Southern Virginia University Announces Response to COVID-19
On Tuesday, Mar. 10, Southern Virginia University released a letter explaining the school’s response to the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19). The University presented a plan with five potential levels of response that could be instituted, depending on how the epidemic develops.
The University Response Plan consists of five levels: Level 0, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4.
Below is the letter’s description of the levels:
for Health and Well-Being of the University Community
The University is currently at Level 1, meaning students’ day-to-day activities will change very little and they should still attend classes. Professors are preparing to conduct regular classwork entirely online through University iPad devices in case the situation reaches Level 3.
If a student experiences a “dry cough, fever, [or] shortness of breath,” the letter asks them to self-isolate, report to their individual professors, and inform Dean Crowther or the Office of Student Life at studentlife@svu.edu.
Level 1 requires the reduction of large gatherings: “[The University] will need to manage the size and frequency of campus gatherings, meetings, and University-sponsored travel on a case-by-case basis.”
Some large gatherings on campus have already been canceled.
“Hook recitals have been canceled for the rest of the semester, as of now,” reported Katie Larsen, a vocal student. “My instructor stated that if anything changes regarding that, we’ll be informed. It was also announced in acting class today that the [University’s spring production of the] Hunchback of Notre Dame has been canceled.”
If the University progresses into Level 2, on-campus events and activities will be further restricted. This could include forums, open houses, and performances. According to the letter, in this scenario Spring Break would be canceled and the academic schedule could be altered — potentially affecting graduation plans. High-risk travel will be limited.
The University will communicate through emails, text messages, and svu.edu/covid-19 as they make adjustments to large gatherings on-campus.
“Given the current progress of CV-19, there is an increasing likelihood that the University will move to Level 2 within the next few days or weeks, so please prepare with this shift in mind,” the letter said.
Regarding athletics, most spring sports are close to the end of their seasons, and Southern Virginia teams have already traveled to most of their away games prior to the spread of the virus.
One Southern Virginia softball player, Afton Brown, reports that their conference “hasn’t put any policies in yet, but if anything gets worse [they] might.”
It appears that games currently scheduled will still be played while the University remains at Level 1.
Colleges and universities nearby have also made adjustments according to the level of concern regarding COVID-19.
Washington and Lee University has released updates regarding their action plan. There have been no reported cases on their campus, although five faculty members, two undergraduates and one law student recently returned from Italy and are currently quarantined for 14 days. They are not exhibiting symptoms of illness and did not travel to places in Italy with concentrated outbreaks.
At this time, Washington and Lee is holding classes as usual and has not canceled any campus-wide events. This could change as the situation develops, as reported in their action plan.
Virginia Tech has urged students and campus members to self-isolate if they show symptoms of the virus. They have canceled some events for the week and have said they will keep their campus community updated as the weeks progress. In anticipation of students returning from their spring break, they reported that they will continue to closely monitor the situation and prepare to adjust schedules and course syllabi.
Virginia Military Institute and the University of Virginia have also put out statements and report they are actively monitoring the situation.
Contributors: Lillian Ghiz, Robyn Peterson, Zach Bearnson, Katie Larsen, and Jeffrey Tomlin
