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Syracuse University will move all classes online Thursday as coronavirus cases skyrocket among students, marking an early end to in-person instruction for the fall 2020 semester.

The announcement from Chancellor Kent Syverud came nearly two weeks before SU intended to end in-person classes on Nov. 24. This is the second time SU has suspended in-person instruction since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time being March.

“Our community has done an extraordinary job navigating this semester in the face of so many challenges,” Syverud said in a campus-wide email. “We were so close to finishing the semester together with in-person instruction and activities on campus. I regret we have to pause now, but it is the right decision.”

Syverud made the announcement hours before the university’s COVID-19 dashboard confirmed 52 new cases among students since Tuesday. The university is also well beyond New York state’s limit of 100 positive tests in a fixed two-week period. Under the state’s guidelines, universities that record 100 positive coronavirus tests in a two-week span are required to suspend in-person instruction and limit on-campus activities.

“As we have done since the beginning of this pandemic, we must continue to prioritize the health and wellness of the campus and broader Syracuse communities,” Syverud said. “Even now, we have no documented cases of COVID-19 infection that have been traced to an exposure in the classroom.”

SU was monitoring 180 active cases among students and employees in central New York as of Wednesday, the most the university has had at any point in the fall semester. There are currently 491 students in quarantine.

SU will also pause all in-person and on-campus student activities, Syverud said. Libraries and indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, including the Barnes Center at The Arch and SU’s satellite fitness centers, will be closed starting Thursday. Greek life and other school, college and student organization-sponsored events are also suspended.

Students can reserve library items for pickup at Bird Library by appointment. Libraries will also offer delivery to on-campus buildings, such as residence halls.

Students may also continue to schedule and attend health or counseling appointments and visit the Dome testing center for COVID-19 testing.

The university’s dining halls will continue to provide grab-and-go meals for students, Syverud said. Other cafes and dining centers, including Eggers, Food.com, Life Sciences, Goldstein, Kimmel, Starbucks and the Faculty Center will remain open with normal hours, a university official said. Otto’s Juice Bar at the Barnes Center and Pages in Bird Library will be closed starting Thursday.

SU’s call to suspend in-person instruction comes as Onondaga County continues to report record-high numbers of coronavirus cases. The county confirmed 222 new cases of the virus on Wednesday, 66 of which were related to higher education, County Executive Ryan McMahon said in a virtual briefing. The number of cases reported Wednesday is the largest single-day increase that the county has seen since the start of the pandemic.

Students are encouraged to begin planning their testing and departure from Syracuse, and the university will work to accommodate students leaving early, Syverud said. SU will also provide accommodations for students who need to remain on campus into winter break.

The university has come close to exceeding New York state’s limit on positive tests multiple times this semester. At the height of an emerging coronavirus cluster in early October, the university missed the limit by 20 positive tests. During the last reporting period ending on Nov. 6, SU missed it by only 2.

SU will encourage students leaving campus early following the transition to online classes to receive COVID-19 testing at least three days before departing campus, said Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, in a campus-wide email.

Students shouldn’t leave campus to return home until they receive a negative test result, Hradsky said. Students who chose to leave before their results come in should take health precautions, including quarantining in their room at home, to protect their family and friends, he said.

While the rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide poses risks to SU’s ability to open safely, the university looks forward to welcoming students back to campus next semester, Syverud said. University officials have said that low case numbers in the surrounding area were instrumental in SU’s success in mitigating the virus’s spread early in the semester.

“I ask all to travel safely, and to know that we look forward to welcoming students back next semester,” Syverud said. “The University will remain in close contact with our campus community. And we will share frequent updates on our spring 2021 planning.”

Published on November 11, 2020 at 10:37 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3