Since the COVID-19 has led to massive closures across the country, there has been debate around whether or not schools should reopen for in-person classes. This week, Morehouse College announced that it would reopen for a hybrid academic program starting next year for the spring 2021 semester.
The university announced that the campus will limit the number of students on campus to 1,200 with a small group of
faculty and staff members for daily operations during the semester beginning in February. The reopening plan will follow a hybrid model allowing numerous classes to go online for remote learning to help students continue their studies while in quarantine at another location.“As we look to the spring, we will embrace a new normal. Our students will be able to return to the historic campus that inspires them to achieve greatness and bond as brothers” said Morehouse President David A. Thomas in a press statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“The Morehouse Emergency Management Team has developed a plan that will allow up to 1,200 students to live and learn on our campus following strict health and safety protocols. Morehouse will offer a hybrid academic program with a limited selection of in-person classes and a full spectrum of asynchronous online courses. I know I can count on the men of Morehouse and our faculty and staff to adapt to the resulting demands on teaching and learning.”
Other institutions including Howard University, Clark Atlanta University, Delaware State University, and Florida A&M University chose to reopen earlier back in August for fall. Many educational institutions around the country still have chosen to wait until 2021 to reopen campus for the safety of students and faculty members as the pandemic continues.
“While we fully recognize and understand that no mitigation measure is guaranteed to eliminate the spread of the virus, we believe that the measures to be implemented prioritize the safety of our campus community,” Thomas said. “We will continue to monitor COVID-19 data, including trends with infection rates and hospital capacity, and will make further adjustments if health data deteriorates.