Ohio State University cancels classes amid coronavirus. What have other colleges done?
Ohio State University has joined a long list of colleges across the country that have canceled in-person classes amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Columbus school will not have face-to-face classes and seminars through at least March 30, it announced Monday night. Classes will be completed online in the meantime.
“While completing classes virtually, students may choose to return to their permanent place of residence or return to campus, where appropriate social distancing and enhanced preventative public health and hygiene measures will be actively encouraged,” OSU President Michael V. Drake said.
All university-sponsored international travel has been suspended, the university also announced.
Three Ohioans have tested positive for the coronavirus and all are from the Cleveland area, according to the Columbus Post-Dispatch.
Other schools who have switched or plan to switch to online-only classes include New York University, Amherst College, Santa Clara University, Fordham University, Princeton University, San Jose State University, St. John’s University, University of California-Berkeley, and Harvard University.
“The decision to move to virtual instruction was not made lightly,” Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement. “The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls and residential buildings.”
Six people have tested positive for the virus in Kentucky, including two in Lexington, home to the University of Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear announced late Monday. The university has not canceled classes, but it has suspended UK-endorsed travel.
UK has asked students to voluntarily submit their spring break travel plans.
Columbia University canceled classes Monday and Tuesday and is planning a shift to remote classes “because a member of the Columbia community has been quarantined as a result of exposure to the coronavirus,” according to the New York university.
Texas’ Rice University canceled classes for the whole week after an employee contracted COVID-19 during international travel, the university announced Sunday. The employee was on campus late last month, the university said.
Vanderbilt University canceled classes this week and will move to online classes for the remainder of the month, the Nashville school announced Monday.
“The university will actively review the situation during this time to determine if and when in-person classes may resume,” Vanderbilt announced. “We may extend the alternative learning approach through the end of the Spring semester if necessary.”
University of Washington has canceled in-person classes and finals in favor of remote instruction for all of its campuses for the remainder of the winter quarter, which ends March 20, it announced Friday. The university said it plans to resume normal operations when its spring quarter begins March 30.
Numerous Seattle community colleges, as well as Seattle University, have also canceled classes or moved them online. Washington has more coronavirus cases than any other state.
Some universities, including Princeton, have urged students to stay home after spring break.
“If students choose to remain home after Spring Break, we will make sure that they are able to meet their academic requirements remotely,” Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber said.
The U.S. has more than 750 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 26 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Ohio State University cancels classes amid coronavirus. What have other colleges done?."