NE Wesleyan Extends Spring Break

(KFOR NEWS March 12, 2020) The following statement from Nebraska Wesleyan University is related to COVID-19:

Dear Students,

The World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic as the coronavirus rapidly spreads throughout the world. To date, Nebraska has 10 confirmed cases. None of those is in Lancaster County.

On Wednesday we asked faculty to develop contingency plans in the event that the university needs to realign for a distance learning delivery of classes. Now we are acting on those plans with a one-week pause to realign classes. Nebraska Wesleyan will extend spring break next week (March 16-20) on our Lincoln campus and at our Omaha site to allow the faculty necessary preparation time. At this point we plan to move to distance learning, beginning Monday, March 23 and continue through the end of the semester. The start of the second eight-week session has also been moved to March 23.

We realize there will be many questions around what distance learning entails. We will keep you updated throughout this transition. When possible, faculty and supervisors will work with you to complete internship, clinical, practicum, student teaching, work study and other credit-bearing activities. Distance learning will be different for different classes. Faculty members will spend the coming week planning for the transition as appropriate for each class. Please be patient with your professors. They will be in touch with you.

You should feel free to stay home or off campus next week, although we understand that option is not available to everyone. The residence halls will reopen at noon on Sunday as planned. All university offices will remain open throughout the semester so that you have access to resources. This also includes Prairie Point Dining Center, the Weary Center, Cooper Center, Counseling Services and the library. Limited numbers of laptops are available to check out at the library. Call 402.465.2400 to check on availability.

Whether you choose to return to campus or stay home, it is highly recommended that you avoid large gatherings. If you are on campus and start to exhibit symptoms, you are asked to call Student Health Services at 402.465.2375 or 402.465.2377. Walk-in appointments are no longer available to prevent possible exposure. CHI Health also offers an online questionnaire to quickly assess symptoms. If the online assessment indicates you might have the coronavirus, then a health care professional will call you with further instructions. That link ishttps://www.chihealth.com.