Fall 2022 Semester

The most recent updates to the CDC’s COVID protocols are now largely focused on individuals and on vaccines and treatment rather than the prevention of new cases.

For the upcoming school year, the most important items are:

• Individuals with a known exposure to COVID-19 should wear a high-quality mask around others for 10 days from the date of exposure
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated) should quarantine for 5 days and then wear a high-quality mask while around others for 5 days.

As a result of these changes, courses will not be recorded. Absences for COVID-19 or other illnesses will be handled on a case by case basis. Students are encouraged to seek notes from classmates, and to discuss missed material with the professor.

Spring 2022 Semester

Individuals who have been exposed to COVID19 AND are not vaccinated:

• Quarantine for at least 5 days and watch for symptoms for 10 days
• Must be symptom free after the 5 day quarantine period to return to campus
• Masks are recommended until the 10th day after exposure

Individuals who have been exposed to COVID190 AND are fully vaccinated:

• No quarantine is necessary unless symptoms develop
• Masks are recommended until the 10th day after exposure

Individuals who have been exposed and are symptomatic, OR who are symptomatic without a known exposure, OR who have tested positive for COVID19:

• Quarantine for 5 days
• Return to class / work after
  • 5 days of quarantine AND
  • 24 hours without fever (without the use of fever reducing drugs) AND
  • Symptoms are improving
• Masks are recommended until the 10th day after onset of symptoms

 

Faculty and students who need to quarantine should work with Josh Tanner (jtanner@ps.edu) on remote class options. Staff members should work with their immediate supervisor on remote options.

Fall 2021 Semester

If you are sick or have Covid like symptoms a virtual option for class will be provided in most cases. Please contact your professor if this is the case. Any student, faculty, or staff member who is feeling sick or experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must refrain from attending the Phoenix Seminary campus. Students who have COVID may return when they meet the following criteria:

• 10 days after symptoms first appeared and
• 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation)

Classes from August 24, 2021 to September 7, 2021 will move to online delivery. Phoenix Seminary campus (including the Library) to remain open.

Phoenix Seminary

Due to an increasing number of COVID cases among our students and staff we are shifting all instruction online for two weeks beginning Tuesday, August 24. We will return to on-campus instruction Tuesday, September 7 after the Labor Day weekend. It is our hope that by taking this two-week period away from in-person instruction we can stop the spread of COVID among our community.

Campus itself will not be closed and essential operations will be maintained - including services at the Phoenix Seminary Library. All classes will continue uninterrupted via either Zoom or Panopto. Professors will be sending specific instructions for each class.

Additional details related to the transition to online delivery will be communicated throughout the next two weeks. Students are encouraged to check email often and direct any questions to their Student Services Advisor, professor, or the library staff for additional assistance.

Classes from November 10 to November 13 will move to online delivery. Phoenix Seminary campus is closed to the public until November 30.

Phoenix Seminary

Due to a confirmed case of COVID on the Phoenix Seminary staff, as well as other exposures, the campus offices will be closed until November 30. The following actions are being taken to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff:

• All on-campus instruction will move to online delivery between November 10 and November 13. On campus classes will resume following fall break and Thanksgiving break on November 30.
• The Shea campus is closed to the public until November 30, including the Biblical Research Center. Library services will be available to students on a limited basis.

This decision comes in an effort to respond to the global pandemic with a heart of love for our faculty, staff, our students.

Seminary leadership will continue to provide updates to our campus community as necessary.

Library Hours for November 10th - 30th

Pick-up Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-6:30pm. Items reserved by 12:00pm will be available between 4:00-6:30pm that day. Items reserved after 12:00pm will be ready to pick-up after 9:00am the following business day.

Friday Pick-up Hours: 9:00am-4:30pm. Items requested after 12:00pm will be available the following Monday.

For questions related to Library services, please contact the Phoenix Seminary Library Team at 602-429-4974 or library@ps.edu.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting

Phoenix Seminary

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was passed which authorized funding under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”) to Institutions of Higher learning.  The funds under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are required to be provided as Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to Coronavirus.

Phoenix Seminary has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of funds received from the Department pursuant to the Institution's Certification and Agreement (for) Emergency Financial Aid to Students is $21,059. All funding has been distributed to 25 Title IV eligible students as of June 18, 2020.

In order to be considered for this grant, students must have been in an Active status with our Student Information Systems as of March 1, 2020, must have been enrolled in an eligible program of study that was not offered in a 100% online modality, and must have met all the Title IV eligibility requirements as set forth in HEA Section 484.

The estimated total number of students at Phoenix Seminary eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 25.

Recognizing that all otherwise eligible students experienced additional expenses due to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phoenix Seminary determined that the most equitable way to disburse these grant funds to our students, was to divide our total allocation by the estimated number of eligible students.

The application for the Emergency Financial Aid Grant provided under the CARES Act Section 18004(a)(1) is available here. The deadline for application is May 26, 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Higher Education Emergency Relief Student Grants

• Do I have to repay the emergency financial aid grant I received from my university through the CARES Act?

No. The funds provided by the CARES Act are grants, so they do not need to be repaid.

• I am a student who received an emergency financial aid grant from my university through the CARES Act. Is this grant includible in my gross income?

No. According to the Internal Revenue Service, “Emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act for unexpected expenses, unmet financial need, or expenses related to the disruption of campus operations on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as unexpected expenses for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, or childcare, are qualified disaster relief payments under section 139.”

For more information please click here.

• What can emergency financial aid grants provided by the CARES Act be used for?

Emergency financial aid grants to students can be used for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student's cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). Please click here for more information about what is included in a student’s cost of attendance.

Initial Announcement

The leadership team at Phoenix Seminary has met regularly to discuss our strategy for keeping our community safe during the threat of the coronavirus. Below is our plan to support the effort.

As you may know, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently elevated the coronavirus to a pandemic and many educational institutions have responded to help stop the spread of the disease.

As a Christian institution, we view all things through Jesus’ paradigm of love for God and love for neighbor (Matt 22:37–40), which the church father Augustine called the principle of “double love.” Our approach to the coronavirus is no different.

Our love for God means that we entrust ourselves to a providential God who commands even the smallest bacteria and viruses. During this pandemic it is incumbent on Christians to show our otherworldly trust in God. In life and in death God is our hope and stay.

Our love for neighbor means that we are taking the necessary precautions to protect our neighbors and do our part to help stem the outbreak.

In light of these principles, we are taking the following actions.

• To protect our student body, we will provide instruction via online modality through the end of the Summer semester (August 3).
• All other Seminary campus events are cancelled or postponed through the end of Summer semester (August 3).
• Graduation is postponed until the Fall.
• The campus will remain closed to the public until further notice. This includes the Biblical Research Center. Library services will still be provided to students on a limited basis.
• Specific information on course instruction and library use will be communicated separately to students, faculty, and staff. Please watch your emails.

We want to assure our students that these decisions did not come easily as we highly value face-to-face interaction with the faculty. However, we are thankful to God that we have the appropriate technology to deliver our first-class theological education through our online platform.

We ask that students, staff, and faculty use wisdom during this time, especially in terms of travel, social distancing, and hygiene.

Above all, we do not want to waste the opportunity to demonstrate to the people of this world, many of whom are asking serious questions about eternity, that Jesus is the anchor of our hope.