Viterbo to suspend face to face classes

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) –  Viterbo University will suspend face to face classes beginning March 16.

Viterbo University President Glena Temple issued a statement to students Thursday:

While there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in La Crosse, the situation continues to rapidly evolve across the U.S. and the world. In the interest of the health and safety of all Viterbo community members and doing our part to limit the potential spread of COVID-19, several decisions have been made that I feel are in the best interest of everyone:

• Traditional face to face classes on campus are suspended next week, March 16–20, and will begin Monday, March 23 in an online format through April 8th (reminder: April 9th-13th is Easter break). We will re-evaluate the situation in early April.
• Second half adult learning online courses scheduled to begin Monday, March 16 or other graduate or undergraduate online courses currently underway has not been suspended and will be held as scheduled.
• Our approach to external internships/clinicals/practicums/field experiences/student teaching experiences will vary, in part due to accreditation requirements and the guidelines of our host organizations. Some will continue or begin next week at external sites. Please see the specific section below related to these courses and majors.
• Our expectation is that students will remain at home as they work on their online courses and not stay in the residence halls. For students for whom this is not an option (for a variety of reasons), our residence halls will remain open for a limited number. Please see the information below on how to appeal to remain in on-campus housing.
• International travel, including study abroad trips, are suspended through May 31.
• Athletic events, competitions, and practices are suspended beginning immediately (with the exception of those teams currently finishing their spring break travel) through April 8. The remainder of the season will be evaluated at a later date.
• All Fine Arts Center events are canceled or suspended through April 8. More details to come on other campus events.

We understand and acknowledge many students have family members and friends both internationally and domestically who are impacted by COVID-19. All students are encouraged to use available campus resources and seek staff assistance and answers to any questions they may have. Information will be shared in the near future regarding housing options for those students wishing to stay in La Crosse over the summer months.

A Viterbo webpage has been created containing links to various resources and an archive of university correspondence on the subject. If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 and Viterbo University, contact Sue Danielson, director of health services, at 608-796-3806 or scdanielson@viterbo.edu. General academic-related questions should be directed to Tina Johns, director of student success and retention, at 608-796-3085 or tmjohns@viterbo.edu. Contact your instructor with course-specific questions. Questions about internships should be directed to Alyssa Gostonczik at 608-796-3829 or argostonczik@viterbo.edu. Viterbo counseling services are also available for students experiencing stress or anxiety. Students should contact counselors LeeAnn Van Vreede at 608-796-3808 or levanvreede@viterbo.edu, Alicia Hengel at 608-796-3810 or amhengel@viterbo.edu, or Chyan Johanningmeier at 608-796-3809 or cnjohanningmeier@viterbo.edu.

We continue to monitor the latest developments regarding this ever-changing issue and will share information as needed. Thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and commitment to the well-being of all Viterbo community members.

Glena Temple
Viterbo University President

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