Weber State University Moving to Online Education Effective March 18
OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University, at the request of Gov. Gary Herbert, is joining public institutions of higher education in Utah to take steps to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and help protect the health and safety of our community.
Weber State is taking the following steps beginning Friday, March 13:
- All courses are suspended March 13-17, to allow faculty and staff time to prepare to continue our educational mission online.
- Starting Wednesday, March 18, the university will move to online/remote instruction for the rest of spring semester 2020.
- All university events are canceled until March 30, 2020. University business meetings will be held on an as-needed basis.
- Faculty, staff and hourly employees will continue to work on campus in support of the educational mission of Weber State. Academic resources, including the library and computer labs, will remain open, but the campus community is encouraged to act responsibly, stay home if sick, and students should remain off campus as much as possible.
- All international and out-of-state university-sponsored travel is suspended through Monday, April 20, 2020.
- Residence Halls and dining services will remain open for students living on-campus.
- All study abroad trips have been canceled through April 20.
- Athletics will defer to Big Sky recommendations. All travel for club sports is canceled until April 20.
The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a worldwide pandemic. Weber State University and other higher education intuitions are taking these precautions in an effort to help control the spread of the virus as much as possible.
“For more than 131 years, Weber State has been committed to the education and safety of our students,” said WSU President Brad Mortensen. “Many times during our history, Weber State has confronted challenges, including some that threatened our very existence. In every instance, our faculty, staff, students and supporters rallied to overcome that adversity, as we will do again. I have the deepest appreciation for the extraordinary dedication of our faculty and staff to make this unprecedented transition possible. Such a united effort to protect public health, while preserving access to quality learning, exemplifies Weber State’s ongoing legacy.”
We recognize these changes will affect our campus community in many ways. Below are some immediate answers for specific groups. The university will provide additional information and updates at weber.edu/coronavirus.
Classes Canceled March 13-17, 2020
The university will move to online instruction beginning March 18 for the rest of spring semester 2020. Classes are suspended March 13-17, so faculty and staff can prepare for the transition. Faculty will be able to use the resources and facilities available on campus in order to record lectures, or seek help in moving their classes online. Faculty will receive additional information on Thursday, March 12, to address other concerns. Concurrent enrollment courses taught by high school instructors will follow the guidance provided by the individual schools.
Student Housing
Residence Halls and dining services will remain open for students living on-campus. This time of uncertainty can be stressful, so students who are experiencing anxiety or stress, can find resources at weber.edu/counselingcenter.
University Related Travel
Weber State University has suspended all international and out-of state, university-sponsored travel through April 20, 2020. This includes club sports.
The university has asked students, faculty and staff to self-report any travel or planned travel, taken outside the state of Utah, between Feb.15 and April 20. The survey is available at this link. The university will use the information to help evaluate and make decisions regarding this situation.
University Events and Conferences
Weber State University has canceled all university-sponsored events and conferences until March 30. This date may change if warranted by the course of the virus. This applies to events at all campus locations and centers. Organizers are encouraged to consider ways to reschedule and to communicate as quickly as possible with participants and patrons.
A decision has not been made about Commencement Spring 2020, scheduled for April 24, 2020.
Staff
Exempt, non-exempt and hourly staff who are healthy will continue to work in order to support the university’s educational mission. We encourage all members of the campus community to remain flexible and assist the university to educate students during this difficult time.
Faculty
The university is committed to helping faculty transition to online classes or remote learning. Additional information will come from the Provost’s Office on Thursday, March 12.
Child Care
Weber State operates a charter kindergarten and children’s school for dozens of children. They will remain open at this time.
Thank You
Weber State University continues to work closely with state and local health departments to ensure we are taking appropriate steps to keep our campus community safe and will provide consistent updates at weber.edu/coronavirus. We also thank and acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff to make this transition.
For further information, please visit our FAQ website.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Allison Barlow Hess, Public Relations director
801-626-7948 • ahess@weber.edu- Contact:
Allison Barlow Hess, Public Relations director
801-626-7948 • ahess@weber.edu