#Roommates, the fears surrounding the deadly coronavirus are not slowing down anytime soon—and now one of the most prestigious Ivy League colleges in the country is taking extra precautions. Harvard University just announced that all classes will officially be online-only and they informed students to not return to campus following the end of their spring break.
@CNBC reports, Harvard University students have exactly five days to be completely moved out of their dorm rooms because beginning on Monday, March 16th all classes will only be available online. This extreme precautionary measure is of course a reaction to the increasing spread of the coronavirus in the U.S.
However, this decision particularly hits international students the hardest, as many of them are unable to go home on such short notice and because international travel has been severely restricted since the virus outbreak. Harvard’s spring break starts Saturday, March 14th and ends March 22nd, while its spring term ends in late April. The university said students shouldn’t return to campus after the break.
Harvard University President Lawrence C. Bacow released a campus-wide statement addressing the decision:
“The decision to move to virtual instruction was not made lightly. The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings.”
Students who can’t afford transportation home, especially international students, are currently being referred to Harvard’s financial aid office, according to the university website. Harvard is also instructing students to speak with their dean if they have no place to go.
Other colleges and universities have taken similar measures, including Princeton, Ohio State and University of Washington. As of right now, the U.S. currently has 755 people infected with coronavirus and 26 people have died.
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?
