George Washington University leaders announced plans for the Virtual Commencement Celebration and launched a new fund to support scholars and researchers who are studying COVID-19 as part of the university’s continuous effort to respond to the pandemic and its global impact.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to follow the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and exercise caution over the next several weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. The GW community is urged to continue monitoring GW’s COVID-19 website and FAQs, which are frequently updated with new information.
Here are some important recent updates from GW:
- GW President Thomas LeBlanc announced plans for a Virtual Commencement Celebration in a letter to students. The celebration will be held at 11 a.m. EDT Sunday, May 17. Graduates and members of the GW community are invited to join the event on GW’s Facebook page and on the Commencement website. Read President LeBlanc’s letter to students about the event here.
- The university launched the COVID-19 Research Fund to support scholars and researchers who are stepping forward to dedicate their efforts and expertise to understanding COVID-19 and mitigating the impacts of the current pandemic. The goal of the COVID-19 Research Fund is to support as many high-impact projects as possible with the allocated funding. Rolling submissions will be accepted through June 1. Find more details about the fund and how to apply on OVPR’s website.
- The university announced it is enhancing the Annual Time Carryover policy to allow all benefits-eligible staff to carry over up to 10 days of accrued but unused annual time, an increase from the usual five. Additionally, the deadline to use these carryover days has been extended by two additional months. These carryover days must be used by October 31, 2020. There will be no change made to the number of days eligible for payout upon departing the university. Find more information here.
- President LeBlanc will participate in a live audio event with staff to provide an update on the university’s COVID-19 response and planning efforts. He will also answer questions from staff submitted prior to the event. Vice President and Chief People Officer Dana Bradley will moderate the conversation. A recording will be made available to the community following the event.
- GW Human Resource Management and Development created a video on how to wear and properly care for all face coverings following CDC guidance that anyone traveling in public should cover their nose and mouth. The university has distributed masks to employees who have been designated to be on campus during the COVID-19 emergency. If you are interested in making a face covering at home, the CDC has provided a guide on how to construct your own face covering.
- The university has created a constantly-updated page of resources for the COVID-19 virtual learning period to assist GW’s faculty and instructors. The page includes information on how to get help, engage students, use remote test proctoring and ensure online instruction is accessible to all. A series of training videos called Online Teaching in Ten Minutes was also launched to help instructors create more engaging online classes and activities.