Pitt, Duquesne move to online classes over coronavirus concerns

The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University are altering spring class schedules in reaction to concerns over covid-19, university officials announced Wednesday.

Pitt is extending spring break and will move to online instruction at all five campuses, according to a statement from the university.

Classes will be postponed until March 23. After that, all classes will be conducted online through the end of the semester, the statement said.

Students were also asked not to return to campus after spring break.

There are 23,466 undergraduates at Pitt’s main Oakland campus in Pittsburgh and regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and Titusville, along with 1,087 part-time students, according to figures provided by the university.

The main and satellite campuses also serve 9,191 full and part-time graduate students.

“Our guiding principles in navigating this challenge have been to take all the necessary steps to minimize risk to our university community while seeking to continue our primary mission of educating, performing vital research and serving the local community,” Chancellor Patrick D. Gallagher said in a statement. “As a result, we must act to stave off the even greater risks associated with bringing everyone back together on our campuses.”

Changes to Pitt’s schedule will impact graduate students, but exact modifications will vary by school, program and student, the statement said.

Classes at Duquesne have been canceled for March 16 and March 17 as faculty prepare online coursework, according to a statement from the university.

Classes will resume online starting March 18 and will continue through March 31.

Duquesne residence halls, libraries and dining halls will remain open, the statement said.

Carnegie Mellon University graduate and undergraduate programs at the Pittsburgh campus will start remote or virtual coursework next week, according to an announcement from university officials Wednesday.

Classes at the Pittsburgh campus will be canceled March 16 and March 17 to give faculty and staff time to prepare lessons.

CMU switched to online-only classes at its Silicon Valley and Qatar campuses Monday.

Those announcements came shortly after several other universities across the region, including Penn State, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Ohio University and West Virginia University, announced similar changes to spring semester classes this week.

There were 16 presumptive positive cases of covid-19 in Pennsylvania as of Wednesday afternoon, according to figures released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Two other cases, one from Delaware County and one from Wayne County, have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

No cases of the coronavirus that causes covid-19 have been reported in Allegheny County or other parts of Southwest Pennsylvania.