Alternative plans and cancellations due to COVID-19 concerns at universities in Pa., NJ and Del.
Universities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey announce alternative plans and cancellations due to COVID-19 concerns
As the number of cases of COVID-19 rises, multiple universities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware have announced alternative plans and cancellations. FOX 29's Marcus Espinoza reports.
PHILADELPHIA - As cases of the novel coronavirus rise across the Delaware Valley, a number of schools have announced alternative plans and cancellations.
PENNSYLVANIA
Temple University will end in-person instruction on Friday, March 13. The university will begin online and alternative learning methods on Monday, March 16, which will continue through the end of the spring semester, officials announced. For more information, please click here.
West Chester University has canceled all in-person classes for the remainder of the semester amid COVID-19 concerns, officials announced Tuesday.
In a letter to students, faculty and staff, the university said faculty will use the next two weeks to prepare their courses for remote delivery.
The remote courses will begin on March 30 and current online courses will not be affected. All internships for credit, clinicals and student teaching assignments will continue as long as the host institution is open for business. West Chester University does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of this time and is taking the measure as a precaution.
Bloomsburg University is extending spring break by a week with classes anticipated to resume on Monday, March 23. During this extension, faculty will be provided training, both locally and remotely, specific to online course delivery methods. This will enable continuity of instruction if further delays of our students’ return to campus become warranted.
The 2020 Northeast Regional Science Olympiad at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, an annual event scheduled for Wednesday that draws more than 800 students in the region, was canceled.
The University of Pennsylvania confirmed that it is moving classes online and is prohibiting all future university-related travel and curtailing large university events at least until April 17. The university is extending their spring break another week and beginning March 23, classes will be conducted virtually for the remainder of the spring semester. It is strongly recommending canceling or postponing university meetings or events of 100 people or more, and meetings that include people from other cities and countries, even if fewer than 100 people.
Penn Medicine has prohibited all faculty, students and staff of both the Perelman School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System from participating in large gatherings.
Bucks County Community College will close all five locations until Mar. 22. The school says its three campuses and two public safety training centers will undergo a deep clean during the closure. All events from the Mar. 13 through Mar. 22 are postponed or canceled, including college related travel.
Villanova University announced on Wednesday that all in-person class meetings on campus will be suspended beginning Mar. 16. Classes will meet as scheduled through Friday, then pivot to an online format. The University says they will decide no later than Apr. 3 whether to resume in-person classes. Villanova Athletics will reportedly continue as scheduled, but all on-campus contests and competitions will be spectator-free through Apr. 14.
Kutztown University became the fifth Pennsylvania school to announce that it is suspending classes to combat COVID-19. The University announced on twitter that the school will remain closed through Mar. 21.
Penn State says they will transition to online classes beginning on Mar. 16 through Apr. 3. The school aims to return to in-person classes on Apr. 6 at the earliest.
NEW JERSEY
Two Princeton University staff members are under self-quarantine after possible exposure to the novel coronavirus at an off-campus gathering.
The staff members are being tested and results are expected in the coming days, per the university.
The university is working with local health authorities to identify and contact those who may have been in close contact with the staff members since their potential exposure to COVID-19.
Princeton said Monday it is restricting large gatherings and urging students to remain home after spring break and take classes online in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus.
Monmouth University, in West Long Branch, announced Monday night that all classes are canceled for the rest of the week ahead of spring break, which begins Saturday. Officials said on Monmouth’s website that a student contacted health services at the school with flu-like symptoms. That student was taken to Monmouth Medical Center for evaluation. There is no update on that student’s condition.
Rowan University, in Glassboro, is extending spring break another week, through March 27.
Rutgers University is canceling classes from Thursday, March 12, through the end of spring break, Sunday, March 22. Beginning on Monday, March 23, all course instruction will be delivered remotely.
DELAWARE
Officials confirmed Wednesday the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Delaware. The case involves a New Castle County man over the age of 50 who is associated with the University of Delaware community. The patient was exposed to another confirmed case of COVID-19, but officials did not specify which state.
The University of Delaware is moving classes online for the rest of the semester or until further notice. In order to prepare for this move, the university is suspending classes for the rest of the week.
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