St. John’s students who are currently taking classes at the school’s Rome campus will return to New York in the coming days because of the coronavirus concerns in Italy, a university spokesman said in a statement to The Torch Saturday morning.

In a statement to the Torch on Feb. 29, the University says that students based on the Rome Campus will return to New York in the coming days. 

“Due to the change in CDC travel guidelines for Italy, SJU is discontinuing academic programs at the Rome Campus until further notice,” University spokesperson Brian Browne said in the statement. The CDC has issued a level 3 travel advisory for Italy, meaning people should “avoid nonessential travel” due to increasing cases of coronavirus, as of Feb. 28. The students will be able to continue with academic courses with “minimal interruption,” he says, due to contingency plans the University has in place. This announcement came 24 hours after the University told students abroad to refrain from traveling over the break. As for refunds, he says there will be “no financial penalty related to tuition.” Read the full statement below:

“Due to the change in CDC travel guidelines for Italy, SJU is discontinuing academic programs at the Rome campus until further notice. All students based on the Rome Campus will return to NY in the coming days. The University has contingency plans to ensure that students can continue with academic courses either on-line or on campus with minimal interruption and with no financial penalty related to tuition. The University and our travel consultants are working together with families. If families choose to rebook flights independently, they may do so.” — Brian Browne, University Spokesperson

Currently, no decisions have been made concerning the Paris and Limerick campuses, but the Torch expects updates as this rapidly changing situation progresses.

In Paris, where the Office of International Education (OIE) has been monitoring students on class trips, our Managing Editor Dayra Santana has been moved to separate housing a day after arriving. In an email to Santana obtained by the Torch, the OIE says “We currently do have four students in self-isolation, but all students are healthy and are separated in a wing from other residents.” Santana says they are self-containing because they may have recently traveled to Italy. “This measure has been taken solely as a precaution,” the email states. There is no indication that the program will be canceled at this time.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.