EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University announced Saturday night they are suspending in-person classes for the rest of the semester and will be opting for virtual instruction instead.
MSU was the first university in Michigan to transition to online classes after state health officials confirmed the first two cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, March 10. Many colleges and universities in the state have since followed suit.
The East Lansing school originally planned to reinstate in-person classes on April 20.
"We were notified yesterday of our first confirmed case related to our MSU community, and we anticipate there will be more," the school said on Twitter.
The university is also encouraging employees to work from home. The spring commencement has also been postponed, and the university said it is making every effort to reschedule.
"The spread of coronavirus is very serious, and Spartans need to understand the critical importance of social distancing and how the virus can spread quickly in large crowds. We need everyone’s cooperation in this crisis," MSU said.
The campus will remain open, but any events with attendance over 100 people are being rescheduled or canceled through April 20.
"For some students, MSU is their permanent residence, and we will continue to care for them during this time," the update from the university said. Those students will be contacted by their residence hall.
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