Coronavirus Updates

Update from the President | July 23, 2021

Dear Wheeling University Community,

We will welcome 120 students and family members to campus Monday for our final New Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration Event of the summer. Our Admissions and Student Life departments have a spectacular day planned for those taking part in the Orientation. As we have done at our previous sessions, students and families have a photo opportunity with Iggy the Mascot, attend a Q&A session with current students, tour the campus, enjoy lunch in the Benedum Room, and meet with faculty members regarding class schedules and academic programs. It should prove to be an inspiring day as we have students making their way to Wheeling from seven states, the District of Columbia, and Ethiopia.

We recently added new exciting features to our website to improve Wheeling’s communication with new students and parents. First, in an attempt to modernize admissions, when anyone logs onto the site, you’ll discover a ‘chat feature’ now appears. Today’s generation of students is even more technologically savvy and hyper-connected than previous generations – it’s all they’ve ever known. Wheeling’s Admissions department hopes to streamline and simplify the complex admissions process for students, and live chat plays a critical role in that mission. Students, parents, and visitors to the website can use this function to seek admissions, academic programs, and athletic teams. The chats are monitored from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern Time. Outside of those hours, students may leave a message and contact email so staff can respond. 

The second new feature results from a collaboration between Student Services and Admissions, who worked together to design a ‘New Student Checklist’ page.  As our new students prepare for their arrival on campus in August, this page for resources, information, and checklists will be essential to helping them to get everything ready. The New Student Checklist features specific lists for incoming first-year students, transfer, international, graduate students, and parents. Each section contains all the resources needed – in one easy-to-find place – to make an easy transition to life at Wheeling University. 

I am very happy to share the good news that Carrie Hanna ’96 has accepted the position of Athletic Director. Carrie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in athletic administration to the position, having spent the past five years as our Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Compliance. Her passion for and dedication to athletics are why she is well-respected by coaches, employees, student-athletes, alumni, and her peers in the athletic community. Most importantly, she not only lives our mission to be a person for life, leadership, and service, she strives every day to instill those virtues in our student-athletes and coaches.

Also, this week, Plexuss Global Rankings, an online service, selected two academic programs at Wheeling University – Education and Psychology – the best in West Virginia. In addition, the ranking service ranked the University’s Business Management programs second in the Mountain State. We have received numerous accolades by ranking services this year that show Wheeling University provides its students a quality, world-class Catholic education. But, more importantly, the rankings reaffirm our commitment to provide each student enrolled at Wheeling University a rigorous education grounded in the liberal arts.

As we prepare for the Fall semester, all faculty, staff, and students are reminded to complete this short COVID-19 Vaccine Survey. As a reminder, any unvaccinated students must provide a negative COVID test result when they return to campus in August. Andrew Lewis, Vice President of Student Service, is working with the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department to offer a vaccination clinic for members of our campus community. The clinic is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Troy Theatre.

We learned earlier today of the passing of Sr. Mona Farthing, S.S.J., a former member of our nursing department faculty. Her funeral Mass will be Wednesday, July 28, at St. Vincent Church in Elm Grove. Please keep Sr. Mona, her family, and the members of the Sisters of St. Joseph in your prayers.

As we begin the final week of July, the campus community continues preparations for the start of the new academic year. Students and athletes will start to arrive in a few weeks, and before we know it, the campus will be buzzing with activity once again – and of course, we can’t wait! 

With appreciation, 

Ginny R. Favede, President
Wheeling University

Mandatory Reporting

View the Wheeling University Report on Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

HEERF Reporting Covering Quarter Ending 12/31/2020

HEERF Reporting Covering Quarter Ending 09/30/2020

Who to contact if you have questions

Student Concerns – contact the Office of Student Services
Daytime: 304-243-2350 | Evening: 304-830-4683 | Email: reslife@wheeling.edu

Employee Concerns – contact the Office of Human Resources
304-243-8152 | Email: hr@wheeling.edu

Academic Concerns – contact the Office of Academic Affairs
304-243-2321 | Email: jmcglade@wheeling.edu 

Athletic Concerns – contact the Athletic Office
304-243-2365 | Email: athletics@wheeling.edu

Media Calls/Concerns – contact Kelly Klubert
304-243-8165 | Email: kklubert@wheeling.edu

All Other Concerns
Email: covidquestions@wheeling.edu

Cleaning/sanitizing – The University has increased its cleaning and sanitizing efforts across all University buildings. All pertinent surfaces are being cleaned multiple times a day. Students and employees should take care to clean their shared spaces such as door knobs, desks, keyboards, etc.  

Staying Healthy – There are a variety of resources available to help ensure that you stay healthy over the coming weeks. Recommendations include:

• Maintain social distancing where possible, avoid unnecessary contact.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• The following resources have other key information:
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • American College Health Association
  • U.S. Department of Education resources for schools
  • World Health Organization Resource Page
  • U.S. State Department travel advisories
  • An interactive map tracking the spread of coronavirus

Check back to this page frequently for more updates.

Coronavirus Updates