Coronavirus: Stony Brook University May Shift Courses Online

STONY BROOK, NY — Stony Brook University may shift classes online after students finish spring break as a precautionary measure against the new coronavirus.

All faculty instructors were asked to prepare to move their courses to an online format effective when students return March 23 from a week-long break, Paul B. Shepson, dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences wrote in an email to faculty, staff and graduate students obtained by Patch.

Stony Brook University officials told Patch in a statement that no commitments have been made yet regarding a shift to online courses.

"Like most campuses across the country, we are taking steps to plan for such an action if it should be necessary," the university said. "No official decision has been made."

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Should Stony Brook University close due to COVID-19, it wouldn't be the first in New York State to do so. Molloy College, Nassau Community College and Hofstra University have already cancelled classes for varying periods.

Spring recess starts at the end of the week for Stony Brook students.

Angela Minelli, a senior environmental studies major set to graduate in May, told Patch two of her four professors already went online this week, as did "many" others throughout the university.

Nicholas Wilson, a sociology professor, is one of them, according to The Stony Brook Statesman. He told students in an email that he'd be moving classes online immediately rather than waiting for March 23 — the end of spring break.

Minelli, who commutes, said she's worried that materials will not be covered as thoroughly as they would at offline courses.

"I chose to take in-person classes because I believe they are a better learning experience, but I'm not going to be able to get that," she said.

Minelli, set to graduate in May, said she's concerned graduation and transcripts will be delayed.

Shepson wrote in his email that remaining lectures would be done by webinar or recording, which he said is possible with Google Meet. He added class scheduling could be done through Google Calendar.

"This of course is an inconvenience to faculty and staff, but we are in a New York State of Emergency, and thus we must proceed on the principle of doing all that we can do to maintain continuity of academic services, and to ensure that students' academic progress is minimally impacted during this emergency," Shepson wrote. "We also must ensure that students' learning and performance is minimally disrupted and continues to be fairly assessed. So, in practical terms, we will all have to pull together."

Nicole Sampson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, sent faculty an email Monday asking them to fill out a survey on online learning capabilities should the university go online for the remainder of the spring semester after break, The Statesman reported.

"Distance education, however we approach it (online courses, courses delivered via email) must continue to consist of substantive communication between instructor and students, either individually or collectively, on a regular basis," Sampson wrote in her email, according to The Statesman.

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