Grambling State News

Students Encouraged to Depart from Campus; Classes Suspended March 16-20

GRAMBLING, La – March 13, 2020 – Today, Grambling State announced that classes are suspended for the week of March 16 – 20 and that students should expect to complete classwork remotely until further notice in effort to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Students may begin the process of vacating campus for the remainder of the semester by contacting the Office of Campus Living. The University urges all students to vacate campus no later than March 23, 2020. While campus-wide student departure is strongly encouraged, it is not mandatory. If a student is unable to move off campus by March 23, they are required to send an email to housing@gram.edu stating their reason for delayed departure and timeline for expected departure from campus.

“We are actively taking every possible measure to ensure that our campus avoids contributing to the spread of novel coronavirus,” said President Gallot.

Consistent with University of Louisiana System mandates, next week’s class suspension aims to support students’ immediate transition off-campus and provide time to invest in the University’s transition to 100% online classes for the remainder of the semester.

Continued University Operations with Heightened Attention to Safety

The shift to online classes will not disrupt regular administrative functions; unless determined by department heads, personnel are expected to report to campus at the usual times.

Campus Dining Continues to Serve Student Needs Throughout the Transition

SodexoMAGIC, Grambling State’s dining provider, is prepared to continue regular 24-hour dining service for students through March 23. Students are urged to observe appropriate social distancing and handwashing consistent with prior prevention instructions.

Students are Encouraged to Depart from Campus by March 23

Campus Living will provide students with support and guidance on housing transitions and other issues related to their departure from campus. The adjusted University academic calendar can be seen at gram.edu; Spring Break will take place as scheduled with no coursework beginning April 3 and online classes resuming April 14.

Graduating Seniors Should Expect to Forgo Spring Commencement

To avoid large planned gatherings, University administration has opted to cancel the Spring commencement ceremony. Spring graduates will receive their degree certificates via mail and will have the option to participate in a later ceremony to be scheduled.

Yesterday, the University issued a Travel Mandate and a notice that Spring events are cancelled.

More information on remote learning, campus departure, student support, and campus operations is forthcoming. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to stay informed on the developing situation by checking University email, text messages, and following official University social media handles.