Students Resources

Why isn’t Muhlenberg conducting mass testing?
Both the American College Health Association and the CDC are not recommending universal testing on College campuses. Our local public health experts are also not recommending that approach to us. Instead, we will be implementing a 3-pronged approach that includes symptomatic testing, outbreak rapid response testing of close contacts, and selective asymptomatic testing (see the Monitoring and Contact Tracing information above). We are fortunate to have close relationships with our local health bureau and the two Lehigh Valley health networks, with whom we are in regular contact for guidance. We also know that pooled testing for COVID-19 may be available in our region this fall, which might allow us to expand our testing strategies. We will continue to adapt our testing strategies as guidance evolves.

Our current testing strategy will be coupled with additional prevention methods such as a required daily symptom checker for students, faculty and staff, temperature checks in high-traffic areas and significant self-quarantine requirements for potential concerns.

How might antibody testing affect the need to be tested or quarantined while at Muhlenberg?
At this time, there is no definitive evidence about the clinical significance of antibody testing and how long—if at all—any potential immunity would last. Therefore, antibody test results will not be considered when determining the need to quarantine at Muhlenberg.  

How does asymptomatic surveillance testing work at Muhlenberg?
A random sample of 10 percent of our on-campus population (approximately 65 students) is randomly selected through a computer-generated program every Sunday. The selected students receive an email on Sunday night from Health Services to sign up for a test appointment on Monday. The College receives results from these tests within 48 hours, and students are also notified of results through their personal health portal. Once a student has been randomly selected for testing, they will not be selected again for this purpose until all students have been tested. Students tested through this process may be required to be tested at other times based on their symptoms or close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual.

When do I need to complete the Daily Self-Assessment each day?
While at home before arriving on campus, students must complete the daily self-assessment each day before the end of the day. Once students arrive on campus, students should complete self-assessment by 10 a.m. daily. On move-in day, you must show your daily self-assessment upon check-in.

Do parents (and move-in helpers) need to complete the Daily Self-Assessment for two weeks prior to move-in?
Parents and move-in helpers should monitor their symptoms daily for the two weeks prior to arrival by using the Google Symptoms Checker here. Parents do not need to show the results or take any screenshots of the 14-day screening except on move-in day when they do need to show the results screen for that day only.

For students who don’t use electronics during certain periods, is there an alternative to using the app?
Yes, please contact Health Services for a paper version of the Daily Self-Assessment.

Are there specific guidelines that would lead the College to close campus during the semester?
The College is developing clear guidelines that will guide any potential decision to close campus. Guidelines include a combination of factors related to state and county regulations that could require us to close. In addition, there will be some internal indicators that we will monitor along with our local hospital partner and the Allentown Health Bureau, including: major outbreaks on campus; quarantine or isolation space being at capacity; significantly reduced test availability; or non-compliant social behavior by students.

Will the College report to the community each positive case on campus?
Reporting each positive case is not in line with the guidance we have received from any of our public health partners. Instead, we will create a way of regularly reporting trends, concerns and campus hot spots as it makes sense. These guidelines are currently being developed and will directly align with guidance from our Allentown Health partners.

If through contact tracing an individual student, faculty or staff member is determined to be a “close contact” of someone who has a presumptive positive case or has tested positive, they will be notified right away.

How does the Pennsylvania restriction of 25 percent of indoor capacity impact classrooms and dining spaces on campus?
The Pennsylvania Department of Health specifically communicated with colleges that classroom spaces and large cafeterias are not included in these guidelines. However, we have planned to be fully de-densified to allow for proper 6-foot social distancing at each chair/desk in a classroom and between all tables in the dining hall. These actions reduce our capacities in most instances down to 30-40 percent of normal capacity.

What is the housing deadline?
Any changes can be made to housing or your course selections right up to the first day of the semester, August 24. You will be fully supported in your choice to take courses remotely as well. We have invested significantly in our faculty this summer to prepare them to develop and offer remote courses effectively and if you feel more comfortable with that option, we fully understand.

