big shout out to Holly Rockingham and our residence life team along with our service providers!
• Security, food, facilities, healthcare, post office are all “essential” services and will continue. In the same way, some staff will need to come on a rotational basis to receive or deliver checks — please note if you are a student awaiting a check, the Business Office will be open limited hours this Friday, April 3, for that purpose, but only on Friday, not other days this week.  We will post the open hours when we know them.
• Payroll services are also “essential” and so many thanks to Tracey Prince, Chandra Hawkins and Hanan Adnan for keeping our HR functions going at this time!!
• Children’s National Hospital continues to use our south parking lot for drive-through testing for children with pediatrician referrals.  If you need to know more about how to get a referral please visit the Children’s National site.

Please know that I continue to be concerned for each of you, and I am eager to know how we might help you as we move through this extraordinary period together.  If you know of someone who deserves a shout-out from me, please let me know!  A great teacher, a wise student, a helpful advisor, a terrific colleague — let’s spend our time lifting up the best among us, I will be eager to share stories of great work with everyone.

In the same way, if you have more private concerns or worries, please drop me a line: president@trinitydc.edu   I can’t fix everything, but often I can help get something resolved quickly.

Thanks to everyone for your great resilience and Trinity Spirit in these strange days.   Now go search for something purple or gold, we will have another Purple and Gold Day this Friday!  Be forewarned!!

Take the Survey!

With every wish for your health and safety,

President Pat McGuire president@trinitydc.edu

Key Resources and Contacts:

Coronavirus Information, Trinity Health and Wellness Center

Dr. Jacqueline Newsome-Williams, Trinity Health and Wellness Center

Dr. Karen Gerlach, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. Carlota Ocampo, Provost, Academic Affairs

Who’s Who at Trinity – Who should I talk to about ….

Media Inquiries: Ann Pauley

UPDATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020
Message from Trinity President Pat McGuire

Good morning, Trinity!  I am thinking of all of you, students, faculty, staff, colleagues, sister and brother travelers on this strange new road we did not choose but across which we must journey.  I am already thinking of what we will be doing to have a “renaissance” time at the end of this period of wandering the desert.  If anyone has ever wondered about the meaning of the Gospels, now is the time to meditate on the time in the desert, the time of suffering… and then, Resurrection!  We will get to that day!  Have faith!

Even with that encouragement, the daily news reminds us of our current predicament.  Mayor Bowser has now ordered the closure of “non-essential” business.  Trinity provides many essential services that will continue to support our students in residence — security, food, housekeeping and facilities, healthcare, mail services — and members of the community who are online or working/teaching/learning remotely and need ongoing support from technology services and other services.  Most of our non-campus based services are now virtual, and I am so grateful to everyone for your creative responses to this moment in our history.

While we have tried to keep some offices and the library open for minimal services to students, in light of Mayor Bowser’s order we will now keep our physical offices closed and the library will close.  However, do not despair!  Main Hall remains accessible for wifi and computers for students who need that access — enter through the basement by the security desk and please show your ID.  Individual faculty members or staff members who need to access your offices may still do so.

All offices and services remain fully available online!  Our staff are all working remotely and eager to support whatever you need.  Please consult the web page for any department you need and you can find the email, phone numbers and other information necessary.  Our librarians will continue to provide services online, please use the Library Referral Form and that page has other helpful information. You can also reach out to your advisor and many services through Starfish.

If you are concerned about anything, please let me know, I will try to get you whatever assistance you need.  I know these are tough times for everyone, and you are showing so much fortitude as we keep instruction moving forward.

Please send me your pictures, as I requested yesterday, see below, it’s great to hear from you and I will start posting those I’ve received on my blog later this week — thanks to those who responded!  I’ve posted a new pic today with a piece of advice — reach out to an old friend you haven’t heard from.  One of my high school classmates and I had a great exchange this morning, it was like old times and fun to be in touch with her.  Don’t wait for someone to ping you, just reach out, you’d be surprised how much someone else will appreciate your “virtual” touch!

Thanks to everyone for all that you are doing these days, stay in touch, and I’ll keep you informed of developments each day.

With hope for the coming springtime,

President Pat McGuire president@trinitydc.edu

Here’s my pic for today — send me yours!!

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

Miss you!  I hope everyone is OK and I hear you are doing marvelous work with “remote” learning… bravo to all!

But I do miss seeing you regularly, so here’s a fun thing if you’d like to join in — can you please send me a photo of where you are “social distancing” at home or elsewhere, and maybe include a message of hope and encouragement for the  Trinity community — a greeting, a quote, a thought…. Here’s my pic… everyone’s will be more glam than this, I’m sure…. I’m thinking of what it will be like when we get back together again, we’ll have a great party to be sure!  Not to make light of today, but always optimistic about tomorrow, right?

