COVID-19 Updates

Updated 7:20 a.m. March 30, 2020

Elmhurst College has moved classes online for the remainder of the Spring Term.

To date, the College has no reported cases of COVID-19.

Following Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “stay-at-home” order for the entire state, the campus is closed to all but essential personnel and remaining students. Most employees have transitioned to working from home, and any essential employees on campus are adhering to social distancing and other safe practices.

In addition, all in-person, campus events are canceled until further notice.

• View President VanAken’s message to the campus community.
• Read Vice President of Student Affairs Phillip Riordan’s letter to students: “We will fly stronger and higher than ever before.”
• Read our FAQs for practical information on housing, financial aid, student accounts, faculty resources and more.
• Email Updates: Faculty members are sending course information to students’ Elmhurst email addresses. Student Financial Services, Academic Affairs and others are also sending vital information. Please check your email periodically to stay up to date.

• Effective immediately, the College is ending physical student field placements in the health-related academic programs until further notice.

• A decision has not been made yet regarding Commencement.

These have been difficult decisions to make, and we want to thank everyone for understanding as we work together to safeguard the health of our community.

If you believe you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, call your doctor’s office prior to showing up. This will help your doctor’s office take steps to prevent others from being infected or exposed. You can also find more guidance in our Q&A for employees.

As the CDC states, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Ways to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

• Wash your hands: Use soap and water, and wash for at least 20 seconds.
• Stay home if you are sick: If you are running a fever of 100.4° or higher, do not come to class/work.
• Avoid group gatherings if possible.
• Clean/disinfect your area: Use a regular household cleaning spray or wipe on frequently touched objects and surfaces such as door handles and the surfaces of tables and desks.
• Cover your cough or sneeze: Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Use hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol content.
• Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.

What to Know About COVID-19

COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, is a new respiratory virus. Answer your questions about COVID-19 with the help of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Helpful Resources

• CDC.gov
• City of Elmhurst Coronavirus Preparedness and Prevention
• Resources for Working from Home
• Elmhurst College Wellness Center
• City of Chicago
• Illinois Department of Public Health statewide hotline, (800) 889-3931, and email, dph.sick@illinois.gov

What the College is Doing

Our Coronavirus Campus Preparedness Task Force continues to meet and monitor campus and coordinate with local and regional officials.

If you have any questions about the task force’s work, please email us.

Travel Guidelines—Effective Until Further Notice

• International Travel – College-Sponsored or Personal: We have canceled and are restricting College-sponsored international travel to any country. College-sponsored activities include all academic conferences, athletic travel, academic sponsored trips and other activities arranged or funded by the College. The U.S. Department of State has issued a “Global Level 3 Health Advisory” urging U.S. citizens to reconsider all travel abroad. If you undertake any personal travel, you must understand there is the possibility of a self-isolation requirement for 14 days upon your return, and you will also be subject to airline or governmental restrictions that are beyond our control.
• Domestic Travel – College-Sponsored Travel: A national state of emergency was declared on March 13 as a result of COVID-19. College-sponsored travel is prohibited unless approved by the president.
• Domestic Travel – Personal: Elmhurst College strongly recommends against any non-essential travel, recognizing that the status of COVID-19 infection in the United States continues to change.
• International Students/Study Abroad Students: We are actively encouraging our international students and our study abroad students to return home safely.

We encourage anyone who is planning to travel to register with the Coronavirus Campus Preparedness Task Force. This will allow the College to contact you in the event of a major emergency or changing circumstances related to your travel destination.

How to Register With the Coronavirus Campus Preparedness Task Force

If you will be traveling out of state or internationally for College-sponsored work, please send the following information to Phil Riordan, vice president for student affairs (phil.riordan@elmhurst.edu), and Marc Molina, executive director of campus security and emergency management (marc.molina@elmhurst.edu):

• Name:
• Department:
• Cellphone Number (if you are using a different phone number for international travel, please provide):
• Emergency Contact Information:
• Dates of Travel:
• Destination:
• Reason for Travel:
• Supervisor Name:

Living By Our Values

The safety of our campus community remains our top priority, which is why we are taking these precautions now. But we remind everyone that this is an opportunity to come together, not to spread fear or mistrust. COVID-19’s proliferation from its origins in China has been accompanied by unfortunate reports of bias, disinformation and worse.

As our Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment Policy states, we will not tolerate discrimination against any member of our community.