BOG also discusses possible return to in-person classes
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the West Virginia University Foundation raised a record amount of money in fiscal year 2020.
At Friday’s WVU Board of Governors meeting, President and CEO of the WVU Foundation Cindi Roth said the $197,855,143 raised beat the previous record, set in 2012, for the most money raised in a single year.
WVU President E. Gordon Gee said the foundation is fast approaching its goal of $200 million of annual giving.
“I think it’s amazing we’ve had such strong, committed support of our alumni and friends and donors in this particular age,” Gee said.
Roth also said the foundation is reviewing all of its funds and donations to make sure each dollar is spent the way the donor wants and in the most efficient way possible.
WVU is watching the COVID-19 numbers carefully to see if in-person classes can resume on Sept. 28, said Rob Alsop, vice president for strategic initiatives.
The number of cases spiked “dramatically” around the start of September, but the good news is cases have been dropping, especially on the seven day rolling average over the past few days, he said.
The classroom protocols, such as masks, social distancing, assigned seating and plexiglass for the teachers, seems to be working, Alsop said.
Provost Maryanne Reed agreed and said only a very small number of faculty and staff have tested positive once classes started and that those cases didn’t seem to be related to classroom activity.
On Sept. 23, the university will look at the available data and determine if it can move forward with returning to in-person classes, Reed said.
In-person classes have not stopped for everyone. Graduate classes and some clinical health sciences classes have continued for the Morgantown campus. The Keyser and Beckley campuses have also continued in-person classes, Reed said.
She also said the spring schedule will be announced on Oct. 20 and will include the type of learning.
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