The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University announced Friday that they will not be resuming in-person classes for the semester.

Both schools have also encouraged students not to return to campus except to facilitate moving out of the dorms.

Students are encouraged not to return to campus this semester (except to facilitate move-out.)



Students living on campus will be required to return home, or to a non-campus housing arrangement, on or before Sunday, March 22. — The University of Toledo (@UToledo) March 13, 2020

According to the University of Toledo, "students living on campus will be required to return home, or to a non-campus housing arrangement, on or before Sunday, March 22."

Both schools are also making arrangements for students who cannot leave campus. The University of Toledo says the administration is aware that there may be some exceptions and extenuating circumstances that require some students to stay on campus. They did not elaborate on what those circumstances might be.

Meanwhile, Bowling Green State University said, in a message to students, "for some of our students, the best place for them is at BGSU. Thus, we are committed to honoring each student's contract if they wish to stay in our residence halls. For those students who choose to forego their housing and meal plans prior to the conclusion of the spring semester, we are developing an appropriate model that is financially fair and equitable."

The move comes a day after The Ohio State University made the same call, a move which followed similar actions by schools like Harvard and Smith in Massachusetts.

Earlier in the week, colleges and universities across the state chose to switch from in-person classes to online-only classes, with some exceptions for lab or studio courses.

On Tuesday, BGSU joined The Ohio State University, the University of Toledo, the University of Akron, Lourdes University, and Kent State and canceling all in-person courses through the end of March.

Bowling Green announced they would be holding online-only courses from March 23-April 6. Akron and Toledo have canceled all large events (more than 100 people) through April 20 and April 30, respectively. Bowling Green's large events are suspended through April 17.

A complete list of local changes is as follows:

University of Toledo: Canceled 3/16-17, Online-only through the end of the semester

BGSU: Online-only from through the end of the semester

University of Findlay: Online-only through at least April 14. Canceling all events university-sponsored or on university property until April 14.

Lourdes University: Online-only through 4/1 with exception for labs and studios, Indoor athletic events closed to public

University of Akron: Online-only through 3/30, Large events canceled through 4/20

Kent State University: Online-only until 4/10 (with Spring break from 3/23-29), Face-to-face classes will resume 4/13

Ohio University: Online-only until end of the semester

Miami University: Online-only until 4/12. Residence halls, dining halls and all campus services will remain open. More guidance on lab, studio and performance classes coming later in the week

Owens Community College: Online classes will continue and students in internships, clinicals and directed practices should report as scheduled unless otherwise notified. All other classes are cancelled Wednesday through March 22. Beginning March 23 classes will be transitioned to alternative delivery.

Terra State Community College: Spring break is extended one week. On March 23, on-campus courses will resume online. Students should not report to campus.

E-mails sent to students, faculty, and the media all cited similar reasoning, including recommendations made by Governor Mike DeWine during an afternoon press conference. In that statement, the governor recommended that all large indoor gatherings be canceled, which included a recommendation that schools put students on remote learning.

In their letter, OSU President Drake said, "One of the best ways to prevent the spread of viral illness is to minimize the circumstances in which individuals may interact and transmit disease."

OSU students will complete classes online, and they're also free to return to their, "permanent place of residence or return to campus, where appropriate social distancing and enhanced preventative public health and hygiene measures will be actively encouraged."

Both The University and Toledo and the University of Akron announced they would suspend all classes for a few days in order to give faculty time to transfer their usual in-person courses to online learning.