IU campuses suspend in-person classes due to COVID-19

Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Indiana, all IU campuses' courses will be taught online following spring break, from March 15 to 22.

Students will be taught remotely from March 23 to April 5 and are being encouraged to travel to their permanent homes during this time period. Visitors are also discouraged from coming to campus during this time period.

This decision to move classes online is a preventative measure to keep the IU community safe. According to the urgent message from President McRobbie, the best way to prevent the spread of the virus is to limit contact within large crowds. 

“I think it’s good to see the university take measures to help prevent the spread of the disease,” junior Steven Durham said. “The real problem will begin when everyone begins traveling for spring break this weekend.” 

Since COVID-19 has spread fast through Indiana in just under a week, the thought of the unknown is the motivation behind professors utilizing the Canvas for class. 

“This is certainly not business as usual. The spread of COVID-19 feels like nothing I've experienced before because I've never lived through a major epidemic,” English professor Deborah Oesch-Minor said. “It is okay [for students] to feel unsettled or upset. This is new territory.”

As IU has reached the middle of the semester, many students are concerned as to how this will affect grades and the outcome of the year. 

“It’s going to affect my grades so bad. I come to campus on the weekends to do work because I can not do work at home,” senior Suketu Patel said.

The idea of online class has some worried about losing the value of face-to-face lectures. 

“My big concern is the loss of having a ritual and my ability to hold myself accountable when I don't have to show up in person,” freshman Katy Hole said.

On-campus jobs are affected as well, as many student employees will either work from home, or go without pay. For students like Durham who is a video intern for IUPUI, working is going to be difficult. 

“[Interns] can work from home but in terms of creating content, we will not be able to move forward with any of our current projects until campus reopens,” Durham said.

IU will continue to monitor the growing situation of COVID-19. As of right now, no cases have been found on an IU campus.