With faculty members expressing their displeasure in recent days, TCU decided Thursday to allow faculty the option to teach classes this fall remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Before Thursday, faculty members had to apply for special accommodations and be approved to teach remotely to do so.

TCU Faculty Senate chair Sean Atkinson told the Star-Telegram earlier Thursday that some faculty members preferred returning to campus in the fall, while others preferred teaching remotely as they have done since mid-March.

TCU said it is adjusting and adapting plans accordingly amid the global pandemic.

“The coronavirus is constantly evolving, and the situation will continue to shift between now and when school starts Aug. 17,” a school spokeswoman said late Thursday in an email. “University leadership IS offering faculty the option to teach online if they choose to do so.”

Plans to allow faculty to teach remotely were finalized on Thursday.

Homecoming canceled

TCU also announced that it had canceled family weekend and homecoming activities this fall.

Homecoming had been scheduled around TCU’s home football game against Kansas State on Oct. 17.

“This is a proactive move to reduce travel to the campus and limit large indoor gatherings in an effort to decrease risk to campus,” the school said in an announcement.

COVID-19 cases go down

TCU reported a drop in active COVID-19 cases on Friday afternoon, as it has dropped from 70 to 54. Of the 54 cases, six have direct on-campus impact (two students, two employees, two contractors). Direct impact is deemed the individual being on the TCU campus within two days of symptom onset or receiving a positive test.

Of the 48 indirect cases, 47 are students and one is an employee.

This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 5:30 AM.