Kent State University

Around 8,100 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Ohio on Sunday and another 200 hospitalizations; Akron Public Schools is pausing plans for some students to return to the classroom as COVID-19 cases spike; Cleveland's shuttered I-X Center is getting a new use as space for Purell major GOJO Industries; and more stories.

Kent State's University Facilities Management has been resourceful and vigilant in its efforts to keep the coronavirus contained on campus.

The school is offering the testing before sending students home for the semester at Thanksgiving.

The school will also go remote after Thanksgiving, as they have planned to for months.

Gov. Mike DeWine is issuing new orders on mask enforcement in businesses, gatherings across the state and threatening to close bars, restaurants and fitness centers if cases continue to rise; DeWine also signaled during his Wednesday address that if COVID-19 cases continue to rise, college may have to conduct class remotely in January; Some schools in the region are adjusting plans after a spike in COVID-19 cases; and more stories.

Kent State University says there is a plan in place if Portage County elevates to purple level status on the state's public health alert map.

Gov. Mike DeWine plans to convene virtual meetings with individual counties to find out what they need to help them fight COVID-19; two conservative operatives under scrutiny for organizing tens of thousands of hoax robocalls falsely warning about consequences for voting by mail have been charged with telecommunications fraud and bribery; Kent State University reported 66 COVID-19 cases for the last week, and more stories.

COVID-19 cases in Ohio hit a new record as the state grapples with a concerning uptick in virus-related hospitalizations and deaths; the College of Wooster is suspending in-person classes for the rest of the fall semester as COVID-19 cases rise; Kent State University reported 63 new cases of COVID-19 in the past week, the highest weekly total since July, and more stories.

Portage County is currently at Level 3 on the state's advisory map for the coronavirus, and moving to Level 4 could trigger a drastic reduction in capacity at Kent State University.

Dr. Pamela Grimm, chair, discusses the Faculty Senate’s role in navigating Kent State University through the pandemic.