Less than two weeks before students return to Morgantown, West Virginia University officials announced further plans to keep the student population safe this fall.
The university said all students, faculty and staff on campus will receive an email invitation by 5:30 a.m. every day to complete a COVID-19 wellness survey. The responses will be used daily to determine access to campus. If a person does not respond, then he or she will not be permitted access.
“Those who answer the wellness survey and receive clearance to come to campus will receive an electronic pass for that day on their personal device,” the university said. “Having the electronic pass may be required to access areas/buildings of campus. More details will be shared next week.”
The university said information provided by the daily wellness surveys will help it understand the rate of infection and whether additional preventive action is needed.
In tandem with the wellness survey, WVU is encouraging the voluntary use of NOVID, a mobile app that monitors symptoms.
NOVID, developed by Carnegie Mellon University, uses ultrasound waves and can detect when a user is close to other app users. If someone reports positive in the NOVID app, all other users who have been in close contact with the positive person are told to self-quarantine and get a COVID-19 test.
The Morgantown campus will look different, too. There will be separate entries and exits for the larger, more-used buildings. The flow of people will be adjusted to limit crossover, and people are being asked to walk to the right in common hallways and paths.
Since the PRT has been shut down for the semester, bus service will be expanded and a detailed bus schedule can be found at https://transportation.wvu.edu/fall-2020-bus schedule. The new schedule released by the university shows:
- Country Roads. Buses will load and depart from the bus stop at Falling Run Road. It will travel University Avenue to the Oakland crosswalks, where students will depart for the Towers. Buses will continue on University Avenue, make a right onto VanVoorhis Road and proceed to Mountaineer Station.
Returning buses will leave Mountaineer Station and proceed along University Avenue, stop at Oakland Street crosswalks and proceed back to the designated bus stop on Falling Run Road.
- Health Sciences Express. Mountaineer Station to Evansdale Crossing Loop. Buses will operate on a continuous loop between Mountaineer Station and Evansdale Crossing via VanVoorhis Road.
- Mountaineer. Beechurst Avenue to Evansdale Crossing Loop. Departing buses will load in the Area 8 parking lot off the intersection of Campus Drive and Beechurst Avenue. Buses will then travel along Beechurst Avenue to Evansdale Crossing.
Returning buses will leave via the Evansdale Crossing bus lane and proceed to Beechurst PRT station for unloading only.
WVU said all bus riders will be seated every other row in a checkerboard pattern to adhere to the 6-foot social distancing guidelines, but layouts will vary.
In the dining halls, the university has a Clean Team, all in bright yellow shirts and responsible for the continuous cleaning of the eating areas. There will also be table dividers separating diners from each other. Dining halls will remain all-you-can-eat.
And lastly, the university said students can have no more than two people helping them move into a residence hall between now and Aug. 22. Move-in times are being allotted in 90-minute slots.
WVU will hold another video campus meeting at 10 a.m. today to discuss academics, move-ins and related topics.
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