AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts and Hampshire College on Wednesday became the latest in a wave of colleges and universities to close their campuses to most students and switch to remote teaching after spring break due to COVID-19 fears.
Most students at UMass and Hampshire College, along with the rest of the University of Massachusetts system, will not be on campus until at least through April 3, according to statements released by the colleges. At UMass and Hampshire, remote instruction for students will begin on March 23 — the first Monday after spring break.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
As of last fall, UMass Amherst had an enrollment of 22,726 undergraduate students and over 7,100 graduate students. The broader UMass system, with five universities, enrolls around 75,000 students, according to a press release, and employs 18,000 faculty and staff members.
Hampshire College had an enrollment of 700-750 students as of last fall, which includes its newest class of 12 students who had been accepted prior to the announcement of the school’s financial difficulties early last year. Hampshire leadership has projected student enrollment to remain between 700 to 800 for the next three years, with a goal enrollment of over 1,000.
UMass President Marty Meehan said in the statement that the statewide system will be “implementing a remote teaching and learning plan that will protect the students, faculty and staff on our otherwise densely populated campuses.” The release also said that remote learning will consist of “web, video and teleconferencing tools.”
“We regret the disruption that this will cause, but are confident that all parties will agree that the well-being of those who live, work and learn on our campuses must come first,” Meehan said.
Hampshire College President Ed Wingenbach acknowledged the difficulties and challenges such a disruption makes to campus life in the statement, which was a letter addressed to the school’s community.
“This year we have come together as a campus community, and we are a stronger community for it. I hope we can work through this challenge together in that spirit,” Wingenbach said. “Our ability to enact this plan relies on everyone’s willingness to participate in good faith.”
Amherst College, Smith College and Mount Holyoke College shifted to remote learning earlier this week.
UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said in a message to the campus community that the provost’s office is working with deans “to identify laboratory, studio and capstone courses where face-to-face instruction is essential.”
“The students in those courses will be notified whether they will return to campus after spring break,” according to UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski. “We’ll be assessing the situation as it goes along.”
All international students will be allowed to stay on campus during this period, Blaguzsewski said, and the university is “doing contingency planning to be able to house them this summer as well” if circumstances in their home country, such as high infection rates, make it difficult or unsafe for them to return home. At Hampshire, international students will also be allowed to stay on campus during its closure.
But Subbaswamy advised all other students to “pack accordingly” for extended time away from campus, although those in extenuating circumstances may be granted exceptions. Students at Hampshire College with extenuating circumstances, such as Division III students whose projects require on-campus resources, can also apply to stay during this period; those approved are expected to stay in on-campus housing and avoid significant travel.
Those at Hampshire approved to stay on campus after spring break who have left or plan to leave campus will be required to submit details of their travel. They may also be required to self-quarantine for 14 days, depending on their itinerary, the letter said.
UMass officials said they will work with state and federal officials to assess the situation and determine next steps. UMass and Hampshire College will inform students no later than April 1 if remote instruction will be extended beyond April 6 — the first day students would return to class under the current, tentative timeline.
As for whether students will receive refunds for housing, meal plans or other services that they would typically receive on campus, that matter “falls into a set of questions that we need to work out,” Blaguszewski said.
“A lot of questions are going to emerge out of this, and we’re going to assess and evaluate and address them,” Blaguszewski added. “We made the most important ones over the past few weeks, and we’ll get to the others, absolutely.”
Steve Fox, a senior lecturer and sports journalism director at UMass Amherst, said he decided on Tuesday to begin moving classes online, citing what felt like an “inevitable” decision due to other college closings throughout the state and the country.
“I think the past couple days, things have rapidly changed,” Fox said.
The shift to remote learning “seems to be the format that a lot of universities are following, so it appears to be the right thing to do,” Fox said, though he harbors concerns over how the decision will impact students living and working on campus.
Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman said he anticipates significant effects from UMass moving to online learning.
“The university’s announcement will have a definite impact on the town of Amherst, its operations and its business community,” Bockelman said.
Bockelman said UMass is using a reasonable approach to leave room for revising the decision as more information becomes available.
Beyond the impact on commerce, there are other ripple effects from the unplanned changes, Bockelman said, including military veterans who depend on part-time jobs at UMass, public schools that rely on student interns to assist with classes and possible loss of transportation, with PVTA needing to make changes to routes as a number of student drivers depart.
State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, said in a statement that the decision is about protecting the health of the campus community and the larger community.
“This is a very tough situation, and demands real leadership, and that’s what we are getting from the chancellor,” Domb said. “We will not all agree with everything that is being done, and for many it will mean real inconvenience and hardship; but know that what is being done is a very informed best effort to protect all of us, students, the community, workers, faculty, all of us. And we will get through this.”
Domb said she also appreciates that special provisions will be made for students struggling with housing and food insecurity.
Staff Writer Scott Merzbach contributed to this report.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.