FORT SMITH -- The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith decided to move instruction and operations from in-person to remote delivery due to the ongoing surge of the omicron variant of covid-19 in Arkansas.
Chancellor Terisa Riley wrote in an email to the institution's campus the move would start at 5 p.m. today with the intent to return to campus Jan. 24. This decision was made during a review Riley called Thursday night with the university's Covid-19 Emergency Management Team, which consists of representatives from various entities on campus.
"In the state of Arkansas cases have reached an all-time high, with nearly 13,000 new cases recorded yesterday alone," Riley said. "On our own campus, we have had more students and employees who have reported active cases this week, and even more are quarantining after being exposed to positive cases. This is up from just 13 active cases on campus one week ago today."
Riley emphasized it is a temporary measure. The university will provide an update Thursday to confirm the return to on-campus work and instruction starting Jan. 24.