Pepperdine Announces All Classes to Move Online Due to Coronavirus

Pepperdine University announced Wednesday it would be moving all students to online-only classes through the end of the semester.

According to the Pepperdine Graphic, students living on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus have been told they must move out of their dormitories and apartments by 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 15.

This move makes Pepperdine the latest in a growing number of colleges and universities across the country moving classes online in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus across campuses. Coronavirus, which causes the disease Covid-19, has been found in at least 16 patients in Los Angeles County, with the first presumed case of community transmission reported over the weekend.

“With the health and safety of our students as the top priority, all in-person classes will transition to an online format for the remainder of the semester,” Pepperdine’s statement reads. This announcement comes on the heels of the university’s decision to close all international campuses, which was announced on Tuesday. Students attending the Pepperdine program in Shanghai, China, were sent home in January, followed by students enrolled at Pepperdine Florence and Lusanne, and finally, London and Buenos Aires. 

“The university has also announced that all non-essential Pepperdine events with expected attendance of 100 or more through the end of March will be canceled or postponed,” the Pepperdine announcement read. 

The final day of in-person classes was scheduled to be Friday, March 13.

Pepperdine President James Gash made the announcement in a letter addressed to the Pepperdine community. 

“We fully appreciate that these steps are inconvenient—even disruptive—and unlike any we’ve ever had to take before,” Gash’s letter concluded. “Please know these decisions are made with great care, and with your health and safety as our top priority. [My wife] Joline and I are praying for each of you and those impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak around the globe. We are grateful for your understanding, your partnership and your confidence in Pepperdine University.”