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BETHANY - Bethany College has announced plans to resume on-campus instruction for the fall semester while prioritizing the safety of its students, faculty and staff in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The college also will freeze tuition for the 2020-21 academic year to help its students have continued access to a Bethany education.
"Throughout this transition, we will continue to monitor all state and federal guidelines and implement recommendations to the best of our ability with the primary goal of keeping our community safe," President Tamara Nichols Rodenberg said. "We were founded as a residential campus, and I am committed to providing an on-campus experience grounded in the best practices for interaction."
In response to federal and state social distancing guidelines, the college extended its spring break by a week and transitioned to remote instruction on March 23. On March 30, Bethany announced that remote instruction would continue throughout the semester, which ended May 6. An online degree-conferral ceremony was held May 9 for the class of 2020. Since late March, many employees have worked remotely, and plans call for them to return to campus in early July. On Monday, the college began its May term online, offering students more than a dozen summer courses.
"This time of being socially distant has reaffirmed for all of us why we place such a high value on community at Bethany College," Rodenberg said. "When we are together, we thrive, but as these past few weeks have shown, community doesn't end where the campus edges begin."
Bethany's Emergency and Preparedness Response Team, which includes representatives from across campus departments, is designed to ensure that all safety precautions are considered.
The college's facilities -- academic buildings, residence halls, athletic venues, dining areas, administrative offices, and restrooms -- will undergo a deep clean before the fall term, Rodenberg said. Freshman move-in is scheduled for Aug. 20, and classes are set to begin Aug. 24. Freshmen orientation will be moved to an online format, with plans calling for group leaders to reach out to students in late June or early July. Using digital platforms, such as Zoom, orientation leaders will meet with their groups regularly to answer questions and address concerns.
Bethany will also offer single bedrooms to students who request that option by July 15. Interested students should contact Executive Director of Student Affairs Sam Goodge at sgoodge@bethanywv.edu with their requests.
Students who have received their financial aid packages but are experiencing financial hardships as a result of COVID-19 should contact the college at financialaid@bethanywv.edu.