FARMVILLE – Longwood University President Patrick Finnegan remains off campus dealing with medical issues, a university spokesperson said Monday.

Ken Perkins, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, and now acting president, had sent an email to his university colleagues in late April stating, “President Finnegan will be off campus dealing with medical issues for at least the next two weeks.”

The university's Board of Visitors rector had conferred with the cabinet and “asked that we follow our continuous operations procedures, which place the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the role of acting president. This temporary status will be in addition to my current duties. Your patience and support will be greatly appreciated.”

Longwood's Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Sabrina Brown, said on Monday that there have been no new developments beyond what Perkins addressed in his earlier email.

President Finnegan was inaugurated in October.

Shortly after his arrival on campus in the summer of 2010 from West Point, where he was the chief academic officer, the retired Army general was hospitalized for pneumonia.

During his inaugural address last fall, the university's 25th president said, “Most importantly I want to invest in Longwood's greatest asset-our people. Every day I see examples of how the faculty and staff positively influence the lives of our students. I appreciate your commitment to scholarship, service and standards…Because of you, we have a strong sense of community on this campus, what we often call 'the Longwood family.'”

Perkins reminded his campus colleagues of those very strengths, emailing, “let us remember that Longwood is a strong community because of you and your ability to empower others to do their best.”