PETERSBURG, Va. (AP) - Virginia State University will reopen its campus for the spring 2021 semester with a mix of online and in-person classes, officials said.
The historically Black university was one of three colleges in Virginia to keep its campus closed for the fall semester because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
VSU President Makola Abdullah said the school was at a higher risk for the virus, especially with the large number of cases and deaths in the Black community.
Abdullah said the school’s curriculum will be similar to other schools, where students will take classes in-person, online or a combination of the two.
The university previously purchased face shields, masks, distancing stickers, and plexiglass dividers for the fall 2020 semester but the school decided to remain close in late August.
After the decision to remain closed, hundreds of VSU students withdrew from the school. The university reported an enrollment drop of 21% to 3,610, the second biggest decline in the state.
Abdullah said the lost of room and board revenue was between $10 million and $12 million and for the spring semester, dorms won’t be at full capacity.
Despite the financial losses, the university has avoid layoffs.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.