Three More Universities Announce Anti-Coronavirus Measures

Pepperdine University, Chapman University and Cal State Long Beach joined UCLA and USC today in announcing that they will move toward holding all online classes.

According to an email sent by Pepperdine President Jim Gash on Wednesday, several measures are being taken by university officials, including a move to online classes beginning on Monday and likely continuing for the rest of the spring semester.

“Faculty have been preparing for some time for this possible outcome and, having learned from our efforts during the Woolsey Fire, they will provide highly effective instruction via this remote alternative instruction format,” Gash said.

Students living in on-campus housing have been told they will need to vacate the premises by Sunday at 3 pm. However, students will be allowed to apply for an exemption.

Pepperdine is also canceling and postponing non-essential events at the university that have an expected attendance of 100 or more through the month of March. Non-essential travel for Pepperdine employees has also been restricted through the end of the month.

Officials at Cal State Long Beach said they were suspending in-person, on-campus classes beginning Thursday and continuing through at least Tuesday. Regular classes may begin again on April 20th with "alternative instruction" beginning March 18.

Some courses at Cal State Long Beach will continue in-person sessions if alternative instruction won't work, like laboratory, performing-arts and physical education courses.

“While there are no reported cases of COVID-19 related to the campus, it was decided to enact this as a preventative measure after receiving trusted medical advice,” according to the university. “The campus is not closing. Campus offices and buildings will remain open and many operations will continue normally, including student housing and related dining facilities. Beach Athletics teams will continue to compete.”

The move comes after UCLA suspended all in-person classes "wherever possible" starting Wednesday and continuing through at least April 10 in response to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block wrote in a message to the campus community that “it is important for communities to look out for one another and to do what is best for our global and UCLA communities.”

Block said university officials have been coordinating with public health officials to develop “plans for every possible scenario.” As a result, beginning Wednesday, the university “will suspend in-person classes wherever possible and transition to online platforms through April 10, which is the end of the second week of Spring Quarter,” Block said.

Winter Quarter final exams will be administered remotely, with individual instructors communicating plans to students, Block said.

Both universities stressed that there has been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at either campus.

Whittier College will move to all online classes beginning March 23 and continuing until at least April 3.

Loyola Marymount University will conduct only online classes from March 16-31.


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