News and Updates

Duquesne is requiring four specific steps for all returning students who will live on campus or take classes in person on campus, even if living somewhere else.

The publication has two large sections. The first, People, describes our health and safety measures and policies. It also discusses academic instruction and student success, campus activities, and plans for wellbeing, a section distinct to Duquesne that we have not seen in many other university plans. The second section, Places, outlines how the University will manage its facilities. It includes facts about cleaning practices, access to buildings and campus, classroom and residence hall configurations, dining, parking, and related details.

Dear members of the Duquesne University community,I’m writing to share with you some specific details regarding our updated plans for the fall 2020 semester at Duquesne. Now that we’ve received input from students and their families, faculty, staff, and other members of the University community, we are able to provide you with a clearer report on key decisions even before the full Master Plan for fall 2020 is presented to the University’s Board of Directors for approval on Monday, June 29.

I know you’re anxious to learn about our plans for the upcoming fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters at Duquesne University, in light of the current health crisis facing our nation. Let me begin by saying that we intend to return to campus in the fall, to the greatest extent prudent and permissible, when the new academic year arrives. Our plan is to begin as scheduled on Monday, August 24, 2020.

To protect the health of its community of students, faculty, and staff from the dangers of the COVID19 pandemic, on March 19, 2020 Duquesne University ceased all classroom instruction as well as all on-campus operations not related to the feeding and housing of students remaining in campus residences. All other continuing operations moved to remote work arrangements, where possible.

At around 5 p.m. today, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses by 8 p.m. today, March 19, 2020. The governor's order does not categorize colleges and universities as life-sustaining businesses, with the exception of staffing the needs of our student residents who remain in our residence halls who have no other housing option.

The Following Summary Provides Vital Information Information That You Should Review

Yesterday, Duquesne announced that classes will transition to online instruction on Wednesday, March 18, through Tuesday, March 31, while the University stays open. Students can remain in residence halls and will retain access to amenities including Gumberg Library, the Power Center and dining facilities.

Duquesne University's Emergency Management Team and senior administration has monitored progress of the COVID-19 global situation and the steps taken not only in higher education but in other industries.

Current planning efforts and policy updates are below. The most crucial thing we all can do, however, is to engage in safe hygiene practices and heed experts for accurate information.

We hope that spring break provided our community a chance to recharge, even with the ongoing challenges created by the COVID-19 situation. The efforts of many people have helped prepare for your return and the prevention of negative impacts to the community. We thank them for their work and we thank everyone for their patience as we are nearly ready to resume the semester.

On March 1, Duquesne made it official policy that any Duquesne student or employee returning to the U.S. from a destination with a CDC travel health notice of level 3 or higher must self-isolate for 14 days prior to returning to the Pittsburgh campus.

Duquesne University is updating our present policy regarding student, faculty and staff travel to and from places with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel health notice of level 3 or higher.

On the afternoon of Friday, February 28, Duquesne University officials decided, while monitoring CDC travel health notices, that if and when a destination reached CDC level 3, the University would cancel pending trips and arrange for the return of any students, faculty, and staff from that destination.