East Carolina University (ECU) has become the last public college in North Carolina to abruptly switch to online learning only after the first two weeks of person classes resulting in multiple COVID-19 clusters.
“This decision to go online for the fall semester was not taken lightly. After all, we achieve our mission – student and regional success – at much higher levels than we can operate personally, with the face-to-face environment that engages delivering what we know is critical for our students, “Interim Chancellor Ron Mitchelson announced Sunday.
Mitchelson wrote that a ‘rapid acceleration’ of coronavirus cases were discovered last week alone, a worrying sign for other universities across the country as they continue to welcome students back to campus for instruction.
ECU officials announced Saturday that they have identified COVID-19 clusters – defined as five or more nearby cases – that originate from five separate campus residences and the sorority of the Alpha Gamma Delta.
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While ECU administration responded that cases of coronavirus were coming to campus, Mitchelson said the university had seen a “bigger spike” than expected.
Newsweek contacted ECU for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
Melissa Sue Gerrits / Getty
ECU is the third school within the University of North Carolina system to go to online classes only because of a spike in cases of coronavirus on campus.
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The administration of North Carolina State University (NC State) announced Thursday that it would move all of its undergraduate classes online for the remainder of the fall semester, with an alarming increase in cases mentioned and students placed in quarantine as insulation. Chancellor Randy Woodson blames the majority on off-campus activities, such as large house parties.
“This is a very disappointing thing for us,” Woodson said in a news release Thursday. “We worked hard, the faculty and staff, all summer, to get ready for resume. We followed CDC guidelines, and we did everything we could to make campus safe. And the good news is that the campus is safe. “But we have seen behavior on campus that is honestly in line with our community standards and has had an impact on our ability to move forward.”
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) administration announced Monday that it would move all undergraduate studies online after an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases was seen within just one week of the campus reopened.
UNC-Chapel Hill reported 135 new cases of the virus on Monday, and the university’s positivity figures test in that first week from 2.8 percent to 13.6 percent.
“We have emphasized that if we were to deal with the need to change plans – to take an off-ramp – we would not dare to do so, but we did not take this decision lightly,” UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Robert A. Blouin wrote in an email announcement received by Newsweek.
Peter Hans, president of the University of North Carolina’s system, issued a statement Thursday responding to the NC State’s decision, accusing students of turning the school into plans.
“This hard work is undertaken by a very small number of students who behave irresponsibly on campus, which honestly punishes the vast majority of their classmates who follow the rules,” Hans said.
Meanwhile, administrators from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) returned the course Sunday, a decision likely influenced by the health and safety concerns presented at the three other schools.
UNCC Chancellor Sharon Gaber announced before students could even move on campus that school classes would begin as planned on September 7, but make them online only, and delay the start of instruction for individuals until October 1.