If I sign an off-campus lease for the Fall but do NOT have approval from the College to do so, will I be made to move back on campus for the Spring 20201 semester?
If the College was to open back up for all students in the spring, any student that obtains off-campus/third-party housing for the Fall 2020 semester will be permitted to remain off-campus for the Spring 2021 semester. However, the College reserves the right to require any such student to live on campus if that student fails to treat neighbors with common courtesy and respect or fails to comply with the COVID-19 Policy, the Student Code of Conduct, all local, state, federal laws and policies, as well as City of Allentown noise, disorderly conduct, trash and recycling collection, and parking ordinances.

Will students need to pack everything up to take home with them in November?
When students depart for the November break, they will be required to empty their rooms completely. More information will be shared in September regarding a process for students who wish to request an exemption to keep their belongings on campus. We are strongly encouraging students to pack only what they need to reduce the time needed both for moving in and moving out of residence halls.

Please note, if we have to close campus abruptly during the fall semester, students will need to completely empty their rooms and move them to storage (we would likely be able to provide on-campus) and/or take or ship their belongings home. 

Are there guaranteed housing assignments for spring?
As Covid-19 is an ever-evolving situation, we cannot make guarantees today about what the spring semester will look like. We are saving all the scheduled Fall housing assignments and will honor those assignments for the Spring semester if we are able. We will be in touch with all upperclass students during the Fall semester to update you on the Spring and to let you know what those housing plans will be. If we cannot reopen the campus fully in the Spring, we plan to prioritize the senior experience on campus, but cannot guarantee any specific assignments at this time.

Are there additional conduct expectations in place for students?
All students are required to complete training modules before coming to campus. The new COVID-19 policy includes a series of items related to social gatherings on and off campus, masking, social distancing, travel to and from campus, visitor and guest policies for students, testing, contact tracing and quarantining requirements. This policy can be found here. Students will be required to sign a document clearly stating their understanding of and willingness to adhere to these policies in addition to regular social code policies. 

Students and groups who violate these policies can expect the following:

1. For on-campus students, this includes sanctions up to the immediate removal from campus housing; and/or immediate removal of access to campus including in-person classes, dining, entrance to buildings and in-person use of College services.
2. For approved off-campus students, this includes sanctions up to the immediate removal of access to campus including in-person classes, dining, entrance to buildings and in-person use of College services.
3. Off-campus social gatherings held by any Muhlenberg College students—including those living locally who are not approved for off-campus housing—will be limited under the COVID-related health and safety policies to 20 or fewer guests. Violation of these policies will constitute a violation of both our Student Code of Conduct and Disruptive Conduct Policy.
4. To the extent permitted under FERPA, all violations of the COVID-related health and safety policies will be sent to the address on file for the student’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s).
5. Recognition of a student group and its ability to operate as an organization can be suspended immediately without the ability to regain that recognition for the academic year.

What happens to my financial aid if I take a Leave of Absence, gap year or defer my admissions?
Financial aid is not affected by leaves. Muhlenberg awards merit and talent-based scholarships for up to 8 semesters, but students DO NOT need to be enrolled consecutive semesters to receive these awards. Need-based aid is reapplied for every year. Grant aid is increased or decreased depending on the level of need.

For incoming first-year and transfer students, please see the admissions FAQ about deferring admissions.

What happens if students must leave campus and finish the semester remotely?
Fall 2020 Room and Board Refunds For Remote Learning

Why isn’t Muhlenberg reducing tuition?

