Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Community Update – March 10

Posted on March 10, 2020, 4:18 PM Updated on March 24, 2020, 1:57 PM

The global impact of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues to develop this week as University officials monitor and respond to this dynamic situation. The University has no known cases of COVID-19 on any of its campuses and is responding on a case-by-case basis to the outbreak’s ongoing impacts. 

As the University considers the current circumstances abroad alongside numerous other determining factors, Pepperdine and Seaver College officials have made the decision to suspend Seaver’s international programs in London and Buenos Aires for the rest of the spring 2020 term. Students in these programs will attend classes through this Friday, March 13 while the University prepares for their departures. Like students who are returning from Florence, Heidelberg, and Lausanne, students returning from London and Buenos Aires will complete their coursework remotely for the duration of the semester.

At this time, Seaver College’s program in Washington, DC, will remain open, and academic programming for students will continue as scheduled. University officials are also in the process of evaluating international travel for summer 2020, including all Seaver college international programs, graduate school global programs, and other University-sponsored trips. 

Pepperdine continues to prohibit University travel and strongly discourage personal travel to countries with a current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Level 2 or 3 Travel Health Notice for COVID-19. In accordance with Pepperdine’s COVID-19 Interim Travel Restrictions, the University will restrict community members from coming to University campuses for 14 days after returning to the US from these countries. Students and employees will assume all responsibility, including any consequence related to an inability to complete their coursework or fulfill their job duties immediately following their return. 

As always, you are encouraged to stay informed with the latest information on the outbreak and to continue to practice healthy habits to prevent the spread of illness. The latest information can be found on the University’s COVID-19 website and Emergency Information Page. Additional information and regular updates about the coronavirus can be found on the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and L.A. County Public Health websites.