Coronavirus: NC Colleges Move Online, Extend Spring Break

NORTH CAROLINA — The NBA has suspended the 2020 season, North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a state of emergency and events like conventions are being canceled as the coronavirus outbreak spreads in North Carolina and across the U.S.

Already in the U.S., coronavirus is taking its toll on the workforce as workers get sick or are forced to quarantine, businesses as events are canceled and people stay home, and on the public psyche as anxiety rises about the illness. And college students across the nation are also being affected, forced to leave campus or told not to return home from spring break.

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Here's what's happening at North Carolina colleges and universities:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is extending spring break through Sunday, March 22 and while the campus will remain open, it is encouraging students to remain off campus. In-person courses will be suspended starting March 23 “for the foreseeable future.” The university is also cancelling events of more than 50 attendees “effective immediately,” and prohibiting travel on behalf of the university out of state. “There is no set end date to this new arrangement. We will constantly revisit and reevaluate our policies as the situation around COVID-19 evolves,” school officials said.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte announced March 9 it would transition to online instruction wherever possible. “Our goal is to return to in-person instruction as soon as reasonably possible,” the school said. The university is also encouraging teleworking, cancelling or postponing events of 50 attendees or more, and suspending all travel out of state and in-state to events with more than 50 attendees expected.

Wake Forest University has cancelled classes the week of March 16, and will resume instruction remotely March 23. The campus will remain open, however students are encouraged to not return to campus if possible.

North Carolina State University is cancelling all classes for the week of March 16, and transitioning to online and alternate course delivery beginning March 23. The campus buildings and services will remain open during the extended spring break, however, school officials ask that students able to stay off campus during that time do so. The school is also strongly encouraging all students, faculty and staff to report all recent travel. All university travel is prohibited outside the state, as are gatherings of 100 or more people.

Appalachian State University is extending spring break until March 23, at which time classes will resume to alternate course delivery. The university will remain open, however it is encouraging students living in on-campus dorms to remain off campus. The university is currently assessing its study abroad program. Athletic directors and teams are advised to follow directives from their respective conferences.

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics will remain operational while residential students complete this week on campus and go home on Friday, March 13 for a scheduled extended weekend. No classes will be held the week of March 16-20. Courses will resume via remote instructional methods the week of March 23. Based on UNC System guidance, NCSSM will reassess by the end of March. NCSSM is also reassessing all events the school is scheduled to host or attend over the next few months.

More from Patch:

• Coronavirus In NC: New Cases Confirmed, Total Up To 12
• COVID-19 In NC: Governor Declares State Of Emergency
• Gov. Cooper Declared A State Of Emergency. What Does That Mean?