UC Davis cancels cherished spring rite, Picnic Day, to stem coronavirus spread
University of California, Davis, officials announced on Saturday the school has canceled Picnic Day, the annual celebratory spring open house attended by 50,000-plus students, family and community members. The event had been set for April 18 this year.
The cancellation, announced by Chancellor Gary May, comes days after Gov. Gavin Newsom called for cancellation of all events statewide that might draw more than 250 people.
The governor’s order is aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus, a new virus that has infected more than 155,000 around the world, including 2,500 in the United States.
In the wake of that announcement, most schools in the Sacramento area announced full or partial shutdowns, in some cases for three weeks. Similar shutdowns are happening across the state.
There have been 323 cases, including five deaths, in California, according to the Johns Hopkins University data center. Yolo County has reported two cases.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the UC Davis Picnic Day ... is canceled,” the university posted on its website. “We hope you will join us at next year’s 106th Picnic Day on April 17, 2021.”
Earlier in the week, UC Davis canceled its in-person final exams for the winter quarter, telling students they can take such tests online. The university announced Tuesday that students can complete their finals work through take-home exams or other assignments, or by dropping the final exam and being graded on work they already have completed.
“For courses whose instructors decide not to avail themselves of one of these opportunities, the final examination must be conducted online,” the UC Davis news service wrote, adding that staff and faculty affected by the coronavirus outbreak can seek time off to deal with the illness for themselves or family.
Undergraduate classes are being conducted via remote means, such as web conferencing, campus officials said. Instructors of lab courses have been encouraged to find ways to offer that instruction remotely as well.
The university earlier in the week had issued its own protocol of prohibiting group events, classes or meetings of 150 or more people. That ban is in effect through the upcoming spring quarter.
“No decisions have been made regarding spring commencements but will be communicated as soon as feasible, both for the individual graduate and professional ceremonies as well as those for graduating seniors,” May wrote in Saturday letter to the UC Davis community.
“Even though Yolo County reports only two known cases of coronavirus (as of this writing), neither on the UC Davis campus, we know from the public health experts whom we regularly consult that there will inevitably be more,” May wrote. “There is an immediate, urgent need for social distancing to limit the spread of this global pandemic.”