NAU, GCU latest Arizona universities to move classes online due to virus
Mar 12, 2020, 3:06 PM | Updated: 5:17 pm
(Facebook photo/Northern Arizona University)
(Facebook photo/Northern Arizona University)
PHOENIX — Northern Arizona University and Grand Canyon University have become the latest Arizona campuses to transition to online courses amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Maricopa Community Colleges also decided on Thursday to extend spring break at all campuses by a week until next Friday.
NAU informed its community, faculty and students on Thursday that classes “will move to online instruction for at least two weeks, at which time the university will re-evaluate and provide direction for the remainder of the semester,” in an online statement.
The transition to online courses will occur on March 23.
NAU will remain open and operational with campus employees continuing to report to work, including duties related to maintaining university housing, computer labs, food service, Campus Health Services, research labs and all other university units.
NAU’s President Rita Hartung Cheng had initially announced that the campus would not be rearranging the structure of its courses.
Grand Canyon University President Brian Mueller also informed campus students, faculty and staff on Thursday that the university had decided to transition to online courses beginning on March 23.
Courses will continue as scheduled on GCU’s Phoenix campus through Friday.
The universities’ announcements came one day after Arizona State University and University of Arizona both announced their campuses would be moving their courses online.
