On April 27, Presbyterian College President Bob Staton announced that the College intended to open on campus for the fall semester. PC Provost Dr. Don Raber reaffirmed PC’s plans for the fall in an email to PC students, faculty and staff on Friday, May 15.

“PC remains committed to providing the best possible experience—consistent with our mission, for everyone in our community—from brand new students in the class of 2024 to longtime staff, faculty, and friends of PC,” Raber wrote in the email.

President Staton also highlighted at the end of April that College officials would assess the necessary preparation to be successful for the fall semester and the 2020-2021 academic year in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The work of that group is now well underway to develop operational plans, aligned with guidance from health officials, for opening PC this fall,” Raber noted.

“Together, we are examining needs for physical distancing in classroom spaces as we plan for fall courses, ways to deliver particular experiences remotely where appropriate while maintaining in-person connections, options for gathering people in both residential facilities and athletic venues, requirements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and other procedures necessary for operating the campus under different scenarios.

“Many factors are under consideration in each area on campus, and our top priority always will be the safety and health of our community in a highly uncertain environment.”

Raber emailed the PC community that throughout the summer College officials will provide regular updates on progress to prepare for the fall term on campus.

“We continue to monitor the world around us, and we will not hesitate to be flexible when circumstances require that of us,” Raber said.

“We intend to have students, staff, and faculty on campus this fall, but things may not look exactly like you might expect as we develop and implement our plans. I want to assure you, though, that we will provide the best information we have as it develops.”

Please visit PC’s Coronavirus Updates and Resources page for more information about the College’s response to the pandemic.