Following the conclusion of the Fall 2020 term at Gannon, a decision was made by our campus leaders to tighten remote delivery rules (the guidelines that decide who is allowed to attend online classes). The new guidelines state that remote delivery will ONLY be available to students who "physically cannot be on campus due to a diagnosed medical condition that creates a greater risk for she/he contracting the virus." and "Students traveling from a place with a travel ban or restriction."  

The new policy adds that, "Temporary remote delivery will continue to be available to students for the spring 2021 term for the following reason: Students who are in quarantine and/or isolation will be given temporary remote access to their classes." The deadline they released to request remote delivery was Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. The policy adds that, "Our experience from the fall semester shows that our classrooms are safe environments." 

As Gannon University Students, we believe that right now, at the peak of this terrible pandemic, Gannon students should not need to provide any formal excuse to utilize online learning options from their pod at their home.

Reasons for this conclusion include: 

• The current policy does not take into account students with other disabilities, beyond those that make them more susceptible to COVID, that threaten their sense of safety on campus. This includes students with mental health disorders, trauma histories, and other personal issues that may make living in isolation on campus, or attending classroom gatherings difficult. 
• The current policy operates under the assumption that this semester is the same as last semester, and that classrooms will remain a safe space despite the significant influx in cases of COVID across the country, and in Erie County, over break 
• The policy disregards commuter students and healthcare workers. The current policy does not account for any life circumstances beyond very specific physical illnesses. Commuter students who live with family members who are immunocompromised, and students who are healthcare workers are not considered for remote delivery. 
• Ultimately, the policy fails to acknowledge that if students- for any reason- do not feel comfortable gathering in class (a high risk situation according to CDC guidelines) or living in tight quarters with other students on campus, they should have access to remote classes through the infrastructure that already exists on campus (cameras and microphones have already been installed in classrooms). 
• At a time when in-person gatherings are risky, having less students on campus should be a welcomed, not resisted, as it will decrease risk for all members of our Gannon and Erie community. 

While we recognize that their is a financial strain being placed on all campuses, across the nation right now due to this unexpected pandemic, we stand together today to ask that Gannon places it's values of "inclusiveness and social-responsibility" above all else, and work with students to reimagine remote delivery guidelines to accommodate the circumstances and personal limits of all students.