U Of M President To Recommend In-Person Classes Resume For Fall Semester
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel plans to recommend next week to the board of regents that in-person classes resume for the fall semester, but with some changes.
According to a statement Friday, Gabel will outline to the board next Thursday a framework to resume in-person classes. The board will then review and act on her suggestions.
Gabel's recommendations would not bring a return to pre-COVID-19 campus life, as they would be subject to public health guidelines, whatever those might be in a few months. Additionally, she is suggesting that in-person classes wrap up by Thanksgiving, perhaps earlier.
Along with in-person classes, residence halls and dining facilities will be reopened, per the recommendations. Also, classes will be "multi-modal," so that material could be delivered in-person or remotely.
Each campus will need to have an enhanced cleaning protocol and have health monitoring systems in place, with testing capabilities, contact tracing and quarantine options, according to the release.
At the start of the outbreak three months ago, the University of Minnesota canceled in-person classes for the rest of the spring semester.
So far in Minnesota, nearly 27,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, while 1,148 people have died.