According to a university-wide email sent out by president Michael Drake, Ohio State will be moving to online instruction and is suspending all face-to-face instruction through March 30, effective immediately in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“The university has been monitoring closely the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) and providing regular updates to you as the situation evolves,” Drake said in the email. “I have convened a task force of senior leadership and subject matter experts who are meeting around the clock and are focused on our university’s preparations and response.
“We continue to align our recommendations with and follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other city, state and federal agencies.”
Though there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Ohio State’s campus, Gov. Mike DeWine said there were three cases in Ohio, and that he declared the issue a state of emergency.
“While there are no campus-associated cases of COVID-19, we know that there are at least three confirmed cases in the state of Ohio, and we expect that there will be more,” Drake said. “We are being proactive in an effort to prevent illness and continue the important work of the university. I understand that our policy guidelines will cause measurable disruption, but the risk of not acting outweighs the inconvenience of these temporary measures.”
Ohio State students are currently on spring break, but “may choose to return to their permanent place of residence or return to campus, where appropriate social distancing and enhanced preventative public health and hygiene measures will be actively encouraged.”
There has been no update on if this suspension of in-person classes will have an effect on the spring football schedule, including the spring game that is scheduled for April 11.
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