Kylie McGovern, Editor 

Diners in Philadelphia take COVID-19 precautions. WHYY

On Tuesday, April 27 the City of Philadelphia’s Health Commissioner Thomas Farley announced new COVID-19 guidelines. Farley said, “The epidemic wave may be starting to decline. So the fact that they’re declining through the entire region is a hopeful sign for Philadelphia.” Therefore, as the summer approaches and the spring semester winds down, La Salle students and Philadelphians alike can enjoy less strict COVID-19 guidelines in regards to dining in Philadelphia. These new guidelines have been put in place given that more Philadelphians have been vaccinated and more will be vaccinated in the coming weeks. Over one-third of adult residents in Philadelphia are vaccinated. Beginning May 7, Philadelphia will allow indoor catering events and more relaxed dining guidelines. 

Indoor catering events like weddings have not been allowed in over a year in Philadelphia forcing many couples to postpone or cancel their weddings. But, starting May 7 these types of events may be held within the city. These events must be capped at 75 people and may only use 25 percent of a venue’s occupancy. A new announcement is to come about an increase of guests from 75 to 150 on May 21. As for restaurant dining, indoor dining may increase from 25 percent occupancy to 50 percent occupancy. Restaurants with approved ventilation procedures may move from 50 percent to 75 percent. In addition, maximum table size can increase from four to six people, and not all diners at the same table have to be from the same household. The only change for outdoor dining is in regards to table size. Per the new guidelines, outdoor tables can accommodate 10 guests which is in line with state guidelines. These guidelines are indicative of the city of Philadelphia making progress amidst this pandemic and a step forward for businesses and citizens alike.

Kylie McGovern

On Tuesday, April 20, La Salle University’s Student Government Association (SGA) announced that its elections — which are usually held in the spring — will be postponed until fall 2021. Usually, at the end of a school year, SGA elections are held for various positions. Some of these elected positions are class senators and executive board members. In addition, there are a few offices of SGA that are typically appointed at the end of each school year as well as positions that students apply for, such as the Director of Diversity of Equity and Inclusion.

This announcement regarding the postponed elections was posted on the Instagram account @lasallesga. Like many other organizations on campus, SGA has been in a virtual environment since last year and is being impacted by COVID-19. The elections were ultimately postponed due to COVID-19. The letter posted on Instagram explained: “Due to COVID-19 SGA has decided to postpone elections until the fall 2021 semester. For the rest of the school year and the summer the current non-senior E-board members will continue to hold their positions and prepare for the upcoming year. We feel this change in plan will encourage rest, as well as excitement among students.”  

Elections will be held after the summer and are open to all undergraduate students. Anyone with questions regarding SGA or elections can contact SGA President Isabelle Pope via email at popei1@lasalle.edu.

Kylie McGovern, Editor 

Via @lasalleunvi on Instagram La Salle Graduate in her cap, gown and mask.

On Mar 24, President Hanycz announced in-person graduations for both the class of 2020 and 2021 in a message, saying, “It is with great excitement that I announce La Salle University will host separate, in-person Commencement ceremonies for the Classes of 2020 and 2021 at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Saturday, May 15, 2021.” Graduating students will be able to invite two to four guests to their ceremony. Face masks and physical distancing measures will be required. In addition, to ensure all COVID-19 protocols are followed, there will be two separate ceremonies on May 15, one for the class of 2020 and one for the class of 2021. The Baccalaureate Mass will be on campus in the McCarthy Stadium and students are permitted two guests. There will be livestreams of both ceremonies as well. 

  Similarly, other universities in Philadelphia are pushing for in-person events if possible. Drexel University is having a graduation at Citizens Bank Park. The number of guests is still in question. In addition, Drexel will hold virtual ceremonies for its different schools throughout June. Jefferson University is planning to have a ceremony at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. At the moment, Jefferson University is not permitting guests. The University of Pennsylvania will have an on-site ceremony for undergraduates at their own Franklin Field, but no guests are allowed and graduate and professional schools will have online ceremonies. Saint Joseph’s University will have an on-campus ceremony with a currently unspecified number of guests. Temple University will have virtual school wide graduation and the different schools will have in-person events without guests. Villanova will have in-person ceremonies with two guests allowed per student. 

