Dear Liberal Arts Undergraduates:

As you may be aware, there has been an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases reported on campus the past few weeks. This is a concerning trend that, if not brought under control quickly, may put at risk commencement and other on-campus activities scheduled for the remainder of the semester.

I get it. It’s been a long winter—and a long year, for that matter. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are (mostly) getting warmer, and the end of the school year is getting closer. The light at the end of the tunnel is approaching, too—more people have been vaccinated, a few pandemic restrictions have been relaxed ever so slightly, and there are more chances to be outdoors.

But as exciting as it is to see that light getting a little brighter, we haven’t reached the end of the tunnel just yet. Now is not the time to stop doing the things that have helped us get this far. Please continue to wear your mask in public, maintain physical distancing, and limit the size of your gatherings. If you have recently traveled, interacted with individuals outside of your pod, or believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, please take advantage of Penn State’s free, on-demand coronavirus testing as soon as possible. Answer your phone if any of the University’s contact tracers call you, and by all means please stay home if you are not feeling well.

While we’re getting ever so closer to recapturing that sense of “normalcy” we all want, we’re not quite there yet. And while our college will continue to do all we can to ensure you have the necessary support and resources to navigate these challenging times, we must remain diligent in doing everything we can to keep each other out of harm’s way. Please continue to be safe, be well, and be careful.

Sincerely,

Dean Lang

Clarence Lang
Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts
Professor of African American Studies
The Pennsylvania State University
111 Sparks Building
University Park, PA 16802
AskLiberalArts@psu.edu