Transition Prompts Questions and Qualms with the Coronavirus

Photo By Nova Blanco-Rico


By Jordan Darling, Editor-in-Chief

There are some things we definitely  know about the university’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, such as the campus is mostly shut down for the duration of the semester, and all instruction will be administered online or in other alternative formats.

But there are also things that the Toro community does not know moving forward. And in light of some students reaching out to the Bulletin’s social media pages with questions, comments and concerns,  we looked into some of their biggest questions and this is what we found.

What is going on with the Graduation Writing Exam?

A big question for graduating seniors is the status of the Graduation Writing Exam. Students who applied for Spring 2020 graduation and waited to take the GWE until their final semester will have the requirement waived. Communications General Education and Special Projects Advisor Penny Roebuck-White said that the exam set for April was canceled due to the coronavirus. White also said that students who applied for Summer or Fall graduation can take English 350 over the summer. If students have any questions advisors are still on campus and working, please reach out to your advisor about your academic concerns. 

What can seniors expect for their commencement? 

Commencement has been postponed until further notice! On the school’s website, there was an announcement that commencement would be postponed until further notice, but seniors should have received an email on March 24 with a survey for when they would like to see commencement and if they were willing to change the format. The three options were, postponing til the Fall of 2020 or the Spring of 2021 or students could vote to participate in a ‘virtual graduation’ which includes a shoutout on the school website. The fate of commencement is still hanging in the balance as we wait for updates.

What about refunds? 

There will be at least one refund. The school sent out an email letting students know that they can expect to receive a partial refund on their Spring parking passes but this does not extend to Spring tuition, and students are still holding their breaths about other campus-related fees. 

The Bulletin will continue to answer questions throughout the semester as the toro community settles into the new norm that has been created by this public health crisis. You can reach us on our social media accounts @DHBulletin on Instagram and Twitter.

What about refunds? 

There will be at least one refund. The school sent out an email March 19 letting students know that they can expect to receive a partial refund on their Spring parking passes but this does not extend to Spring tuition, and students are still holding their breaths about other campus-related fees. 

The Bulletin will continue to answer questions throughout the semester as the toro community settles into the new norm that has been created by this public health crisis. You can reach us on our social media accounts @DHBulletin on Instagram and Twitter.