Penn State police officers at Penn State Altoona and Penn State Fayette are hosting National Drug Take-Back Day events on Oct. 23, which aim to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Secure prescription collection bins also are available year-round at Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg and University Park.
Lack of access to capital is one of the primary barriers facing Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. That's why Penn State alumna Aniyia Williams launched Black & Brown Founders, a nonprofit organization providing community, education and financial access to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, allowing them to launch and build tech businesses with modest resources.
Penn State students, faculty and staff who are not vaccinated for COVID-19 and those who have not shared with the University that they are fully vaccinated will be required to test weekly for COVID-19 throughout the fall semester, or until they share with the University that they have been fully vaccinated.
In a move designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 on Penn State campuses, the union representing about 2,600 technical service employees, has agreed to follow University requirements for mask-wearing, regardless of vaccination status. The agreement goes into effect immediately.
As part of Penn State's COVID-19 mitigation plans, COVID-19 tests will be required for all students moving into on-campus residential housing who have not shared with the University that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provided a positive COVID-19 test result from the last 90 days prior to arrival.
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 conditions around the country and in Pennsylvania, effective immediately (Aug. 4), Penn State will require all students, faculty, staff and visitors — including those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated — to wear masks indoors at all campuses. Within the last 24 hours, many counties that are home to Penn State campuses have shifted to “orange” status, warranting an immediate adjustment to the University’s on-campus masking requirement.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently announced the dates for phases 1B, 1C and 2 of the commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution program and Penn State is strongly encouraging all students, faculty and staff to sign up to get a vaccine as soon as they are eligible to receive one.
As of March 1 (the conclusion of the universal required re-testing period), the University is conducting random testing of between 1% and 2% of the University’s population of students and employees living, learning or working on campus as well as those who access campus.
Penn State is planning a phased return over the summer semester to a full on-campus learning environment for fall 2021. The University’s priorities continue to be the health and well-being of its students, faculty, staff and local communities, and the plans for expanded in-person classes have the flexibility built in to quickly respond to changing pandemic conditions, if necessary.
