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Guilford College Furloughs Employees As Uncertainty Over Coronavirus Continues

Many colleges across the state worry about what the upcoming semesters will look like as buildings remain closed and more students face economic hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo Credit: Guilford College, Molly Gentile.

Guilford College has furloughed more than half of the school's non-faculty employees. It's among the colleges and universities enacting cost-cutting measures as economic concerns linger over the coronavirus pandemic.  

This time of year, the small, private school in Greensboro is usually bustling with student events and activities. But Guilford College's campus has been eerily quiet for weeks as buildings remain closed due to COVID-19 concerns.

The university is operating with a small number of essential staff and faculty members have shifted to online classes. The changes are leaving deep budget holes and a lot of uncertainty. Guilford College President Jane Fernandes says they've had to make some tough decisions.

“The furloughs are temporary and they are continuing to June first,” says Fernandes. “But in the middle of May we will check in with the staff regarding when we will be open or if we can be open in June because at the time, we don't even know that.”

More than 130 part-time and full-time employees have been furloughed without pay. Fernandes says Guilford College is still providing the impacted employees with health care and life insurance coverage.

Guilford College says it's also working with North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities to request an increase in state need-based aid for students as more families face financial fallout from the pandemic.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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