In reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, an SE Alert was sent to the university campus community on March 13 announcing all university events on and off campus were canceled through April 17.

Associate Vice President for Student Life Bruce Skinner said this update does not include classes.

“University events are meetings like Math [Field Day] or History Day, or a university alumni event, not classes,” Skinner said.

This decision was made hours after President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak constitutes a national emergency. This followed the decision from the University of Missouri System schools announcement to suspend all in-person classes through the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.

The alert stated all River Campus events, performances and productions are canceled. First STEP orientation on March 27, Show Me Day on March 28, alumni events through April 17 have been canceled and Show Me Center events are postponed as well.

These include the 2020 Heartland Home and Garden Show on March 20 through 22, the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert on March 27, the March 24 and 25 PAW Patrol Live! and the Hot Wheel Monster Trucks LIVE April 17 through 19.

“As a reminder, the University issued a statement on March 12 that it would not conduct in-person classes the week of March 23 in an effort to limit the possibility of exposure to the coronavirus to the campus and Cape Girardeau community,” the SE Alert read.

For university updates on the coronavirus visit semo.edu/sealerts/covid-19 and https://www.southeastarrow.com/topic/covid-19-updates.