The U-of-M is asking faculty to begin preparations to move classroom instruction on-line, in response to what the World Health Organization now says is a coronavirus pandemic. President Joan Gabel in an on-line letter to students, faculty and staff says the University is also cancelling all non-essential international and domestic travel as of Monday (3/16). Gabel says the university became aware of two students from the Twin Cities campus returning from study abroad, who “continue to display no symptoms of COVID-19.” Gabel says she fully understands the impact of travel restrictions and a potential move to on-line learning but “the health and safety of our University community must come first.”
The U-of-M’s Duluth, Rochester and Twin Cities campuses are on spring break this week, and students at Crookston and Morris are off next week.