Purdue University students will learn remotely for the rest of the spring semester, and the majority of students who live in on-campus housing are being urged to return home or find other accommodations.
Purdue President Mitch Daniels and Provost Jay Akridge announced their decision one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new policies regarding the ongoing spread of the new coronavirus, recommending that groups of 50 people or more should not gather for events. They noted that while the CDC guidelines do not apply to colleges and universities at the moment, that standard could change.
Daniels and Akridge also addressed how rapid alterations to travel rules could affect students, writing that “travel that is possible today may not be possible tomorrow.”
Students who live in campus residence halls will be given more guidance Tuesday about their next steps. Those who return because they have no other housing options will be allowed to do so.
On Sunday, Indiana University also cancelled in-person learning through the end of this academic year.