The Weekly Ringer

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

Staff Ed: campus closure upsetting for seniors and whole student body

2 min read

The Blue & Gray Press

By THE BLUE AND GRAY EDITORIAL BOARD

On Tuesday, March 17, the university received the devastating news that, in order to protect students and staff from the spread of COVID-19, campus would be transitioning to online classes for the remainder of the semester. While we recognize that this transition and all the changes that it entails will be beneficial to the well being of the student body and larger community, we would like to extend our sincerest apologies to all the students and staff affected by this change.

As a staff of mostly graduating seniors, we are heartbroken for the loss of these last few weeks of the semester. Many students, including ourselves, feel lost, confused and frustrated during this time. All of these emotions are valid, and rational understanding of the reasons behind the change does not lessen the heartbreak of being told we have to leave our homes. It is important now more than ever to band together as a community and take care of one another.

While the closure of campus is devastating for students, it is important to remember that more can still be done to protect ourselves. All students should be practicing social distancing at this time in order to protect themselves and those around them. Try to avoid going out in public or gathering in large groups. Your health and the health of loved ones should be your number one concern at this time.

We will be echoing the decision made by the University as we transfer the remaining six print editions of the paper online. We encourage people to stay home, read the Blue & Gray online, and stay safe.