Calvin is taking steps to slow the spread of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic. Classes will move online effective Monday, March 16, according to a campus wide email sent Wednesday night by President Michael Le Roy. 

Classes will be held on campus as usual Thursday, March 12, but will be cancelled Friday, March 13, to allow faculty to prepare online courses. According to Le Roy’s email, the intent is to resume campus instruction starting Tuesday, April 14.

Campus will remain open, and students have the option of staying on campus or going home. 

“We wanted students to be able to make the choice as to where they wanted to learn, and we wanted to be able to support the ones that did not feel like they could return home for any reason,” Le Roy said. 

Adjusted hours for the dining halls, Hekman Library, the gym and other university spaces will be available shortly. All events hosting over 100 people have been cancelled. 

All Calvin spring break trips have been cancelled. All Calvin international and domestic air travel has been suspended from March 16 to April 13.

Students will be asked tomorrow to let Calvin know whether they will be remaining on campus or going home during this time.

According to Le Roy and Vice President of Student Life Sarah Visser, they were on a conference call with Governor Gretchen Whitmer earlier today, consulting with the state government about how to handle the problem. Visser noted that staff and faculty from all over the campus have been consulted in the decision making process.

Le Roy wanted to emphasize that Calvin students are not the primary demographic at risk but that students can still carry the disease to at risk populations.

Visser echoed the statement, “It’s not just an individual decision — ‘Who do we isolate?’ It becomes more about what are the ways that we can best protect the health of all and not put anybody in our community or outside of our community in a vulnerable position as a result of our actions.”