Lafayette College announced in a memo earlier today that it will move all classes online and heavily restrict on-campus living this fall semester due to the worsening COVID-19 crisis.
The announcement, signed by President Alison Byerly, said only a limited number of students “may receive permission” to live on campus, including international students.
The college also decided to forego its planned tuition increase and further cut tuition 10 percent.
“Our community is best served by maintaining social distancing in miles rather than feet,” Byerly wrote, calling the decision “painful” and “immensely disappointing.”
Byerly cited the “increased spread” of coronavirus nationwide, especially among “younger populations,” and the impact this resurgence has had on testing supplies, as reasons for the decision. Lafayette had previously announced it would open campus under a hybrid model.
“Given the dramatic changes that have taken place in the national landscape since we formulated our plan in early June, we now believe that these goals are best met by a curriculum of engaging and rigorous online courses, and a minimal student population on campus,” Byerly said.
Lafayette also announced in its memo that it has invested nearly $1 million in new technology over the last two months to be fully equipped for online instruction.
Lafayette will join Dickinson, West Chester University and East Stroudsburg University as another Pennsylvania school to announce it will conduct classes entirely online this semester.
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