Archived Alerts (Inactive)
Due to impending weather, the 1 p.m. information session and tour scheduled for Saturday, February 21, has been canceled. Please see the admissions visit calendar to register for another scheduled session.
Notice: Longwood University will open at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Amended hours during this delayed opening are:
Greenwood Library: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Dorrill Dining Hall: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Student Union: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Health and Fitness Center: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Athletics: All athletic events will proceed as scheduled
Farmville Area Bus: Routes begin at 9 a.m.
Please note that the forecast for the next few days calls for extremely cold temperatures. Take precautions to keep yourself safe. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management urges everyone to:
Notice: Due to inclement weather, Longwood University is closed tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 17. All evening classes today, Monday, Feb. 16, will be canceled starting at 5:30 p.m. Faculty and staff, pursuant to the liberal leave policy please exercise your best judgment this afternoon to make it home safely.
A Q&A on the weather policy is available here: http://alerts.longwood.edu/weather-policy-qa/
There are amended hours for several facilities on campus for Tuesday, Feb. 16:
Over the weekend, there were about seven reported cases of norovirus-like illness on campus. According to the Virginia Department of Health, this is well within the expected and usual range for this region of Virginia at this time of year. Cleaning staff are continuing to respond to reports with stepped-up efforts.
Please continue to practice good hygiene, including washing your hands thoroughly and often, and using hand sanitizer. There are other viruses circulating around the region, as is common this time of year. Longwood officials continue to monitor the situation, and will communicate updates as necessary.
Norovirus remains on campus, though reports of possible new cases have decreased. As of 11 a.m. today we had reports of five new cases of norovirus-like illness over the past 24 hours—a slower rate than the past few days.
Please continue to be vigilant and practice good hygiene to protect yourself even if you are traveling off campus over the weekend. Longwood staff is continuing with stepped-up cleaning efforts across campus and tracking all reports of possible cases.
If you require cleanup over the weekend, please call campus dispatch at 395-2091.
Norovirus continues to be present on campus though at the moment its transmission appears to be fairly stable. As of 11 a.m. today we had reports of about 16 new cases of norovirus-like illness over the past 24 hours – about the same rate as the past few days. As the symptoms tend to last 24-48 hours, students are also getting well, so the overall prevalence on campus is fairly stable at the moment.
“Cases of norovirus are very common for this area this time of year,” said David Martin, an official with the Piedmont District of the Virginia Department of Health. “We have seen cases across the region, and the numbers we have tracked at Longwood are not unusual. The best thing to do to protect yourself from the virus is continue washing hands often and practice good hygiene. The Virginia Department of Health and Longwood are working closely together to coordinate response and information.”
If you have symptoms of norovirus, please do not attend classes or report for work. If you are student, as always, work with faculty members to coordinate making up work. There is no reason for well students to stay home. Those who believe they have had norovirus should stay home for two full days after their symptoms disappear.
Longwood staff is continuing with stepped-up cleaning efforts across campus.
As of Wednesday morning, there were about ten new reports of possible norovirus cases, and because some affected students are beginning to get well, the overall count remains about 40 on campus. We of course recognize there are likely some other cases on and around campus that haven’t been reported, but we have a detailed reporting system in place and are confident we are tracking this effectively. Of course, as is always the case on campus in February, we continue to have students stick with flu-like and other illnesses. Not everyone who is sick has norovirus.
It is important that we remain extremely vigilant – the norovirus isn’t just present here at Longwood but throughout the region. Continue to wash your hands vigorously and often, and practice good hygiene. We will continue with stepped up cleaning efforts, and are meeting daily to coordinate efforts.
The illness typically lasts for 24 to 48 hours; however it still may be possible spread the virus after symptoms have disappeared, so it is imperative if you have had norovirus (intensive vomiting and diarrhea) that you continue to wash hands aggressively afterward. Those who believe they have had norovirus should stay home for two full days after their symptoms disappear.
We’ve been in contact with Academic Affairs regarding class attendance policy. There is no reason for well students to stay home. If you become sick, as always you should contact your professor and make arrangements for making up work. If there are issues or concerns with that, contact your Assistant/Associate Dean of your College.
Update: As of 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, there are roughly three dozen confirmed student cases of Norovirus. With a student body of nearly 5,000, we naturally expect illnesses at this time of year and remain vigilant in our prevention and cleanup efforts.