• Muhlenberg is reducing tuition by 3.8% to 2019-20 levels and waiving the student activity fee for students living off-campus.
• Many are assuming that Fall remote learning will look like the Spring, but that simply isn’t the reality. The Spring semester was developed for in-person learning and faculty had to pivot to remote learning within a few days time. Fall academic coursework and student programming has been planned to be optimized within a remote framework, whether we were on campus or not. This involved significant investments by the College in faculty development and technology resources.
• All students will have access to academic services they have come to expect in residence—tutors, learning assistants, writing center, academic support, and the library and librarians—as well as co-curricular activities like clubs, organizations and student life programs.
• Online learning is a human—not a technological—endeavor. We will be working hard to build human, community connections within students’ academic courses.
• Courses students will take are being developed by faculty who are experts in their field and are designed to fit within the curriculum and, as with on-campus courses, are small, allowing our faculty to know and interact with their students. Remote courses carry the same weight toward degree completion as in-person courses.
• The decision to reduce tuition back to 2019-20 levels was made in recognition of the economic circumstances facing all Muhlenberg families. The counseling staff in our Office of Financial Aid can assist families experiencing exceptional financial impact (finaid@muhlenberg.edu or 484-664-3175).
• Students facing significant financial hardship can also access emergency grants made available through College dollars and the generous donations of alumni and friends of the College. While these grants cannot be applied to the cost of attendance items such as tuition, room and board, these grants can support students’ personal, academic, technological and medical urgent needs at any time.

Why am I being charged the health and wellness fee if I am learning remotely?
Over the past decade, the need to think differently about health, safety and prevention efforts for students over and above what is included in the cost of tuition has shifted dramatically. Our student body continually evolves and government regulations, parental oversight, mental health concerns and concerns about sexual and physical violence in schools have all increased. Therefore, the College is expected to provide stronger support, education and intervention with regard to alcohol and other drugs, mental health, gender-based violence and other critical health and safety issues.

Colleges have addressed this increased need in a number of ways including higher activity fees, outsourced services, visit limits, etc. In 2017, Muhlenberg moved to a Health and Wellness fee structure to support these growing concerns. Muhlenberg College’s health and wellness fee supports community-based intervention and education in a way that minimally impacts students’ overall cost of attendance and allows all students to equitably benefit from these important educational efforts and interventions. These additional support services and educational programs have a direct correlation to students’ academic success, overall sense of well-being and their long-term success after graduation.

With the funds generated by this fee, the College is able to:

• Increase staffing support and operational dollars to develop and oversee peer-education efforts related to mental health, alcohol and other drugs, gender-based violence, healthy relationships, mindfulness, etc. for all students. Peer education is shown to be the most effective method for reducing harm among college-aged students.
• Offer further faculty and staff development opportunities to support student mental health and behavioral intervention as needed in the classroom.
• Increase and strengthen access to clinical care, group counseling opportunities, and other proactive mental health outreach programs through the Counseling Center, as well as provide 24-7-365 on-call support to all students regardless of their location.
• Provide support through a licensed social worker in the Dean of Students Office who is able to help support students experiencing personal crisis or trauma and/or who are navigating multiple personal and medical challenges;
• Offer direct professional level student education, support and evidence-based prevention strategies related to issues of sexual misconduct, equity, bias and discrimination at the College.

All students have access and will participate in programs and educational offerings related to all of the efforts listed above, regardless of if they are studying in person or remotely.

Who is required to pay the Student Activity fee this semester?
All students living on campus will pay the activity fee this semester. Students who are not able to access campus will not pay this fee this fall. This includes off-campus students, commuter students, and members of ATO.

Why am I being charged the technology fee if I am studying remotely?
The student technology fee helps support all student facing technology. Whether in person or remote, technology continues to grow alongside the academic and student life of our students while on and off campus. Most significantly, the technology fee pays for critical campus licensed software (e.g, Canvas, Zoom) used by faculty and students for remote and in-person instruction. Our hope is that whether in person or remote, your Muhlenberg experience is enhanced by the investments made in the technology that help support the College mission.

The faculty and staff are currently working on revising the Fall 2020 schedule to accommodate our present health situation and course needs. In addition, we are creating a new Winter Term which will be explained further below. Beginning on Tuesday, July 21, you will have the opportunity to view both Fall and Winter schedules and make plans for your upcoming courses.

This website contains some important information to help you navigate this process.                                                   

Since the times for some of our fall classes have changed, you will want to carefully review your current courses. A few classes have been canceled and removed from your schedule. As you look at the course schedule you will see a Note attached to each course indicating whether or not the course will be offered in person, will be a hybrid course, or totally online. Use the information on times and the way the course will be offered to help you inform your choices.

