Brothers, I know you must be wondering what the University’s plans are for the Fall 2020 semester in light of recent developments regarding COVID-19. The following is sourced from the University of North Carolina’s website:
“Dear Carolina Community,
The past months have been extraordinarily challenging, and I remain grateful for your willingness to shift to remote operations and your ability to adapt to unprecedented change. The challenges brought about by COVID-19 have disrupted the lives of nearly everyone in our campus community.
Despite those hardships, our students, faculty and staff have persevered in historic fashion, carrying out the University’s mission of teaching, research and service in innovative ways that reflect the very best of our community.
Based on advice from our infectious disease and public health experts, who believe we could be facing a second wave of COVID-19 sometime late fall or early winter, we are making significant changes to our operations. On their guidance, we are starting and finishing the fall semester early in an effort to stay ahead of that second wave.
This fall semester will look and feel different from the past.
We are ramping up our community standards to promote a safe and healthy environment to teach, learn, work and play.
Returning to the workplace
We will phase in the return of our workforce with a focus on the health and safety of our community.
Returning to laboratory research
While labs related to COVID-19 research have remained fully operational and much research has continued remotely, we will implement a phased approach to resume other key research activities on campus.
Instructional strategy, academic calendar and classroom space
The College of Arts & Sciences, along with our schools and units, are reconfiguring in-person course instruction to include physical distancing provisions.
Under guidance from our infectious disease and public health experts, we have revised the academic calendar to begin classes a week earlier and conclude before Thanksgiving.
Residence halls
Residence halls will operate at normal capacity — standard double-occupancy — with few exceptions, including one residence hall that will be used to provide temporary housing to residential students who test positive for COVID-19 and a second residence hall will provide temporary housing for residential students who have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus but do not have a confirmed diagnosis, as recommended by Campus Health or other health authorities.
Carolina Dining Services
To help limit density, Lenoir Dining Hall (including Mainstreet on the ground floor) and Chase Dining Hall will be open only to students with a UNC Meal Plan. We are developing new meal plan options for students and will share details soon.
Testing, contact tracing and Campus Health/Counseling and Psychological Services
UNC Health, Campus Health, the health department and our infectious disease team have robust testing capabilities when indicated, reflecting state-of-the-art practices to limit virus spread.
Thanks for your commitment to this important responsibility in helping us build our community together as we carry out the mission of our great university.
Sincerely,
Kevin M. Guskiewicz
Chancellor”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE. For the latest information on the coronavirus CLICK HERE.