Portland State University Cancels In-Person Final Exams, Moves Spring Classes Online

The university is eliminating the option of in-person classes until the middle of next month.

Portland State University and the Park Blocks. (Henry Cromett)
By Aaron Mesh

Portland State University today cancelled all in-person final exams and moved its spring-term courses online through mid-April. The decision follows other schools around the nation, including the University of Oregon, that are teaching remotely amid a coronavirus pandemic.

PSU announced that starting Friday, March 13, all classes will be taught remotely or cancelled. Professors will contact students with instructions for remote exams, and when classes resume after spring break, they will all be taught online.

The largest higher-educational institution on Oregon by enrollment, PSU had taken a more gradual approach Wednesday, advising professors to teach remotely if possible. Now the university is eliminating the option of in-person classes until the middle of next month.

"Oregon public health officials notified universities this morning that stronger steps are necessary to respond to the spread of the virus," the university said in a statement.

Earlier today, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee closed schools across three Seattle-area counties. Portland Public Schools has not followed suit, but two elite private schools—St. Mary's Academy and Central Catholic High School—have moved their students to online classes.

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