On Thursday, Newman announced it would be extending its Spring Break from March 22 to March 29 as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19, or Coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic on Tuesday by the World Health Organization.
The purpose of this page is to chronicle any updates on the Coronavirus outbreak as they affect the students of Newman University.
This page will be continuously updated as news breaks and new information becomes available.
If you know of an event cancellation or other precautionary measure that is university-related or directly impacts Newman students that has not yet been added to this page, please email us at vantage.nu@gmail.com.
3/17
6:03 a.m. Interim President Teresa Hall Bartels announced that all classes would move to an "online only" format for the rest of the semester.
The same announcement also said the MIAA has elected to cancel spring sports for the rest of the season.
Students living in the residents halls can still remain, should they choose to do so.
3/16
2:30 p.m. Newman University's TedX event has been postponed.
1:30 p.m. Newman University will suspend all face-to-face classes until further notice. All face-to-face classes will move to an online format starting March 30.
1:17 p.m. Sedgwick County bans gatherings of over 50 people.
12:39 p.m. Student Life sent out an email containing a survey for all students to participate in that asks specifically about access to online resources in the event classes move online.
11:04 a.m. Director of Residence Life Scott Mudloff reminded students that the caf will continue to be open 12-1 p.m. for lunch and 5-6 p.m. for dinner throughout all of the two-week break.
3/15
4:57 p.m. The Kansas Collegiate Media Conference, which The Vantage staff was scheduled to attend and compete in, has been cancelled.
9:32 a.m. Newman University announces it will for the time being give employees unlimited sick leave. The university is also placing employee recruitment on hold.
3/13
9:20 a.m. - According to The Wichita Eagle, Wesley Medical Center has confirmed a case of COVID-19 in Wichita.
3/12
5:30 p.m.- The NCAA announced it will be cancelling its remaining winter and spring championships. This includes the wrestling championships, which originally had two Newman students participating.
5:15 p.m. - Newman's athletic conference the MIAA announced it will suspend the remainder of its spring and winter sports seasons indefinitely.
12:30 p.m. - The United States Bowling Conference postponed Newman's bowling sectionals in Dallas. The tournament was originally scheduled for March 13-15. Bowlers were informed of the news by the time they had reached Oklahoma.
9:48 a.m. - Newman University announced it will be extending Spring Break an extra week to March 29.
3/11
12:53 p.m. - The Student Life Department sent an email out to all students encouraging students to self report their Spring Break travel plans.
12:38 p.m. - Provost Kimberly Long said she told faculty to be prepared to move to online classes if necessary, but no decision has been made to move classes online.
3/5
9:00 a.m. - The Vantage reported that Newman's Spring Break Rome 2020 study abroad trip originally scheduled for March 12 departure would be postponed to October.
