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Update from the President: Classes Online Until End of Semester, Mass Celebrated Online for 4th Sunday of Lent

by James J. Greenfield, OSFS, ‘84 Mar 21, 2020
Father Jim Celebrates Mass

V+J
March 21, 2020

Dear University Community,

While I have been writing to students/parents, board, faculty, and staff with distinct messages these past few days, I now communicate to the entire University community.  Due to the ever-evolving universe of the pandemic we are living in, and in light of a conference call I had yesterday with representatives from Governor Tom Wolf’s office and more than 60 other college presidents from Pennsylvania, I share the following:

  • DeSales University will maintain its online instruction platform until the end of the semester.
  • Students who need essential items from their residence halls should contact University Police at 610-282-1002.
  • We will soon announce plans for students to pick up their personal belongings from the residence halls.
  • At this time, commencement remains an open question due to the ongoing measures Governor Wolf may put into effect for Pennsylvania; however, I assure all graduating students that we will celebrate you!
  • Faculty and staff should work from home.  If anything is needed from campus to facilitate working from home, please contact your supervisor.
  • If you cannot work from home, please do not come to campus.  Call your supervisor with any questions concerning your responsibilities during the campus closure.

Since prayer remains a chief priority for us, Sunday Mass for the 4th Sunday of Lent will be available online from Wills Hall Chapel beginning at 10:30 AM tomorrow at desales.edu/mass or on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.

I conclude with a message of gratitude.  Thank you all—students, parents, faculty, and staff—for your patience, prayers, support, and solidarity during this season of crisis.  Our patron, St. Francis de Sales, wrote:  “It is to those who have the most need of us that we ought to show our love more especially." As we move ahead in dealing with the COVID-19 global pandemic, I ask you to be aware of those who need us most now—to pray for or to reach out to them, albeit virtually, with our characteristic DeSales University generosity.
 
My prayers are with you and those you love.
 
Peace,

James J. Greenfield, OSFS, ‘84
President

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