Woodburn Circle on University Avenue on the campus of West Virginia University

WVU Will Require Everyone On Campus To Wear Face Coverings

West Virginia University will require all faculty, staff, students and visitors to wear face coverings or masks while on campus in the fall.

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • June 16, 2020

West Virginia University will require all faculty, staff, students and visitors to wear face coverings or masks while on campus in the fall, according to a list of precautions published on the university’s website on Tuesday.

Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Rob Alsop outlined safety initiatives that will be implemented when students return in the fall at the Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser campuses.

“We are asking our students, faculty and staff to help by wearing masks at all times while on campus; washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; following physical distancing and other guidelines; and remaining home if you are not feeling well,” Alsop writes.

The safety initiatives call for new cleaning, dining, transportation and building protocols.

All faculty, staff, and students will receive a welcome back kit that contains a cloth mask, disposable masks, hand sanitizer and a safe touch tool.

The university will adjust services at libraries, recreation centers, dining halls and other public areas to enable preventive measures and physical distancing. Plans are to reduce capacity where appropriate and implement further cleaning measures. Campus service workers will receive training for the new cleaning measures.

Classrooms will be at 50 percent occupancy whenever possible.

The university plans to increase cleaning for high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces including elevators, handrails, benches, tables, handles, and restrooms. Surfaces will be wiped and disinfected using products approved by the CDC at least once a day. Electrostatic sprayers will be used to clean and disinfect large areas. Public restrooms will receive additional cleaning throughout the day. There will more hand sanitizer locations across the three campuses.

In addition, WVU is in the process of deep cleaning residence hall rooms.

More information about the campuses’ safety measures will be discussed at a webinar on June 18.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. She can be reached at ymarquez@1105media.com

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