App State student urges university to stop in-person classes after school reports 14 coronavirus clusters

BOONE, N.C. — The number of coronavirus cases at Appalachian State University is growing.

The university has 14 coronavirus clusters across campus.

A cluster is five or more cases in a two-week period.

Graduate student at App State, Chloe Dorin, wrote a letter to university administrators Saturday.

Dorin called for the university to end all athletic programs, Greek life activities, close dorms, and end in-person learning. 

“I'm begging them to make these changes for our community and begging them to put our lives first,” Dorin said.

800 of the university's 20,000 students have tested positive since March.

Right now, there are 229 active coronavirus cases, according to the university's COVID-19 dashboard.

There are clusters at six different residence halls, more than a dozen at sororities and fraternities, and 21 active cases on the football team.

The university postponed the football team's next game and suspended practice. 

“Those organizations are allowed to resume and we're seeing many clusters associated with these organizations,” Dorin said. “It was set up for failure from the get-go.”

On Monday, an App State student from the Triad died from coronavirus complications. Chad Dorrill, 19, was living off-campus and taking online classes. 

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Dorin said the university dropped the ball.

“Despite the tremendous spike in cases and the death of one of our students there are not substantial changes being made,” Dorin said.

Since Sept. 20, student cases spiked from 96 to 218. 

“And there needs to be changes made immediately to prevent this from becoming any worse,” Dorin said.

The university has held several on-campus pop-up testing events since August.

They're now offering free testing twice a week through the end of October.

“The efforts they're trying to make are good,” Dorin said. “But I think, unfortunately, they fall dramatically short.”

Dorin said she only wants to see her Mountaineers reach the other side of the coronavirus peak.

An App State faculty petition has more than 200 signatures calling for the university to move to online learning only.

The university said they're working to offer more flexibility in how courses are taught for students and faculty.