UNR to switch to remote learning after Thanksgiving, cancel spring break

The decision comes amid rapidly rising COVID-19 case numbers among students — numbers significantly higher than at Southern Nevada colleges and universities.

UNR has reported 581 cases among students and 42 among faculty/staff since the pandemic began, according to its online case tracking dashboard. And 111 of those — 107 among students and four among faculty/staff — came in last week alone.

New UNR President Brian Sandoval, who’s in his first week on the job, wrote in a Friday message on the university’s website that there’s concern about “holiday travel in which many of our students could be potentially traveling back and forth between campus and their family’s homes.”

Following fall break — which is Thanksgiving weekend — all UNR classes will be switched to remote instruction starting Nov. 30 for the rest of fall semester, according to the announcement.

UNR’s approximately 2,400 students living in residence halls are being asked not to return to campus after Thanksgiving for the rest of fall semester “unless they have a hardship or extenuating circumstances and must remain in the residence halls,” Sandoval wrote.

Affected students will receive information about prorated refunds for room, board and parking, according to the message.

Following Thanksgiving break, students will be able to receive academic and support services — including tutoring and advising — virtually.

Faculty members are expected to receive more information early next week from the provost’s office about the switch to fully remote instruction, Sandoval said.

UNR also announced Friday that spring semester will begin Jan. 25 — one week later than originally scheduled — and spring break week will be canceled.

“I realize that these measures require a level of sacrifice for all of us,” Sandoval wrote. “They are designed to reduce our community’s risk of exposure to COVID-19 by limiting holiday travel and further reducing our campus’ density over the final days of this semester. Losing spring break will be a disappointment to many. But an uninterrupted spring semester, coming on the heels of our adjusted end to the fall semester, gives us our best chance to ‘Protect the Pack.’”

Sandoval said UNR officials have consulted with the Washoe County Health District and “with their full support, we must continue to adapt to changing conditions.”

Within the last few weeks, one in nine COVID-19 cases in Washoe County has been associated with UNR and the 18-to-24-year-old age group has accounted for the largest number of new cases, Sandoval wrote. And Washoe County is among only two Nevada counties currently flagged for elevated disease transmission.

In a Friday statement, Washoe County District Health Officer Kevin Dick said: “I believe the adjustments to increase COVID-19 health and safety are a good path forward to decrease COVID-19 transmission at the University. I fully support the measures and applaud President Sandoval for taking seriously the health and safety of students, faculty, other employees, and our greater community.”

Friday’s decision at UNR comes after outgoing UNR President Marc Johnson issued two messages earlier this fall about case numbers and the link with off-campus parties.

And Sandoval announced Tuesday that the university won’t have fans at its football season opener Oct. 24 against Wyoming at Mackay Stadium, with the exception of family members of athletes. And the university closed its E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center effective Thursday night for the rest of the semester.

In a Twitter post earlier this week, Sandoval wrote that 60 COVID-19 cases were traced back to the fitness center and half of those people were at the center while infectious.

“These individuals unknowingly put the health of the facility’s other users and Wiegand staff at risk,” he wrote.

Six Wiegand employees also tested positive, Sandoval wrote. “Despite the best efforts by Wiegand staff to clean the facility and to socially distance its occupants, more needed to be done in order to #ProtectThePack.”

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.