UMass Amherst Transitioning All Classes to Remote Learning

Image

As efforts across the state, the nation and the world to contain COVID-19 continue to intensify, UMass Amherst has suspended all in-person classes, including laboratory, studio, capstone and graduate courses, until the end of the semester. This expansion of our previously announced transition to remote learning means that all classes, without exception, will be transitioned to remote learning. 

Residential students who have been granted permission to remain on campus over spring break may still do so but will need to depart from campus by March 21. All other students should remain away from campus until further notice. A small number of students who are dependent on campus living and dining will be accommodated and remain on campus.

To assist the campus community in the transition to remote learning, a dedicated suite of resources has been organized online: Disruption Resilience: Teaching, Communication and Collaboration Tools for Students, Faculty and Staff.

The decision to transition to remote learning is not motivated by any evidence that the campus is inherently unsafe at this point. Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy emphasized that the university made this difficult decision in an effort to significantly reduce the population density of the campus as a preventive measure to enable social distancing, a technique recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to mitigate the potential spread of the virus. The steps taken are intended to reduce the risk of infection for the students who are returning home, as well as for the essential employees and the small number of students who remain on campus.

The decision was announced by the chancellor in a March 13 message to the campus community.

More information is available on the UMass Amherst Response to the coronavirus website.