Chapel Hill Review

In response to a spike in COVID-19 cases on campus, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has shifted its academic classes to remote learning for the foreseeable future.

Since it reopened to in-classroom instruction, university officials said in an Aug. 17 letter that 954 students were tested resulting in 177 put in isolation and 349 in quarantine, either in on- or off-campus settings. The switch to remote learning started on Aug. 19.

“Given the number of positive cases, we are making two important changes to de-densify our campus,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz and Executive Vice Chancellor, Provost Robert A. Blouin said in the letter. The top university officials also said that the campus health department reported a positivity rate increase from 2.8% to 13.6%.

The shift to remote learning at the university, however, does not impact graduate, professional and health affairs. In anticipation of undergraduate residential students looking to change their housing plans, UNC will honor cancellation requests without penalty, Guskiewicz and Blouin said in the letter.

"At this point, we haven’t received any information that would lead to similar modifications at any of our other universities," Guskiewicz and Blouin said in the letter. "Whether at Chapel Hill or another institution, students must continue to wear facial coverings and maintain social distancing, as their personal responsibility, particularly in off-campus settings, is critical to the success of this semester and to protect public health."