On Friday, the University of Washington announced it would cancel all in-person classes and move them to online in the wake of the coronavirus. The Washington university is the first major U.S. institution to take that measure.
The university has nearly 50,000 students enrolled at its Seattle campus, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The suspension of campus classes will officially begin March 9 and extend until the end of the winter quarter, according to the school’s Facebook page. The session ends March 20.
“As a way to increase precautionary health measures, such as social distancing, and ensure the successful conclusion of the quarter for UW students, as of March 9, 2020, classes and finals on all three campuses will not be held in person for the remainder of winter quarter, which ends March 20,: read a statement Friday. “Our campuses will remain open to serve all those who rely on our services, including hospitals and clinics, dining services, residence halls, library services, and recreation and athletics facilities. Husky athletics events will proceed as scheduled.”
Classes and operations will resume March 30, pending public health guidance.
Prior to its decision to close, more than 23,000 people signed an online petition calling for the school to close its Seattle campus to prevent people from spreading the virus in the school's dorms, classrooms and dining halls, according to the Washington Post.
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The university had no confirmed infections, but deaths related to the coronavirus in the region sparked fears among students and others that infections might already be spreading there.
Seattle University, which has about 7,000 students enrolled, also announced Friday afternoon it would close all in-person classes for the remainder of the winter quarter.
Other smaller colleges across the country have taken similar measures. The president of Yeshiva University in New York announced classes would be canceled Wednesday, according to the Post. The school has an enrollment of about 6,300 students. Washington Institute of Technology, which also has less than 7,000 students, also closed classes on campus this week.
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