Coronavirus Updates for the Booth Community

As the health and well-being of the Booth community is a paramount priority, this page is designed to keep members and guests of the Booth community informed about the public health situation related to novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Over the past month the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Medical Center have been closely monitoring and responding to the evolving situation with the coronavirus disease. Our goals have been to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and the community at large, to remain committed to our distinctive environment for education, research, and impact, and to be responsible participants in the collective global public health challenge. Chicago Booth and the University of Chicago are taking steps in service of these goals that the current extraordinary circumstances require. 

The University is providing updated information for the entire University community on its online coronavirus information hub. The hub includes extensive information about public health, how to protect yourself, travel advisories and guidelines, planning ahead for the Spring quarter, and support resources. More health information is available from UChicago Medicine, CDPH, and the CDC.

The latest news and information specific to the Booth community follows below. Booth students, faculty, and staff can find additional information on the Chicago Booth Intranet.

Updates for Booth

April 20:

Summer Quarter Planning

Dean Madhav Rajan announced that Booth’s summer session and Executive MBA summer elective courses will be taught online. Adjustments to the summer schedule will be made this week, and students will receive more information from their program teams.

April 7:

Event Changes/Cancellations/Postponements

Chicago Booth has been closely monitoring the evolving situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19), and we have decided in accordance with University guidance and for the safety of our community and visitors to suspend all school-sponsored in-person events and gatherings until further notice. Please contact event organizers with specific questions.

For specific updates about campus visits and events, please check our program sections.

• Full-Time MBA Program Visits
• Full-Time MBA Program Admissions Events
• Evening MBA Program Admissions Events
• Weekend MBA Program Admissions Events
• Executive MBA Program Admissions Events (North America)
• Executive MBA Program Admissions Events (Asia)
• Executive MBA Program Admissions Events (Europe)

For alumni events, please note that all in-person events are postponed until further notice.

• Reconnect 2020 (postponed)
• Management Conference 2020 (canceled)
• General alumni events information (all in-person events postponed until further notice)

Convocation Updates

An all campus email from University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Ka Yee C. Lee announced that convocation will take place virtually on June 13. Graduates in the Class of 2020 are invited to return to campus in June 2021 and participate fully in the 534th Convocation ceremonies.

March 30:

Restricted Access to University Facilities

An all-campus email from Provost Ka Yee C. Lee announced that, beginning on Tuesday, March 31, at 5 p.m., all academic and administrative campus buildings will move from general key card access to secure key card access, whereby only those individuals deemed essential personnel who must be on campus will be able to access the facility. Read the email here.

March 20:

Stay-at-Home Order for Illinois Update

The University outlined the immediate actions it will take after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a statewide “stay at home” order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (see the March 20 email).

March 17:

Message Regarding Case of COVID-19 at the University

An all-campus email from Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost, and Kenneth S. Polonksy, Dean and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, announced that a member of the University of Chicago community tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The individual, a student at Booth, lives off campus and is receiving treatment. This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 involving a member of our campus community. Following protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the University and the University of Chicago Medicine are working with local public health authorities to quickly identify and contact people who may have had close contact with the individual. Read the email here.

Event Changes/Cancellations/Postponements

University of Chicago Associate Vice President for Safety and Security Eric Heath announced the University will comply with a new directive by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people, to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Most buildings on campus that remain open and operational will move to card access only, beginning tomorrow morning, March 18.

March 16:

Spring Quarter Planning

Spring Quarter start for Booth will be delayed by one week, from Monday, March 30, to Monday, April 6. All Spring Quarter classes will be remote learning. This delayed start means Spring Quarter will have nine weeks of remote instruction. For students with questions about Spring Quarter Planning, please refer to the Booth intranet “Coronavirus Updates” section for further information.

Hong Kong Campus

Booth has extended the closure of the Hong Kong campus through the end of March.

March 13:

Spring Quarter Planning

University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Ka Yee C. Lee announced that the University of Chicago is moving to remote learning for undergraduate and graduate classes for the entire Spring Quarter of 2020, beginning on Monday, March 30, the first day of the Spring Quarter. Prioritizing safety and our mission at Chicago Booth, Dean Madhav V. Rajan confirmed that for the Spring Quarter, Booth will be moving to remote learning for all courses. Please see the University of Chicago hub for information on Spring quarter planning.

March 12:

European Travel Restrictions

Given the breaking news that the US will suspend most travel to/from Europe for the next 30 days, we are strongly encouraging Booth students, faculty, and staff currently in Europe to make travel plans to return to the US as soon as possible.

For Booth faculty, students, and staff, please find more information on how to travel back from Europe under the “European Travel Guidance” section within the Coronavirus Updates section of the Booth intranet.

Class Changes/Cancellations

Because many out of town students are unable to attend classes in person, Chicago classes for all MBA programs at the Harper Center and Gleacher Center will not convene in person for the current week, and will take place online. Some faculty may choose to convey material online. Students should consult the Canvas site for more guidance and information from faculty.

For our Executive MBA students in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong, all in-person classes have been moved to online formats. 

Please contact Executive Education at +1 312-464-8732, exec.ed@chicagobooth.edu, for program updates.

March 11:

Booth leadership has been closely following the evolving situation with coronavirus (COVID-19), and has decided in accordance with University guidance and for the safety of our community to postpone all Booth events through April 15.

Events include but are not limited to alumni (including club) events; center events for alumni and students; student conferences, celebrations, dinners, and LPFs; faculty conferences, seminars, and workshops; staff retreats, staff welcome/departure gatherings; and admissions events.