On Feb. 4, POSTECH officially canceled its major annual events, including the 2019 Commencement Ceremony, the 2020 Matriculation Ceremony, and the 2020 Freshman Orientation, and postponed the start of the spring semester to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. President Moo Hwan Kim announced such changes through a notice⁠—“Message from the President”⁠—which was posted on the POVIS Announcements board. 

Due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the 2019 Commencement Ceremony that was to be held on Feb. 7 has been postponed to July 10. Although a YouTube live stream of a shortened Commencement Ceremony had been initially planned in replacement of the canceled ceremony, many graduates requested to have the ceremony postponed than canceled. In response, the President decided to have the 2019 Commencement Ceremony in the summer for the first time in the history of the university. He explained that “although it may be hot, the risk of the coronavirus is expected to decrease in the summer, making it suitable for the event.”

The 2020 Freshman Orientation scheduled for Feb. 9 to 14 and the 2020 Matriculation Ceremony for Feb. 13 was also canceled. Prof. Kim Jong-kyu, the Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs, informed freshmen and their parents on Jan. 31, explaining that the university had decided that the health and safety of the freshmen were of priority. With the orientation canceled, information freshmen should know before enrollment, including guidelines for college life, principal education programs, and the university system, will be provided through online videos and brochures.

The spring semester of the 2020 academic year that was to commence on Feb. 17 has also been delayed by two weeks to begin on March 2. The semester will be shortened from 16 to 15 weeks and will, therefore, terminate a week later than previously planned. In the interim, POSTECH plans to conduct preventative isolation measures on members returning from China and provide protection on campus to secure a safe environment for POSTECH members.

The university is currently supervising a mandatory 14-day quarantine on all POSTECH members who have visited or transited through China. Regardless of the area of visit, the length of stay, or whether the member is on the monitoring list of Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC), he or she who has returned from China since Jan. 14 must be quarantined in a separate dormitory building or its residence for the duration of the coronavirus incubation period (14 days).

Regarding POSTECH’s actions to combat the virus, President Moo Hwan Kim asked for POSTECH members’ kind understanding. He said “I understand how worrying the situation is for you and your families. Our professors, staff members and partner staff are doing their best in their respective places. I ask all of you for your understanding and cooperation until the situation is under control.”