The chancellors of UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University announced Thursday that in-person classes will resume on August 10. Both schools will skip fall break and complete final exams before Thanksgiving. The measures are meant to eliminate fall break related travel and protect against another COVID-19 wave.
UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz says, “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. “
Some of the changes include adjusting class sizes to allow for physical distancing, entering and exiting buildings through one-way corridors, and extending time between classes to allow for necessary physical distancing in and out of buildings.
UNC-Chapel Hill residence halls will operate at normal capacity. There will be one residence hall 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 coronavirus but do not have a confirmed diagnosis. Additionally, some double rooms will be converted to single rooms for residents with immunocompromised conditions.
NC State chancellor Randy Woodson says, “The last two months have been not only unprecedented, but for many in our community, very challenging. COVID-19 has disrupted and affected all in our Pack. But in the Wolfpack way, you stepped up, overcame the difficulties and pushed not only yourselves but our entire community forward.”
The leader of North Carolina’s public university system last month announced his intention for the 17 campuses in the system to resume in-person classes this fall, but details were left up to the individual school chancellors.