UofL extends spring break, classes to be delivered remotely

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The University of Louisville has extended its spring break and suspended international travel due to COVID-19.

In a letter from UofL president Neeli Bendapudi, she stated spring break would be extended until March 17. Classes will also be delivered remotely from March 18 through April 5.

Bendapudi also stated international travel would be suspended, effective immediately.

On-campus events will continue but will be monitored.

UofL spokesman John Karman said university administrators know there’s no shortage of students traveling for spring breakin, even internationally.

“Some of our students have traveled," he said. "We know they are probably traveling throughout the country or even internationally. We’re following CDC guidelines there. If they’ve been in a Level III country, they’re not able to come back to campus for two weeks. We are following that directive. But certainly that is a concern.”

Karman also said he and his colleagues are in preventative mode:

“Really, this is a forward-looking thing,” he said. “We’re anticipating spread, I think the community is. And we want to limit that spread and do our part. So, this is doing our part, by making sure that we don’t have the gatherings here on campus.”

The full guidelines from UofL are below:

DETAILS OF UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS

I. Spring Break is extended through March 17. Classes will be delivered remotely starting March 18 through April 5.

There will be no classes on March 16 and 17.
All classes will be offered remotely via online or other alternative learning options beginning Wednesday, March 18, through at least April 5. Classes already offered online will continue as originally scheduled. Students should anticipate direct correspondence from individual course instructors prior to March 18.
Health Sciences students who are involved in clinical programs will receive further guidance from their academic deans. Information about labs, testing and other items will also be provided.
Campus Housing will remain open. Students who are able to stay away from campus until April 5 are encouraged to do so.
Training is available for all faculty on transitioning their classes to alternative or online instruction beginning March 12. Training will be offered in-person and online through March 17. Information on that training will be emailed to all faculty today.

II. International travel is suspended effective immediately

Effective immediately, all incoming and outgoing international university-related travel is suspended through April 30, 2020. Similarly, no future international trips are permitted to be booked through June 30, 2020.
This means that all previously scheduled study abroad trips, conferences, trainings, speaking engagements or other university-sponsored activities and programs that require travel to or from another country during the months of March and April are now cancelled. Contact your vice president, dean or unit administrator for more details.
Students, faculty and staff already studying abroad may remain unless the country is declared a Level 3 country by the CDC. Students also have the choice to return earlier, but this should be coordinated through the International Center.
In addition, we strongly discourage personal travel to international destinations.
All students, staff and faculty who are already traveling internationally this week or are planning to take a personal trip outside of the country, are required to complete the Returning Traveler’s Report on our website prior to returning to campus. Upon review of the travel information submitted, you will receive confirmation of permission and a timeline for your return to campus.
Please know that if you are returning from a Level 3 country, a Level 2 country with a COVID indication, or from France, Germany, Japan or Spain, you are required to self-isolate away from campus for 14 days upon your return to the country.

III. Non-essential domestic business travel is suspended effective immediately

Also prohibited is any non-essential, incoming and outgoing travel within the United States during the months of March and April.
An employee with an essential domestic travel request in March or April may request approval through their vice president, dean or unit administrator. These exceptions will be rare.
Contact your vice president, dean or unit administrator if you have questions about the types of essential vs. non-essential activities that apply to your program, department or unit.

IV. On-campus events will continue, but are under review

At this time, we are not restricting large on-campus events. However, we continue to monitor the situation to determine if such a prohibition will be necessary in the near future.
We are strongly discouraging scheduling any non-essential events through at least April 30. If you have questions about how essential an event is for your program, department or unit, you should reach out to your respective supervisors.

V. UofL’s campuses remain open and operational

Faculty and staff are expected to follow their normal work schedules during this time, but continue to follow social distancing and preventative hygiene practices.
Campus Housing will remain open, but students who are able to stay away from campus until April 5 are encouraged to do so. Student housing, food services, libraries, the food pantry and other campus and student services will be open. Check campus websites for further information on hours of operation.
Research activities will continue at this time. Anyone involved in research will receive a separate communication from EVPRI Kevin Gardner in the coming days with specific guidance.
Supervisors should begin making plans in preparation for a potential determination that remote work is necessary. We have no reason to believe that this step will be necessary in the short-term, but in an abundance of caution we ask our team leaders to begin preparations.

University of Kentucky President Eli Capiluoto on Wednesday sent a letter to the UK community:

Members of the University Community,

The health, safety, and well-being of everyone on our campus is our relentless priority at all times. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is already proving to be an unprecedented disruption to our University, Lexington community, Commonwealth, and world. The course it will take is uncertain, but the days and weeks ahead will be even more challenging. In an abundance of caution:

