(BLOOMINGTON) — Indiana University will suspend classes beginning March 15th until April 6th. Classes will continue as normal through Friday.
The suspension begins on Sunday when the university’s eight-day spring break begins.
The suspension of classes also includes IUPUI in Indianapolis.
Also effective immediately, department leaders are to determine if staff and faculty can work from home.
IU President Michael McRobbie said in a letter that no known cases of COVID-19 have been identified on any IU campus. McRobbie did confirmed that two students, who were studying abroad in Italy, have tested positive for COVID-19. Neither student has been on any IU campus this semester.
The letter says, “Alongside our extensive prevention efforts that are already being carried out, it is now necessary to take further urgent, proactive steps to help keep the IU community safe. These measures will undoubtedly cause inconvenience and disruption, yet the risks of not acting now far outweigh the foreseeable inconvenience and challenges of these actions. The steps that we are taking are necessary to help ensure the continuing good health of our community. On behalf of Indiana University, I am grateful to all of you in advance for your patience, support, and dedication as we work together to energetically address the problems associated with COVID-19.”
Other measures and recommendations from IU:
- While completing classes virtually, students are strongly encouraged to stay in their permanent homes away from campus, unless they are prevented from returning home because of travel restrictions or they do not have access to the technology at home, such as reliable internet access, to complete their classes remotely.
- Face-to-face teaching is set to resume April 6.
- University-affiliated domestic travel outside Indiana is suspended through April 5.
- Visitors on IU campuses are “strongly discouraged.”
- No new non-essential, large events should be scheduled through April 6. For events already scheduled through April 6, organizers are strongly encouraged to immediately consider canceling or rescheduling these.
