WCU students respond to prorated housing and dinning refunds

Some WCU students will be receiving prorated refunds for their dinning and housing plans that they are unable to use at this point due to the circumstances created by the COVID-19 virus. The decision was announced by WCU officials Monday, March 30, after a special meeting of the UNC Board of Governors. The UNC system is […]

WCU adopts new grading guidelines for Spring 2020 semester

Western Carolina University adopted a new Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading policy for the Spring 2020 semester. Richard Starnes, Interim Provost of Western Carolina University, announced the new guidelines on Friday, March 27. The Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading resolution was proposed and passed by Faculty Senate on Wednesday and was followed by acceptance by the upper administration.  The university will now be […]

Stay at home order, travel restrictions in Jackson county

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued a statewide executive order for residents to stay at home in response to the increasing community spread of COVID-19. The order, announced last Friday, goes into effect at 5 p.m. Monday, March 30 and will remain in effect for 30 days from that date. Within the statewide order, people […]

WCU transitions online; graduation ceremonies postponed

with additional reporting by Nicole Ellison. Western Carolina University is moving classes online on Monday, March 23, and students should plan to continue online or alternative instruction as directed by their professors through May 8. In response to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, WCU is postponing all spring commencement ceremonies originally scheduled for May 8 […]

WCU extends spring break for a week and cancels face-to-face classes

Due to the increasing amount of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, WCU is extending its official spring break until Monday, March 23. Following the spring break extension, classes will resume online or via other distance learning methods until further notice from the UNC System. Chancellor Kelly Brown in an email message to the university said: […]

Election 2020: Super Tuesday in Jackson County

A version of this story was published in The Sylva Herald March 4, 2020 edition with a shared by-line with Dave Russell  Super Tuesday 2020 came and went in Jackson County, across North Carolina and in 13 other states and American Samoa. Jackson County saw 9,243 residents (of 27,786 registered voters, or 33.26 percent) cast […]