With the number of novel coronavirus cases continuing to climb, three area colleges are moving all of their classes to distance learning for the rest of the semester.
On Tuesday afternoon, Cameron University announced that all in-person events at its Duncan and Lawton campuses are canceled for the spring semester, including classes that can not be conducted without honoring social distancing guidelines and restrictions on the number of people gathered together. The campus is closed to the public through April 16.
Additionally, the school has canceled its ROTC commissioning, commencement and graduate hooding ceremonies scheduled for May 1.
Fall 2020 enrollment will proceed as scheduled, but summer enrollment will not be available until Tuesday.
In a video message posted Thursday, Western Oklahoma State College President Chad Wiginton announced all remaining spring 2020 classes will be conducted virtually starting Monday. No decision has been made yet regarding commencement ceremonies.
“You are our No. 1 priority,” Wiginton told students.
“We’ve been working so hard the last two weeks to make sure all the tools are in place for you to be successful as a virtual student. We’re all going to have to find our new routines, so please remember that all we can do is take this one day at a time.”
Southwestern Oklahoma State University has followed suit and moved its spring classes online as well. Its Weatherford and Sayre campuses are now closed to the public. Current students have access to one computer lab at the Weatherford campus and two at the Sayre campus, although the hours are reduced. Additionally, all in-person on-campus events are canceled through May 10.