by G. Corey Farris
Dear Morgantown community,
As West Virginia University welcomes students to campus for the start of the 2020-21 academic year, we’re looking forward to their arrival and also recognize the challenges it brings to the campus and our greater Morgantown community.
WVU leadership from across campus has been working with local government and public health officials to develop plans to make our students’ arrival as safe as possible for them, as well as our community members.
While this time of year brings a lot of energy and excitement, we recognize that it will bring challenges, too, as an estimated 4,700 new students arrive along with our returning students. We have taken steps to de-densify campus by delaying the start of classes to Aug. 26 and transitioning to online learning for much of our instruction. We believe these measures will lessen the potential exposure and spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Move-in for our residence halls began on Saturday and continues through Aug. 22. This staggered approach to move-in means the crowds will be smaller and the traffic less than typical during our traditional move-in weekend.
WVU’s first priority is to protect the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff, faculty and surrounding community. In support of that, each student, staff and faculty member is required to be tested for COVID-19. We’ve created a dashboard to monitor testing and results, https://www.wvu.edu/return-to-campus/daily-test-results.
Everyone at WVU is required to complete an education module about COVID-19 as well. Every member of the WVU community is expected to adhere to mask-wearing, maintain physical distancing, self-monitor symptoms and practice proper hygiene.
Local and state mandates, ordinances and executive orders will be enforced — including those that limit the size of gatherings. We take this seriously and those who do not comply will be subject to fines and disciplinary action; violations will be dealt with swiftly and as prescribed by the Student Code of Conduct.
We have reiterated to our students, and will continue to do so, that the university is returning this fall to preserve the on-campus academic experience. Unnecessary house parties, large gatherings, etc., will not be tolerated.
While the days before the start of classes typically brings Welcome Week, this year we will not host our traditional large-scale events. Students will be welcomed over the course of the semester with smaller events and activities meant to engage students while avoiding large crowds typically associated with the spread of COVID-19.
Students are returning to campus in unprecedented circumstances, and while we know they are excited about being with their friends and on campus, we also know that they are concerned about their health and safety. We will continue to remind them that their ability to be here is dependent on their willingness to follow the rules and guidelines set forth.
If you know a student, you can help by encouraging them to make good choices to keep us all safe. WVU continues to partner with local law enforcement agencies to uphold public safety on and around campus, yet we know that your positive influence and support also helps our students make good choices.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we start a new academic year. We know that by working together, we will have a successful fall semester.
Let’s Go!
G. Corey Farris is the dean of students at West Virginia University.
