WASHINGTON, D.C. — Howard University announced Monday that it has canceled its 2020 commencement ceremony and will only hold classes online for the rest of the spring semester after a guest at a recent event on the campus tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
School officials also decided to close its residence halls at noon Sunday, March 22 upon learning that a guest at the Howard University Charter Day Dinner on March 7 had tested positive for the potentially deadly respiratory illness.
“We have consulted with medical and public-health experts and regrettably, our university leadership has arrived at the conclusion that a return to campus for face-to-face instruction will not be possible for the spring 2020 semester,” Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick said in a statement.
The announcement escalates Howard’s actions regarding the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak, which has reportedly infected 150,000 people worldwide as of Monday, including roughly 6,000 deaths.
The university announced last week that it would go to online-only classes for just two weeks following the March 14-22 spring break, but decided against reopening the campus after learning of the positive case. See full story in The Washington Informer at https://www.washingtoninformer.com/howard-u-cancels-2020-commencement-ceremony-after-confirmed-coronavirus-case/?fbclid=IwAR05P8HXlgb6kiadCO8a8EQMSEErF8G5juSmRHVMOucaY81gxU82Z2Whdv0
