UD Shuts Down Housing, Cancels Classes Due to Coronavirus Fears
Cover photo of coronavirus from Pixabay
Sean Newhouse
Online Editor-in-Chief
University of Dayton is suspending in-person classes beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday with university housing closing at 6 p.m. due to the spread of the coronavirus, according to an email sent to members of campus Tuesday evening.
Online classes will begin March 23 and continue to at least April 6. Spring break was planned for March 13-22, but the announcement extends break to begin Wednesday.
The state announced on Monday that three Ohioans tested positive for the virus. All three are in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is.
“We all understand how special this campus community is to our students and how difficult it will be for people to be away for an extended period,” Spina wrote. “Please do know that we will strive to limit the period of absence as best we can, but that the health and safety of each of you is our highest priority and will drive this decision.”
Students who were approved for extended stay or full break housing over spring break are permitted to stay on campus. International students also are permitted to stay on campus.
All university-sponsored on-campus events have been canceled until further notice.
Questions about housing can be directed to housing@udayton.edu. University updates about the virus will be posted here. Questions not covered by the webpage can be sent to covid19@udayton.edu.
UD Arena is set to host the NCAA Basketball Tournament First Four next week. According to the email, university officials are in contact with the NCAA and other athletic organizations but there is no information to share at this time.
This comes on the same day that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called on Ohio colleges and universities to switch to “remote learning.” A number of other Ohio colleges and universities announced today that they are similarly switching to online classes.
University presidents met with the Ohio health director Tuesday, according to the email. At the meeting, she told them: “…[A]ction now will save lives.”
On Monday, the university canceled all university-sponsored international and domestic spring break and summer education abroad programs, as well as all non-essential university-sponsored student travel within the U.S.
As of Monday, the coronavirus, which originated in China, has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide and has killed more than 3,800.
According to the CDC, there are 647 coronavirus cases in the U.S. and 25 deaths. This is an increase from 423 cases and 19 deaths that were reported Monday. Thirty-six states, including Washington, D.C., have reported cases.
Flyer News reported last week that the university advised UD students studying abroad in Italy and South Korea, two countries that have been hit especially hard by the virus, to return home.
Here are steps you can take to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
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