As COVID-19 Cases Increase, Towson University Makes Changes

TOWSON, MD — Due to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases among students, Towson University is making changes to reduce the spread of the infection.

In the last day, the University Health Center has received reports of 112 new positive cases, the vast majority of them among the student population, officials reported Friday, calling it a "significant increase."

Staff and faculty cases are in the single digits, officials said.

University officials announced the two changes Friday morning.

• Final exams will all be administered virtually.
• In addition, the dining hall is shifting its services to a carryout, grab-and-go model.

Both changes will take effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17, after consultation with the university's medical advisory committee and COVID response leadership team.

"That said, the university is not closing," officials reported. "Today's decisions were driven by the effort to de-densify settings where large gatherings are taking place."

On Thursday, university officials announced two other shifts to reduce gatherings through Dec. 31:

• Large events of over 750 attendees will be limited to 50 percent of capacity.
• Nonacademic and nonessential indoor events involving food and drink are canceled.

In September, the university decided to postpone its December commencement until May.