By ANA CEBALLOS

News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE –Florida officials have ordered state universities to shift to online classes and tell students to stay away from campuses for at least two weeks, in response to the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.

Florida State, Florida A&M and Tallahassee Community College have all announced closing of campuses for classes. This affects TCC Wakulla and Wakulla Environmental Institute campuses.

As the deadly coronavirus continues to spread, “it has become clear that to protect the students and the residents of our state, proactive rather than reactive guidance to universities is necessary,” officials with the state university system said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.

Under the directive, universities “should immediately transition to remote instruction” if students have returned to campus from spring break. Those schools include Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida Polytechnic University and the University of Florida.

University officials whose students are currently on spring break are being asked to tell them not to return to campus for at least two weeks following the break’s conclusion.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that asking instructors to prepare for online classes is “the prudent thing to do.”

“I think we are preparing to see more (CODIV-19) cases,” the governor told reporters at a press conference in the Capitol. “So I think it is prudent for them to do it and then they can reassess in real time as we go.”

While campuses will remain open and “operations will continue,” each university “is being asked to make adjustments to minimize the health risks to students, faculty and staff,” Board of Governors Chairman Syd Kitson and State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser said in a prepared statement.

“While students are encouraged to remain off campus, each university should develop a plan for providing residential accommodations for students who need assistance or must remain in place,” they added.

Florida State University officials announced Wednesday that the school “will shift to online instruction for all courses” for at least two weeks, beginning on March 23.

As of Tuesday night, 21 people have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Florida, according to data from the state Department of Health. Two of them have died from the respiratory disease.

The actions by the higher-education officials come as COVID-19 continues to spread.

FSU is “taking this action proactively to protect not only our campus community but the larger community as well,” university officials said in Wednesday’s statement. Residence halls will close at noon on March 14, the officials said.

DeSantis spoke with Kitson and FSU President John Thrasher prior to the announcements, according to the governor’s public schedule.

University of Florida officials earlier this week advised that faculty would be shifting from in-person to online instruction “as soon as possible.”

“While this is not a requirement at this time, there is a strong probability that it will become a requirement before the end of the spring semester,” UF officials said in a prepared statement Monday.

(EARLIER POST FROM WEDNESDAY:)

Tallahassee Community College, in concert with Florida State University and Florida A&M University, has proactively monitored and responded to daily developments as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread in Florida and across the United States. The three institutions are coordinating our responses in our community.



Our TCC team has been meeting regularly to assess and carry out protocols and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Florida Department of Health and other medical authorities.



Our highest priority remains the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. Therefore, we will shift to online instruction for all courses on March 23 for a period of at least two weeks.



Important Dates:



March 16 – The College will close for spring break and will use this time-frame to conduct deep disinfecting and cleaning. As previously communicated, all college-related travel out of district has been suspended until further notice.



March 23 – Faculty and staff will report back to their respective campuses after spring break. TCC leadership will meet and assess current conditions.



March 23 – April 5 – Classes will be held via online instruction. During the two-week period of online instruction following spring break, the College will remain open for normal business operations.



April 6 – Face-to-face classes are anticipated to resume.



Planning, Events and Social Distancing:



Students are encouraged to take with them any devices, textbooks and other materials they will need to continue their coursework remotely during the spring break and additional two-week period.



Events with an external speaker or external groups to campus between March 30 and April 6 should postpone, cancel or virtually conduct those events. Scheduled events after April 6 will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.



The College will continue to implement CDC-recommended social distancing on campus.



Information related to workforce programs (such as Welding, IMM, Commercial Vehicle Driving and HVAC) offered through TCC’s Division of Workforce Development can be accessed at TCC Resource Page.





College Administrators and Emergency Management officials will continue to take measures to protect the health and safety of our community.



Faculty and staff will play an important role in helping transition coursework to online content and continuing the operations of the institution. The College has established an Academic Continuity page that provides support for online teaching and learning. As such, faculty and staff who are well are expected to report to work as normal in their regularly assigned work locations.



During the next few weeks, the Office of Human Resources, in consultation with the College administration, will continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 and communicate any future adjustments impacting the workplace.



TCC will continue to closely monitor the situation and will share information as it becomes available. For the latest information from the College concerning COVID-19, please visit the TCC Resource Page.

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FSU SHIFTS FROM IN-PERSON CLASSES TO REMOTE CLASSES MARCH 23 FOR TWO WEEKS. UNIVERSITY REMAINS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. IN-PERSON CLASSES RESUME APRIL 6.

(POSTED 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2020)

Florida State University has proactively monitored and responded to daily developments as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread in Florida and across the United States.

Administrators campus-wide have met every day for several weeks to assess and carry out protocols and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Florida Department of Health, and other medical authorities.

Our highest priority remains the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. Therefore, we will shift to online instruction for all courses on March 23 for a period of at least two weeks.

FSU has a robust emergency plan in place and is fully prepared to provide instruction online or by other methods. We are taking this action proactively to protect not only our campus community but the larger community as well.

Important Dates:

March 14 – Residence halls will close at noon to visitors and for those residents who depart for spring break. Residents who stay may remain in the halls.

March 23 – April 5 – Classes will be held via remote instruction.

April 4 – Residence halls are anticipated to reopen at noon to visitors and those residents who traveled for spring break.

April 6 – Face-to-face classes are anticipated to resume.

Campus Operations:

• Beginning at the end of the academic day on Friday, March 20, and through at least April 4, Florida State University will move from face-to-face instruction to online instruction and other alternative methods.

• During the two-week period of online instruction following spring break, the university will remain generally open for normal business operations.

• Students are encouraged to leave campus for spring break and the two-week period after.