USC Says Fall Semester To Be Conducted Primarily Online; On-Campus Housing Will Be Limited
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — USC announced Wednesday night that most fall term classes for undergraduate students would be conducted online and on-campus housing and activities would be limited due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The university said the move came due to ever-changing public health guidelines and the fact that Los Angeles County had yet to approve the school's plans to return to full campus operations.
"The once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic has altered every aspect of our lives – the way we interact, work, and socialize – and with each new permutation of the pandemic, we must find ways to thrive," the university said in a statement. "The fall semester will be a completely new and different experience."
Citing Gov. Newsom's Wednesday order prohibiting a number of indoor activities and the recent spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in L.A. County, the university said students living on or near campus to reconsider their living arrangements.
"We are continuing with limited in-person, on-campus activity because we believe we can keep students, researchers, staff, and faculty safe with our low-density plan," the statement said.
The university said it would reach out to students involving specific course schedules and was giving those with on-campus housing contracts additional time to make a final decision.
More information on the university's plans for fall can be found on its website.