In-person courses will require all students and instructors to follow our social distancing guidelines and may be taught in a variety of campus spaces, some typically used for non-academic purposes. You may also be taking classes outside as weather permits or at a different time than previously scheduled. 

Online courses may be synchronous, where learning is happening in real-time, or asynchronous, using digital technology in a variety of ways to engage students with course materials and each other. Hybrid courses typically provide a mix of in-person and online learning opportunities. Within the hybrid model, some instructors may choose to schedule frequent meetings with students in person but also utilize discussion boards or blogs for deeper class interactions. Other hybrid courses may rely more on digital learning tools and have fewer real-time interactions. This summer, the college has invested resources so that our faculty could enhance their digital learning skills in order to ensure that course learning goals are reached regardless of the teaching modality utilized.  

While it is our hope that we will remain on campus, as planned, until November 20th, we recognize that we may have to move all our courses fully online before the semester ends. With this in mind and the recognition of best practice in online/remote pedagogy, we are recommending that students enroll in no more than 3 courses.

We do understand, however, that some students may need to take more than 3 courses to stay on track, so we created a Winter term. Students will be able to register for 1 course in the Winter term. The courses will be available for your review on July 21. You just need to choose the Winter Term in the semester drop-down box. If you are registered for 3 to 4.5 course units in the fall semester, there will be no additional tuition cost for the Winter Term course.

Students may want to connect with their academic advisor(s) before they decide to change their schedule. While it is not necessary for you to change any of your courses, it is likely that you will want to make changes. In addition, you may want to add a winter term course. It is important that you plan wisely. 

Consider the following questions as you review your existing fall schedule and consider utilizing the drop/add process:

• Are all of my fall courses still being offered and if so, have the times of these courses changed? In order to accommodate physical distancing, some courses needed to be moved to different days and/or times. Additionally, faculty may have moved a course to the Winter term or canceled the course until a later semester.
• Am I on track to graduate if I take 3 credits in Fall 2020? 32 course units are needed to graduate.
• Am I interested in taking a Winter term course? (hence allowing me to roster only 3 credits in the Fall). See the schedule and more information in the next section. The Winter term is an intensive four-week online course.
• How did I perform academically in the spring once courses moved online? Students should consider some of the challenges they faced once they moved home that impacted their academic success and if those challenges are still a concern if they have to return to online learning.

Important Fall Planning Dates:

• July 21-24: Advising of returning students as needed
• July 27: Seniors drop/add date (A-K at 8:30; L-Z at 10:30 a.m.)
• July 29: Juniors drop/add (L-Z at 8:30; A-K at 10:30 a.m.)
• July 31: Sophomores drop/add (A-K at 8:30; L-Z at 10:30 a.m.)
• August 22 - 23: First-year student drop/add

Drop/Add Process and Additional Information for Fall and Winter Term:

1. Drop/Add and Winter Term registration for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors will take place through Capstone. First year students will be placed into courses by the Registrar’s Office and will drop/add during Orientation.
2. To add a Winter Term course students must select the Winter Term from the drop down menu when they register. Select Fall Semester if they drop/add a fall course.
3. Students must be enrolled in 3 or more courses to maintain their full time status, receive financial aid and live on campus at Muhlenberg. Students cannot register for 2 courses in the Fall Semester and one in the Winter Term and still be considered full time. They must register for a minimum of 3 courses in the Fall Semester. Note: if a student withdraws from a course after the drop period, they will still be considered full time if they only remain in 2 courses. However, in this case, we recommend that they take a Winter Term course to make up the credit, if possible.
4. A normal course load for students at Muhlenberg College is 4 courses per semester. Students may enroll in up to 5.5 units in the fall (not recommended) but if they choose this option they cannot take a Winter Term course.
5. Winter Term: students may only enroll in one course unit for the Winter 2021 term (i.e., that may be satisfied by one 1-credit course or two 0.5-credit courses). All courses will be taught online. These courses will be 19 days of intense study and independent and/or group work. Students should understand that a Winter Term course will demand their full time and attention over the 19 days. The Spring semester will start one week after the Winter Term ends, on Monday, February 8, giving students (and faculty) little down time before the new semester begins. Any incomplete courses from the fall will also have to be completed during the Winter term.
6. At this time, the Academic Policy Committee is not changing the withdrawal deadline or the pass/fail policy for the Fall 2020 semester. Should Muhlenberg move to remote teaching for Fall 2020, APC will again revisit both the withdrawal deadline and the pass/fail policy & solicit faculty input about the possibility of modifying both, as we did in Spring 2020.
7. Students cannot register for an Independent Study during the Winter Term. Students may be able to register for an internship credit but the faculty advisor should contact Michele Deegan, dean of academic life, to discuss this option.

