News for WVU Potomac State College

In response to an increase in positive COVID-19 test results within Mineral County and neighboring Allegany County, Maryland, WVU Potomac State College continues to work closely with the Mineral County Health Department (MCHD) as administrators monitor the situation both on campus and in the community.

“We believe that our measures of containment, which include surveillance testing, contact tracing, isolating positive cases and quarantining those in close contact, are working,” Potomac State College President Jennifer Orlikoff said. “We remain confident in the safety protocols we have in place for our classrooms, residence halls, library, dining and other services across campus to allow us to presently continue with an on-campus experience for our students.”

Dear Potomac State College Campus Community, 

WVU urges students, employees across all campuses to be vigilant and follow COVID-19 safety guidelines amid increase in positive test results

West Virginia University, like many places across the state and nation, is seeing an increase in COVID-19 test results. 

Hello All, 

This has been an extraordinarily different semester for everyone -- faculty, staff and students – as we navigate teaching, learning and living during a pandemic. I’m both proud and grateful for how the campus community has rallied to overcome this unique challenge while at the same time maintaining some normalcy of life.

WVU Potomac State College students coordinated a shoe drive this past year for children of the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya.  Sammy, a nurse from Nairobi, was thrilled to deliver the shoes to those in need.  

West Virginia University Potomac State College assistant professor of chemistry, Ganesh Ghimire, PhD, was recently awarded an Open Education Resources grant.  The OER grant opportunity is offered through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Community and Technical College System.

Regular on-campus surveillance COVID testing, along with self-reported positive cases from external testing, indicates an increase in positive cases on the WVU Potomac State College campus. As of Sunday, November 1, a total of 18 positive cases have been reported for the campus, with 15 positive tests for students and three among faculty and staff. Of the 15 positive student cases, three are isolating on campus with the other 12 students isolating at their homes. An additional 40 students are quarantined due to exposure to the positive cases. Fourteen students are quarantined in on-campus housing with the others quarantined in their homes. Most students who are in isolation or quarantine on-campus are being housed in Davis Hall, a residence hall that is not being utilized by any other students.

West Virginia University Morgantown and WVU Potomac State College Alumnus Tom Cover was recently appointed as the new director of the West Virginia Division of Forestry by Governor Jim Justice.

West Virginia University, in Morgantown, will offer additional in-person and hybrid classes during the spring 2021 semester, which will begin on January 19.  

WVU Potomac State College, in Keyser, plans to continue to offer the majority of its classes using in-person and hybrid formats though offering more online classes than usual. The spring 2021 semester will closely mirror the class formats that were implemented for the fall 2020 semester. Potomac State’s semester will also begin Jan. 19, 2021.