College goes online-only due to virus concern

March 11, 2020

In response to the growing concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise will offer classes online, possibly for the rest of the semester.

The college will revisit the issue on April 5 to determine if the situation should continue, according to a Wednesday afternoon press release.
“Faculty will be given a week to prepare their courses for online delivery, and they will receive any assistance they need to make the switch to online instruction before the courses go completely online on March 23,” it states. “The College is also cancelling non-essential travel for employees and students, and gatherings or events with 100 or more people will also be cancelled or postponed.”

“We feel we are taking the right action to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and our community,” said Chancellor Donna P. Henry. “While we have not received word of a positive COVID-19 case in Wise or on campus, we plan to follow guidelines from the University of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control to prevent its spread. We will reevaluate the situation in coming weeks and will make further decisions as Virginia and the nation deals with the virus.”

Students who are away on spring break should remain at home or return home if they have been away, the college announced.

In addition, events on campus with more than 100 people will be postponed, cancelled or offered electronically.
Campus buildings and the student and employee health clinic will remain open.

At this time, these restrictions do not apply to athletic events or events at Prior Center, but those decisions will be re-evaluated often.