Dear alumni,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and well. I’m writing to share information about our “Campus Ready” plan that outlines changes to campus operations for the Fall 2020 semester. While our campus operations and academic protocols might not affect you directly, we recognize that there is great interest in how the university is navigating these very challenging times. In that spirit, we wanted to provide the summary below as well as share links to the plan and other relevant information.
While it is as comprehensive of a plan as possible to date, it remains a work-in-progress and will continue to be updated as additional campus protocols are finalized, the pandemic unfolds and updated public health recommendations become available. We remain focused on preserving the on-campus experience, but COVID-19 has forced us to rethink everything we do.
We recognize there are questions that we are not able to answer yet, including the impact on events in the fall like football and other sports, tailgating, Homecoming as well as other campus and social events. Throughout the pandemic, we have learned that each day brings new data and information that influences decision making at every level. As information and decisions are refined and finalized, we will continue to share those with our university community. Stay well, and we hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Overview of Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while returning to in-person operations, the university is implementing new protocols and expectations for everyone on campus, a modified academic calendar, new forms of course delivery, mandatory training for employees and students, daily symptom checks and COVID-19 testing and tracing.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while returning to in-person operations, the university is implementing new protocols and expectations for everyone on campus, a modified academic calendar, new forms of course delivery, mandatory training for employees and students, daily symptom checks and COVID-19 testing and tracing.
The university’s guiding principles continue to be preventing the spread of the virus and safeguarding the community; resuming on-campus learning while prioritizing safety and well-being; fulfilling the university’s core mission of education, research and service; and enabling students to maintain academic progress toward their degrees.
The parameters and protocols include maintaining six feet of physical distancing and practicing proper hand hygiene. Face masks or cloth face coverings will be required at most times by faculty, staff, students and visitors, including at all times while indoors and in the presence of anyone else, and while outdoors where maintaining the required six feet of physical spacing is not feasible.
The Fall 2020 semester will begin as scheduled on Aug. 24 with the last day of classes on Nov. 17. Final exams will be held Nov. 18-24. This was done in an effort to mitigate the potential spread of the virus, account for other health threats during the winter and acknowledge the likelihood of increased travel during fall holidays.
Classroom capacities will be reduced to comply with CDC and national public health recommendations. This will necessitate some courses to be taught in-person or through a blend of in-person and online instruction, while others will be offered remotely or fully online. The “Campus Ready” plan also includes specific guidance about events, student housing, dining services, fraternity and sorority life, the Student Union, campus transportation and more.
The “Campus Ready” plan was developed in alignment with government orders and public health recommendations from the Safe Return order of Gov. Tate Reeves’s reopening plan, the City of Oxford’s Serving Oxford Safely recovery plan, the IHL Safe Start Task Force, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), and the American College Health Association (ACHA).
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