Updated: Coronavirus prompts UK, other Kentucky universities to shift classes online
The University of Kentucky will transition to online instruction for two weeks after its scheduled spring break next week in an effort to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, officials announced Wednesday. The University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University made similar announcements.
In a campus-wide email, UK President Eli Capilouto said the university will remain open and that staff operations will continue as normal. Research and health care activities will continue as planned. Campus events will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
UK dorms will remain open during the two weeks of online classes and students will have the option to participate in class from their “apartments, home community or any other location,” the email said.
All UK-sponsored or endorsed travel internationally is suspended indefinitely, and all travelers arriving from Europe and Japan will be required to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival in the U.S. before being allowed back on campus. UK also “strongly discouraged” domestic travel.
“This is an uncertain and anxious moment for all of us,” Capilouto said. “The best thing to do is control what we each can control: our own health and travel habits. Be mindful of your wellness and be attentive to the wellness of others. It is what communities do.”
A growing number of colleges and universities across the country have been stopping in-person classes, instead opting to finish classes online, as the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. Some schools, such as Berea College, have announced they’re ending the semester outright.
The University of Louisville, which is currently on spring break, said it would extend spring break through March 17, then transition to online classes between March 18 and April 5.
University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi said in a campus-wide email that the university would suspend international travel and non-essential domestic business travel. The campus will remain open, but on-campus events are under review.
Western Kentucky University announced it would extend spring break through March 22, before transitioning to online courses for the following two weeks. The university encouraged students to stay home, but said residence halls would remain open for those who need a place to stay.
WKU is also suspending “all but critical” university funded international and domestic travel. It said decisions on athletic events would be made in coordination with the NCAA.
Eastern Kentucky University extended their spring break through March 20, according to a campus-wide email, and will keep the dorms closed during that time. They will then switch over to online-only classes between March 23 and April 3.
Georgetown College is extending its spring break until March 18 and then moving classes online for two weeks after students return. Their dorms will be closed except for people who cannot go home.
Transylvania University is currently on spring break. Megan Moloney, the vice president of communications at Transy, said students are still expected to return next week, though a university task force is meeting daily to consider the issue.
Morehead State University officials said they will announce a decision about how to handle the coronavirus threat in a Thursday morning email.
There are currently eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kentucky — five in Harrison County, two in Fayette County and one in Jefferson County — and Gov. Andy Beshear said he expects the number to rise. All but one of those coronavirus patients are older than 46.
Alex Poorman, 21, a senior studying biology at UK, took the news of transition to online classes in stride.
“I think for the safety of the students on campus as we assess where the situation is headed, it’s probably the safest decision,” Poorman said.
He said it wouldn’t really affect the classes he’s taking, but said he understood it could affect some of the lab classes that freshman and sophomores take that require a more hands-on experience.
Jay Blanton, UK’s spokesman, said lab-based classes will use videos, online labs developed by the National Science Foundation, computer simulations/visualization, and other tools for the two weeks of online classes.
“We have plans in place for every lab course that will allow students to learn the essential principles that need to be covered in lab classes,” Blanton said.
Poorman picked up his graduation robes Wednesday and said there’s a lot of uncertainty about what his final semester of senior year will look like.
“I think it’s definitely going to cause some trouble,” Poorman said of the coronavirus. “But hopefully it will blow over by May or June.”
Ben Logdson, who’s in a one-year program to get his masters in business, also lamented the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.
“It’s hard to get a good gauge on how serious the coronavirus will be,” said Logsdon, 23. “That’s kind of the big thing.”
Logsdon said he is unhappy there will be two weeks of online classes because he doesn’t think he will get the full value of his education.
Beshear told reporters Wednesday that his administration was not recommending that Kentucky’s public colleges and universities close their campuses.
“We’ve been providing new guidance every day, I’m sure we’ll have new steps tomorrow and the day after that as well,” Beshear said. “But as we’re standing here today we are not making that recommendation.”
His advice was for people to spread out in lecture halls in order to keep six feet away from each other and to use the option of online classes if its available.
“I know that is not a direct substitute for the interaction, but it is important that we start engaging in the social distancing that we can,” he said.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 2:05 PM.
