Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thompson Rivers University has suspended in-person classes and is working on creating classes in online formats.

There will be no classes during the week of March 16 to March 20, with the week to be used for study and catch-up by students, while faculty works on creating virtual or alternate measures for teaching. Instructors will contact students directly with the plans going forward.

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The decision means there will be no lectures, seminars, labs, studios, field school or field trips at TRU’s Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses.

As of March 23, classes will resume in virtual or alternate formats, although the university is still trying to determine how to proceed with trades programs, given the need to be in the shops.

Internships, placements and practica will continue as normally scheduled and TRU Open learning is still operating, with registration open for courses. However, some face-to-face labs may be affected and students will be notified directly.

While TRU is shutting down in-person classes, campus services will remain open, meaning services such as libraries, student supports, administrative offices and study areas will be open. However, the university said, there may be some modification to hours or how service is delivered.

“These are unprecedented times at TRU and for our society,” TRU president Brett Fairbairn said in a statement. “The measures above are our way of helping to contain the spread of the coronavirus, while at the same time supporting students in their continued studies.”

TRU is also working on plans for spring and summer semesters.

For updates, go online to tru.ca/covid19.