Carnegie Mellon University

COVID-19 Updates

Information and resources for the CMU community

Scotty with mask and vaccination bandaid
March 10, 2020

Online Teaching In Effect for CMU Silicon Valley and CMU Qatar

Dear CMU Faculty and Staff:

There continue to be no confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among Carnegie Mellon students, faculty and staff on any of our campuses or in the city of Pittsburgh. I am writing with an update about two of our campuses responding to their local conditions at CMU Silicon Valley (CMU-SV) and CMU Qatar (CMU-Q).

Effective immediately, CMU-SV is moving classes online. While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at CMU-SV, this comes as a cautionary measure after NASA Ames Research Center, which is adjacent to CMU-SV, reported that one of its employees has tested positive for COVID-19. Non-essential employees at CMU-SV will work remotely for the foreseeable future.

In Qatar, where the government has suspended in-person classes for all college students, CMU-Q courses will go online this week. Classes are postponed on Tuesday and Wednesday to ensure faculty and teaching support staff have the tools, resources and training they need for remote instruction. Classes will resume online on Thursday, March 12 and will remain online until further notice.

At this time, there are no changes to our other campuses, including Australia and Rwanda.

These are unusual circumstances and the efforts and collaboration of CMU's schools, colleges and departments are paramount. We have a shared responsibility to ensure that we fulfil our education mission and protect the health and safety of our campuses.

Please know we have been planning for these online teaching scenarios. We are in contact with all CMU locations and making plans to expand online instruction, if necessary. Pittsburgh faculty will receive a detailed email with specific information about the preparatory steps we are asking them to take over Spring Break to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning as well as the resources and support available to them.

I am grateful to the College of Engineering Dean Bill Sanders and CMU-Q Dean Mike Trick and their teams for their leadership of the Silicon Valley and Qatar campuses.

As a reminder, please refer to CMU's coronavirus website, which continues to be updated with the latest official university information and guidance. A direct link to that information has also been added to the CMU homepage.

The health and safety of our community remains our top priority. I know this is a time with much uncertainty, but we will maintain our mission by working together. Please be vigilant about your personal health, wash your hands properly, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay home if you are sick and support each other.

Sincerely,
Jim Garrett, Provost