Press Release
Utah State University is preparing to resume in-person classes and face-to-face experiences for students this fall.
“Our students have responded to this situation with grace and resilience, and we are excited to again see them come to our campuses,” said President Noelle Cockett. “We will be releasing more details about fall semester over the next several weeks, and students and their parents should monitor university communications for that information, knowing that USU will be ready.”
New protocols this fall mean that students will experience diverse methods of instructional delivery, which will include traditional in-person classrooms, hybrid or blended learning, or online delivery in some cases. Additionally, the university will implement state guidelines on face coverings, sanitizing and social distancing while limiting the number of students in classrooms and other prevention precautions.
In mid-May, the state of Utah released Utah Leads Together 3.0, which outlines additional guidance for reopening the state and continuing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Utah Leads Together 3.0 directs higher education institutions to develop a plan to be ready to resume in-person instruction and other academic activities. This summer, the university will create institutional stabilization policies, including repopulating campus, monitoring for incidences, containing potential outbreaks and temporarily suspending in-person operation, if necessary.
President Cockett said a key component in welcoming students to campus this fall will be creating a learning, working and living space where everyone feels a personal responsibility to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“We are counting on our faculty, staff and students to be socially responsible with the protocols we will put in place so everyone benefits from a successful fall semester,” she said. “Our plans for fall semester will only continue if we all move forward with care and concern for our fellow community members.”
Robert Wagner, vice president for Academic and Instructional Services, said students should be reassured that USU is ready to provide a variety of learning options this fall.
“USU has used technology-enhanced courses and delivery for over 25 years,” Wagner said. “If there is an institution that is prepared to take on the complexity of these issues, it is Utah State. Because we have so many different delivery options, it has allowed us to evolve and adapt as the conditions related to COVID-19 change. Our faculty are dedicated to supporting students during these unprecedented times.”
For up-to-date information on how USU is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://www.usu.edu/covid-19.