If you want to share yours, just send it to me in email — I will include it in a slideshow/blog about how the Trinity family is doing so much great work even in these difficult times. (Please do NOT “reply all” to my e-mail. Just send your photo to me at: president@trinitydc.edu

Other news:  The launch of the Children’s National Hospital field unit today went very well, and I thank everyone for your cooperation.  There have been some good stories about the testing site on TV, here’s Fox 5 local news.  

I’ll post more links on my blog.

I want to give a shout out to our Vice President Ann Pauley who worked all last week and through the weekend with Children’s staff to make sure all of the arrangements went flawlessly on Trinity’s side, and also a shout out to our Allied Universal Security team for being vigilant partners at this time for the field unit.  Thank you!

Please let me know how you’re doing, and reply with your photo and message, and of course, if there’s something more serious you need to tell me, I’m always here for you just send me a note.

With thanks to all and continuing concern for your health and safety,

President Pat McGuire president@trinitydc.edu

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

We have started Week #2 of this great adventure in new ways of teaching, learning and working, mostly at home and remotely.  A few devoted colleagues are here on campus, and I am so particularly grateful to our Allied Universal Security Team, Metz Food Service Team, Aramark Facilities Team and our Residence Life Team who have taken such great care of our resident students in this challenging time.  Thanks to all students, faculty and staff who are doing so much great work at this time!

Even as we have worked hard to take care of ourselves in this moment of global crisis, we also have to remember the expectation of our mission to act in social justice to care for others in need.  Late last week, our friends at Children’s National Hospital asked if Trinity could step up to this public health emergency in a new and vital way, and we readily agreed.  Trinity is donating our empty parking lot on the south side of campus for a field unit for Children’s National Hospital for drive-through Covid-19 testing for children.  The site is very remote from our buildings and no Trinity personnel are directly involved; the site is very safe.  Not open to the general public, this field station is only available to children who have been referred by their pediatricians.  Below is the press release that spells out the procedures for testing at this site.  Children’s conducted a pilot test of the site this past weekend and all went very well.  This week, the field unit will be open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm each day.

I realize you may be curious, but please do not go to the site or disturb the medical professionals who are providing critical services to children in need.  If you are a parent who wants to learn more about the testing program, please visit the Children’s National web page explaining the process, see https://childrensnational.org/healthcare-providers/refer-a-patient/mobile-testing

If you are interested in volunteering to help Children’s National Hospital or other healthcare agencies in the area, drop me a note and I will connect you.   The D.C. Department of Health also welcomes volunteers for the D.C. Medical Reserve Corps.

For this next period of time, if you happen to come to campus for any purpose, please do not park behind the library.  You may park on the front circle or on Cuvilly Driveway or the Cuvilly parking lot.  The check-in process for the Children’s operation starts on the front circle in front of the library and then continues down the hill to the Trinity Center parking lot, and the visitors then exit through the back gate.  We prefer to have no Trinity traffic on that side of the campus at this time.  Thank you for your cooperation with this!

Our friends at Children’s are so grateful to Trinity for being a committed partner in response to the Covid-19 crisis.  We are also sharing some of our parking spaces for their staff, and we have donated some of our unused medical supplies like masks and gowns.  Children’s has been a wonderful partner for clinical education for our Trinity nurses, for biomedical research with some of our Biology majors, and Children’s Chief Nursing Officer Linda Talley is a great member of our Board of Trustees.  Children’s also provides splendid care for some of our students and families.  Our missions are similar, to help people, especially young people, be able to grow and thrive.

We experience our mission at Trinity with the extra dimension of our Catholic commitment to social justice.  A few years ago, Pope Francis gave an interview in which he said, famously, “I see the Church as a field hospital…” bringing care and healing for the wounds of the community.  It never occurred to me that one day there would be so grave a public health crisis that Trinity would realize that message literally, but we do so today with certainty that through living our mission faithfully, we can find the grace and strength we need to rise through this period of so much sickness and sorrow.

As always, know that my concern is with all members of our Trinity family for your health and safety, along with deep thanks for all that you are doing to keep Trinity’s mission in education vibrant each day.

Gratefully,

President Pat McGuire president@trinitydc.edu

UPDATE: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
Message from Trinity President Pat McGuire

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

My hope for you right now is that you are finding a place of peace and comfort during our global crisis, and that you are adapting to Trinity’s new modalities for teaching and learning. Our great Trinity community continues to be healthy and resilient. From all reports I’ve received from the faculty and staff, it sounds like everyone is doing a great job working with our new realities! Thank you!! Please know that we have a core administrative team on campus each day keeping an eye on everything and making sure that all essential services continue as well as support for your ventures in online and remote instruction. I am so grateful to everyone for your creativity and cooperation!

