UW, Seattle University classes moving online starting Monday

SEATTLE -- Starting Monday (March 9), classes at the University of Washington will be taught remotely through the end of the quarter that ends March 20.

According to the school's website, one member of the UW community – a staff member who works in Roosevelt Commons East, an off-campus building west of the Seattle campus – has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

The university made the announcement Friday, noting that classes will no longer be meeting in person as coronavirus cases increase and public health officials discourage large groups of people from convening in public if possible.

Seattle University made the same announcement Friday. Classes will be done online from March 9 through the end of the quarter on March 20, but the campus will remain open.

UW President Ana Mari Cauce said in an email to employees that although classes won't be taught in person, campuses will remain open for other services, including hospitals and clinics, dining services, residence halls, and recreation and athletics facilities. Husky athletics events will proceed as scheduled.

Cauce said for classes that aren't suited for online or remote learning, students could be graded based on the work that's been done up to this point. Faculty and graduate students will receive additional guidance, she said.

"Our goal is to make sure that students’ academic work is fairly recognized and that any disruption does not present a disadvantage to their future academic progress, including admission to their preferred major in the months or years to come," Cauce said in the email.

Crews will be deep cleaning classrooms, auditoriums, libraries and other public spaces while classes are being taught remotely.