Alcohol-based, antimicrobial hand sanitizer will kill the virus, though regular handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the preferred method to protect yourself and reduce the spread of the virus.

No. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. To read more about U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) tips on the best way to prevent exposure to this virus and others, visit the CDC’s website. Additionally, the World Health Organization has developed an online course to provide a general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronaviruses.

No. The flu shot will reduce your chance of getting the flu. It will also help reduce the number of people with flu-like symptoms that healthcare professionals need to treat.

Social distancing is a term applied to certain actions that are recommended by public health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease. These recommendations include keeping physical distance from other people, not attending large gatherings, not sharing food or drink, etc.

College leadership has been in contact with state and local authorities, other college leaders, and higher education organizations during this time. We are working in parallel with other institutions in the state as well, and we continue to closely monitor the situation as it evolves.

You can reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus by taking the same steps as you would to prevent infection from the flu and the common cold:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for a least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer that contains 60–95% alcohol if water is not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and immediately dispose of the used tissue.

There is currently no recommendation for the use of masks by the general population in the United States or while traveling. As a result, the college is not providing masks. Individuals may choose to wear a mask as a personal preference for various reasons; for example, if they have allergies or a compromised immune system. If someone is wearing a mask, that is not necessarily an indication that they are sick.

For specific information related to academic instruction for the remainder of the semester, please refer to the notice from the dean sent on March 23.

For specific information related to the expectations of undergraduate students please refer to the notice from the dean sent on March 11.

For specific information related to the expectations of GI students please refer to the notice from the associate dean sent on March 11.

Due to the close proximity of living spaces and shared amenities, the spread of the COVID-19 virus presents unique challenges in college and university residence halls. Our foremost concern is for the health and safety of the college community.

• Writing Assistance: Help with writing is available via email by using the standard Writing Assistance email (annapolis.writingassistance(at)sjc.edu). PDFs and read-only Google documents are difficult to work with, so please remember to grant edit permissions on any shared Google docs (so we can comment directly on your paper), or just send an attached Word document. To ensure you get the most helpful comments, please include a brief message describing what type of feedback you are looking for (grammar, structure and flow, content, etc.). Priority will be given to annual essays during writing period.
• Math Assistance: Additional information will be forthcoming.  Please continue to check here for updates.
• Language Assistance: Additional information will be forthcoming.  Please continue to check here for updates.

Students will continue to maintain their immigration status as the college moves to alternative forms of instruction. This applies only in response to the COVID-19 situation, and the college will await further instruction from SEVP as this situation changes. We urge you to continually check the ICE Guidance on COVID-19 for the most up-to-date information.

The college strongly advises against personal international travel and strongly urges caution with respect to personal domestic travel. Faculty and staff should carefully consider whether any travel is advisable in light of the possibility for quarantine upon return and/or unforeseen travel restrictions in the United States or abroad. Please note that some states have already started to enact domestic travel restrictions (PDF).

We ask that both staff and faculty inform Danielle Lico, Executive Director of Campus Wellness and Mental Health, at danielle.lico(at)sjc.edu about upcoming travel plans. She needs to know when you’re travelling, where you’ll be going to, and when you plan to return. As the domestic and global situation changes, you may be directed to self-isolate at home and not return to campus.

You are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention from your healthcare provider. After you confer with your healthcare provider, please notify your supervisor and Personnel.

You are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention from a healthcare provider. After you confer with your healthcare provider, please notify your supervisor and Personnel.

In such an event, you should notify your supervisor that you are sick. Please be advised you are not required to disclose your health condition and/or provide medical documentation directly to your supervisor. You should reach out to Personnel to discuss your specific situation. The college reserves the right to request medical documentation.

We understand the news about COVID-19 can be stressful. If you need support, you can contact the Employee Assistance Program.

What is an EAP? An employee assistance program (EAP) is a voluntary, confidential program that helps employees work through various life challenges that may adversely affect job performance, health, and personal well-being. Our EAP also works with management and supervisors by providing advanced planning for situations like these.

Remember that you and your household members are eligible for six short-term problem resolution sessions per issue, per year, through our EAP program.

To reach the EAP, call at 800-327-2251 or go online at portal.bhsonline.com with the username JOHN. Visit portal.bhsonline.com/clients/st-johns-college/?pid=1294 for a short orientation.

We want to assure all employees that no one will suffer financially during this period. All employees who continue to complete their assigned work, whether on campus or remotely, will receive their paychecks as usual. Payroll and other employment questions should be directed to your supervisor; they will work closely with Julie Kopp, payroll specialist, and Lynn Hobbs, director of Personnel.

In order to promote social distancing and help flatten the curve, staff who are not required to be on-campus to perform their jobs are highly encouraged to stay home. Only essential employees, as designated by their supervisors, should be reporting to work on-campus. If you are not an essential employee and required to report to campus for work, you need approval of your supervisor before coming onto campus. If you are approved, you will need your SJC ID to access campus buildings.

These measures will help those employees who have to report to campus maintain the social distancing guidelines that have been released. It is important that all members of the campus community take measures to help flatten the curve.

Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to a job-protected leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please contact Personnel to discuss your specific situation.

