Syracuse University to Suspend Academic Program in Madrid

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community:

This afternoon we learned that Spain’s national government and Madrid regional authorities made the decision to close all schools and universities in the country’s capital beginning Wednesday, March 11, to prevent the further spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Given this new information, I am writing this evening to inform you that Syracuse University will suspend our academic program in Madrid for the rest of the semester.

We are disappointed for our Madrid students, whose once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity is being cut short. We are working with these students on their plans to return to the United States as well as how best to maintain their academic continuity through remote coursework.  The University community should be aware that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has no elevated risk for Spain at this time. And while these students pose no risk to the Syracuse University community, they will not return to campus until after spring break. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Erika Wilkens, associate provost and executive director of Syracuse Abroad, at 315.443.9423 or ewilkens@syr.edu.

The University will continue to monitor conditions in other areas where our students are currently studying abroad, including London; Strasbourg, France; and Santiago, Chile. Any new decisions about those abroad programs will be communicated swiftly.

And we will continue to review and assess current information available to us from the CDC, the World Health Organization, the New York State Department of Health and the Onondaga County Health Department, among others.

For the most up-to-date information about how Syracuse University is addressing COVID-19, visit Syracuse.edu/coronavirus.

Sincerely,

Steve Bennett
Senior Vice President for International Programs and Academic Operations