We have made some important decisions about the next steps for the next two months. These decisions are very similar to what’s happening at all other universities.

• Alternative instructional formats for all courses in all programs will continue through the end of the Spring 2020 semester that concludes in early May. No face-to-face instruction will occur on campus. We will continue to provide advice and support to faculty who are adapting their courses, and support for students as well.
• Resident students may continue to remain in the residence halls, and we will continue to provide food and other services for you. Some residence life policies may be amended for this period of time, Dr. Gerlach will communicate with you.
• Key offices will remain open on a limited basis, 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. Offices are closed on Saturday and Sunday. The Library will be open 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday for now. The Trinity Center is closed.
• We have cancelled all events previously scheduled for April, including Sower’s Seed, the Spring Research Day, Founders Day and similar events.
• We will reschedule Commencement from May 16 to a Saturday in June. We are evaluating the most likely dates for that and will make a separate announcement. Rest assured we will have commencement, just not sure when.
• We will determine the modality for summer session classes later on.
• Fall registration starts Monday, March 23, we will continue with all activities associated with fall registration virtually. You will receive additional information about this from Enrollment Services and your advisors. Please register for your fall classes — by then we will be eager to welcome you back to campus with a full slate of activities!!

Obviously there are many other details to attend to during this time, and I will continue to communicate with you on a regular basis. If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to email me: president@trinitydc.edu 

With thanks to all for your cooperation, and with concern for your continuing health and safety,

President Pat McGuire

Read President McGuire’s March 16, 2020, blog post: Voices of Trinity: Student Survey on Coronavirus

Read President McGuire’s March 9, 2020, blog post on the Coronavirus.

UPDATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020
Message from Trinity President Pat McGuire

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

Amid these troubling times, it’s important to take time for some fun and happy thoughts — so, today is St. Patrick’s Day and traditionally at Trinity, this is also Green Class Day — and you don’t have to be Green or Irish to take a minute today to find something that makes you happy, gives you some nice thoughts, perhaps a walk outside to see the green and pink buds starting to blossom as spring arrives. Just keep your social distance from others! Here’s something fun: watch the eagles at the National Arboretum courtesy of the eagle webcam — you can also hear the birds chirping and contemplate the wonders of nature from the safety of your screen… enjoy!

Now for some serious business:

NO CLASSES TODAY, March 17, as we continue preparations to start delivery of courses in alternative formats on Wednesday, March 18. Many, many, many thanks to our heroic faculty who have worked so hard for the last week to prepare for this great change in our instructional methods — thank you! Students, please go to your Moodle course websites to get the instructions for each course, and please read all of the messages that deans and faculty are sending to help you prepare for this new way of learning. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Here on campus, we have a few staff who are generously keeping services up and running, and I am so grateful to them. Others are necessarily at home but working hard, thank you!

Because of reduced staffing and the need to reduce interpersonal contact on campus, we are taking some additional steps today and will probably do more as the week goes along:

• Office Hours for our key offices: 10 am to 4 pm Monday-Friday, all offices closed on Saturday. If you need assistance our staff is happy to help you but please call or email first; most of the assistance you may need can be provided by phone or email. We would prefer that you NOT try to visit offices but make contact by phone or email. Every office web page has the phone numbers and email for the staff you may wish to reach, or you can always send me an email and I will connect you to the right person.
• Library Hours: 10 am to 4 pm, Monday-Saturday. Library is only open for students, faculty, staff — no outside visitors.
• Trinity Sports Center is closed — Mayor Bowser has ordered closure of all gyms and health clubs for an indefinite period of time.
• Residence Halls remain open for those students who wish to stay, and we are committed to keep them open through the end of the semester. Resident students may get additional instructions about staying safe in these unusual times. Many thanks to our residence life team!
• Dining Services continues to serve our resident students, and so many thanks to our Metz team for taking great care of our students.

Yesterday we conducted a survey of students about your needs during this time of coronavirus, and I have posted the results on my blog. Please read that blog to get the whole story, but here are a few important notes that I address in more detail on my blog:

• We will be making a decision in the next few days about how we go forward after March 27 with alternative instructional formats and other events. We will be consulting with faculty about any necessary adjustments. We are also looking at the April schedule of events and we may need to cancel some of them. Stay tuned…..
• We do have a food pantry and also emergency funds for those in need. Please contact Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Karen Gerlach (gerlachk@trinitydc.edu) for more information on these supports.
• Yes, we WILL have commencement for the Class of 2020, but under the circumstances, it’s possible that we’d have to move the date. (Update, March 19: Commencement will NOT take place on May 16; a new date will be set for June.) Please know that we are aware of the concerns of seniors and want to assure you that we will have the ceremony, but that the date may change. We will let you know as soon as we can about any changes.

