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Oct. 8, 2020 | Vol. 95, No. 7
@MurrayStateNews
Fall 2020 commencement moves online
Simon Elfrink Staff Writer selfrink@murraystate.edu
Murray State’s fall 2020 commencement ceremony has officially been moved to a virtual setting. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the graduation ceremony will officially take place online. The Universit y ’s official website added that additional details are forthcoming. Spring and summer 2020 graduates will also be celebrated during the virtual ceremony. While the announcement is still new, responses haven’t been positive toward the idea of a virtual graduation ceremony. Chelsea Tucker, TV production major and spring 2020 graduate, voiced her disapproval of the arrangement. “I feel like the class of 2020 has been cheated,” Tucker said. “I believe there are precautions that could be taken to have a safe, traditional graduation. Whether we limit guests, have it at the football stadium or split it into a series of smaller graduations, I feel like something could be done.” Tucker said she doesn’t think the virtual graduation will allow the graduating class to adequately celebrate this important milestone. Tucker doubts she is the only one who is disappointed
Murray State‘s Fall 2020 Commencement Goes
Virtual
Brooklyn Burnett/ The News
at the circumstances and cannot help but wish for an alternative method of commencement. “ When the class of 2020 walked out of our classrooms for S pring Break, we didn’t know that would be our last time on
campus,” Tucker said. “For many of us, graduation was going to be our chance to say goodbye to our prof essors and fr iends we ’ve made at Murray S tate. ” W hile the information on the commencement page
COVID-19 Case Breakdown Murray State VS. Calloway County
33.4%
233 Murray State related cases since Aug. 1
66.6%
697 Calloway County cases since Aug. 1
Sources: Calloway County Coronavirus Facebook Page, Calloway County Health Department and Murray State University
o n t h e U n i v e r s i t y ’s o f f i c i a l website is minimal, the announcement details a closing statement detailing Mur r a y S t a t e ’s e x c i t e m e n t t o be celebrating the achievements of the Racer graduates.
COVID-19 cases surge Staff Report
As Cal loway Count y enters the red zone and cases continue to rise on campus, in the Murray community and across the state, local medical providers are reminding students that tests are available and affordable. According to Chief Medical Officer Bob Hughes, Calloway County has had a total of 697 cases, with 593 recovered, 91 isolated at home, three hospitalizations and ten deaths. Included in the Calloway Count y total are the 201 Murray State related cases. S i n c e Au g. 1 , 5 2 8 n e w c a s e s have been repor ted in Cal lo way County. Murray State accounts for 233 of those, which i s a p p rox i m a t e l y 3 3 p e rc e n t . Nicholas O’Dell, chief medical officer of Murray-Calloway Count y Hospital, said he has heard several students were avoiding being tested because of concerns regarding costs or access.
,
see COVID-19 page 3
Brooklyn Burnett/ The News
News Sports Opinion Features
page 2 page 4 page 6 page 7
Faculty Senate to draft resolution in support of monument relocation page 2
Morant donates new recovery room for Racer athletes page 4
COVID-19 guidelines have no exceptions
page 6
Art students put together professional exhibit page 7