Starting Wednesday, March 24 only those employees who have been designated as essential employees should be reporting to work on campus. All other employees should work remotely. All employee requests to report to campus need to be approved by a member of the College Cabinet in advance.

Employees should follow normal college procedures and call supervisors to inform them if they are unable to report to work, either because of their own illness or to take care of an ill family member. If you have questions, please contact Personnel to discuss your specific situation. Employees should follow normal college procedures and call supervisors to inform them if they are unable to report to work, either because of their own illness or to take care of an ill family member. If you have questions, please contact Personnel to discuss your specific situation.

Public Safety officers continue to be available 24 hours a day and can be reached by calling 443-336-2348, or x2000 from any campus phone.

The dining hall and coffee shop are closed until further notice.

In order to meet the social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and to keep our faculty and staff safe and healthy—we will not be accepting any walk-ins to our Help Desk areas.

Faculty and staff having computer issues but can go online should open a Help Desk ticket. IT can remotely assist you through Microsoft Teams.

Faculty and staff who cannot go online should call the Help Desk to schedule a time for you to drop off your non-operational computer or equipment. Once it is repaired, we will contact you for a pick up appointment.

For all other types of questions and requests, please open a Help Desk ticket as usual and we will get back to you the same day.

The gym is closed until further notice.

The library will cease in-person operations until at least April 5. During this time, patrons and visitors will not be permitted inside the building.

For more information, please refer to this message from the dean sent on March 23.

Mail and packages will be available to students in the Print Shop, Monday through Friday from10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Students who are not on campus should refrain from having packages and mail sent to the college until further notice.

The following changes are being made with respect to services at the Student Health & Wellness Center:

•  Medical Care: Students need to call in advance for an appointment. Walk-ins will not be accepted, and appointments will be scheduled on a limited basis.  To request an appointment, please email annapolis.healthcenter(at)sjc.edu.
• Psychiatric Care: We will no longer be seeing students for in-person psychiatric appointments within the Health Center, and new client appointments will not be accepted at this time. Current clients will receive an email with additional information about how to schedule a check-in appointment with the psychiatrist.
• Counseling: We will no longer be seeing students for in-person counseling appointments within the Health Center, and new client appointments will not be accepted at this time. Current clients will receive an email with additional information about how to schedule a check-in appointment with your provider.

All on-campus public events scheduled through the end of April have been cancelled. This extends to community events, seminars, study groups, and college-sponsored events held off-campus.

All in-person campus tours and admissions information sessions, including Admitted Students Day, are cancelled until April 10. These programs have been moved to a virtual format online. Guests who had registered in advance have been notified by email and re-registered for the virtual programming. All other guests can register online. The Admissions Office will keep the admissions visit website up to date with the latest scheduling information.

The College is offering this grading flexibility in recognition of the extraordinary circumstances with COVID-19 and classes moving to an unprecedented means of instruction at St. John’s.

Neither a Pass grade nor a Fail grade in the Pass/Fail grading scale is counted in the grade point average. Whatever credits remain on the letter grade scale will be the only ones calculated in the GPA.

1. A student who is doing well may not want to convert a class to pass/fail because a strong letter grade may improve the GPA.
2. A student who is concerned about not having a letter grade for graduate or professional school may not want to convert to pass/fail. Some programs may also have outside licensure or certification requirements and/or limits to the number of pass/fail credits accepted.
3. A student who plans to enter a profession where a letter grade is critical for competitive employment may not want to convert to pass/fail.
4. A student who plans to pursue overseas employment where a letter grade is essential may not want to convert to pass/fail.
5. A student who plans on receiving credit for the SJC courses at other institutions may not want to convert to pass/fail if they are concerned that institution will not accept pass/fail.

Yes. You may choose only to change the grading type on certain classes for which no grade has been submitted. Annual essays and senior essays cannot be converted to pass/fail; freshman music, orals, and master’s essays are already graded pass/fail.

No. You only need to submit the form if you want to convert one or more classes to pass/fail.

If you are planning to attend graduate school or considering applying for professional programs that require letter grades, you should very carefully consider whether electing the pass/fail option is the best choice for you.

Other institutions will set their own policies about whether and how to accept credits in light of many colleges making adjustments to grading policies, however, there is no guarantee that any particular program you are applying for will make concessions.

No. If you opt to for pass/fail status in a course, you cannot later change to a letter grade after the deadline of Wednesday, April 22.

No. These changes are for the Spring 2020 semester only due to the impact of COVID-19.

The deadline is Wednesday, April 22. You may opt in and/or change your elections until the end of the business day on April 22.

You must submit the Application for Pass/Fail Grading Option. More information about this form was sent to students from the Office of the Registrar on April 6.

No. Essay grades cannot be elected as pass/fail.

If it is prior to April 22, you may email the Office of the Registrar (annapolis.registrar(at)sjc.edu) to change or cancel your choices.

As long as you remain enrolled as a full-time student and attend your classes online, changing your enrollments to pass/fail grading for the Spring 2020 semester will not impact your status.

As long as you remain enrolled as a full-time student and attend your classes online, changing your enrollments to pass/fail grading for the Spring 2020 semester will not impact your benefits.

Please contact the Office of the Registrar if you have questions about making the changes to your grading type. Please contact your tutors or the assistant dean if you have individual concerns about your performance in class during this time.