UPDATE: USG schools, 100+ other universities cancel class or go virtual amid coronavirus concerns
More than 100 American universities (and counting) have canceled in-person classes as of Thursday, including the University System of Georgia.
Most institutions have changed policies to favor a longer spring break or online classes, but some have halted school altogether due to the growing number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. As institutions of higher education close their doors, we see life being disrupted in yet another prominent way because of COVOID-19.
"The dorms are cruise ships," an unnamed Harvard University official told MSNBC about the school's decision asking students to move out of dorms by Sunday.
»MORE: Georgia reverses course and closes all public colleges for two weeks
Emory is first Georgia college to close campus over coronavirus and move classes online
"All University System of Georgia institutions will temporarily suspend instruction for two weeks...Students on campus are asked to depart campus by close of business Friday, March 13, 2020, and to remain away from campus until March 29, 2020," a USG report read.
Harvard announced Tuesday that students should leave their dorms by Sunday at 5 p.m. Starting after spring break ends, classes will be held online, CBS Boston reported.
Harvard will begin transitioning to virtual instruction for graduate and undergraduate classes. Read President Bacow’s message to the community. https://t.co/njh3ci1QEH
— Harvard University (@Harvard) March 10, 2020
"The decision to move to virtual instruction was not made lightly. To our students, especially those of you graduating this year, I know that this is not how you expected your time at Harvard to end. We are doing this not just to protect you but also to protect other members of our community who may be more vulnerable to this disease than you are." — Harvard President Lawrence Bacow
Nearby in Nashville, Vanderbilt University has also canceled classes for the week. In-person classes will be suspended until at least March 30, perhaps until the end of the semester, WSMV reported.
Due to new information received March 9, and based on our desire to protect the health and safety of our community from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the university is cancelling classes for the remainder of this week.
— Vanderbilt University (@VanderbiltU) March 10, 2020
Emory University in Atlanta is extending spring break through Sunday, March 22, and then switching all classes to remote learning for graduate and undergraduate classes on Monday, March 23. Their dorms will close as well.
»MAP: Coronavirus cases in Georgia (updated March 10)
Some students are criticizing the switch.
“I think it’s going to be a logistical nightmare,” one Harvard student told CBS Boston.
“It’s going to cost a lot, a lot of money, and I think a lot of people are going to have trouble finishing their classes at home,” another said.
"Princeton just cancelled in person classes for three weeks because of Coronavirus but they can't replace the hand soap in our dorm that's been empty for a week," a Princeton student posted on Twitter, according to NPR.
»RELATED: Georgia preparing park for isolating patients exposed to coronavirus
Other scholars fear their institution isn’t being cautious enough.
A petition circulating at Georgia State University garnered 6,300 signatures in six hours, according to The Signal.
"Keeping the school open is reckless and is bound to spread the virus unnecessarily," the petition reads. "It is time to be proactive and assume that the lack of testing does not mean a lack of cases. They are out there around us, and they are spreading the virus."
“When I said this semester would be the death of me this isn’t what I meant GSU,” one student commented on the post.
A similar petition is circulating at Georgia Tech amid increased student speculation about whether classes will be canceled.
Many Georgia universities have altered study-abroad program plans, and Emory became the first university in Georgia to cancel classes Wednesday evening.
»MORE: Ga. students quarantined as colleges halt some study abroad classes
Here is the full list of impacted colleges and universities across the nation, according to Forbes, USA Today, AZ Central and other reports, as of Thursday:
- Ivy League schools: Columbia University, Harvard and Princeton University
- Georgia schools: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Albany State University, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Augusta University, Clark Atlanta University, Clayton State University, College of Coastal Georgia, Columbus State University, Dalton State College, East Georgia State College, Emory University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Gordon State College, Middle Georgia State University, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, South Georgia State College, University of Georgia, Spelman College, University of North Georgia, University of West Georgia and Valdosta State University
- California: Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, University of Southern California, University of San Francisco, San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA and Palo Alto University
- Washington state: University of Washington, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Northeastern University Seattle Campus, Bellevue College, Bellingham Technical College, Cascadia College, Everett Community College, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Pacific Lutheran, University of Puget Sound and Washington State University Everett.
- On the East Coast: Georgetown University, New York University, Fordham University, Hofstra University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Amherst College, Syracuse University, American University, Skidmore College, Rutgers University, Towson University, St. John's University, St. Joseph's University, The New School, Touro College, Yeshiva University, Monmouth University, Rowan University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Sacred Heart University, West Chester University, the University of New Haven, Longwood University, Villanova, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Bucknell University, Central Connecticut State, Bowdoin College, Barnard College, Brandeis University, Duke University, Middlebury College, Smith College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University and the University of Albany.
- In the South: Rice University, University of Florida, University of Louisville, UNC Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt University
- In the Midwest and West: Ohio State University, Grinnell College, Midland University of Nebraska, University of Chicago, Indiana University, Kent State University, Michigan State University, University of Notre Dame, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, Wayne State University, Xavier University, Loyola Marymount University, University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Colorado Mesa University.