For now, please know of my deep care and concern for everyone in the Trinity community, your health and safety are paramount, and also your success as travelers on this great academic and intellectual journey. Please know that others are caring for you as well — our alumnae are sending messages of support, and alums and friends have made special charitable gifts to help provide additional support for these difficult days. I am so grateful to everyone for stepping up and showing so much great Trinity spirit as we walk together through a time that we could not have imagined just a week or two ago.

With thanks to all, and please keep watching for new messages and updates.

President Pat McGuire

Message from Trinity President Pat McGuire

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,

Coronavirus is now a global pandemic and while we have no cases within the Trinity community, we are following the situation carefully and spending considerable time ensuring the best possible plans for your health and safety while making sure that instruction continues so that students can stay on track to their degrees. Events in the last 24 hours require Trinity to change our timetable for moving to alternative course delivery formats. Governor Hogan in Maryland has ordered closure of all Maryland public schools for the next two weeks at least, and we suspect that DC will follow suit soon.

Accordingly, Trinity is changing our earlier plans as follows:

• All classes are cancelled on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17 to give the faculty time to complete their planning to move to alternative remote delivery formats. Thanks to all faculty who have been working very hard to prepare for new remote delivery formats!
• Starting on Wednesday, March 18 and continuing through Friday, March 27, all instruction at Trinity will be delivered in alternative remote formats, meaning either online or in other ways that do not require students or faculty to be on campus, e.g., research and writing assignments, Google Meet chats, and other creative work. Each faculty member will provide instructions for the alternative delivery via each Moodle course website. Deans will provide separate instructions for clinicals and internships. Any student who needs particular assistance should let your faculty member and dean know, and we will do what is possible to accommodate individual needs.
• Trinity remains open and our offices and campus services remain accessible for all students, faculty and staff. (March 17 Update: Office hours are now 10am – 4pm; closed on Saturday. We will continue to provide access to computers in Main Hall and the Library for students who need computer access, wifi and other technological support. Payden will remain open, and as needed we will open classrooms for computer access or displays of online lessons.
• Residence halls and dining services remain open; the Deli will be closed during this period. The library remains open. Health Services remains open. Our staff will be here to help any student who needs assistance.
• Any student, faculty member or staff member who must be absent is free to do so without penalty. Please use the usual notification routines. As previously announced, staff will not have to use any leave days for absences due to the Coronavirus emergency and related issues such as school closings and child care needs. Supervisors will discuss with staff the options for working remotely as needed.
• Events are cancelled or postponed. We will work with event organizers to develop “virtual” opportunities to provide parallel experiences. Please refrain from scheduling any new meetings or events for the time being.
• Trinity will not support any international travel at this time, and anyone who does travel internationally even for personal purposes must be evaluated by Dr. Newsome-Williams before being cleared to return to campus. Be aware we may require a 14 day quarantine period at home after international travel.
• We discourage domestic travel at this time and may decline approval for specific travel depending on location.
• If you have any symptoms of any kind of sickness, please stay home. If you are a resident student, please contact Health Services. We do have limited space to provide on-campus quarantine if necessary.
• If you think you have been in an environment of exposure to Coronavirus, please contact your own healthcare provider and also notify Dr. Jacqueline Newsome-Williams in Health Services (202-884-9618, newsome-williamsj@trinitydc.edu )
• Please observe all instructions about hygiene, hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and other instructions for healthy habits.
• Facilities continues to address deep cleaning in all public areas, restrooms, dining hall and classrooms, and please let us know if you see anything that needs immediate attention.

The Coronavirus emergency is a very fluid situation and circumstances seem to change daily, if not hourly. I understand that everyone feels very stressed out by the situation, and please know that we are doing everything possible to reduce the risks on our campus. Once again, I want to stress that you should feel free to let us know what you need, and also, no one will be forced to be in a space where you do not feel comfortable. If you need personal adjustments, healthcare or other support, please let us know. Working together, we will get through this safely and in good health!

With thanks for your cooperation,

Sincerely, President Pat McGuire

Key Resources and Contacts:

Coronavirus Information, Trinity Health and Wellness Center

Dr. Jacqueline Newsome-Williams, Trinity Health and Wellness Center

Dr. Karen Gerlach, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. Carlota Ocampo, Provost, Academic Affairs

Who’s Who at Trinity – Who should I talk to about ….

Media Inquiries: Ann Pauley

Read President McGuire’s March 9, 2020, blog post on the Coronavirus.