With the growing concern over the coronavirus as the virus continues to creep into the United States, Loyola is getting prepared should the situation worsen.

Loyola sent out an email to faculty and staff with its plan to move all classes online on Blackboard should a possible outbreak occur.

“The safety and well-being of our campus community is always top of mind and we strive to be prepared for any emergency – whether that’s a coronavirus outbreak in New Orleans or evacuation during hurricane season or other eventuality,” said Maria Calzada, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This means thinking ahead, ensuring that we are prepared to teach online if necessary so that our students are able to complete their studies on time, regardless of the circumstances.”

The email was sent in light of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Texas, Florida and Georgia with numerous deaths in Washington state. In the email sent to faculty, Calzada mentioned that the Centers for Disease Control could place a ban on all social gatherings which includes schools. Calzada also said that if that were to happen then the university would be prepared.

“Our faculty know they are expected to teach online in the event of an unforeseen campus closure, and our dedicated faculty have always responded to this call very creatively.” said Calzada. “Many of our faculty have undergone extensive training on best practices for online teaching.”

According to Calzada, Loyola regularly prepares for emergencies of all kinds and has emergency response and crisis communication teams constantly in place and that last Friday, University President Tania Tetlow led a strategic planning meeting of these teams to discuss preparations and any needs in the event that a case of the coronavirus is confirmed in New Orleans or on campus.

If there is a suspected case of the coronavirus, Calzada said that the first step the university would take before making any decision would be to consult with the Centers for Disease Control. Alicia Bourque, Loyola chief student affairs officer, would also be in close contact with the Louisiana Department of Health and Human Services. Tetlow would then make the final decision on whether to temporarily close the campus after receiving input from residential life, academic affairs, facilities and human resources.

“President Tetlow is always one step ahead of the game and in this case, we are already considering potential variables and what that might look like, from IT needs and communication to workforce impact,” said Calzada.

Faculty have been told to complete a Blackboard readiness check to prepare their classes for a possible move to online-only. According to Calzada, while the university is taking extra precautions, they feel prepared due to their extensive preparations for hurricane evacuations and don’t expect classes to change too much.

“It’s a wonderful development in the digital age that we know we could move to teaching online swiftly and continue our academics with minimal disruption to students’ academic progress and plans toward graduation,” said Calzada.