As outbreak expands, UA setting up for shift to online

In this 2013 file photo, students cross Dickson Street on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville prior to a dedication ceremony for the newly completed Founders Hall.
In this 2013 file photo, students cross Dickson Street on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville prior to a dedication ceremony for the newly completed Founders Hall.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Faculty members and instructors at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville are being told they need to prepare to be ready by no later than March 30 for a shift to remote methods of instruction.

On-campus classes are continuing "at this time," according to an update posted Wednesday to the university's web page with campus news related to the spread of the covid-19 illness.

Effective immediately, Chancellor Joe Steinmetz on Wednesday announced a 60-day ban on university-sponsored travel outside the state -- but with Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek clarifying in a statement that athletic teams for now are approved to travel for competition -- and that all study-abroad students are to return home.

Other colleges and universities in the state also say preparation has begun for a shift away from face-to-face instruction in response to the virus threat.

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Such action considered by Arkansas colleges and universities follows steps taken by schools in other states, including the University of Missouri, which suspended in-person classes Wednesday through the school's spring break.

In less than a week, several dozen colleges and universities in the U.S. have already either moved to remote instruction for courses or announced a date when they will do so. The University of Washington on Friday announced classes would no longer meet in person for the remainder of the academic term, becoming the first major public university to do so.

Arkansas schools -- including the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff -- also have taken action directly related to the state's first presumed case of the new coronavirus, which Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Wednesday. The patient is being cared for in Pine Bluff, and some schools reported students having indirect contact with the patient.

Steinmetz, in an email at UA on Wednesday, described what might trigger contingency plans in place.

"The confirmation of a case COVID-19 within our campus community or in the Fayetteville community are currently the primary scenarios being considered that would trigger the actual suspension of on-campus classes," Steinmetz said.

Elsewhere, 11 people have been quarantined in Conway after health officials learned Monday that a University of Central Arkansas student had possibly been exposed, school officials said Wednesday. A school spokesman later said the student had tested negative.

Details about the nature of the quarantine were not released, but it's being overseen by the state Department of Health, according to UCA officials.

Health officials learned the student had possibly been exposed to the virus during out-of-state travel and immediately quarantined the student, roommates and eight others who had close contact with the group, said UCA President Houston Davis in a news release. He said the student lives off campus.

At this time, all classes are proceeding as usual, Davis said. He said faculty members are prepared to move in-person instruction online should it become necessary.

Faculty and staff members within UA's J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences were sent an email advising them to be prepared for a change in how they teach classes.

"At this time we do not anticipate campus will be fully closed, but we do anticipate that face-to-face instruction will be shifted to remote instruction," Todd Shields, Fulbright College dean, said in the message, which was provided to the Democrat-Gazette by the university.

UA spokesman Mark Rushing, in an email to the Democrat-Gazette, said a move to remote instruction, should it happen, would not shut down all university dorms.

"We are planning to continue to provide as much as we can for students who need to stay on campus including housing, dining and other essential services in the event that we do have to switch to online instruction at some point," Rushing said.

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Terry Martin, UA's senior vice provost for academic affairs, told the university's faculty senate on Wednesday that the Health Department told schools "this is a good time" to have students abroad return home. About 70 students will now be returning, said Kim Needy, the graduate school and international education dean, with several dozen already having returned.

Late Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced he's restricting passenger travel from 26 European nations for 30 days beginning just before midnight Friday.

Martin told faculty members an appeal process was in place for travel considerations, which was also noted by Steinmetz in his email to campus.

Fah Sysavanh, 19, a UA biomedical engineering student, said the campuswide message about preparations for remote teaching "was something that I anticipated."

She cited the steps taken by universities in California and New York to hold classes remotely, and said it made sense for UA to take action.

"I just feel like with the positive case in Pine Bluff that we're going to multiply pretty quickly. So, I think it should be more of a safety precaution and safety practice to at least have a week or two off after spring break," said Sysavanh, who is from Springdale.

She added: "You can't really control who's going out of the state or even out of the country during spring break."

Steinmetz also described criteria to consider about campus events, stating that units within the university can make decisions after considering various factors, including whether attendees might be mostly local or arriving from areas "more directly affected" by the virus. On Tuesday, some departments, including the music department, had canceled public campus events.

Late Wednesday, the UA athletic department announced restrictions on attendance at home athletic contests for all Southeastern Conference campuses beginning today. Only team personnel, some family members and credentialed media members will be allowed entry to the events. The restrictions are to be in place "until at least Monday, March 30."

John Brown University, a private Christian college in Siloam Springs, has notified faculty members that they must be prepared to shift to an online teaching format, but a decision on making such a transition "will be based on guidance from the Arkansas Department of Health and other governmental agencies," JBU spokeswoman Julie Gumm said in an email.

Arkansas State University plans to "test" online-only courses Tuesday and Wednesday next week but hasn't decided to move all courses online, with the campus remaining open during the trial period.

ASU Chancellor Kelly Damphousse, in an email to the campus community, said he's fielded questions from seniors expecting to graduate about whether commencement will go on as planned in May.

"We will do everything we can to keep commencement going as planned," he wrote in his email to campus. "But I want also be very clear -- we are in uncharted territory here."

Information for this article was contributed by Stephen Simpson and Emily Walkenhorst of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Metro on 03/12/2020

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