Oklahoma Wesleyan University says it is closely monitoring the pandemic of COVID-19 and following the directives of state and local health departments.

To implement a strategy of social distancing, all OKWU classes will be taught online starting March 30th, 2020. This includes virtual instruction for traditional undergraduate, adult evening, and Adult and Graduate Studies.

Dr. Jim Dunn, OKWU's President, said student, constituent, faculty and staff is a top priority.  He said they are watching all networks and keeping up with updates as they come in. These are preemptive measures as the university does what it can to understand what the panic is all about.

OKWU is not participating in the panic and the hysteria that is surrounding COVID-19. Dr. Dunn said they are simply putting the right measures in place to keep all of the people they touch, and those that touch the university, safe. He said they want to be good witnesses, they want to be people of hope and they want to be people who follow safe, smart protocols.

Campus is not closed, and this decision does not affect or extend spring break on March 16th through March 20th. Dr. Dunn said they have international students on campus and some of them do not have a place to go. He said OKWU will continue to care for them and be there for them.

No members of the OKWU community have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. As mentioned, OKWU’s administration continues to monitor the situation. The health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff remains the university’s highest priority.

The week of March 23rd through March 27th will serve as a study week for students while curriculum is prepared for online instruction. The campus will remain open, including residence halls, food service, and university offices. Employees are advised to check with supervisors about options for remote work.

Dr. Dunn said  they need to be sure that there students and staff are trained for the online instruction that will begin on March 30th. He said it is not ideal, but it is what they need to do in this moment until they can go back to normally scheduled, in-person interactions. He said they want to be there for everyone in the OKWU family.

Reducing the risk of exposure for all members of the community is in the best interest of OKWU students and employees while still fulfilling the university’s educational mission. The university said it deeply laments the spread of COVID-19 and the loss of lives it has entailed, as well as the inconvenience that it has brought to students and employees. They say they lift up in prayer all those whom this situation has affected.

Dr. Dunn said they hope to be back to normal operation by Tuesday, April 14th. He said that would be after Easter Break. In the meantime, Dr. Dunn and OKWU asks for everyone's patience and prayers.

The main message Dr. Dunn wanted to give to OKWU was this:

"We have the hope of Christ regardless of whatever pandemics, epidemics, crises that may occur in the world. That supersedes everything. In the midst of that, we need to be prudent, we need to be smart, we need to be diligent, and the Scriptures would tell us to do that in every occasion. We're really asking in this time for everyone to be good participants in good hygiene and good practices in taking care of yourself and getting to a doctor. Hopefully we will have vaccines and test kits coming soon."

OKWU is also asking all their students, faculty and staff to be a witness of the Gospel. Dr. Dunn said in the midst of culture literally canceling everything around you, you can be a light for the world. He said you cannot cancel Jesus; you cannot cancel the help from the Lord. Canceling the hope we have in Christ is impossible.

As for other university related events, OKWU had these following points:

• All university sponsored Spring break trips have been cancelled.
• OKWU will continue spring athletic competitions as guided by the NAIA.
• Our Graduation Exercises are scheduled for May 8-9. We will announce a decision about how we plan to follow through with honoring graduates as the situation emerges, keeping in mind that families would need time to make travel plans.
• Decisions about travel plans for summer student groups will be made by the latter part of April.

For updates from the university, you can visit okwu.edu/coronavirus/.