UD cancels classes, asks students to leave campus Wednesday

Students at the University of Dayton's Marycrest residential complex say they are preparing to leave campus Tuesday night, March 10, 2020. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Students at the University of Dayton's Marycrest residential complex say they are preparing to leave campus Tuesday night, March 10, 2020. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

The University of Dayton is canceling classes and ordering students to leave campus Wednesday.

All UD students are asked to leave campus by 6 p.m. Wednesday — three days ahead of the start of spring break — and head home, it announced Tuesday evening.

For two weeks after spring break, beginning March 23, students will conduct classes remotely.

The university’s announcement comes following Gov. Mike DeWine’s calls for institutions of higher learning to suspend face-to-face instruction amid concerns of the coronavirus.

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The new guidelines on its response to the coronavirus calls for canceling international travel and for decisions about athletic team travel to be made on a “case-by-case” basis.

>> 3 Ohioans test positive for coronavirus; DeWine declares state of emergency

This is as the Flyers men’s basketball team is having one of the most successful seasons in the school’s history and the men’s and women’s teams are likely to participate in the NCAA’s March Madness tournament games.

The university created its “COVID-19 Resources” webpage the same day Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency after three Ohioans tested positive for the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

>> Dayton leaders react to Ohio’s first coronavirus cases

The guidelines for students also called for all university-sponsored international and domestic spring break programs to be canceled, and all summer study abroad programs also are canceled.

University-sponsored travel outside the continental United States is suspended as well.

>> What is the new coronavirus? 

A university group is meeting several times a week to coordinate UD’s short-term response and long-term business plans.

>> Ohio prepares for ‘long haul’ of coronavirus prevention

The university said it will update its webpage with the latest information, and is in contact with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Ohio Department of Health and Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County.

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