Final exams will still take place when possible, but they'll have to be take-home exams. If a remote class or exam isn't an option, Stanford will let professors look for alternatives to those methods or even submit grades based on work to date. The campus itself will remain open, although Stanford is encouraging remote work when it's an option.

The news came as two students were self-isolating after possible exposure to the new coronavirus, although neither had tested positive as of this writing.

Stanford is unlikely to be the only school using online classes to minimize the chances of coronavirus infections, but it's certainly a high-profile example. If the online shift goes well, it could also serve as a template for other academic institutions that want to offer remote classes on a large scale, whether or not their decision is prompted by a health crisis.