Morehouse, Clark, Spelman cancel fall in-person learning due to COVID-19 concerns

All students at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Spelman college will continue remote learning in the fall due to the new surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, officials with the Atlanta University Center Consortium announced Monday.

According to the AUCC, the decision to cancel in-person learning was made after consulting medical experts and examining the current coronavirus rates in Atlanta and places around the country where students would be coming from.

Know how the COVID-19 outbreak is impacting Georgia

“The AUCC’s vibrant and interconnected community has a long tradition of collaboration, community and shared resources,” said Clark Atlanta University President George French, Ph.D, chair of the AUCC Council of Presidents.  “We announce this decision with a heavy heart.  We know how vital the in-person connection and bonds formed throughout the AUCC are to our students.  We wish the situation were different, but we must do our part to help support the health and safety of our community and we are committed to being part of the solution as we work together to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

As of Sunday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reports that there have been 143,123 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and 3,173 deaths since the outbreak began. Fulton County has the second-highest number of cases confirmed since the start of the outbreak, with over 13,000. 

Morehouse will keep most residence houses closed except for one facility that will be used to house around 40 international students and other students who have a critical need for housing.

Instead of in-person learning, the fall semester will be on a virtual platform. School officials say they have invested in improving technology and are working to expand student access to new computers.

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 “Morehouse College is committed to maintaining the quality and continuity of our academic program, whether students are on campus or learning remotely,” Thomas said. “The online curriculum will be rigorous, engaging, and relevant to future careers. We will offer signature experiences and continue to build a sense of community online.”

Morehouse classes will start for the fall semester on Aug. 19 and run until Nov. 20 with no fall break.

In a letter to the community, French said Clark University staff and faculty would continue to telework as well.

"We understand that many students will be heartbroken over this decision, but the overall wellbeing of Panther Nation is our highest priority," he said.

Clark has also created a Laptop Gifting Initiative, in order to give every financially enrolled undergraduate and graduate CAU student a free, new Dell Latitude 3400 laptop. The new laptops will be sent to the mailing address the school has on file for each student.

Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell echoed the other presidents' disappointment about having to shift to an online curriculum, but said "an honest appraisal of the evolving facts compelled us to change course."

Until Spelman officials determine that conditions have changed significantly, all residences will be closed and students will be not permitted to live on campus. The school does plan to help students who had previously leased a living space in Atlanta before the change.

Students at all three schools will also receive a 10% discount on tuition for the semester due to the shift to digital learning.

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