 Philadelphia public high schools are promising an in-person graduation for the class of 2021. Philadelphia public schools have not been in-person all year and do not plan to be for the remainder of the school year. Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. wants students to “safely celebrate at in-person, outdoor high school graduation ceremonies as safe capacity limits and COVID-19 conditions allow for safe school gatherings.”

Rita Offutt, Editor 

On March 4, an email from outgoing University President Colleen Hanycz announced La Salle’s administration is “planning for a primarily in-person semester” for Fall 2021. Although Hanycz will move to Xavier University over the summer, her announcement for the upcoming semester charted La Salle’s transition to post-pandemic life. 

Hanycz described the Spring 2021 semester as a success, writing “our collective efforts, including a robust testing strategy, an enhanced and expanded contact tracing program, and the cooperation of our students, faculty and staff, have helped maintain low transmission numbers on our campus — including a positivity rate of less than 0.5%.” As of March 12, La Salle’s community has seen a total of 101 cases of COVID-19, with the most cases identified in the beginning of February. The following chart, copied from La Salle’s COVID-19 dashboard, details the instances of COVID-19 from Spring 2021. 

Classroom constraints and professors’ discretion may impact course modalities for Fall 2021. As the City of Philadelphia adjusts their maximum capacity guidelines, Hanycz said La Salle will “work to transition to even more classes to in-person modality.” As of March 17, Philadelphia’s guidelines for colleges and universities says classrooms must have “at least six feet of distance between students/instructors [and either] 20 persons per 1,000 square feet; or less than 25 percent of maximum capacity of classrooms; or a maximum of 25 students per class.” Starting on April 4, Pennsylvania will begin to lessen restrictions for bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. While Philadelphia has not adjusted their restrictions to align with the state’s, the Philadelphia Inquirer describes the plan to lift the ban on events of more than 50 people. As many Philadelphia schools return to in-person classes, changes in educational regulations are expected. Nonetheless, the Registrar has listed six modalities for course delivery this fall: Face to face instruction (F2F), hybrid, staggered, remote with specific meeting times, online and independent study. The F2F modality will model the traditional classroom setting and the hybrid modality will be divided into traditional and online elements. The staggered modality is similar to the hybrid modality as professors may choose to have online elements, but students will have specific days of the week for in-person attendance. The next modality, remote with specific meeting times, will entail synchronous Zoom classes. The online modality will be asynchronous and fully remote. Students in independent study courses should consult with their professor to find out what the modality will be used for their specific project. 

The plans for Fall 2021 include a meal-plan requirement for residential students, as well as continued social distancing and increased emphasis on health monitoring. Wearing a mask, washing one’s hands, making use of sanitizing stations, physical distancing and reporting any signs of sickness are expected to continue to be the norm, and students are required to continue these practices until further notice from the University. 

offuttr1@lasalle.edu  

Kylie McGovern, Editor 

On March 15, 2021, President Hanycz informed Explorers of the COVID-19 protocols after returning from a brief Easter break. There are no classes on Holy Thursday, April 1, and the University will be closed Good Friday, April 2 through Easter Monday on April 5. On Tuesday, April 6, La Salle will have a quiet period and conduct all classes remotely until Friday, April 9. This quiet period is meant to reduce the chance of transmissions by limiting interaction to households and pods. However, beginning on Tuesday, April 6, students with off-campus clinicals, practicums or internships may report to their respective sites. Residential students must return by Tuesday, April 6, and will be required to check-in with Residence Life staff. 

Student testing will also be conducted on Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10 at Treetops Cafe. This testing is mandatory for selected students. These students will be notified by Monday, April 5 to select a testing time. This surveillance testing is a safety measure to protect the La Salle community. In addition, normal testing will increase after Easter. Staff can take voluntary tests that the University is offering as well. 

Campus resources will be limited during the quiet period. La Salle Dining will offer to-go options only. Connelly Library will maintain restricted hours. Student Health will prioritize telehealth appointments. The Independence Blue Cross fitness center will be closed.

