3/12 Update: Cabrini has announced that all classes will move online for the rest of the semester. Please read the update here for more information.
At the time of this article, Cabrini does not plan to close its campus as a form of prevention from the coronavirus. However, in the event of even a single outbreak, students and faculty should be prepared for campus-wide closures, according to Brian Eury, chief of staff and vice president of external relations.
There is a coronavirus task force that meets weekly and communications from the task force will be published accordingly, with other information being distributed as necessary. This task force represents all parts of the campus community including marketing, student-life, deans of academic affairs and athletics, with oversight from the president’s office.
Cleaning efforts on campus have been “dialed up,” said Eury.
According to Eury, the current plan is to continue to follow emergency operations plans that have been in place for the past six to seven years. The school will continue to follow guidelines set by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the ACHE (American College of Healthcare Executives).
As recommended by the CDC, everyone should be washing their hands often, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and practice good hygiene.
The goal will always be to update and communicate the campus community as information is made available.
“If we were to close it would be for a pilot test of online classes and telecommuting,” Eury said.
As plans for virtual learning are coming into place it is encouraged that both students and faculty prepare.
The Cabrini community will always “err on the side of caution,” Eury said.
Students who do not have a personal computer for virtual learning are encouraged to talk to their adviser or other faculty member to let the school know that they lack the necessary tools to succeed. Eury suggests that any students who are behind on the syllabus should get caught up as much and as soon as possible as a means of preparation.
It is encouraged that students think twice about out-of-state travel, concerts and other large events to limit possible exposure.
Professors, faculty and staff should have plans in place for their classes to be digital. Testing online modality and telecommunication abilities are important steps in being prepared.
“We need to have a test run in place,” Eury said. The school community is doing what it can to be prepared and that includes contingency plans.
Eury said that even one case within the Cabrini community would trigger shut-down protocols and implementation of virtual learning.
Guidelines from the CDC, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Montgomery County and Delaware County are all taken into consideration when deciding how and when to implement these contingency plans.
There will be “consistency across campus” in terms of operations functioning. This means, if classes are canceled, then residence halls will close and dining operations will be discontinued.
“There are going to be exceptions to every rule,” Eury said. For students that wish to remain on campus, they should contact student life and it will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The school community is understanding that some students may want to remain on campus as they feel more secure.
In the event of an outbreak, students can expect to see classes move to a digital format. In the event that this is a long-term closure, Eury said, “If we have to, we will find a way to comply with the guidelines.”
A challenge the Cabrini administration is facing is that some institutions are closing and using their spring break time to clean as well as plan and test for future possibilities. Cabrini is working “to determine best practices,”
For graduation, plans have not changed yet, but contingency plans are being built in case the situation does not allow for large gatherings.
For the most up-to-date information and communication from school officials, visit the home-page news feed, https://www.cabrini.edu, and the health updates section of health services at https://www.cabrini.edu/about/departments/health-services/health-updates.
This news feed also contains the latest message from President Donald Taylor.
Not closing the school until there’s an outbreak is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re asymptomatic for 2 weeks, by the time you close the school, you’ve exposed more people. And your task force doesn’t sound like it has any medical professional, which is terrifying.
Deciding not to close until one outbreak is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re asymptotic for 2 weeks, so by the time you close, you’ve already infected more people. Disgusting, I have no respect for this school anymore.