The Lehigh Valley Association of Independent College (LVAIC) has shared additional resources with member institutions to support student needs during this time. Information about free WiFi and data plans, low-cost computers and laptops, mobile plans, storage, car rentals and more can be found here.

We understand that COVID-19 may have been disruptive to your daily life and may have also created additional financial burdens. If you are in need of financial assistance to support you during this transition, including funds for internet access, computer and technology equipment, travel expenses and emergency funds for groceries and other essentials, please complete this form for emergency grants and we may be able to assist in funding your need.

If your concern is related to internet access, we suggest you contact your local provider and identify yourself as a college student. Many providers are offering discounts or free services to students. If they do not, please have them provide you a quote for set up and service and include this cost information in your grant request. In the short term, if you have a cell phone, you can utilize it as a mobile hotspot for internet service.  

All programs abroad for Fall 2020 have been deferred until spring and fall of 2021.

If you experience an emergency, please call Campus Safety at 484-664-3110 if you are on campus or call 911 if you are away from campus.

IMPORTANT: If you are feeling sick, the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your community is to stay home and contact your healthcare provider. If you are on campus this summer, please contact Health Services (484-664-3199).

Counseling Services has moved to an emergency consultation model of care and will continue to provide services remotely for consultations and urgent concerns, including on-call counseling after hours. Click here for more information and or to schedule a consultation.

All campus buildings are currently closed to the public.  Limited card access will be available to students approved to remain on campus. 

For students who remain on campus, please be advised that all campus buildings have been closed, except Seegers Union. Seegers Union, the Wood Dining Commons (for take-out only) and the M.U.L.E. Community Cabinet remain open during the following times:

Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

If you are in need of additional meal swipes, please contact the Dean of Students Office at DeanOfStudents@muhlenberg.edu.   

The mailroom will be open daily for pick up or mail or packages from 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Students who were not approved for access to campus facilities may not return to campus. If a student has left an essential item (i.e.medication, academic text book, etc.), please email housing@muhlenberg.edu and we will make our best effort to mail it to you. For all other items, we ask for your patience in waiting until campus is reopened to all students.  

The Student Help Desk will be available during normal summer office hours, Mon.- Fri. 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. 

How do I get help?

• Initiate a support request online
• Click on the IT Support Portal tile in the OneLogin application portal
• Click on Service Catalog
• Report an Issue
• Once an incident has been created, you may check the status by clicking on "My Items"
• Call us at 484-664-3566
• If the support team member is on the line you will be put into a queue. You may choose to leave a detailed message at any time and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

• Email us at helpdesk@muhlenberg.edu

• Report an Issue (no login required) (e.g., unable to login to account, forgot password)

• Please include your name and preferred contact information in the anonymous form, as your login information is not passed for follow-up. 

Supervisors of student employees may determine whether or not it is appropriate for students to work remotely and make appropriate arrangements in partnership with their student employees. A new process for logging student hours for remote work has been implemented.  Please speak with your supervisor for these details.

While first-hand experiences are limited at the moment, we invite you to join us for these new virtual events sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement. We will continue to share the most up-to-date information about Student Activities through our Instagram and Facebook pages. Some of these events include trivia contests, movie watch parties, photo contests, gaming contests, open mic nights and more. Check back often for updates and join us!

Mail Delivery to Offices
The mailroom will resume delivering College business mail and packages to respective offices on Monday, August 24. The mailroom staff will also disassemble the mail bins that are currently located in the Haas rotunda on this date.