The University of Kentucky will remain open, but instruction will continue through online or other alternatives from March 23 through April 3 (which are the two weeks after Spring Break for most of our students).
The goal is to resume normal course delivery April 6.
Our students can return to campus residence halls or take their classes from their apartments, home community, or any other location. We will accommodate all students, regardless of their choice about living options. Over the next 48 hours, we will communicate information about campus services, including housing and dining, that will remain open.
We will be working with faculty, staff, and students about the specifics of online and alternative course delivery. There will be challenges for some students with accessing online or alternative platforms. Our Information Technology Services staff will be following up with more information about plans to ensure access.
Our Health Workgroup will continue evaluating the trajectory of the virus and engaging in ongoing conversations with our community as we move toward April 6.
Colleges, units, and faculty should create contingency plans should we need to extend the suspension of in-class instruction.
Staff operations will continue as normal.
Research and health care enterprise activities will continue as planned. Vice President of Research Lisa Cassis and her team will be communicating separately to faculty and staff engaged in research.
All University-sponsored or endorsed travel internationally is suspended indefinitely. There is an appeals process.
All travelers arriving from Europe and Japan will be required to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival in the U.S. before they will be allowed to return to campus. The names and contact information of these travelers will be shared with UK HealthCare, who will follow up with them individually with additional guidance.
Students who had planned to participate in a Summer Education Abroad program will be contacted by the UK Education Abroad and Exchanges Office by March 20 with a decision about the program.
All University-sponsored or endorsed domestic travel is strongly discouraged. Our voluntary travel registry will continue indefinitely so we can continue to monitor travel plans to provide members of our campus community with the most up-to-date guidance and assistance.
We will be evaluating campus events on a case-by-case basis. We will determine how to handle, or whether to host, events where large numbers of people may gather, with the goal of ensuring health and minimizing the potential transmission of the virus.

Also Wednesday, Bellarmine President Susan M. Donovan notified the school community of its plans:

Dear members of the Bellarmine community,

The university has been monitoring news about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) around the clock and working with other campus leaders to determine how students, faculty and staff members might be affected.

Bellarmine University is responding to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation as follows:

Face-to-face classes and activities are suspended from Thursday, March 12, until Wednesday, March 18, when courses will resume online or electronically. This temporary suspension will give us time to transition to alternate course delivery. We anticipate students returning to campus for course delivery in classrooms on Wednesday, April 1, although this is subject to change based on the latest health guidance. Courses that are currently offered online are not impacted by this suspension.

While the campus will remain open, residential students are asked to travel home during this period, if at all possible. Students should depart the residence halls by 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. If you are able to leave the halls prior to Saturday, please do so. Exceptions to this policy may be requested via this online form for students who cannot easily travel home or who will not have access to the Internet if they leave campus.

University faculty and staff should continue to report to work as usual as we prepare for online delivery of courses, to continue normal work activities and to assist with recruitment and retention efforts of new and current students.

Any member of the community who has visited an area designated by the CDC as a Level 3 travel warning (currently China, Iran, Italy and South Korea) required to contact Student Health Services by email and self-monitor their conditions at home as instructed by Health Services. See the latest CDC travel warning list here. This is also required if you have had direct exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

At present, no member of the Bellarmine community has tested positive for COVID-19. Today’s decision is intended to protect the community and slow the rate at which the virus is spreading, while maintaining the integrity of our academic offerings.

We continue to monitor guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with guidance from Kentucky health authorities. Please note that information will be regularly updated on this website.

Using the links below, we have also provided detailed information specific to current students, prospective students, faculty and staff members, and parents that should answer some of your questions.

I know that this situation will cause some stress and uncertainty. Please bear with us as we navigate this complicated and unprecedented interruption of campus life. The health of our students is paramount, and I appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work to make these changes as smoothly as possible.

Sullivan University is limiting exposure during finals week. Their finals March 16 through March 20 will only have classes long enough to take final exams.

The school is working on a plan for when students return for spring term on Mar 30.

Sullivan University President and CEO Dr. Jay Marr says "At the present time, Sullivan University is not aware of any faculty, staff, student or guest who has tested positive for COVID-19, Regardless, Sullivan University will continue with its increased disinfection efforts for as long as necessary. These changes are designed to help minimize any potential transmission, while ensuring the integrity of academic expectations, standards and requirements."

Spalding University will move its classes online beginning Monday Mar 16. Students staying in residence halls will be asked to move home after complete classes this week. Students will be able to request housing and technology accommodations.

Classes are scheduled to resume for them on April 6. The school has asked students to not return until at least April 4.

Students who are symptom free will be able to use on campus facilities during the shutdown.

The school says they will have information to students to manage housing and technology needs.

Faculty and staff should report to campus unless they make different arrangements with their supervisor or are exhibiting symptoms. During this time, supervisors will be flexible and continue to accommodate reasonable requests.

A statement from the school says: "We recognize the potential hardship this could cause to our campus community and we appreciate your patience and support as we work through this together. "

Western Kentucky University will extend its break until March 22. Their classes will move online during the week of March 23 through April 5. The school says it plans to limit campus events and employee travel at this time.

Residence halls will still open as planned Sunday, March 15, at noon for those students who need to return to campus. The school says extending the break allows their faculty time to prepare for a change in delivery of instruction.

In their statement they say: “we want everyone in our broader communities to think about how they practice social distancing and take other precautions to create the best opportunity to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 throughout our communities and health systems.”

All students who plan to graduate in May will still be able to do so.

Berea College is stopping instruction starting March 13. Students are being asked to move out of dorms by March 14. The statement also says commencement ceremonies will be canceled or postponed to a time when it can be conducted safely.

Kentucky State University will continue classes. Their statement today says all essential personnel and students should be ready for classes come March 16.

Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II said in a statement: “Kentucky State University is closely monitoring the recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) news and its proximity and effects in the Commonwealth. In staying informed about the issue, we have been in regular contact with health care providers, the Franklin County Health Department and Kentucky Cabinet for Public Health, and other health care groups and agencies.”

Kentucky State University is implementing a liberal leave policy for its campus community. Employees may elect to participate in liberal leave via ADP workforce. The University remains open and operational with appropriate measures to protect the health and wellness of the campus community.

They said they are continuing the monitor the developments of the virus. They plan to move classes to their online service if necessary.