ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Friday, Cornell University announced one of its MBA programs will move to virtual-only learning after a spike in COVID-19 cases.

In a campus-wide email obtained by WENY News, University President Martha Pollack and Provost Michael Kotlikoff said there have been 63 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last three days, most of which among MBA graduate students.

Officials say this outbreak was linked back to at least two St. Patrick’s Day gatherings where “large numbers of MBA students did not adhere” to face mask and social distancing measures required by the university.

As if Friday, the Johnson School MBA program will go virtual for at least a week; additionally, MBA students will be expected to stay in their residences and leave only for food and testing. They will also be expected to be tested every other day and “cooperate fully with contact tracing and isolation/quarantine directives”.

Cornell is also working to facilitate surveillance testing for people who are not members of the Cornell University campus community but live in an off-campus complex where many MBA students live.

“As we noted in our message last week, we are taking all Behavioral Compact violations seriously,” reads the email. “Students found to be in violation of the compact will face disciplinary measures which can result in sanctions up to and including dismissal from the university.”