COVID-19 Update: University Open, Class Temporarily Suspended on Friday (March 13, 12:15 a.m.)
12 March 2020
This update was posted more than one month ago. Directions, policies, and safety measures may have changed during this time. To find the latest information, please consult the COVID-19 site or try searching the U of A website.
Posted: March 13, 12:15 a.m.
Update: March 13, 10:04 a.m: In-person exams and classes are suspended on Friday, March 13. See full message here
Late this afternoon, Alberta Health announced that certain large gatherings of people should be canceled to ward off the continued spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
While the University of Alberta will remain open on Friday, with all services available and all staff at work, classes are being suspended for the day. This will allow consultation with public health experts, government officials and other post-secondary institutions on appropriate next steps. Following this consultation, we will provide you an update no later than Sunday March 15th on the resumption of the majority of classes on Monday.
The safety of our university community is of the utmost importance for us, as we know it is for all parties involved in such decisions. While Alberta Health guidelines do not require the closure of schools, large research institutions are unique in their scale and diversity of experiences and we have heard from many of you that you that you want us to fully assess the situation. The University of Alberta, University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge – institutions that have classes with 250+ students - are all taking these measures.