Emory University Set To Resume In Person Instruction This Fall

ATLANTA, GA — Emory University announced Thursday that it will resume in-person instruction in the fall. Although students will be back on campus, there will be a lot of changes, said school officials.

The semester will begin August 19, but classes will end by Thanksgiving, followed by virtual exams conducted remotely.

“We know that people will get sick, we can’t bring this number of people together without somebody being sick,” Interim Provost Jan Love tells the Emory Wheel. “What we’re trying to do is to prevent outbreaks of COVID.”

According to the school’s website, Emory will offer expanded online class options “to maintain choices for our students.”

“For our classroom environments, we will cap most in-person, large lectures to minimize class sizes and to follow physical distancing guidelines,” the website states. “Any rare but essential large lecture classes will be held in facilities that can accommodate appropriate physical distancing measures.”

COVID-19 testing will be mandatory for all students living in residence halls, along with those taking in-person classes, upon or shortly before returning to campus, and will be available at any time during the semester for those who are symptomatic and for their close contacts. Faculty and staff will have access to testing on demand.

Residence halls will be open with a standard of no more than two students per room. Dining spaces will be spread outside in tents. Students, faculty and staff will be required to wear face masks at all times including during class.

Emory officials said they haven’t decided how to handle on-campus gatherings and public common spaces like the library. More details will be released in the coming weeks.