Outgoing Mail
Employees may place outgoing mail (with department code included), in outgoing bins as usual for mailroom staff to pick up when they deliver your incoming mail. For convenience, mailroom staff will also continue to have outgoing mail/intercampus bins located outside on a table by the mailroom back door. Employees may place mail/packages/projects in these bins to avoid standing in lines to the mailroom lobby. Employees should be sure to have their department account number on any items that will need postage in order to be shipped out.

Lobby Service
The mailroom resumes lobby service on August 19 at 8:30 a.m. There will be signage outside of the mailroom to indicate social distancing requirements. Mailroom staff expect longer lines than usual to accommodate the heavy student traffic. Staff will work to serve the community as fast as possible while keeping people safe. It is recommended that faculty and staff utilize outgoing bins as much as possible to avoid standing in line with students.

Personal Transactions
To focus on keeping the lines as short as possible, mailroom staff will only be handling college business in the lobby at this time. For convenience, employees are welcome to drop off personal packages in the outgoing bins as long as it has proper postage, such as a pre-paid label. Our postal carrier will pick up items during their regular visits to the mailroom.

Safety Precautions
Masks are required for all employees interacting with the mailroom. Hand sanitizer is available at the entrance of the mailroom lobby. Plexiglass barriers have been installed. Mailroom staff will limit the number of people in the lobby. An outdoor drop-off table has been added near the dock for those not comfortable coming into the lobby.

General Usage

All faculty, staff, and students must schedule an appointment to enter the weight room, fieldhouse, cardio loft or indoor and outdoor tracks. The LSC will open on Monday August 24. There will be no outside guests or family memberships to the LSC at this time.

Capacity will be restricted, and pre-registration is required.

A Reservation System is available to students, faculty and staff starting on opening day, August 22. The reservation system link will be available on the Muhlenberg College website and the Muhlenberg App.

You will be able to make a reservation starting at 7 am, 2 days prior to the desired date. A waitlist will be maintained for any slots that fill up, and you will receive an email should a spot open up 30 minutes in advance of start time. Anyone who makes a reservation but does not show up for their session more than three consecutive times will be subject to loss of privileges of the LSC.

LSC Hours

• Monday through Thursday: 7 a.m.–10 a.m., 11 a.m.–2 p.m., 3 p.m.–9 p.m.
• Friday: 7 a.m.-10 a.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 2 p.m.–6 p.m.

What to Do Before You Come to the Life Sports Center

Complete the Self-Assessment in the iMuhlenberg mobile app. If you are not feeling well or are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, please stay home.

A mask or face covering is required at ALL times when indoors and outdoors, including when using the weight room and cardio equipment.
Participants should bring their own water bottles and the water fountain will be limited to filling water bottles.

What to Do When You Arrive at the Life Sports Center

• Arrive no more than 5 minutes early for your workout time and practice social distancing.
• Scan your Muhlenberg ID. No one is permitted to enter without an ID.
• Your temperature will be taken and you will show the app screen with the green check on the daily symptom checker. Individuals with T≥100.00 (by non-contactless infrared thermometer) will not be permitted to enter the Life Sport Science Center.
• Please note various signage, floor markings and equipment modifications and respect these new measures.
• Use hand sanitizer before entering and after leaving the gym.

The weight room will have individuals entering through the main weight room door and exiting by LSC Café.

Anyone using Scotty Wood Stadium (including track) must enter and exit the stadium through the LSC Café doors.
The exterior stadium gates will be locked at ALL times.

Life Sport Center Usage, Equipment and Programs

LSC usage will be limited to cardio equipment, indoor and outdoor track and strength equipment.

• Cardio equipment reservations will be available for use in the cardio deck and in the fieldhouse. Max usage will be 45 minutes. There will be 10 spots per session, per area.
• Strength equipment will be housed in the main weight room and the field house only. Max usage time will be 45 minutes. There will be 10 spots per session, per area. Capacities for each area will be limited to 10 people per session.
• Indoor Track in the fieldhouse will have every other lane available for use to ensure social distancing – limited to 45 minutes. There will be 3 lanes available per session.
• Outdoor Track in Scotty Wood Stadium will have every other lane available for use to ensure social distancing – limited to 45 minute. There will be 3 lanes available per session. You must still enter in the LSC – but will come and go through the Café doors to access and leave the stadium.

