university of chicago

Are Campuses Opening the Classroom This Fall?

Not so fast: Final decisions for most universities are likely to be made mid-summer.

As universities make tough decision on when to reopen campuses for in-person classes, we rounded up the announcements from schools across the country (most of which have not made concrete decisions on how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic just yet).

Tufts University, Medford, Mass.

Unsure it will reopen in the fall, Tufts has announced a hiring, wage and salary freeze. The university also suspended all capital projects in April.

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

An announcement that courses will resume in the fall, but university officials are not certain when students might return, and when courses could take place in person.

The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

The university has not yet released updates about opening in fall 2020.

University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

University officials have not yet released information about opening in the fall 2020.

The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

The university has sent an email to faculty stating it will announce plans for the fall semester by mid-June.

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

University Chancellor Susan Wante tweeted on April 21 that decisions for how to reopen in the fall have not been made yet.

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

The university’s website states that a plan for how fall courses will be conducted is not in place yet. Fall course registration has been postponed until at least late July.

Rice University, Houston, Texas

In a letter to students, the university president wrote that on May 4 that the university expects to reopen campus in the fall, and it is considering regulations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including flexible start dates for international students and some remote coursework.

Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Members of the Harvard Community received a letter dated April 27 stating that the university is committed to reopening in the fall. The letter also stated that students and faculty must prepare to function entirely remotely to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass.

According to several coronavirus updates on the MIT website, the college is working on a fall 2020 reopening plan.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Gun Violence Report Finds Retail Spaces, K-12 Schools Most Targeted

    ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, today announced the release of its annual Gun Violence Report, offering a deep dive into the landscape of gun-related incidents across the United States. This analysis extends beyond mass fatality events, providing a more nuanced understanding of when, where, and why shootings occur. Read Now

  • Cybersecurity is An Overlooked Threat on K-12 Campuses

    Improving physical security on K-12 campuses is always at the top of mind for decision makers like principals, superintendents, and many others with a focus on surveillance cameras, access control, and emergency drills. But cybersecurity something that needs as much scrutiny as in today’s digital landscape. Read Now

    • Communication
  • Four Fathers Stop School Shooter at Weekend Band Competition in Texas

    An 83-year-old man allegedly injured one during a school shooting at a band competition in a Houston suburb. According to a Facebook post by the Pasadena Police Department, the shooting happened after 6 p.m. at Pasadena Memorial High School on Saturday. Read Now

  • Tennessee School Shooter Partially Livestreamed Attack that Killed One

    The school shooter who killed one during an attack in Nashville, Tenn. partially livestreamed the attack. Read Now