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Syracuse University will accelerate its transition to online-only classes after reaching 132 active coronavirus cases among students and employees on Tuesday. Of the active cases, 50 were reported among students in the past 24 hours.

The university announced plans Monday to move classes online on Nov. 16 to account for an increase in cases in central New York and to accommodate students moving out early. An unparalleled spike in case numbers among SU students may force the university to move up that timetable, Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie said in a campus-wide email Tuesday.

“Today, the rate of new COVID-19 infections across the United States and in Central New York reached record levels,” Haynie said. “Syracuse University is experiencing what public health experts predicted—a resurgence of the virus in late fall and throughout the winter months.”

The 50 infections SU has reported since Monday surpass the university’s previous single-day record for cases by more than twice. According to the university’s fall 2020 reopening plan, SU would confine students living on-campus to their dorms and floors if the number of infections among students exceeds 100 and the university has low confidence in its ability to track new cases.

The spike in cases at SU comes as Onondaga County reports a drastic increase in case numbers. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon warned today that Wednesday would bring another record-breaking wave of cases to the area.

Students who enter a county-mandated quarantine ahead of their scheduled departure from campus will remain in  university housing as long as directed, Haynie said. SU will keep students who are required to enter quarantine or isolation through winter break if needed, he said.

“We will accommodate all these students, for whatever time period required, so that our students can complete their directed isolation or quarantine safely and in compliance with public health directives,” he said.

The university will provide more information in the coming days concerning when the transition to online-only instruction will take place. The situation is rapidly developing, Haynie said.

“This news is neither welcome nor comforting,” Haynie said. “As this resurgence of COVID-19 continues, we fully expect this situation to remain fluid. It is likely public health guidance may evolve quickly and regularly.

Published on November 10, 2020 at 5:28 pm

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu