Coronavirus prompts Carnegie Mellon to go to online-only classes at Silicon Valley, Qatar campuses

Carnegie Mellon University has moved to online classes only at its Silicon Valley and Qatar campuses, university officials announced Monday night.

In a letter to the university community, CMU Provost Jim Garrett said although there have been no cases of coronavirus at the school’s Silicon Valley campus, CMU decided to take precautionary steps after the NASA Ames Research Center, which is adjacent to the campus, reported that an employee had tested positive for the virus.

The decision to go online in Qatar followed the Persian Gulf nation’s decision to suspend all in-person college classes in Qatar this week. Officials said classes there were canceled Tuesday and Wednesday and will resume online Thursday.

“These are unusual circumstances and the efforts and collaboration of CMU’s schools, colleges and departments are paramount. We have a shared responsibility to ensure that we fulfill our education mission and protect the health and safety of our campuses,” Garrett wrote.

“Please know we have been planning for these online teaching scenarios. We are in contact with all CMU locations and making plans to expand online instruction, if necessary. Pittsburgh faculty will receive a detailed email with specific information about the preparatory steps we are asking them to take over Spring Break to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning as well as the resources and support available to them,” he continued.

Students at CMU’s main campus in Oakland are on spring break through Friday, March 13.

Garrett said there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus at the school’s main campus. Nor have there been any changes to class schedules at its campuses in Australia and Rwanda.

Although a number of colleges and universities in virus hot spots have moved to online class schedules, no local schools have yet taken such steps. Nor had anyone been reported as testing positive for the coronavirus in Western Pennsylvania as of Tuesday morning.

Nonetheless, there have already been adjustments to international programs and various protocols on campuses across the region.

The University of Pittsburgh canceled its spring program in China in January. Robert Morris University cancelled international travel programs last month. Duquesne University pulled students from its Rome campus home last month and Seton Hill University cancelled its May study abroad program in Parma, Italy.

In Ohio, where at least three coronavirus cases have been confirmed, Ohio State University announced Monday that it is suspending all in-person classes through at least the end of the month. Classes will be taught online. The university also cancelled all school-sponsored international travel. Domestic travel is limited to “business essential” travel and requests are to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Ohio State also announced that no new on-campus events will be scheduled through at least April 20.

Local colleges and universities also are reviewing options for online instruction should the virus be detected here.

They are also taking precautions to lessen the possibility of illness spreading.

Seton Hill University and Saint Vincent College officials said they have changed dining hall protocols, retrained staff on proper sanitation practices and adopted changes to limit contact that could spread viruses on campus.

West Virginia University officials said they will suspended face-to-face classes from March 23-27 as it transitions to online class instruction in response to virus concerns.

As we monitor COVID-19, the WVU System will temporarily suspend face-to-face classes from March 23-27 as we transition to online class instruction. This is a precautionary measure to protect our community.

Read @gordongee’s letter here: https://t.co/fqPpzmh9w0 pic.twitter.com/kTNL4qiTZI

— WVU Mountaineers (@WestVirginiaU) March 11, 2020