MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University officials urged students to take coronavirus precautions seriously as the start of the fall semester gets closer.
The university held another “Return to Campus Conversation” event on Thursday, in which leaders spoke about what students should do after getting tested for the coronavirus as well as how the institution is preparing to track possible spreads.
According to the institution’s coronavirus dashboard, around 8,000 students and employees have been tested for the coronavirus. Forty-one people have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“If you test negative, it doesn’t mean you’re good to go,” Dr. Jeffrey Coben with the School of Public Health said. “It means you were good that day. We all must continue to do everything we know to protect our campus community.”
Maryanne Reed, WVU’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, explained professors are responsible for creating seating charts for in-person classes. They will also have to track attendance.
“These may be used for contact tracing,” she explained.
Freshmen, graduate and professional-level students will take part in face-to-face classes, while other students will participate in virtual lessons.
“For freshmen, this is their first time in college, and they need more personalized attention and also they’re more vulnerable to dropping out of college,” Reed said. “Graduate and professional students contribute to our research mission, and some of our health care graduate students are working on the front lines.”
The university has designated Arnold Hall as the Morgantown campus’ quarantine site.
Classes at the Keyser and Beckley campuses will begin Aug. 19, and the fall semester at the Morgantown campus will start Aug. 26. Students will begin moving into dorms on the Morgantown campus on Aug. 15.