Dogwood Daily: 8 Virginia Universities Cancel Class in Response to Coronavirus Spread

By Arianna Coghill

March 12, 2020

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up.

But first…

One hundred and three-year-old Mary Fannie Woodruff has run “Woodruff’s Cafe & Pie Shop” near Monroe, Virginia since 1952. While many things have changed since the 1950s, there’s one thing that hasn’t: Mary’s love of sharing her homemade pies. – The Washington Post

Five things you need to know today …

  1. 17 Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus in Virginia- A second case of coronavirus was found in central Virginia, bringing the statewide total to 17 people, according to the Virginia Department of Health. And on Wednesday, a Longwood University student tested positive for the virus after being tested by the health department. According to the university, the student was briefly on campus after the school’s spring break. Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing and usually appear 14 days after contact with an infectious person. –WTVR
  2. ODU, VCU and other Virginia Universities Cancel Classes- Several Virginia universities announced that they are canceling in-person classes and school events and switching to online classes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech and James Madison University have also requested that their students not return to the campus if possible. – The Virginian Pilot

    (And don’t miss Dogwood’s round-up on the status of all major Virginia schools and colleges here. We are updating daily as news comes in.)
  3. General Assembly Agrees to Stem College Tuition- After days of debate, House and Senate budget negotiators compromised on Virginia’s college tuition costs, freezing college tuition for the second year in a row. The Senate added roughly $60 million for need-based financial aid, while the House added about $80 million for in-state tuition freezes. Stacie Gordon, advocacy manager for Partners in College Affordability, said Virginia students and parents can “breathe a sigh of relief” in the legislators choice to make college affordability a “top priority.” –Virginia Mercury
  4. Reported Shortage of Disinfectants in Prince William County-  Prince William County residents have emptied shelves at local drug and grocery stores, but county health experts assured government officials they have enough supplies to protect first responders and clean government offices. Grocery stores have also reported an increased sales in disinfecting wipes, bottled water, hand sanitizer, non perishable foods and toilet paper. –Patch
  5. Self Driving Shuttles to be Tested This Spring in Northern Virginia- Self-driving shuttles are scheduled to hit the roads of Northern Virginia, just in time for the impending closure of the Dunn Loring Metro. Owned by Dominion, the autonomous shuttle would connect Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station to the Mosaic District. The shuttles will be tested throughout the spring and run by Fairfax County. Similar vehicles are run in other parts of the area, including the National Harbor in Maryland.- WTOP
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