UMD College Park Brings Students Back For In-Person Classes Monday
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- As cases spike across the U.S. on college campuses, the University of Maryland College Park is bringing some students back for limited in-person learning.
Students returned for in-person classes Monday, including labs and graduate-level classes.
Classes that require in-person instruction, including labs, performance courses and senior capstones, are being prioritized for in-person learning.
This comes as cases nearly tripled in one week to 63, a 2.7% positivity rate. Some students said they feel it's too soon.
Hunter Seefried, a junior computer science major, had his first in-person lab on Monday.
"I think for the people who have at least one class that's now in-person, it's kind of a relief. It feels a little bit more like back to normal," he said.
Until Monday, Seefried had been forced to run simulations in his apartment.
"Actually being able to be hands-on with the equipment with other students and TA, to be able to work out the issues we were having was really nice," he said.
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The university's president calls the plan "a cautious phased in" approach, with just 15% of undergrad classes resuming.
"You're not going to see any large lecture halls filled, you're not going to see any small study spaces used, we've taped off every second and third seat so that folks are spaced out," Katie Lawson, the university's chief communications officer, said.
Students are still not dining in residence halls and have to make appointments to use the rec center and student union.
The Baltimore campus is currently doing virtual learning.
University leaders are keeping an eye on the positivity rate on camps and in nearby jurisdictions.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.