Wheaton College switches to online learning until further notice amid COVID-19 case spike

WHEATON COLLEGE has switched to online learning until further notice after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases on campus. / COURTESY WHEATON COLLEGE
WHEATON COLLEGE has switched to online learning until further notice after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases on campus. / COURTESY WHEATON COLLEGE

NORTON – Wheaton College announced late Thursday that the private college will transition to remote learning until further notice due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the campus community.

In a note to the community, Wheaton said the campus has seen 12 students and one non-student test positive for coronavirus in a single day – the largest one-day total Wheaton has had since testing on campus began in August – hence the need to switch to online learning.

Wheaton also said it has put in-person campus events on hold and canceled athletic practices until further notice. The college is also not allowing on campus students to visit other residential halls.

Residential students, starting Friday, are placed on a “modified quarantine,” Wheaton said. It allows students to only leave their residences for picking up take-out food, using bathroom facilities, get periodic fresh air, getting tested for the virus, attending medical appointments and going to work off campus.

- Advertisement -

Off-campus students are also restricted from the Wheaton campus until further notice, as well, the college said.

Wheaton’s switch to fully online learning due to a spike in cases makes it the third such local college to do so. Providence College and Johnson & Wales University also had to temporarily move classes to online earlier this semester because of COVID-19 outbreaks – each college has since returned to in-person learning.

Wheaton was also among the first colleges this past spring to announce its intention to return to campus life after switching to remote learning due to the pandemic.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

No posts to display