University of Idaho administrators have started discussing the possibility of switching all classes to online-only coursework if public health officials recommend the switch due to a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker said.
According to UI’s website, there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Idaho. UI will continue to work with public health officials and monitor this status.
UI-specific updates can be found on the Vandal Health Clinic’s COVID-19 webpage.
Walker said the UI Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning has been in communication with instructors about the framework of a potential online switch.
As of now, UI does not have any current plan to change academic scheduling.
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Washington State University is also discussing the possibility of switching their classes to online-only, said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Bryan Slinker in a letter to WSU faculty.
“The more COVID‑19 spreads, the more urgency there is for WSU to prepare to teach out the Spring semester using a variety of distance methods as one of several responses to mitigate the impact of this disease.”
The Argonaut will continue to follow this as more updates become available.
Ellen Dennis can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ellenldennis