West Chester University, largest of Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities, on Friday became the first public four-year campus in the commonwealth to switch fall instruction plans to online amid a spike in COVID-19 cases nationally.
It is a major shift for the university with nearly 18,000 students in suburban Philadelphia. West Chester had prepared for a mix of in-person and remote learning, and its president, Christopher Fiorentino, notified the campus of its decision in a message.
Mr. Fiorentino pointed to a significant spike in the virus, with more than 3 million cases nationally as of this week, including 60,000 new cases in one day, and hot spots in more than 40 states.
“WCU cannot ignore the potential danger of bringing thousands back to campus. Accordingly, our plans for the fall semester must adjust to this new reality,” he said.
The well-being of faculty and staff, as well as students, has emerged as an issue with the virus still spreading to differing degrees in various Pennsylvania counties, and with the Trump administration applying pressure to schools nationally to fully reopen.
At the University of Pittsburgh, about 1,000 students and employees as of Friday signed onto an open letter that says international students should not face removal from the U.S. if their classes go fully online, as the Trump administration plans, and that all students and faculty should be able to decide whether to attend classes in person or online.
The policy change for international students, announced this week, is “diabolical” in that it pits the well-being of foreign students against the campus a whole, said Boen Wang, 25, of Bryn Mawr, a graduate instructor in Pitt’s English department and one of the letter’s authors.
It “forces us into a false binary: either guarantee everyone’s health by holding online classes but deport all international students, or protect all international students by having in-person classes but jeopardize everyone’s health,” the letter states.
West Chester is one of 14 member institutions within the State System of Higher Education. About 96,000 students attend system campuses, which include California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock universities in Western Pennsylvania.
At West Chester, officials were making contingency plans to provide students with support and guidance.
“My leadership team and I have made the decision to continue remote learning through the fall 2020 semester, with a few courses delivered in a hybrid format, meaning both in-person and remote, in order to assist those students with clinical placements, student teaching, performance obligations, internship sites and similar academic responsibilities,” Mr. Fiorentino said.
Officials there, as with other campuses, have been pondering ways for international students to meet the amended federal rules requiring they take at least some classes in person, even if schools are forced by the virus to move online. The school has about 75 foreign students, and it expects about 50 incoming students from abroad.
West Chester will offer a hybrid course for all international students in the fall that enables them to continue their studies.
“The university will offer scholarships for this class so the students do not have to incur additional financial burden,” spokeswoman Nancy Gainer said. “Additionally, international students who would like to remain in university housing would be allowed to do so to ensure they can participate in the in-person component of this course.”
State System universities and other public and private campuses generally have moved toward reopening this fall — many in recent weeks announcing hybrid approaches that would cut classroom sizes to promote social distancing, reduce dorm occupancy and limit public gatherings.
They have done so trying to balance health worries with students’ preference for a residential campus experience.
Asked about the potential impact for other State System universities, spokesman David Pidgeon in Harrisburg said, “At this point, I’m only aware of West Chester’s choice to to go remote.’’
The system issued a statement Friday afternoon that read in part:
“The State System believes university presidents and their leadership teams know their local campuses best. We support the decision by the leadership team at West Chester University to update its reopening plan because it makes sense for West Chester.”
The head of the State System faculty union expressed support for West Chester’s decision.
“We’re happy to see a university administration look at what is happening around them — taking in the facts, looking at the science, making decisions that are best for students, staff and faculty,” said Jamie Martin, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
“We hope other universities will take that thoughtful path. There is not a one-size-fits-all answer, but we hope all decisions are safe for students, staff and faculty.”
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, largest of Western Pennsylvania’s state-owned schools, announced its intent last month to offer a mix of in-person and remote classes. Spokeswoman Michelle Fryling said officials are monitoring developments related to the virus, but said, “I’ve heard no discussion of any plan to change that plan.”
Within Pennsylvania, COVID-19 cases per individual county range from the single digits to multiple thousands, according to state health department data. It means the landscape regarding the virus can be sharply different by campus.
Chester County, where West Chester University is located, had 3,743 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of this week. Mr. Fiorentino said Chester County is in a green phase of the state’s reopening plan, so “our public buildings will be open and will be limited to 50% capacity.
“This means that Sykes Student Union, the Campus Recreation Center, FHG Library and several other buildings will be open for use and are currently being readied in ways that will foster and promote active social distancing.”
Bill Schackner: bschackner@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1977 and on Twitter: @Bschackner
Updated at 7:38 p.m. on July 10, 2020
First Published: July 10, 2020, 6:57 p.m.
