University officials throughout Midwest make changes due to virus

Officials at universities across the Midwest are telling students not to come back after spring break due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

The University of Minnesota is suspending all in-person instruction across all of its campuses.

U of M suspends in-person classes due to COVID-19 concerns

Coursework at all five campuses will be online until April 1.

The U of M is just one major school doing this.

University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are also telling students not to come back to campus after spring break. Meanwhile, all three of Iowa’s public universities are shifting to online classes starting later this month.

At the U of M, the move is unprecedented and affects 60,000 students. At this point, the university is not shutting down dorms or dining halls.

World Health Organization declares COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic

If a class can’t be taught online, the instructor will contact students for more information. And if students need to do group work, they can have virtual meetings through online systems.

However, some students said they worry if the setup will work for them.

Officials at other Minnesota schools, like the University of St. Thomas and St. Cloud State, say in-person classes will continue for now.

However, officials acknowledge that could change, based on this rapidly-evolving situation.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS also heard from an adult student in Georgia who is taking online classes at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

She said Hamline is still requiring students from all over the country to travel to campus in St. Paul for a residency this month.

Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) confirmed two more cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota, bringing the total number of cases to five.

KSTP’s complete COVID-19 coverage

What you need to know about COVID-19