Global pandemic moves Roanoke into uncharted territory

In the wake of the current unprecedented global health crisis, presented by COVID-19,  Roanoke College and other academic institutions across the country are currently in uncharted territory. 

Every decision Roanoke College made this month, from the suspension of in-person classes to the cancellation of Alumni Weekend to the postponement of commencement, were all difficult to make and heartbreaking to communicate. The College’s desire to preserve the health of the campus community, as well as the greater community, drove each decision. 

On Wednesday, March 11, President Mike Maxey and cabinet members announced the suspension of in-person classes, and students were asked to return home. President Maxey took questions from students that night, fielding many queries from concerned students and helping them feel more at ease amid the uncertainty of the moment.

Classes are continuing remotely for the remainder of the semester.

One of the most difficult decisions came Friday, March 20, when President Maxey announced that commencement would be postponed. It was scheduled to take place May 2, but will now take place on a to-be-announced date. President Maxey said, “We want to ensure that we find a time to honor the accomplishments of the class of 2020 and are already considering how best to do that.”

Spring athletics have also been indefinitely suspended. As Director of Athletics Scott Allison wrote to students, “While it’s never an easy decision to disappoint our student-athletes...it's imperative that we do our part to continue to protect the health of our community and the world at large.”

Alumni Weekend, which was scheduled to take place the weekend of April 17 has been canceled. That weekend, alumni are asked to share photos of themselves “raising a glass” in honor of Alumni Weekend. The Alumni team noted, “Whether that’s your morning coffee, a glass of wine or even just a branded Roanoke College water bottle, we’d love to see your faces and honor Roanoke alumni. We will plan to celebrate this year's special milestones, especially our reunion classes, and other noteworthy events at Alumni Weekend in 2021.” 

All students who were able, were asked to leave campus. The dining hall remains open for to-go orders, and on-campus health and counseling services continue to operate. As a service to students throughout the state of Virginia, the Student Health and Counseling Services office is now offering medical and counseling services through telemedicine. This service allows students off-campus, in-state, to get personalized attention. 

In an effort to connect our campus community, we’re asking alumni to post encouraging messages on social media with the #MaroonsTogether hashtag, which we will then share on our accounts. We will continue to post messages from faculty, staff and President Maxey in the coming weeks.

For ongoing updates visit roanoke.edu/covid19.

Stay healthy, Maroons!