P-J file photo by Jordan W. Patterson Regarding Governor Cuomo’s announcement Wednesday afternoon, rather than closing, JCC’s goal is to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19 on all SUNY campuses. In contrast, the University of Pittsburgh, which includes the Bradford campus, will move to online classes beginning March 23 for the remainder of the spring semester.

Nearby post-secondary facilities– Jamestown Community College and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford — are approaching the Coronavirus pandemic differently.

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, the University of Pittsburgh, which includes the Bradford campus, will move to online classes beginning March 23 for the remainder of the spring semester. To prepare for the transition to online instruction, classes were canceled this week.

“The health and safety of everyone in the campus community, as well as our neighbors in the region, is our first priority,” said Pat Frantz Cercone, university spokeswoman. “Therefore, the university is taking precautions to avoid further spread of the virus. We have been preparing for this scenario for several days and are continuing to work out the details to make this transition to online classes as seamless as possible for our entire campus community and their families.”

In addition, all campus events have been canceled for the foreseeable future, and some have been postponed. A decision about Commencement will be made at a later time.

In addition to moving classes online and canceling events, the university has canceled summer study abroad trips and all university travel, both domestic and international. The university also is discouraging all personal domestic and international travel. Students attending Pitt-Bradford are discouraged from coming to campus to pick up their belongings. However, if they need to retrieve their belongings, they will receive information on how to do so.

Jamestown Community College is not closing. Regarding Governor Cuomo’s announcement Wednesday afternoon, rather than closing, the goal is to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19 on all SUNY campuses, both inside the classroom (using alternative/distance modes of delivery, and accommodating special circumstances, i.e. labs, clinicals, internships, etc.) and outside the classroom (open houses, athletic events, community events, etc.).

All JCC sites and residence halls have remained open. JCC’s academic team is working to be ready to transition to distance learning delivery, where appropriate, by March 19. Following March 19, distance delivery will remain in effect, where appropriate, until further notice and possibly until the end of the semester. JCC will accommodate labs, clinicals, internships, and other special circumstances as best it can on a case-by-case basis.

JCC’s administration announced it will review the JCC calendar of all events between March 19 and commencement on May 15 and 16, and develop guidelines on whether or not those events will occur.

Mass suspensions and cancellations have occurred in recent days due to the pandemic. The Times Observer will continue to update those when notified.