HAMPTON Va.- About 8% of colleges in the U.S. will not be doing in-class instruction in the fall, according to Business Insider and you can add Hampton University to the list.
The school announced last week that they will forego in-class instruction for the 2020 fall semester.
Hampton President William R. Harvey said in a statement last week that the university wanted to take the precautionary route despite what detractors or people who endorse the move think.
“To be sure, there are going to be those who criticize this decision, and there are going to be those who applaud it,” Harvey said. “Here, at Hampton, we do not hold our finger up to see which way the wind is blowing and then follow. Instead, we act responsibly and make decisions based upon what is right and best for our students and other members of the Hampton University community.”
Harvey also announced that due to COVID-19 the school will reduce tuition.
“Because of the financial burden that the pandemic has had on students and parents, the University will reduce tuition and comprehensive fees by 15% for the fall 2020 semester, Harvey said. “This means that the total cost for the fall 2020 semester for 10 to 17 undergraduate hours will be $12,519, a savings of $2,187. The reduced rate will be reflected in each student’s tuition bill.”
Eboni Turner, a rising senior at Hampton previously said she was hopeful that they would cancel in-class instruction at least for the fall semester and now says she is “relieved.”
“I was relieved, only because June 15 we found out that we were returning in the fall,” Turner said.
On July 2, we received the official notification saying that we will not be having any in-person instruction and I was just really relieved because a lot of the stuff I was concerned about does not matter anymore. I had already started requesting to try to get a single room and stuff like that so that in itself is relieving.”
Turner was not the only one who was relieved at the school’s ruling.
“Honestly, my first reaction was joy because I was trying to get my classes online, to begin with,” Cashara Quinn, also a rising senior at Hampton said. “I did not feel comfortable being back on campus because it just seems that that would have been such a risk being back in classrooms with everyone, being in dorms and the cafeteria. I was happy they said they are keeping everything online.”
Both students mentioned that they would not mind returning in the spring to enjoy their campus for the last time in their undergraduate careers.
“A part of me does want to come back for the spring semester because that is my last semester. I want to enjoy my HBCU experience to the fullest extent,” Quinn said. “If not then, I am grateful for the three years I had.”
“Yes, if I am not back in Hampton, Virginia spring semester I am going to be upset,” Turner said. “I want to have those last few moments with my class while we are all together. In high school, I did not take advantage of my time until my senior year.”
Virginia has the 14th most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S, per the CDC.
