News

The West Virginia University system including the WVU Research Corp., will close Friday, June 18, following a Presidential Proclamation and separate declaration issued by Gov. Jim Justice proclaiming a state holiday in recognition of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth, which is held on June 19 each year, celebrates the ending of slavery in the U.S. This year, June 19 falls on a Saturday. As a result, Friday, June 18, will be recognized as a full-day holiday for all public employees of the state.

While classes (undergraduate and graduate) are canceled Friday, some essential campus services will remain open. If you have any questions, reach out to your supervisor.

Golden Bear Welcome Days and camp activities that were scheduled for Friday, June 18 will continue as planned.

The WVU Libraries will be closed, although the West Virginia Day events will continue to be held virtually.

WVU Extension Service offices will be closed across the state due to the holiday. However, Jackson’s Mill will remain open. Some Extension activities, such as 4-H camps, also will continue as scheduled. Please check with the county office.

The closure will be effective for all non-essential personnel beginning at midnight through 11:59 p.m. on Friday. Employees who are considered essential personnel will be contacted by their supervisor with additional information regarding the work schedule tomorrow.

Units with existing emergency closure protocols should follow those. Employees with questions or concerns should contact their supervisor. 

The University will reopen on a normal schedule Saturday, June 19 and classes will resume on Monday, June 21. 

The West Virginia University system is lessening some restrictions around mask wearing and out-of-state travel for people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and verified their vaccinations with the University. 

Fully-vaccinated people will not be required to wear a mask in outdoor settings on West Virginia University campuses. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after one dose of Johnson & Johnson or two doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. 

Each year, students in WVU Tech's art history 101 course are challenged to use their talents to create their own take on the iconic Carter Hall building. This blending of art and history is a fun project for students with an upside: a panel of judges from the local arts community select the best entries and award tuition waivers of $500 and $250 for the top two.

WVU Tech graduates stood in line at the Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center on a chilly spring Saturday, the sense of excitement in those halls thick as smoke. It had a been a tough year, marked by a global pandemic, social unrest and all the hustle and bustle of senior year. But as they gathered for that traditional walk, adjusting their sashes, tightening their masks and making sure friends and classmates had their tassels on the correct side of their mortarboards, a sense of calm washed over the center. As those famous first bars of Pomp and Circumstance filled the room, these men and women who had seen a year of trepidation began their walk with a sense of overwhelming pride and of purpose.

Each spring, West Virginia University recognizes selected faculty members for their exceptional and innovative teaching. This year, the 2021 WVU Foundation Awards for Outstanding Teaching honors five faculty members:

Jody L. Crosno, the Joseph E. Antonini Chair and professor in the John Chambers College of Business and Economics’ Department of Marketing

Beginning May 3, 2021, the Office of Student Accounts and Financial Aid Office will now be a part of the “One Hub” initiative.  This initiative seeks to integrate our offices into the existing Hub team on the Morgantown campus as well as our sister offices on the Potomac State campus. 

Since the Mountaineer Hub’s inception, all billing and financial aid communications have been generated from the Mountaineer Hub. This can be confusing for students who are not on Morgantown campuses. The move to one WVU Hub allows us to simplify, provide consistency, and share expertise and support across the WVU campuses.  

West Virginia University (including WVU Tech) will pause administration of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine based on a joint recommendation released today (April 13) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Out of more than 6.8 million doses administered in the U.S., six reported cases of a rare and severe blood clot in individuals who have received the J&J vaccine are being monitored.

“The finding of abnormal blood clotting is extremely rare in citizens receiving the J&J vaccine, and in response to FDA and CDC guidance, and acting out of a great amount of caution, we will pause vaccinations with the J&J product for now," Dr. Clay Marsh, vice president and executive dean of WVU Health Sciences and West Virginia’s Coronavirus Czar, said. "The fact that CDC and FDA are acting out of caution for 6 clotting episodes in 6.8 million doses given should reassure West Virginia residents that we are watching any and all associated findings in those vaccinated to make sure safety is our priority.”

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is convening a meeting on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. Until that process is complete, WVU will pause in the use of the J&J vaccine on all campuses out of an abundance of caution. WVU Tech has already reached out via email to students who previously had J&J appointments for Wednesday’s clinic to reschedule for Moderna doses based on availability.

WVU Tech administered 122 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine during a clinic held on Wednesday, April 7 at Van Meter Gymnasium. All other clinics held at WVU Tech have administered doses of the Moderna vaccine at 410 Neville Street.

The type of blood clot observed is called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and is seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

“We know that the key to saving lives and improving outcomes from COVID-19 in West Virginia is continuing to choose to be vaccinated,” Marsh said.

WVU strongly recommends all students and employees be vaccinated for COVID-19. If you have questions about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, the University suggests speaking with your primary care physician. Students can also reach out to the WVU Tech Student Health Clinic.

Email questions or concerns to techrelations@mail.wvu.edu.