HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Some professors at Marshall University were taking classes themselves Thursday learning how to best reach their students outside the traditional classroom setting—and now that will last the rest of the semester.
Marshall President Jerome Gilbert announced Thursday morning the decision to keep students off campus for the rest of the semester because of the coronavirus. Gilbert originally announced last week the online option was going to last at least for a few weeks after next week’s originally scheduled spring break but he said the situation has constantly changed since.
“The President (President Donald Trump) is not wanting us to have large group meetings over 50 for the next eight weeks,” Gilbert said during a Thursday appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.” “It looked like this was the way to go.”
Gilbert said a lot of Marshall professors already use online tools to instruct their students. He said those not so used to the method are being trained.
“We’ve got classes going on right now to help our faculty, getting them trained up, if they are not already trained up in non-face-to-face course delivery,” Gilbert said.
Marshall has worked closely with West Virginia University in connection with the coronavirus response, Gilbert said. WVU announced Wednesday evening its decision to close for the rest of the semester and go to alternative instruction, mostly online.
WVU President Gordon Gee, also a guest on “Talkline” Thursday said the situation is a disappointment but also an opportunity.
“This is a Black Swan moment that we need to get through by building community and doing the right thing and that means social distancing,” Gee said.
Marshall has postponed its May 2 commencement. Gilbert said they hope to be able to rescheduled for late summer or early fall. WVU has yet to make a decision on commencement, Gee said.
“If we’re successful now in flattening the curve and flattening the spread maybe we can have a celebration for our students,” Gee said. “It really depends on where this thing goes.”
Marshall will put out a schedule for when its offering students to return to campus to retrieve their belongings from the university’s residence halls. Gilbert said they don’t the students all returning at one time.
“That will give time slots so students can come in an orderly and regular fashion so we don’t have large congregation of people. We’ll also offer to store (their items) or leave them in the room for that matter for the rest of the semester,” Gilbert said.
Marshall is expected to finalize an employee plan in the next few days. Gilbert said most employees would likely work from home.
“We suspect we will have a small number of people on campus to keep the campus open and going,” he said.
WVU is closing its buildings beginning Friday.
Gilbert and Gee both have long careers in higher education and they both said Thursday they’ve never seen anything quite like the coronavirus and the steps taken to stop the spread.
Gee said West Virginians are not strangers to struggles and now is the time to pull together.
“The resiliency is part of DNA and in many ways this may prove to be a West Virginia moment, and we want to make it that,” Gee said.