FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Fairmont State University will welcome students back to campus in the fall for the 2020-2021 academic school year. President Mirta Martin and staff have made changes to the “welcome back” procedure in order to ensure the health and safety of the faculty and student body.
Each student will personally schedule a move in date and time over a 10 day period as part of the planned changes.
“To continue to observe social distancing we have changed our move in day to a move in week.” Martin said,”Which will begin on July 31 and will run through August 7.”
In the classroom, Martin says her staff will calculate the space available and use guidelines from the governor to determine how many students will be in each room.
“Students, faculty and staff will be adhering to social distancing, they will wear the proper PPE and they abide by the directives set forth by the office of the governor,” Martin said,”And we plan to ensure their safety and protection.”
Classes will begin August 10 and run through November 13, final exams will be from November 16 through 20 and Winter Commencement is planned for November 21 and 22.
The changes also include adding shorter course durations to help students maintain work schedules and a longer winter break to give students more uninterrupted time with family.
Martin says before classes begin they will celebrate Spring Commencement during the weekend of August 8 and 9.
“We will adhere, again to the social distancing norms that have been established,”Martin said,”It may look a little bit different, we may have to have several commencements as opposed to one large commencement that may be attended by 3 to 4 thousand people.”
President Martin would not reveal enrollment numbers, but says they have met their targets and the institution remains financially robust.
“The cost containment strategies and initiatives that were put in place three years ago are working, our faculty and staff have been responsive to those initiatives,” Martin said,”I am very proud and very pleased to tell you Fairmont State University is financially strong.”