LEXINGTON, Ky. — After extensive conversations with campus leadership, Transylvania University Interim President John Williams announced the following initial actions taken by the university in response to the current COVID-19 health crisis:
- Spring break is extended through March 20, 2020. Classes will be delivered remotely from March 23 through April 3.
- Staff and faculty will report for their regular hours the week of March 16-20. This extended break will allow them to finalize plans and receive additional training needed to move learning online for the two-week period.
- While the campus administrative and academic offices will remain open and operational, residential students are asked to return to their permanent residences, if at all possible, through April 5. Exceptions to this policy may be requested from the Office of Housing and Residence Life for students who cannot easily return home or who will not have access to the internet if they leave campus.
- International travel is suspended, effective immediately. This includes international sites for all May term trips and Transy-operated study abroad programs this summer in Ireland and Slovakia. Our Office of Global and Intercultural Engagement has been in contact with Transylvania students who are studying abroad, and we are helping them make arrangements to return immediately to the United States.
- Non-essential domestic business travel is suspended, effective immediately.
- Most on-campus events through April 5 will be rescheduled, including:
- The Kenan Lecture with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo on March 18 will be rescheduled for next academic year. Harjo will visit Transylvania in March 2021.
- The Judy Gaines Young Award presentation on March 17 will be rescheduled for a later date.
- The Crimson Compass admissions event scheduled for March 22-23 is canceled.
- On-campus tours for admissions will be cancelled through April 3.
- Rentals for outside organizations through April 3 are canceled.
- Per NCAA guidance, athletic events will be limited to athletes, essential personnel and a small number of guests.
Over the next few days, the university will continue to communicate directly with students, faculty, staff and the community with additional details.
Public updates on Transylvania’s response are posted at www.transy.edu/health-alert. The full text of President Williams’ message is available there.
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