April 20 (UPI) -- Florida State University has changed course on a return to class for students following a shooting on campus that left two people dead and six injured, the school announced.
The administration originally said that, despite the shooting Thurday that classes would resume Monday.
"Our hearts are heavy after that tragedy that took place April 17. We are grieving with the families and friends who lost someone they love, a Saturday statement from university president Richard McCullough said.
"This has shaken all of us and I want you to know: We are here for you. Classes and business operations will resume Monday, April 21."
Related
But the school has changed course following pushback by students, some of whom have said they don't feel comfortable returning to campus so soon after the shooting, and that their minds would not be on their studies.
"I have classes that are right by where the shooting occurred and I doubt I will be able to focus, " Madelynn Duggar, a junior, took shelter for three hours in her classroom on Thursday in a building close to where the shooting took place, told NBC News.
"It is very difficult to focus where days before you were barricading the door and making your peace with God," she continued.
Students organized to create an online petition calling on FSU to grant excused absences for students and staff who did not want to return to the campus so soon after the shooting.
The school acquiesced and said it would make accommodations for students and staff who did not feel safe returning to campus on Monday, including online options.
Saturday evening students received an email telling them that the university would "resume classes on Monday, April 21," but that students and staff would have other options.
FSU said in the email that absences would be excused and that in addition to the online options, students would also have other choices to complete normally on-campus activities, such as lab classes.
The school then released a video statement later Saturday explaining the options for people to attend remotely, but that video was removed as of Sunday.
The gunman opened fire on students and staff near the Oglesby union.
