MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU Vice President Rob Alsop said school leaders will always listen to students but decisions cannot be made easily during the COVID-19 pandemic, as students push for change.
A group of WVU students have planned a Save WVU March Friday at 6 p.m. at the Mountainlair, ending at president Gordon Gee’s home on the Evansdale campus, asking the university to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.
“We are open and always listening to our students to try and find a way to make people happy. But we just can’t say ‘oh the heck with it, we are just going to go back to completely normal and hope for the best.’ We are not in a position to do that,” Alsop said on MetroNews ‘Talkline.’
The students, who plan to march with masks on, have released a list of demands and say if they are met by Friday night the march will be canceled.
Demands include:
– Assure all dorms and on campus apartments remain open
– Social gatherings allowed with masks
– Students should be allowed to attend sporting events with masks
– WVUp Allnight free food to be brought back for the weekends
– Return to in-person classes with masks
– WVU issued antibody tests to all students for free
– Bars, clubs and restaurants fully open on the condition masks are worn and there are temperature checks
– Open the Rec Center and require masks
– Free masks for students
– Fully reopen dining services
– Host a campus discussion about police brutality and secrecy
– Greek life and student groups should be allowed to have in-person activities and meetings
On Wednesday, the university announced those classes could resume at the Morgantown campus starting this coming Monday. The university said about 120 students have received, or will receive, COVID-19-related sanctions, up to and including probation.
“The fact is this is a very serious pandemic and we are trying to do what we can to have a face-to-face experience and to have social interaction,” Alsop said.
WVU Vice President for Strategic Initiatives @jrobalsop talks with @HoppyKercheval about WVU’s plans to reopen for undergraduate classes next week. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/IGPK7DVYmr
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) September 24, 2020