Classes out by Thanksgiving, delayed start, no break — Fall plans to vary at UNC schools
Some UNC System schools plan to finish the fall semester before Thanksgiving, another won’t start the semester until after Labor Day and others are still deciding exactly what to do as the system develops a “detailed contingency plan” and guidance for welcoming students back to campuses
Interim UNC System President Bill Roper said the question he gets asked most frequently is how universities will operate during the fall 2020 semester.
“We are optimistic, leaning in and expecting our students, faculty and staff to return to classrooms, labs and libraries this fall,” Roper said at a virtual Board of Governors meeting Wednesday.
“Crucially, our planning is ensuring that appropriate safeguards for health and safety will also be in place,” Roper said. “I assure you that we will be ready for any set of circumstances that may prevail.”
Each of the 17 campuses in the system will determine specific changes or protocols based on the guidance that comes down from the UNC System.
Roper has had lengthy virtual meetings with each university chancellor and their teams about individual plans and possible scenarios for the fall semester. The system is also following what other universities around the country are doing and consulting with state health officials.
Roper said he expects to give campuses official guidance by the end of May so that institutions can develop and execute their plans over the summer.
At the meeting, the board voted not to increase tuition or fees for students at UNC System universities for the 2020-21 academic year in light of the pandemic.
Several UNC System campuses have already announced changes to the fall semester help keep students, faculty and staff healthy and minimize community spread of coronavirus.
Ending by Thanksgiving
UNC Greensboro announced Monday that classes will start on time Aug. 18, but will end at the Thanksgiving holiday. Fall Break and Reading Day will be eliminated, and final exams will be taken online. Commencement is still scheduled for Dec. 11 and event details will be based on the public health situation at that time.
N.C. A&T State University leaders announced that in-person and online classes will begin on time on Aug. 19, but will also end at Thanksgiving break and students will return home. Fall break and Reading Day were canceled, final exams will be taken online and an in-person commencement is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12. NC A&T, also in Greensboro, will host virtual new student orientation sessions over the summer and in-person sessions are planned to begin on Aug. 10.
“While we will be prepared to resume in-person instruction this fall, we are taking important steps to significantly reduce the number of students on campus in late November and December, to help manage community spread of infection,” Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Beryl C. McEwen said in a statement.
Meanwhile, UNC Charlotte will begin the fall semester on Sept. 7, two weeks later than originally scheduled. UNCC also canceled all fall study abroad programs.
“Given our unique location in North Carolina’s largest city, these two weeks allow additional time between the projected peak of the virus in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and the start of the academic year,” outgoing Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement.
UNC-Chapel Hill is hosting a webinar for faculty and staff on Wednesday afternoon to talk about how to best resume full on-campus operations in the fall. In an email to employees, UNC leaders said they will discuss current plans for preparing the campus to welcome back students with “stricter wellness, hygiene and physical distancing protocols.”
N.C. State University has not released official plans, but Chancellor Randy Woodson has said they expect a “normal fall opening,” with all 36,000 new and returning students on campus in August.
But things might look different at N.C. State, Woodson said. Students could have to practice social distancing, class sizes might be reduced and faculty may be forced to alter their classroom instruction. The situation could also affect the way the school prepares residence halls and on campus dining options.
UNC Faculty Assembly Chairman David Green spoke at the board meeting Wednesday, saying faculty are eager to get students back on campus for face-to-face instruction and mentorship. However, some have expressed concern about the safety of returning and safety should be a priority, he said.
COVID-19 relief funds help campuses
While the UNC System reduced its budget request to the state legislature because of the coronavirus pandemic, it did ask for additional relief money to offset new expenses and lost revenue.
The state legislature allocated $44.4 million in coronavirus relief, which will be distributed to the 17 UNC System campuses, the UNC System office and the N.C. Arboretum. It also specifically notes $5 million in digital learning enhancements for the system.
The board voted on how to distribute the money to universities for costs related to the transition to online instruction for the spring semester, facility sanitation, canceled activities and other emergency expenses. It was based on campus cost estimates from March 1 through Dec. 30, 2020.
UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State and UNC Charlotte will receive $4.5 million, the largest possible portion. East Carolina University will get nearly $4.3 million, UNC-Wilmington will get about $4 million and Appalachian State University will get $3.6 million.
This is separate from the millions of dollars from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was accepted by and distributed to UNC System campuses earlier this spring.
The board also unanimously voted Wednesday to make Brian Cole the chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. He had been serving in the interim role since August 2019.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Classes out by Thanksgiving, delayed start, no break — Fall plans to vary at UNC schools."
