Dozens of colleges across the country have responded to coronavirus concerns by trading in classroom instruction for online learning, or by taking even stronger measures by requiring students to move out of dormitories. The three colleges located in Wellesley — Wellesley College, Babson College, and MassBay — have put forth three markedly different responses to what the Centers for Disease Control calls an “emerging, rapidly evolving situation.”
Wellesley College says it so far “has not yet made a decision to do remote instruction at Wellesley, but we are giving that option serious consideration and will make a decision by the end of this week” in response to coronavirus concerns. Students have not been asked to leave school.
The College has, however, decided to temporarily suspend access to events for visitors from outside the Wellesley College community. The Carillon Open Tower (March 12) and the Midday Muse (March 19) have been cancelled. As of now, later events such as concerts and recitals will take place as scheduled, but only Wellesley College students, faculty, and staff may attend (with College ID).
MassBay also continues to hold classes at its Wellesley location, as well as its Ashland and Framingham campuses, and says it is “actively monitoring the global, national and regional news and information around the COVID-19 disease. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 among our students, faculty, or staff” as of March 10th. Students commute to the state school campuses, which do not have dormitories.
The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, in residence at MassBay, has pushed off its family concert scheduled for Sunday, March 15. The orchestra hopes to reschedule the event.
As we reported yesterday, Babson College in Wellesley has announced that all students must be out of residence halls by March 21, and that all classes will transition to fully online by March 13 and will remain online through the end of Spring semester.
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