The spread of COVID-19 continues to be a significant public health concern around the world and here in Maryland, and the Peabody Institute – as a division of Johns Hopkins University – is adapting its operations to best protect the health and safety of every member of our community while continuing to fulfill our mission of excellent performing arts education.
Our decisions and actions around these issues are guided by the advice of public health experts both within and outside of Johns Hopkins University, and by our deep commitment to the welfare of our people.
On Tuesday evening of this week, Johns Hopkins University announced a transition to remote instruction, through at least April 12. Residential students on all campuses, including Peabody’s, are being strongly urged not to return to campus prior to April 12.
Peabody is fully committed throughout this period to continuing the education of our students, which is the core of our mission. Training and equipment are being offered to faculty and students of both the Conservatory and the Preparatory to support the move online for all academic courses and private lessons. Ensemble rehearsals, recitals, group and studio classes, and public performances are necessarily suspended pending a return to normal operations. Peabody is committed to ensuring that Conservatory students have the opportunity to complete their Peabody work for the semester, and that these unforeseen circumstances do not negatively affect a student’s ability to graduate on time or progress through their degree.
The Peabody campus remains open and operational. However, as an additional step to help slow the spread of COVID-19, faculty and staff are being strongly encouraged to work remotely beginning Monday, March 16. Recognizing that some work simply cannot be done from home, these measures are not just intended to protect the health of teleworking employees. Reducing the number of employees in the workplace is also a critical step to protect the health of staff and faculty who will continue to work on site.
As this public health crisis continues to evolve, we continue to closely monitor a rapidly developing situation and will share additional updates in the coming weeks. You can also access expert resources on the
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
.
In closing, I want to commend our students, faculty, and staff for their flexibility, patience, and dedication as we navigate through these challenging times. I am truly proud of our community. We remain grateful for your continued interest in and support of the Peabody Institute, and urge everyone to take good care of yourselves and others.
