Harvard cancels in-person classes for the rest of the semester

The Hill ^ | March 10, 2020 | J. Edward Moreno

[karpov]

Starting March 23, Harvard will not have in-person classes for the remainder of the spring semester amid fears of spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus, the university announced Tuesday.

“The decision to move to virtual instruction was not made lightly,” University President Lawrence S. Bacow said in a statement. “The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings.”

Students at Harvard release for spring break this Saturday and will begin remote classes. They are asked not to return to campus and the university is also discouraging “non-essential” gatherings of more than 25 people.

“Our actions are consistent with the recommendations of leading health officials on how to limit the spread of COVID-19 and are also consistent with similar decisions made by a number of our peer institutions,” Bacow added.

There are currently 755 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S., of which 41 are in Massachusetts. Harvard’s decision comes a day after its neighbor, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), also canceled large in-person classes.

“Despite our best efforts to bring the University's resources to bear on this virus, we are still faced with uncertainty - and the considerable unease brought on by uncertainty,” Bacow said.

[karpov]

Harvard will be giving credit for online rather than in-person classes. I think more college study should be done online, and in-person classes can be done by commuters, as happens in community colleges. If classes can be taught online, why should tuition at Harvard cost $50K/year (this exccludes room and board), and why can't Harvard and other selective schools admit more students? That would make sense if they were educational institutions rather than exclusive private clubs. In general, I think we'd be better off if college students did not spend 4 years sequestered from the real world on a college campus where they are subject to leftist indoctrination.

[RummyChick]

I think it is interesting that you can get a Harvard Degree online but that degree is different than if you actually attend Harvard.

I dont remember all the why and whyfors of this but do remember some outrage over a celebrity saying she graduated from Harvard..like she was an elite Harvard graduate..but it was “just” from the online courses.

[Old Yeller]

Yep. Going to prove that online education is all that is needed.

[billorites]

My daughter's college just extended Spring Break for an additional week.

I have a feeling that the University where I teach will do something similar. "Out of an abundance of caution," of course.

[Old Yeller]

I dont remember all the why and whyfors of this but do remember some outrage over a celebrity saying she graduated from Harvard..like she was an elite Harvard graduate..but it was “just” from the online courses.

That was the Harvard online fuselage riveting class. Harvard Tech.

[Huskrrrr]

“I have a feeling that the University where I teach will do something similar. “Out of an abundance of caution,” of course.”

Yep. I think my college is getting ready to pull the trigger soon.

[dfwgator]

I expect many schools to tell students on Spring Break not to come back for a few weeks.

[dfwgator]

Fight Fiercely, Harvard!

[billorites]

"I think my college is getting ready to pull the trigger soon."

College administrators have a very strong herd instinct.

[MrEdd]

The “so called” university which employed native American Elizabeth Warren?

Just close it and don’t reopen.

[Dilbert San Diego]

More and more, I see ads for online college courses and degree programs.

Is the classroom/campus model of college education becoming obsolete, in that, so much can be taught online?

[lp boonie]

I wonder if they will party and spring break on-line? Classroom is the least of your human interaction at college.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Was discussing the same thing with my prof hubby. Our younger kid is supposed to graduate college in May. Wouldn’t surprise me if they call that off and mail diplomas.

[Lisbon1940]

It is great to be alive in a time of abundance.

[Seaplaner]

Impress spreaders of that spheroid virus with our prowess, do!

(apologies to Tom Lehrer)

[Buckeye McFrog]

So at last this virus is having some positive effects.

[ml/nj]

So does this mean a refund for those who actually paid tuition? I recall some LONG time ago when I was in college and I came to a NO CLASS TODAY sign on a classroom door. We were all supposed to be happy; but I thought that my father paid $20 (or whatever) for that class and that it shouldn't be held only at some professor's discretion.

ML/NJ

[dfwgator]

The “so called” university which employed native American Elizabeth Warren?

Don't forget Isoroku Yamamoto.

[ladyjane]

You are so right. The corona virus is going to have a huge impact on on-line education and on-line business meetings.

Here is a link to all the other stuff Harvard is doing

https://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Gazette%2020200310%20(1)

[JamesP81]

I doubt anyone was learning anything useful at Harvard anyway.

One of the problems we have in America is an abundance of over-educated fools coming from places like Harvard.