Coronavirus: Universities, colleges move classes online as COVID-19 cases climb
Out of an abundance of caution, and in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus, many colleges and universities across the area are making changes to classes and activities.
Full list below:
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE
Bryn Mawr College will remain open but will deliver all courses in remote format from March 16 to at least April 3.
BUCKS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Bucks County Community College will be closing all campuses from Saturday, March 14 through Sunday, March 22. This will overlap with the school's spring break. Staff will be working remotely during this time.
DELAWARE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
To ensure the health and safety of students, faculty and staff, Delaware County Community College will shift all of its in-person instruction to online classes starting Monday, March 23 and through the remainder of the spring semester.
DREXEL UNIVERSITY
According to the university's website, all international co-op placements for the spring-summer cycle and study-abroad programs for the spring term, as well as the spring break Intensive Courses Abroad and student organization international travel have been canceled. Students will receive further information from their professors as the specifics for each exam are finalized. (Semester programs will receive a communication directly from their school official.) Decisions are still being made about how the spring quarter term will be addressed.
Next week's quarter final exams online
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
Penn State has decided to move to remote learning for all classes beginning Monday, March 16, through Friday, April 3, with a plan to resume in-person classes on Monday, April 6, at the earliest.
During the three-week period following spring break, undergraduate and graduate students at all campus locations are strongly discouraged from returning to campus, off-campus locations, and group dwellings (e.g., apartments and fraternities), and should return to, or remain at, home during this time period, according to Penn State President Eric J. Barron.
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Princeton University 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.
All lectures and seminars will switch to online beginning March 23. The restrictions will remain in place until April 5, when university officials will conduct a review. The university also is restricting school-sponsored travel.
SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY
Out of an abundance of caution, Saint Joseph's University will be transitioning to a fully virtual format for classes, advising, labs and studios on March 19. The University remains open and operational.
SWARTHMORE COLLEGE
Swarthmore College is extending spring break through Friday, March 20. There will be no classes during that time. The college will use this extended break to prepare for the transition to online classes; as of March 23, all classes will be taught remotely either through Zoom video, teleconference, or a similar technology.
The school said online classes will continue through at least Friday, April 3.
"At this time, we do not expect this extended break to impact the timing of the end of the academic year," school officials said in a statement on their website.
Students should either remain home or return home now through April 5, in an effort to reduce the number of people on campus.
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
Temple University's U.S. campuses will end in-person instruction on Friday, March 13. Online and alternative learning methods begin on Monday, March 16, which will continue through the end of the spring semester.
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
The University of Pennsylvania is making some changes over coronavirus concerns. Officials say they are making plans for virtual instruction. Spring Break is being extended for one week for all students, except for those students in health-related Schools and programs in which Spring Break has already occurred or who are actively engaged in clinical rotations. Virtual learning will begin on March 23. Virtual instruction will continue through the remainder of the spring semester including examinations. Graduate and professional Schools will notify their students about their specific schedules.
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
The University of Pittsburgh announced it is cancelling classes scheduled the week of March 15 and moving all classes to virtual learning alternatives beginning March 23 through the end of the spring semester.
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
Beginning Monday, March 16, students at Villanova University will attend their classes online.
"In-person classes will meet as scheduled through Friday, March 13. Classes will be held...so that faculty can orient students regarding how they will conduct their online classes. These two days will also allow students who wish to return home to do so," according to a statement on the school's website.
Students have the option to return home or remain on campus during this time, the school said.
The university said it will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation and will decide by Friday, April 3, whether to resume in-person classes. If classes were to resume, it would be after the Easter break on Tuesday, April 14.
All university and college events are canceled as of Saturday, March 14 through at least April 14.
And all university-sponsored international travel is being suspended until further notice, the university said.
Officials said there are no current cases of coronavirus at Villanova University.
WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
Officials with West Chester University it is suspending face-to-face classroom instruction and will "move to alternate modes of instruction" for the remainder of the spring semester.
"Out of an abundance of concern for the continued good health of our community, the university has made the decision to move to alternate modes of instruction for the remainder of the spring semester. To expedite, faculty will use the next two weeks to prepare their courses for remote delivery and remote advising and registering for the summer and fall terms. As such, in-person, face-to-face instruction will not occur on campus and these courses will resume by alternate means on March 30," West Chester University President Christopher Fiorentino said in a statement.
Current online courses will not be affected and will run as scheduled beginning on March 16.
Officials said residence halls and South Campus apartments will not be open and the Office of Residence Life will be in contact with each student.
WIDENER UNIVERSITY
Widener University's main campus, and at both law schools, all face-to-face classes will be suspended beginning Thursday, March 12. They will resume electronically beginning Thursday, March 19 and will continue in this manner to the end of the spring semester.
