Last week, President McCartney sent an email to inform the community that Smith College will suspend its operations in countries affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The college will also waive the Spring Break housing fee since some students may not be able travel internationally because of the outbreak.
“Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we have been closely monitoring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of State and the actions of governments worldwide,” the email states, “as we shape Smith’s response to the disease’s spread.”
Smith has followed the advice from the CDC by suspending operations—such as study abroad programs—in any country with a CDC alert-level 3 status. As of now, China, South Korea, Italy and Iran have reached this status.
Smith’s study-abroad program in Florence, Italy has been closed. Additionally, Smith has suspended student participation in programs located in China and South Korea.
The college has also waived housing fees to stay on campus for the upcoming spring break since students may not want to—or may not be able to—travel to destinations that are currently affected by the disease.
Although the COVID-19 disease outbreak began in Wuhan and China continues to have the most confirmed cases, the disease continues to spread globally affecting 90 countries, including the United States.
So far, there have been 226 confirmed cases in the United States which have resulted in 12 deaths. On a global scale, there have been 98,422 confirmed cases and 3,385 deaths.
The rise of COVID-19 cases in the United States has prompted the CDC to advise colleges and universities to consider postponing or canceling foreign exchange and study abroad programs.
Other colleges and universities, including Stanford University and New York University, have cancelled or made changes to their study abroad programming in accordance with the CDC’s suggestion.
While McCartney has assured there is no immediate threat to the Smith campus at this time, the college is foreseeing potential impacts on the 2020 Commencement, Reunion, and summer programs.
Smith is committed to keeping the community safe and updated on its course of action as the outbreak continues to impact the United States and countries abroad. McCartney has activated the COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT) who meet daily to issue guidance and policies for Smith in response to the COVID-19 disease.
Smith will keep community members updated as circumstances and plans continue to develop.
