All UNC Undergrad Classes To Go Full Remote Amid COVID Fear

NORTH CAROLINA — Two weeks after students began moving back to campus and one week after classes began, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill abruptly announced Monday that all undergraduate students would end in-person classes and shift to remote learning as of Wednesday.

Prior to the Aug. 17 announcement, UNC residence halls were at less than 60 percent capacity and in-person classes less than 30 percent capacity.

"In just the past week (Aug. 10-16), we have seen COVID-19 positivity rate rise from 2.8% to 13.6% at Campus Health," UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement Monday. "As of this morning, we have tested 954 students and have 177 in isolation and 349 in quarantine, both on and off campus. So far, we have been fortunate that most students who have tested positive have demonstrated mild symptoms."

While undergraduate courses will be taught online, graduate, professional and health affairs schools with continue to be taught as they are or as they're directed by their schools. Residence hall commitments may also be cancelled for fall 2020 with no penalty, the school said.

More information about the announcement may be found here.