Equipment

There will be no equipment available to check out nor will your personal equipment be permitted in the building

Fitness/Recreation Programs

Group fitness classes (yoga, Zumba, body sculpting) will be offered remotely, with hopefully some outdoor class offerings in an outdoor tent that will be called the Recreation Tent. The reservation system will be utilized for in-person offerings and notification will be sent when available.

The Spin Room will NOT be available for use; however, several spin cycles will be relocated to the field house.

A reservation system will be utilized for ALL in-person offerings.

Alumni Pool/Open Swim

The pool will be available for Open Swim periods beginning in late September. A schedule will be advertised and scheduling will be completed on the reservation system. All USA Swimming Guidelines will be followed. No locker rooms will be available.

Recreation, Intramurals and Club Sports

Open recreation (pick-up basketball), intramural sports (indoor soccer, volleyball and basketball) and club sports (Ultimate Frisbee) are considered high contact sports and will not be permitted at this time. These activities may resume later in the semester if the LSC opening protocols have been successfully implemented.

Outdoor low risk activities (badminton, ping pong, Frisbee golf and the fencing club) will be permitted.

Weight Room Guidelines

• Participants are expected to wipe down equipment before and after each use,
• To limit the spread of germs equipment fitness equipment must NOT be moved.
• No equipment can be taken out of the weight room and no outside equipment is permitted.
• Maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and others at all times.
• Foam rollers, medicine balls, power bands, TRX straps, etc. will not be provided.
• Adhere to all direction signage.
• Adhere to all guidelines and instructions provided by Staff.

Cardio Loft Guidelines

• Thoroughly wipe down equipment before and after use with disinfectant materials provided.
• To limit the spread of germs, please use only one piece of equipment on each visit.
• Maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and others at all times.
• Adhere to all direction signage.
• Adhere to all guidelines and instructions provided by Staff.

Spaces unavailable until further notice:

• Indoor Courts for open recreation basketball, soccer and volleyball
• Alumni Pool (Under Construction! Expected reopening mid to late September)
• Field house for intramural and club sports
• Equipment Checkout
• Locker Rooms
• Racquetball Courts
• Spin Room
• LSC/Freshens Cafe

There will be no stretching or yoga mats available.

There will be no outside guests or family members at this time.

Play Your Part

We are committed to doing everything we can to maintain a safe and healthy environment and we are relying on CDC and local health department guidelines. It is up to all of us to take responsibility in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Please play your part and remember some of these key points as you return to the LSC:

• Stay home if you feel sick
• Bring your own water bottle
• Keep your distance
• Wipe down equipment before and after use
• Wash or sanitize your hands frequently
• Participants should report to workouts in proper gear and immediately return home or to the residence hall to shower at the end of the workout.
• Change and wash clothing immediately upon returning to your residence from exercising.

Failure to follow posted directions and instructions from staff will result in removal from the Life Sports Center.

Each student must:

• practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer thoroughly and frequently throughout the day;
• maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from other people;
• clean their rooms/living spaces regularly and disinfect surfaces that may carry the COVID-19 virus;
• restrict travel to essential trips only. To mitigate any spread of the virus, the College strongly discourages students from traveling beyond the immediate Allentown area; and
• receive a flu vaccination by November 1, 2020 and submit documentation to Health Services through the health portal.

Each student is required to agree to and submit the Student Health and Safety Contract and complete the College’s on-line COVID-19 education program through Canvas prior to receipt of keys for College housing.

Students must comply with the requirements of the College’s Mandatory Face Mask/Covering Policy.

• On-campus groups or gatherings of any kind shall be limited to 25 or fewer people and shall be subject to the social distancing, face mask/covering and other applicable requirements of this Policy. In addition, students must strictly comply with all restrictions, guidelines and instructions regarding the use and occupancy of College buildings and facilities such as classrooms, lounges, restrooms, dining facilities, etc. Such restrictions, guidelines and instructions will be posted at each location. Student’s use of any College facilities for meetings, etc. must be pre-approved by the College.

