West Virginia University’s residence halls will operate at normal capacity and provide a traditional residential experience for incoming freshmen, WVU’s Dean of Students said.
“We expect each student — along with staff and faculty — to take steps to be safe, including mask-wearing, proper physical distancing and handwashing,” wrote Dean Corey Farris in a campus-wide letter.
Fall semester begins Aug. 19 and roughly 28,000 people are expected to be on campus at that time. All students, faculty and staff will be expected to wear masks while on campus.
Under the plan released by the university, move-in registration will begin July 6, and students will receive an email when registration is open.
All students will be tested for COVID-19 before the semester starts.
Move in at the residence halls starts Aug. 12 and will end Aug. 15. Each residence hall will have a specific move-in day and students can register for move-in time at myhousing. wvu.edu.
If a student at a residence hall becomes sick with COVID-19, the university has designated 150 to 170 beds in Arnold Apartments.
“They will be away from the rest of the students and will be taken care of until it is safe for them to return,” Farris said.
The Morgantown campus has been closed to the public since mid-March because of the pandemic, and classes went online.
Move-in dates at College Park, University Park, University Place and Vandalia start Aug. 1 and continue through Aug. 14.
Registration is strongly encouraged for move-in times, Farris said. And all students living in off-campus housing are encouraged to contact landlords to find out when they can move in.
“Returning students will find that even though the campus looks different, the emphasis on campus experiences will be the same,” Farris said. “The formats will be different, however; we will continue to offer programming, including WVUP All Night, fraternity and sorority recruitment/rush and more.”
It has still not been decided whether the Personal Rapid Transit system, which transports thousands between the Evansdale and Downtown campuses each year, will open by fall semester. Farris said events will be adapted to make them accessible to all.
Additional details on Welcome Week, as well as FoodFest and FallFest, will be provided in July, the university said.
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