UMass extends spring break, moves courses online amid state of emergency

Mar 11, 2020

Dartmouth High School has canceled two trips to Europe and UMass Dartmouth will extend its spring break and offer courses online as coronavirus after Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts on March 10 following a surge in coronavirus cases.

UMass issued a notice to students and families announcing that spring break will be extended until Friday, March 20 and courses will be delivered online through April 3.

The number of people who tested positive for the illness in the state jumped to 92 yesterday, from just 13 over the weekend.

Spring break was scheduled to end on March 16, but will be extended four days due to the outbreak.

The notice sent out by school administrators also states that residence halls will not admit students until April 5, and that all courses will be delivered online from March 23 until April 3.

Residence halls will allow students with extenuating circumstances (including those from countries with travel restrictions and those whose legal residence is UMass Dartmouth) to petition the Office of Housing to stay in the halls.

All UMass Dartmouth events with audiences larger than 50 people are cancelled until April 3.

A spokesperson from the university had previously stated that all programs abroad in CDC Level 3 countries have been suspended, and students have returned to their homes to self-quarantine.

As of March 10, there are still no cases reported in Bristol County.