KENT, Ohio – After Kent State University learned of an employee who was in close proximity to a confirmed COVID-19 coronavirus case, the university decided on Sunday to close its residence halls.

Students who move out all of their belongings by March 20 are eligible for a refund, but anyone who does not return to campus to check out of their room will need to request an extension, and will not be eligible.

Many students moved out last week, while others left some belongings, since it was not clear if or when in-person classes would resume when Kent State encouraged them to leave campus on March 10. The university has transitioned to online classes for the remainder of the semester.

The employee, who is in isolation and being tested for COVID-19, performed maintenance work as recently as this past weekend in three residence halls – Fletcher Hall, Lake Hall and Olson Hall – and eight other university buildings: Center for the Visual Arts, Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Heer Hall, Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, MACC Annex, Schwartz Center, Taylor Hall and Williams Hall.

Kent State said it followed guidance from the Ohio Department of Health in notifying anyone who came into contact with the employee that they should self-quarantine for 14 days.

“Those who were in these buildings and did not come into contact with this employee are at low risk and do not need to take additional precautions,” a university spokesman said.

The university “deep cleaned” the areas that the employee entered on Sunday, and the buildings were available for use on Monday, the spokesman said.

But some students and their families are still worried about returning to campus. A parent who contacted cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, but preferred to remain anonymous, expressed concerns about the need to go to an area with “high exposure” in order to get a room and board refund.

The university spokesman reiterated that anyone who did not come into contact with the employee is low-risk.

The University of Akron, which has not reported any confirmed or suspected cases, announced Monday it is closing residence halls and will give students prorated credit for housing and meal plans. Students who have moved out but left some of their belongings should not come back to retrieve them, the university said. Those students will still receive prorated credit.

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