Universities, colleges weigh options ahead of coronavirus concerns

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- As coronavirus cases in the United States increase, Colorado schools and universities are forced to make difficult decisions on how they move forward.

Colorado College in Colorado Springs is the first higher education institution in the state to move classes online due to COVID-19.

The University of Colorado in Colorado Springs (UCCS) has announced they will move classes online for two weeks following spring break.

"We're going to be going to online distance learning for the two weeks after spring break," said Jared Verner, a spokesperson for UCCS.

He says their main plan is to minimize in-person contact in large group settings.

"Online is a different environment. It's something that our faculty and students will have to adapt to. But this is the best way to keep them on pace to graduate and on pace for their studies," he said.

They announced their plan to go online the same day a student met the criteria for coronavirus screening Wednesday.

"We're still waiting for the results to come back, but in the meantime that student is taking the precaution to keep themselves out of contact and those kinds of things," Verner said.

UCCS says the library will remain open for students who don't have computers or good internet at home, a concern a student we spoke with brought up.

"My housing development is only college students and when a lot of us are home during a snow day it gets really spotty on internet service so that could be problem," said Bryce Larson.

Harvard, MIT, and other schools on the East Coast also announced they will temporarily halt in-person classes after spring break.