Morgantown, West Virginia – With the return of college students to Morgantown, house parties are inevitable. Students were asked to not gather or hold any parties to reduce the spread of COVID, but unfortunately that did not happen.
There were several large gatherings and off-campus parties over the weekend, which led West Virginia University to release a statement to discuss the seriousness of following statewide social distancing guidelines.
According to WVU’s Dean of Students Corey Farris, “It was very disappointing to see the reports of numerous parties being held around Morgantown this past weekend. Being a Mountaineer means living our values. We expect our students to show their respect and appreciation for others by wearing their masks and following the rules. There will be consequences for those who refuse to do the right thing – including expulsion.
In the release from the university, WVU Chief of Police W.P. Chedester said the following: “We have stepped up patrols on campus, and we are working with our law enforcement partners in Morgantown and Monongalia County to better respond to off-campus incidents. Bottom line, our officers are committed to keeping everyone – students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus – safe.”
In addition to increased patrolling on campus, West Virginia University is encouraging students to report large gatherings or parties to the University Police at 304-293-COPS.
We are aware of recent off-campus parties that some of our students have attended. We will not tolerate behaviors that violate local and state protocols or WVU’s own health and safety guidelines putting campus and the greater Morgantown community at risk. https://t.co/ucGr7GRIcd
— WVU Mountaineers (@WestVirginiaU) August 17, 2020
