Texas Christian University is extending Spring Break through the week of March 16 – 20 and will move from in-person instruction to online classes beginning March 23 – April 3, the school announced March 11.
While there are no cases of COVID-19 on the TCU campus, the move is being made due to the rapid spread and unpredictability of the disease. Faculty will use the week of March 16 in order to prepare for a full online format, according to a TCU news release.
“TCU’s highest priority is the health and well-being of our community and these measures are being put in place to secure that as best we can,” Chancellor Victor Boschini Jr. said. “We have a responsibility to each other, our campus and the greater community to help ensure good health, decrease the potential impacts of COVID-19, and to prevent its exposure to vulnerable populations.”
Students who have been away from campus for Spring Break are asked to hold on returning to campus until they receive further instruction.
All large meetings, conferences and on-campus events are canceled through April 3. TCU business operations will remain open the week of March 16, as well as March 23 – April 3. TCU community members are asked to check their campus email and tcu.edu/coronavirus for the latest campus updates and information.
International travel suspended
With increased community transmission being reported in the United States and globally, TCU has suspended all university-related international travel and university-related non-essential domestic travel through the end of the month or until further notice.
TCU is not the only school to extend Spring Break because of the virus.
In Waco, Baylor University said Spring Break for students has been extended through next week. The spring semester will resume on Monday, March 23; however, classes will be online for a two-week period from March 23 through April 3.
South Carolina’s largest university is extending spring break for students by a week and moving to virtual instruction when students return because of the new coronavirus, the school announced Thursday.
The University of South Carolina cancelled classes for its 35,000 students at its main Columbia campus and in Lancaster, Sumter, Aiken and Salkehatchie until March 22. The schools were on spring break this week.
South Carolina State University and Furman University also cancelled classed until March 22.
The University of South Carolina is also suspending face-to-face teaching in lecture halls and seminars until April 3.