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WVU Cancels In-Person Classes After Reports Of Large Parties Over Labor Day Weekend

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (KDKA) - WVU is moving undergrad classes online-only.

West Virginia University announced Monday that it's canceling in-person classes at its Morgantown campus starting Tuesday.

The university says this decision was made because of a recent increase in coronavirus cases, as well as concerns about an outbreak following several reports of parties over the holiday weekend.

From Aug. 17-23, the percent-positivity on campus was 0.75 percent. From Aug 24-30, it jumped to 3.82%.

"Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 9, all undergraduate courses in Morgantown, with the exception of those Health Sciences courses with students already engaged in clinical rotation, will move online through Friday, Sept. 25," the university says.

Online classes will continue, and employees will report to work as usual. Graduate courses will still be in-person.

"This pause in face-to-face undergraduate instruction will give us time to monitor the steadily climbing cases of COVID-19," Dr. Jeffrey Coben, associate vice president of health affairs and dean of the School of Public Health, said in a press release.

"There is increasing evidence that crowded indoor gatherings, such as those that occurred over the weekend, can serve as super-spreader events."

Yesterday, WVU suspended 29 students following reports of large parties at fraternities not recognized by the university.

On Sept. 23, the university will re-evaluate if it's safe for in-person classes to resume.

You can read the president's full letter explaining the decision online.

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