April 2020

Dear Hampton University Students: In my communication to you of April 21 , 2020, I mentioned that the Infectious Disease and Prevention Working Group recommended that the University “have your items packed, stored and retrieved later.” Feedback from some parents and students indicated that this may not be the best option. Therefore, we have decided not to have students’ belongings packed and stored. Instead, items will remain in the residence halls in their current state and be retrieved by students once the
Commonwealth of Virginia’s stay-at-home order is lifted and medical professionals view it as safe. We hope that this will happen sooner rather than later.

Dear Hampton University Students: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation and the world is ever-present. Daily we are inundated with reports of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and, unfortunately, increases in the number of deaths. While there is no clear understanding as to when Americans may be able to resume many of the activities that were once a part of our daily lives, I pray that you and your family members remain healthy and safe.

During these challenging times for our institution, nation and world, I want to thank those of you who continue to provide extraordinary service to Hampton University. Times like the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis can be threatening. However, moments like these can also be liberating because they give us an opportunity to strategically plan for our future. At Hampton University, we have taken COVID-19 seriously, taken decisive action, and remained calm. We are already looking beyond the virus and planning a transformational strategy. In that regard, we are daily assessing the best ways in which we might mitigate and minimize the potential spread of COVID-19. To this end, we have limited access to campus and required that faculty and students engage in remote instruction for the remainder of the semester. We have also implemented social distancing and limited gatherings to no more than ten individuals.

Dear Hampton University Students: As I write this missive, I am reflecting on how tough these past few weeks have been for our faculty, staff, alumni and for our lifeline, OUR STUDENTS. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an unsettling impact on the entire university community. We had to ask the lifeline of our existence, our students, to depart campus. lt was not what we wanted to do, but we had to do what was in your best interest, and what was safest for all. We allowed some international and some students who live domestically to remain on campus because they were unable to leave their “Home by the Sea” at that time. All students have since departed campus.