Updated March 10 9:18 p.m.

ALINA PANEK, Editor-in-Chief—Denison suspended face-to-face instruction effective March 23 due to the coronavirus outbreak until at least Friday, April 3, according to a collegewide email.  All students are expected to leave campus by Monday, March 16, through at least April 3.

Denison will remain open (including food, healthcare and facilities services) for students who, because of exceptional circumstances, are unable to leave.  International students are called explicitly as an example.

There have been no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus. Visit the Ohio Department of Health website for the number of confirmed cases in Ohio. Currently, the only confirmed cases are in the Cleveland area.

This follows The Ohio State University’s announcement on Monday, March 9 where they announced a similar decision.

In the email from University President Adam Weinberg, he wrote, “While many Denison students are at low risk for contracting a severe form of COVID-19, they are capable of contracting and easily transmitting to those who are immunocompromised and to older members of our campus community – including our neighbors in Granville and Licking County – who are at greater risk. We must make decisions about how to continue campus operations with all of these community members in mind and based on recommendations from local, state and national health and government officials.”

Mike DeWine, governor of Ohio, tweeted at 2:30 p.m., encouraging higher education to move toward online/remote learning.

This decision follows other Ohio schools, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and Otterbein, that have moved to remote learning experiences.

For other large social events on campus, Denison will be limiting the amount where Denisonians gather in large groups or spend extended periods of time in close proximity with each other. Weinberg said that administration is evaluating athletic events, events hosted on campus by off-campus groups, and other large events.

Denison will inform the community as soon as possible about any changes to these activities.

On Denison’s website under Refund or Forfeiture, “In the unlikely event that a public health agency requires Denison University to halt operations, to include the cancellation of classes, as the result of a pandemic or some similar occurrence, Denison will reopen and continue the semester as soon as public authorities permit it. Prepaid tuition, fees, room and board would not be refunded under this circumstance. Prepayments will be held and applied to the continued semester as though there were no interruption of services.”

Please visit Denison’s official annoucement page for latest updates: https://denison.edu/campus/covid19