President Hanycz reassures Explorers that “We have come together in amazing and creative ways this year, most particularly this semester as we have experienced a very successful return to campus. I am confident in our planning and protocols, and I will continue to rely upon the cooperation of our students, faculty and staff to ensure La Salle University remains a safe place to live, learn and work.” 

mcgovernk8@lasalle.edu

Rita Offutt, Editor 

La Salle’s Honors Program launched a scholarship initiative in Aug. 202, and in Feb. 2021 the fundraising effort surpassed the $1 million milestone. The initiative seeks to raise $3 million by 2023, and has currently met 34% of its fundraising goal, with a current total of $1,009,584. According to the fundraiser’s website, providing scholarship opportunities to honors students will “allow us to recruit and retain high-achieving and engaged students who have long been the hallmark of this special learning community. Whatever your connection to the Honors Program – whether alumni, parent/family, faculty, or friend – we ask you to join with us in supporting this new initiative so that we can drive further growth of this program and sustain it for generations of students to come.”

The website not only describes the campaign but showcases donors, dividing them by the amount of their contribution and relationship to the university. The donation brackets, labeled Giving Societies range from donations up to $999 to gifts of more than $50,000. Within the Giving Societies is a special bracket for undergraduate alumni within 10 years of graduation who donate between $500-$999, called the Young Alumni Circle. Alumnus Jacob Garwood ‘20, who served as the Collegian’s Editor-In-Chief during the 2019-2020 academic year, is one of many alumni donors. Garwood, whose donation placed him in the bracket above the Young Alumni Circle, says, “The honors program at La Salle is an empowering and transformational program. I believe it is important to pay it forward so future generations of explorers can share in the enriching experience I had as an undergrad.” 

According to an article written by Christopher Vito, La Salle’s Senior Director of Strategic Communications, “The university annually awards $4.5 million in total scholarship support to La Salle Honors Program students. Gifts to the Honors Program Scholarship Initiative will drive its growth through recruitment and retention of the best students, and sustain a program that has created pathways to a high-impact Lasallian education for more than 50 years.” 

Vito’s article also highlights La Salle’s Alumni Association’s Day of Giving donation challenge. If the Honors Program Initiative reaches 75 donors during Day of Giving on Mar. 23, the Alumni Association will donate $10,000 towards the fundraiser. Questions and donation inquiries should be directed to either John Prendergast, the Associate Director of Development, or Daniel Joyce, the Vice President of University Advancement. 

offuttr1@lasalle.edu 

Karen Kerwick, Staff

On Tuesday, Feb. 23, La Salle’s chapter of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) hosted a panel featuring seven past and present students who worked as interns during their time at La Salle. While the event takes place annually, this year the event faced several new challenges. 

One such hurdle was the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Because student and club programming was moved to an online format almost a year ago, making the panel virtual and utilizing tools like Zoom were simple changes. However, the pandemic also created the challenge of a smaller pool of interns. Many companies cancelled their usual internships or limited the number of interns they could take on in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Because there were fewer students with internship opportunities, Brother Gerry Molyneaux, the organizer of the panel and director of the Communication Department’s internship courses, reached out to several alumni from the Class of 2020. Three of those alumni joined the panel and shared their experiences.

Nineteen students attended the panel, with representation from all four classes at La Salle. Interns with experience working for Philadelphia sports teams were well represented: interns who had worked with the Philadelphia Eagles, 76ers, Flyers and the since-disbanded Philadelphia Soul were in attendance. Many had both mass media and public relations experience and focused on garnering interest from different members of the audience. 

Among the topics discussed at the panel were how to find an internship, valuable lessons from experience and mistakes made on the job. One intern shared that it is not a reflection of weakness to acknowledge learning opportunities. Other students described their experiences in overdressing for an interview with the general consensus that a best practice is to overdress rather than underdress. “I think coming in dressed up for my interview helped how the other people there looked at me,” said Tyler Pitis ‘20. 

AWC will be hosting an alumni event on March 25 at 6 p.m. featuring an array of La Salle alumni. Because the Communication and Digital Art departments merged this year, this will be the first event hosted by AWC that targets both groups of students by featuring alumni of both disciplines.

kerwickk1@lasalle.edu