Dean's Community Message

March 5, 2021

Dear College of Engineering Community,

I hope you had a great week, and you are taking the time to care for yourself and to check in with others. I know, for me, self-care activities have become a crucial part of my routine and connecting with family, friends, and colleagues is an important aspect of that.

As a reminder, the second wellness day of the semester is next Thursday, March 11. The day’s activities will be focused around intellectual and spiritual wellness. I encourage you to make plans to participate in some of the scheduled programs or find time to engage in other personal wellness activities.

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
—Maya Angelou

Please remember that you can always connect with me via email or LinkedIn.

Here are today’s updates:


Summer and Fall 2021 Course Registration Schedules

The University recently announced that the window for students to schedule summer and fall 2021 courses has been updated to align with the recently announced semester course plans. For summer 2021 registration, the schedule of courses will be available in LionPATH on March 17, with registration beginning on March 25 for both undergraduate and graduate students. For fall 2021 registration, the schedule of courses will be available in LionPATH on March 17, with registration beginning on April 10 for graduate students and April 11 for undergraduate students. Students are reminded that their first day to register is calculated by their total credits earned plus the number of credits for which they are currently enrolled. More information is available on the Registrar website. If students have questions about what courses to take in the coming semesters, they are encouraged to schedule a time to meet with their academic advisers. Please note that students do not have to wait until the schedule of courses is published or their scheduling dates arrive to speak with an academic adviser.


Teaching Modes for Summer and Fall 2021

Following the University’s announcement of the fall and spring semester course plans, the University and the college are currently planning for this phased return and for the ability to quickly pivot if changing conditions warrant doing so. We will share more information as soon as it becomes available.


Revised PA Mitigation Order for Gatherings and Out-of-State Travel Restrictions

On Monday, Gov. Wolf announced revisions to the mitigation order for gatherings and out-of-state travel for Pennsylvania. Please note that these revisions do not affect Penn State’s current restrictions on University-affiliated gatherings and travel. Penn State’s current guidelines for travel can be found here, and current guidelines for gatherings can be found here.


Reminder: Walk-Up COVID-19 Testing

On-campus walk-up COVID-19 testing is available for students who are identified in the University’s contact tracing process or who believe they may have been in close contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. At University Park, walk-up testing for students is available at the Hintz Family Alumni Center and the Pegula Ice Arena from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Students living on or near other Penn State campuses should seek testing via their campus’ health services or a local provider. As a reminder, vaccination does not exempt students, faculty, and staff members from participating in the University’s COVID-19 testing programs.


Reminder: Zoom Meeting Security

As a reminder, please take the necessary steps to ensure that your Zoom meetings are secure. The University has provided a list of tips and settings to help prevent unwanted actions by participants. There is guidance available for all faculty and instructors on how to handle disruptions in remote classes. Tech TAs are available to assist faculty, and Tech Tutors are offering one-on-one consultations to provide additional technical support for staff and students. University officials are emphasizing that any incidents of Zoom-bombing should be reported to University Police immediately. Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services is available to help support students who may be impacted by Zoom-bombings at virtual meetings or events.


Please remember that you can reach out to our response team at L-COE_CORONA_CRISIS_TEAM@engr.psu.edu with questions or concerns. You can also follow the college on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Be well!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering