'It's Very Difficult To Fathom' | Maryland Colleges, Universities Move To Online Learning For Rest Of Semester Due To Coronavirus
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Colleges and universities across Maryland remain on break, and some will not return to face-to-face instruction this term amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Morgan State University will transition to online-only classes Monday. The university even postponed its spring commencement ceremony.
"It's very difficult to fathom that right now," Dr. Kevin Banks, Morgan State Vice President of Student Affairs, said.
Banks laid out how students will be learning online for the remainder of the term.
"One of our core values at Morgan is innovation, and we stress that a lot, however being able to pivot on a dime to really move into an innovation space is something many of our faculty and our students are challenged with right now," he said.
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Morgan State joins Loyola University, Goucher, Washington and McDaniel colleges as of Wednesday afternoon in announcing exclusively online instruction the rest of the school year.
Wednesday evening, Johns Hopkins University joined the growing list, announcing all in-person classes for the remainder of the semester are canceled. The university's spring commencement will be held virtually.
Notre Dame of Maryland University also canceled all face-to-face classes and events for the remainder of the spring semester. Online-only classes will begin Monday for the University.
"Everyone wants to be a part of flattening this viral curve and this is the only way to do it," Dr. Roger Casey, McDaniel College President, said.
McDaniel College is getting its faculty up to speed during its spring break.
"One of the virtues of a liberal education is it gets you ready for adaptation and change, and we're getting that tested now," Casey said.
Back at Morgan State, President David Wilson announced Tuesday spring commencement will be postponed.
"Postpone with a strong commitment to make sure it's rescheduled in late August and/or December," Banks said.
Other Universities as of Wednesday have told students classes may resume as early as next month, but educators cite rapid changes as a sign of things to come.
"One of my friends said, 'I feel like I am on a roller coaster in a hurricane trying to do a 10,000 piece crossword puzzle,' and that's kind of how we all feel right now," Casey said.
As of right now, admissions is still moving on as planned at many of these colleges and universities, but these schools are closed to students.
Arrangements are made for some on a case-by-case basis.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
