Temple To Hold In Person Classes In Fall

PHILADELPHIA — Temple University announced Tuesday that it plans to bring back in-person classes for the fall semester with some online classes still being offered.

In a letter to the school's community, Temple President Richard M. Englert said the university has been working to develop a plan for in-person instruction when the fall semester begins Aug. 24.

The fall semester will end on-campus presence at the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 20. This is at the point when fall break would start, just before Thanksgiving.

Rather than send everyone home and bring them back, it would be best to end the campus presence early to reduce public health risks. The remaining week of classes, study period and finals would then be conducted remotely.

Additionally, all university-sponsored, connected, or funded international travel by students, faculty and staff is suspended. These restrictions are in effect for students through Aug. 15, and through June 30 for faculty and staff. Domestic travel for all is still strongly discouraged.

This decision will be updated on the 15th of each month, based on international, national, state and local guidance. Given the uncertainty of the situation, faculty, staff and students should be prepared to postpone (or cancel) any programs or work that require travel, or be prepared to transition to an alternative, remote mode of delivery.

"In the past several weeks, more than 150 of Temple’s best faculty, staff and administrators have been laying out the plans for our safe return this fall," Englert said. "While many questions remain, I am confident we can open on time as a residential university, and operate in a way that reduces the risks to our community’s health while continuing to offer quality educational experiences to our students."

He said the entire Temple community will need to work together to keep one another safe. That includes:

• Wearing masks. Everyone must wear face coverings in buildings, and masks are encouraged everywhere on campus. The school will have masks available for those who don’t and for those visiting campus.
• Frequent hand washing. Temple will soon install hand sanitizer stations throughout its campuses, along with reminders to avoid touching faces after touching surfaces.
• Social distancing. The school will have reminders on floors and walls of campus buildings asking you to stay apart while we are together. Classrooms and other spaces will have similar distancing requirements.
• Monitoring your own health on a daily basis. This include taking your temperature, watching for other symptoms and, if warranted, seeking help through your primary care physician or Student and Employee Health Services are important for you and for everyone on campus.

The university is planning an educational campaign to further spread this information and will create an employee guide that will include personal health and safety information as well as instructions for faculty and staff requiring accommodations.

While Philadelphia may be designated "yellow" on June 5, Englert said that does not mean Temple will resume normal operations on that date. Temple's operations will come back in phases, he said.

"It is our intention for learning to be blended this fall, with classes being taught both in person and virtually," he said. "The exact details behind that scenario continue to be laid out and depend on changing conditions, and I will provide more information over the summer as plans are refined."

Englert said the university will open in four phases, with the first phase in effect now.

Each phase will allow additional people on campus in strictly regulated fashion. As part of this effort, new protocols for keeping buildings clean and employees safe are being put into place.

Last week, the school got approval to introduce the third phase on June 23, the beginning of the Summer II session. Almost all classes will be online for Summer II.

However, Temple will hold some classes on campus, primarily those taught through the College of Public Health as they require in-person instruction.

During this phase, Temple will be pilot testing various protocols and procedures in preparation for larger numbers of students in the fall.

During phase four, we anticipate growing numbers of people on campus beginning Aug. 1 as students move into the neighborhood.

The final phase will begin as students move into university residence halls in mid–August on dates as they are assigned, followed by fall semester classes beginning on Aug. 24.

"Given reduced infection rates and authorization from state and local authorities, we will have a blend of in-person and online instruction," Englert said. "Very large classes will occur online and in various break-out sessions. Other classes will occur in person and in hybrid fashion. While our campus will look different, we do believe a campus presence is not only possible, but can be done safely."

But with some uncertainty about how the virus will pan our, Temple said it will be ready to pivot to primarily online instruction at any point during the fall semester should it be required.

Lastly, Englert said the school is planning to enhance coronavirus testing by shifting its testing site out of the fourth floor of 1700 N. Broad St. and into a space that will become available on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, on the street level of the Morgan Hall tower.

And Temple will be using a contact tracing unit that will allow the opportunity to provide greater information to city and state health officials whenever someone tests positive. The College of Public Health is starting a contact training certification program in June, Englert said.

"It’s a vital service this community needs, and will help those looking for work become eligible as there is expected to be a high demand for contact tracers in the months to come," he said.