• Return to Normal University Operations on Thursday, Feb. 20

    Lenoir-Rhyne University will return to normal university operations on Thursday, Feb. 20, at our all of our campus locations—Hickory, Columbia and Asheville. Classes will resume as scheduled, and all offices will be open.

    UPDATE: Feb. 20, 9:15 a.m. (from Academic Affairs)
    Due to the recent weather changes in Hickory, you may opt to move your classes to remote delivery today if you have concerns about safely traveling to campus. If you choose to hold classes remotely, please notify your students and your dean as soon as possible.

    For those holding in-person classes, we ask that you exercise flexibility with attendance policies, understanding that some students may face transportation challenges or safety concerns. Students should not feel compelled to risk unsafe travel conditions to attend class.

    Please communicate your teaching plans to your students and your dean.

    Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring everyone's safety while maintaining academic continuity.

Mask requirement extended


A masked professor hands out papers to masked students on the first day of classes

At the beginning of the fall semester, Lenoir-Rhyne implemented a mask mandate for August 18 through September. With the rise of positive local COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, LR has extended the mandate until further notice.

All students, staff, faculty and visitors to campus – regardless of vaccine status – must wear masks indoors in public areas, including academic buildings, classrooms, offices and the library. The indoor mask requirement does not apply to those eating or drinking, those alone in their office, apartment or residence hall or those with their fully vaccinated roommates.

Anyone not fully vaccinated, including individuals who received an approved vaccine exemption, is required to wear a mask at all times in public settings both indoors and outdoors and participate in COVID-19 testing a minimum of twice each week.

A comprehensive list of protocols and results of weekly surveillance testing is available at lr.edu/coronavirus.

In an email to campus, University President Fred Whitt shared his appreciation of the campus and local community for following guidelines and hopes for relaxed masking conditions soon.

“We continue to be thankful for the LR community supporting and embracing the requirement to become fully vaccinated so our campus can remain as safe as possible,” Whitt said.

View the latest university updates and information on COVID-19
University Updates text with Lenoir-Rhyne University logo

Lenoir-Rhyne University will return to normal university operations on Thursday, Feb. 20, at our all of our campus locations—Hickory, Columbia and Asheville. Classes will resume as scheduled, and all offices will be open.

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Students walking along campus sidewalk with LR red banners on light posts

An update from the Presidential Search Committee on the status of the group's search for a new LR president.

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