By Lynsey Amundson / Idaho News 6
With the fall semester approaching for college students, here is Idaho colleges and universities plans for bringing students back to campus for a new school year:
Idaho State University:
- Idaho State will resume full campus operations Aug. 17.
- Classes will be taught in-person.
- All face-to-face instructions will be completed by Thanksgiving break (Tues., Nov. 24).
- Following Thanksgiving break, the university will have one week of online finals.
- On-campus housing will be provided.
- Classes are being moved to larger rooms to accommodate social distancing rules.
- Some classes will make use of hybrid; online and in-person teaching.
Boise State University:
- Boise State will resume on schedule, Aug. 24.
- Classes will be a mix of in-person and online.
- After Thanksgiving, all classes will shift to online.
- Small classes will be moved to larger rooms and large classes will be reduced in size.
- On-campus housing and dining services will reopen for fall. Most dining services will be takeout.
- Dorm residents might be tested for COVID-19 when they arrive in Boise.
- Before employees return to work, they could be tested for COVID-19.
- Physical distancing, as well as wearing masks inside and outside where distancing is not possible
- Asking community members to stay off-campus if they experience symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19.
University of Idaho:
- U of I will reopen with in-person classes Aug. 24.
- Classes will be taught mostly in-person. Some classes will be hybrid online and in-person. Students will alternate days to attend in-person. A few classes will be completely online.
- Classrooms will be used at 50% capacity.
- Face coverings are required indoors with few exceptions (private offices being one).
- Face coverings are required outside any time six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
- On-campus housing will reopen. Most housing will remain at standard capacity. Theopholis Tower will be reduced to single rooms only.
- The university will have COVID-19 tests available in conjunction with Gritman Medical Center.
- Thermal scanners are being installed in some of our more public areas (entrance to the ISUB, Dome, etc).
The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM):
- ICOM resumed full operations on June 15, and continues to operate under a “new normal”, and the fall semester will begin on time, Aug.3.
- All classes will be in-person.
- Third-year students will be back on campus July 1 to finish their hands-on clinical after it was canceled in spring. ”
- Employees and students and will continue to engage in physical distancing of at least six feet, wear face coverings in public areas and stay home if sick.
- Temperature checks are performed at entrances.
- The college is adjusting schedules, teaching methods, and the use of more spacing to teach while implementing public health guidelines.
- Contingency plans are being created, in case they need to go back to distanced learning.
College of Idaho:
- College of Idaho will begin the fall semester Aug.19, one week earlier than originally planned.
- Finals will be completed before Thanksgiving break.
- Fall break is canceled to give students enough time to finish classes before Thanksgiving break.
- They will have COVID-19 testing available for students.
- On-campus housing will be offered, but students will have a designated time slot to move-in.
All the colleges and universities are working to follow guidelines given by state health officials and the CDC. With COVID-19 and its outlook for fall being unpredictable these plans may be modified as needed.
