NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Christopher Newport University has rescheduled its first day of fall classes to begin on Monday, August 31.
CNU President Paul Trible made the announcement in an email to the campus community Friday. Old Dominion University in Norfolk also decided to postpone the start date of the 2020-21 school year.
The decision comes in response to the current trends of the virus in Hampton Roads and the additional restrictions Gov. Ralph Northam has put in place with Executive Order 68.
Acknowledging that some students may want to stay home and not return to their residence halls out of concern for safety, Trible said the university will release them from their on-campus housing contracts without penalty for the fall semester while taking classes. He mentioned that the university has put numerous measures in place to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Trible added that the decision to opt out of residence hall living does not have to mean a move to fully remote learning. Any student who wishes to remain within commuting distance may continue to take in-person classes. In-person courses also are being live-streamed for students who cannot attend class.
Click here to read Trible's full message.
In response to current COVID-19 trends in Hampton Roads, Christopher Newport will delay the first day of fall classes until Monday, August 31. Read President Trible's full message at https://t.co/uNtn7GmUiC pic.twitter.com/QbIqPh7V6p
— Christopher Newport (@CNUcaptains) July 31, 2020