• Off-campus groups or gatherings of any kind involving students or student groups shall be limited to 20 or fewer people and shall be subject to the social distancing, face mask/covering and other applicable requirements of this Policy.

Students must comply and cooperate with the College’s symptom monitoring, temperature checks and testing protocols and procedures.

Contact tracing is an integral component of the overall strategy for mitigating and containing COVID-19. Accordingly, students must provide complete and accurate information and otherwise comply and cooperate with the contact tracing protocols and procedures established by the College and local officials.  In this regard, the College will have staff trained to assist with contact tracing on campus. In collaboration with the Allentown Health Bureau, these staff will assist the College in systematically identifying “close contacts” of confirmed cases and notifying them as quickly as possible. Contacts will then be quarantined for 14 days from the last day of exposure. Any individuals who present with symptoms will be referred for health care evaluation and will likely be tested (students) or recommended for testing (faculty/staff). For the purposes of our contact tracing efforts, a “close contact” is defined by the CDC as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

Students must comply with the College’s Pre-Arrival and Travel Related Quarantine Guidelines, Quarantine Guidelines for Possible Direct Exposure to COVID-19 and Isolation Guidelines for COVID-19.

Students are required to wear/display student IDs at all times while on campus.

• COVID-19 Lease Addendum. Where applicable, students shall strictly comply with the requirements of the COVID-19 Lease Addendum to the Housing Lease.

• Compliance with Mandated Physical Room Set-Up. If a physical room set-up is established by the College for a student’s living space (i.e. location of beds, desks, etc.), the student must maintain the physical room set-up.

• Compliance with Living Space Restrictions. Students must strictly comply with all restrictions, guidelines and instructions regarding the use and occupancy of their on-campus living space (i.e. limits on who can be in a living space, etc.).  Such restrictions, guidelines and instructions will be posted at each location.  The College’s phased approach to Muhlenberg students' visiting other students in residence halls.

• Decision to Forego Student Housing. If a student chooses to study remotely and forego student housing for the Fall semester, the student will be contacted by Housing and Residence Life (HRL) in the fall via the student’s Muhlenberg College email to determine if the student would like to return to campus for the Spring semester.  If the student chooses to return, HRL will first see if the student’s assigned space for Fall is still available and honor that assignment if it is available.  If it is not still available, HRL will work with the student to select a new space. The College will guarantee housing for all such students for the Spring semester.  If a student chooses to take a Leave of Absence for the Fall semester, the student must notify the Registrar of the student’s intent to return for Spring.  Once the College has been notified of the student’s return, HRL will work with the student to select a housing assignment.  Again, all students are guaranteed housing at the College. 

• Off-Campus Housing. In the event that the College moves to distance learning and closes the campus/College operations, the College shall not be responsible for any rent, utilities or other expenses incurred by any student or student group in connection with off-campus/third-party housing.  In addition, any student that obtains off-campus/third-party housing for the Fall 2020 semester will be permitted to remain off-campus for the Spring 2021 semester, provided that the College reserves the right to require any such student to live on-campus if such student fails to treat neighbors with common courtesy and respector fails to comply with this Policy, the Student Code of Conduct, all local, state, federal laws, and policies, and City of Allentown noise, disorderly conduct, trash and recycling collection, and parking ordinances.

• Commuting. All students, regardless of how far they live from the College, may submit to the Office of Housing & Residential Life a request for permission to commute.

• Parking. First-year students may have a vehicle on campus and are required to follow the Parking Rules and Regulations Policy.

Students may only meet with visitors to campus in designated outdoor areas and in the Library, Seegers Union and Chapel. Visitors are not permitted to enter any residence halls, MILE houses or academic or administrative buildings.

Singing Guidelines. Subject to noise limitations found in the Muhlenberg College Office of Housing and Residence Life College Housing Regulations and Lease, students will only sing alone in their rooms on campus, in their residences off-campus or in a designated practice room assigned by the Music Department.