According to multiple reports, the Ohio State University has made the decision to suspend in-person classes as a proactive effort to curb the spread of the Caronavirus.
Eleven Warriors was the first to break the news after the discovery of a university-wide email. Since then Ohio State has confirmed the move and other outlets have reported the measure as well. The move is temporary for now, and is to go through at least March 30. The university is currently on Spring Break so there is time to get everything in-line for things to be done virtually and remotely.
“We are suspending face-to-face instruction in lectures, discussion sections, seminars and other similar classroom settings and moving to virtual instruction, effective immediately and through at least Monday, March 30,” President Michael Drake said in the email. “We are evaluating classroom experiences such as laboratory and performance classes, and the university will provide specific guidance this week. We will reevaluate these guidelines on an ongoing basis and share updates or modifications as more information becomes available.”
The university also provided policies on travel and event scheduling. For now, all non-essential travel has been postponed, and event organizers have been encouraged to evaluate whether already scheduled events should go on. No further non-essential events are to be scheduled through April 20.
Ohio State has suspended all in-person classes until at least March 30th in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. https://t.co/AZ3jfGI1pq pic.twitter.com/KCVRhMMoU5
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) March 10, 2020
The move comes as three cases of the novel Caronavirus came back as positive in the Cleveland area, the first known cases reported in Ohio.
So far there is no news on how this will play out for athletic events, but the Spring Game is scheduled for April 11. If any further guidance or news comes out for this and any other athletic events, we will pass it along.
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