Coronavirus News: NYU plans for in-person classes in the fall

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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

NYU sends letter about planned fall reopening

NYU sent a letter to students detailing their reopening plan.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- NYU is planning to bring students back to campus for the fall semester.

A spokesperson said in a letter to the student body that they plan to resume in-person classes, subject to government coronavirus mandates.

The strategy includes precautions for the safety and health of students and staff including:

- Reviewing all of our campus spaces to ensure that any in-person classes, activities, and events allow for social distancing;

- Making masks available for all members of the NYU community and requiring their use;

- Conducting virus and antibody testing and contact tracing;

- Reducing density in student housing; and

- Developing more flexible formats for student life activities.

The plan also involves changes for professors and teachers and students in regard to academics:

- Offering classes in a mixed mode to enable you to participate in-person or remotely (with the understanding that some courses or parts of courses may be offered only remotely);

- Designing ways for you to spread classes over two or three semesters-fall, spring, and a summer term 2021 with an enhanced set of course offerings-without additional tuition costs;

- Expanding summer 2021 internship opportunities that you can pursue while you take summer courses;

- Making sure that all courses are designed to be agile in responding to public health developments; and

- Providing those who live close to an operating campus or site in NYU's global network with the option of studying there for the fall-the "Go Local" option. This option may include a combination of in-person and online classes and provide other services offered by the campus or global site. The Go Local option is available to individuals who hold citizenship or residency rights in the country that is home to a selected campus or site (for example: if a student with Italian citizenship were unable to come to NYC to study because of ongoing travel restrictions, we may enable that student to study at NYU's site in Florence, or elsewhere in the EU).

The letter warned the plans were preliminary, and school officials will have more guidance in the coming weeks.